Celtic's stardust has taken a powder
There's something unusual going on at Celtic.
Last season? If the ball had dropped at Scott Sinclair's feet in the dying seconds of a game and the scorer of two earlier goals was on a hat-trick the winner would have duly arrived in front of the Celtic fans and the hero of the hour would have swallow dived into the crowd to accept their loud acclaim.
This season? The Player of the Year sends the ball over the bar, the game ends in a draw and Celtic troop off the park knowing that they've now dropped more points than they did in the whole of the campaign before.
And we're not yet at the halfway stage.
Last season? If Celtic had been in possession of a two goal lead with twenty minutes of any match remaining there would have been no way Brendan Rodgers' side would have failed to close the game out.
This season? They needed a last minute goal-line clearance from Mikael Lustig to preserve their unbeaten domestic record under Rodgers after defensive inefficiency had thrown away the advantage Celtic had built up.
Last season? Invincibility.
This season? Vulnerability.
But we're not dealing in some form of unexplained phenomena here.
Celtic have a defence that couldn't keep weans out of a close or pidgeons out of a loft, particularly if the opposition is foreign in nature.
Twelve goals conceded in two games against Paris St. Germain in the Champions League. Seven in ninety minutes against Barcelona the season before.
If ever a side looked in need of fresh blood at the back it's Celtic.
A side that had teams beaten in the tunnel before matches even started last season is now showing abundant signs of human frailty.
An inability to do nothing wrong has been replaced by a visible inclination towards shooting themselves in the foot.
The stardust that was liberally sprinkled over Celtic's work last season has now taken a powder, so to speak.
The attempts at defending a two goal lead at Easter Road verged on the comical and once again highlighted Dedryck Boyata and Jozo Simunovic as being something far short of formidable in terms of their error strewn partnership.
Rodgers is of the opinion that his team have been "Crucified" for their performances in Europe, but a lot of the nails that have been used have come from Celtic's own tool-box.
None of the players have ever put away the tools altogether, verified by their ongoing, sixty-eight game run of domestic matches without defeat.
And it is accurate to say players are human, and not robots, hence the occasional signs of error.
But there are mistakes being made which are concomitant with a defensive unit which needs new personnel.
Rangers have been mercilessly lambasted for results against the likes of Hamilton Accies and Dundee as well as a home record which has included a succession of dropped points.
Aberdeen have been well and truly sorted out by Rangers, Celtic and Motherwell, taking no points from a possible twelve against those clubs.
But neither Derek McInnes' side nor the managerless Rangers have watched Celtic go beyond their reach as yet, and the reason for that is a combination of fatigue, lost form and a squad sabotaged by injury in the case of Patrick Roberts.
Last season's luxurious loanee is now this season's injury victim and his absence has been keenly felt.
The look of deep rooted satisfaction which illuminated Rodgers' features throughout his first year in charge at Celtic Park has now been replaced by a strained look at times.
The teacher of players has given the impression on occasion that he knows some of his lessons are not being absorbed by his pupils.
It would be a sensible course of action if his employers facilitated the manager to the best of their financial ability when the next transfer window opens.
Success rate in exams is falling off and a higher standard of student is required.
Rodgers can't hang about and have his reputation on a wider scale tarnished by periodic reports of Celtic having taken a severe beating at the hands of continental opposition.
The awe in which Celtic were held by their supposed peers on the domestic front last season has clearly not been replicated this time, not when the defending champions can get a two goal start and still not get over the finishing line with a win.
Having said that, Easter Road was terrific entertainment at the weekend and will be again when it is Rangers' turn to go there on Wednesday.
It's also funny that no-one ever speaks of budgets, annual wage bills and the like when Celtic are caught, and almost beaten, by one of their supposed inferiors in the league.
Hibs gave as good as they got and nearly pulled off a truly remarkable result, proving that just about anything can be done if you set your mind to it.
The same should be able to be said of Celtic when they face whoever they get in today's draw for the knock-out stages of the Europa League.
But it must be as plain as the nose on your face that their prospects would be significantly enhanced if, during the January transfer window, decent sums of money were spent on acquiring defenders who didn't offer boundless hope to the opposition instead of their own side