Rightly or wrongly, Kasper Schmeichel has emerged as public enemy number one at Celtic in recent weeks and months after a run of mistake-laden performances this campaign.
Responsible for at least two goals in the first-leg Europa League clash with Stuttgart, the 39-year-old did begin the loss to Hibernian before being replaced by Viljami Sinisalo in what initially appeared to be little more than a dead-rubber return leg in Germany.
That may simply have been squad rotation ahead of the weekend Glasgow derby, although Schmeichel was then notably missing from the visit to Ibrox, reportedly through illness.
Whatever the precise circumstances surrounding that absence, the reality is that even without the Dane, Celtic’s weaknesses were ruthlessly laid bare in Sunday’s opening half, with Martin O’Neill’s issues running far deeper than just his veteran goalkeeper.
Why Celtic’s trip to Ibrox showed Schmeichel isn’t the only issue:
When Celtic, then under the guidance of Wilfried Nancy, hosted Rangers at Parkhead in early January, the hosts burst out of the blocks, surging into an early advantage thanks to Yang Hyun-jun’s brilliant solo effort.
Yet, as had become the recurring pattern during Nancy’s troubled spell, a dazzling first-half was followed by an almost predictable downfall, with Schmeichel involved as Mikey Moore sealed it late on, following an earlier brace from Youssef Chermiti.
This time, that Jekyll and Hyde display was reversed, as the Hoops commendably rallied through Kieran Tierney and Reo Hatate to snatch a crucial point and stay firmly in the title hunt.
That second-half revival has reignited optimism around O’Neill’s side, but the nature of the first period cannot be ignored, with the men in green and white overwhelmed as Rangers intensified the pressure.
The Hoops were exposed down the right side by the surging Tuur Rommens in the build-up to Chermiti’s acrobatic opener, while Julian Araujo was beaten for the Portuguese forward’s second after a wayward attempt from Dane Murray in the lead-up.
There was a feeling that dropping Schmeichel might offer an instant solution, yet within 26 minutes that notion was emphatically dismissed, as a reshaped and improvised backline buckled under the early onslaught.
Celtic star is becoming a bigger liability than Schmeichel:
With Schmeichel no longer the clear focal point for criticism, scrutiny may need to shift elsewhere, as a repeat of Sunday’s first-half display is simply untenable if the club’s championship ambitions are to be achieved.
The previously mentioned Murray endured a moment to forget after misjudging a straightforward delivery into the area, though the 22-year-old responded impressively, delivering an otherwise assured performance to prevent further harm.
In fact, the young Scot at times appeared the more composed, experienced centre-back, with Liam Scales again experiencing a testing afternoon on the left side.
Defensively, the Irishman claimed eight of his ten ground duels and recorded 11 clearances, yet there remains an awkwardness to his play that breeds anxiety, often lingering on the ball and placing both himself and his teammates under strain.
That was evident in how the 27-year-old surrendered possession 16 times at Ibrox, while completing only 17% of his long-ball attempts, frequently looking uncomfortable when confronted by an advancing attacker.
Admittedly, the £500k recruit has admirably progressed from fringe player to regular starter in recent seasons, but the recent 2-2 stalemate once again underlined his shortcomings, perhaps explaining why he had fallen out of favour during Nancy’s short-lived spell.
While the Frenchman may have made several questionable decisions across his eight matches in charge, it was notable that he chose to drop Scales, with the left-footed defender starting just two of Nancy’s six league fixtures.
An unused substitute in the 4-2 victory over Livingston, Scales was introduced only late against Dundee United, Aberdeen and Rangers, as Nancy opted for the distribution skills of Tierney as a left-sided centre-back.
When he did play, Scales later acknowledged that he found the new manager’s expectations challenging in that position, citing “fatigue” as a problem when tasked with repeatedly surging forward, which in turn reduced his effectiveness in the final third.
Although Nancy’s rigid approach did little to enhance his reputation, it could be argued that he was justified in not viewing Scales as the modern, progressive centre-back he desired, with the defender’s constraints once more evident over the weekend.
Fans may have been eager to observe how the team fared without Schmeichel, yet the visit to Ibrox served as proof that the experienced goalkeeper is not the only source of Celtic’s troubles, with those in front of him – namely Scales – currently offering little protection for either him or Sinisalo.