Celtic supporters have voiced their frustration with Martin O'Neill's tactics and team selections following the draw with Dundee United earlier this week, with some questioning the direction of the Scottish Premiership leaders.
Callum McGregor and Cameron Carter-Vickers have both raised issues with the tactics, according to the Hotline, and now fans are reaching for the panic button over O'Neill's decisions. Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran were pushed to the wide areas to facilitate Kasper Hogh, before the veteran gaffer shook things up at half-time by bringing on Jota and Haissem Hassan, with the £11m man and Osmand trudging off.
Fans Question Starting Line-Ups and Substitutions
Paul McCormack, Coatbridge, said: "It seems Martin O'Neill is doing his own version of Traitors with the puzzles and missions he's setting his players up for. We currently have two No. 2 keepers, we start with forwards playing as wingers and then we remove two forwards and replace them with actual wingers. Martin O'Neill and his coaches are in real danger of being banished by frustrated fans who are scratching their heads week in, week out at starting line ups."
Jim McShane, New Hampshire, emailed in: "Martin O'Neill saying that he was pleased to pinch a point from Dundee United at Parkhead kind of shows you where the club is right now. Remember back in the day when Brendan Rodgers was manager and we were winning everything? There would come a moment when we would draw a game or God forbid lose a game and there would be screams from Celtic supporters wanting John Kennedy's head on a plate! And yet Martin O'Neill gets a free pass…. 17 goals shipped in nine games? Unheard of. Teams used to be scared to come to Parkhead but now they look forward to it. The Celtic supporters were always the 12th man at home but now the place is like a morgue. And no wonder; we have an invisible midfield, a clumsy and mistake-strewn backline and forwards who, so it seems, have met each other for the first time. What could possibly go wrong?"
Concerns Over Defence and Player Selection
David Beattie, Rothesay, said: "I'm at a loss with what is going on with Celtic's team selections and coaching of the team. There are many things amiss, taking Kasper Hogh off when he was getting very poor service, then he brings on Jota and Hassan - who would have given him the service he needs. As for the coaching the side to side, the back passing needs stopped and start the forward passing to bring in the strongest part of the team, until the summer rebuild is completed in January."
Stephen Mulhern, Dumbarton, was baffled by Cameron Carter-Vickers' continued absence: "Jim Goodwin must have really fancied it prior to kick-off when seeing our best central defender was warming the bench. The simple facts are Celtic's defence has more holes in it than Swiss cheese without his calming influence at the back, and it's as big a mystery to me as the Bermuda Triangle that's he's being left out."
Rangers Fans Call for Fernandez to Be Benched
Meanwhile, Derek McInnes leapt to the defence of struggling Emmanuel Fernandez heading into Saturday's Premier Sports Cup clash with Aberdeen, but Gordon Ferguson, Kilwinning, isn't buying it.
He said: "The whole of Scottish football can see that Fernandez is a liability. If the manager can't see this then maybe he's not the manager for Rangers. At every turn literally he's a calamity. He strikes fear into every Rangers fan, time to bench him before it's too late. McInnes must act now."
Drew Ferguson, Oban, added: "Derek McInnes is correct to stand up for Fernandez but a blind man could see he struggled at Tynecastle and he also struggled at Dens Park. He is an accident waiting to happen when put under pressure. Maybe it's time to give him a rest for a few games to remind him he is not Beckenbauer."
