ALEX’S ANGLE: CELTIC CANNOT AFFORD TO CARRY PASSENGERS

We looked for someone to trust but found ourselves feeling worried. We longed to be united but found ourselves feeling unsure and puzzled. We needed confidence but instead, found ourselves feeling uneasy and stressed.

Celtic's performance at Dens Park against Dundee was anything but classic.

We managed to secure a victory and earn three crucial points, keeping us in the leading position with only four matches left to play before the end of the season. Our next game will be against St Mirren on Saturday May 18th.

Brendan Rodgers' team did well in defeating their opponent in Tayside, which is praiseworthy. However, I must ask, am I overlooking something?

Why do we need to struggle to achieve a positive outcome against Dundee when we completely dominated them last time with a 7-1 win on February 28? Is it possible that they've made significant improvements in a brief period of time?

Is it possible that Celtic is performing very poorly during a crucial time in the campaign? If this is the case, we need to ask ourselves why.

There's much to consider after Brendan Rodgers' team secured a 2-1 victory at Dens Park.

I don't plan on becoming a harsh critic of the club that I have loved for more than 60 years. There are plenty of people out there who are eager to criticize everything about Celtic, so I don't want to add to the chaos.

Nonetheless, I have valid worries regarding the tactics Celtic is implementing to secure both the league and Cup titles. In fact, I stated as much last week, following their dull performance against Aberdeen, where the team's continued attempts to harm their own efforts appeared concerning.

The semi-final game of the Scottish Cup should have been over within the allotted time of 90 minutes. Even the extra time should have settled the match, but it was not meant to be. Both teams struggled to keep the lead and almost gave away the game to their opponents. But in the end, Joe Hart came to the rescue with a critical save of a penalty-kick. This secured their place in the Hampden finals on May 25 against Philippe Clement's team.

Let's hope that the upcoming event is free from the anxious feelings that were present during the semifinal game against Pittodrie club.

While Rodgers and his team are trying to regain their usual form, it's clear that the club is currently not in a position to tolerate players who aren't pulling their weight. The journey towards success requires everyone to contribute fully.

Numerous individuals are presently struggling to persuade others. Regrettably, Callum McGregor is a part of that group.

The field belonged entirely to Callum McGregor until he decided to exit in the 62nd minute, giving the responsibility of captain to Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Having perfect eyesight is not necessary to notice that the Celtic captain is not performing up to his usual high standards. He's been struggling to replicate the excellent level of consistency he achieved earlier this season, where he was the unquestioned leader of the team.

Regardless of Big Phil's opinion, McGregor played incredibly well in the midfield during Celtic's 2-1 win over their rivals at Parkhead just before the end of the year. Unfortunately, Rodgers' team lost their concentration as the game was drawing to a close, despite their opponents playing with 10 men, with Leon Balagun being sent off for hitting Daizen Maeda in the 71st minute.

In the 88th minute, James Tavernier kicked a free-kick that curved and went into the net. Though they were leading by two goals since early in the second half, the hosts became unsteady during the 10-minute stoppage time. This decline was slightly worrying, particularly since Kyogo Furuhashi had impressively scored in addition to Paulo Bernardo's first-half shot.

I'm sure you remember that during the recent match at Ibrox, Celtic was in a comfortable position with a 2-0 lead. However, things took a turn for the worse when Yang Hyun-jun made a grave mistake by forgetting that tackling an opponent is a legal move in the game, resulting in the team losing out on two valuable points due to one sloppy goal in added-on time.

After experiencing an Achilles injury, McGregor has not been performing as well as he did in the past. This caused him to miss four games but eventually return as a substitute in the second half of a match, which ended in a 3-3 tie in Govan.

I've previously requested that the team's main leader on the field takes their time in returning to play, which you can read about in the link provided. However, currently we are seeing an empty No.42 jersey.

The Endgame has come to fruition when Brendan Rodgers showed his affection towards Callum McGregor after he was replaced.

Right now, there are some people who are not convincing anyone that they are skilled. However, McGregor stands out the most due to the high expectations placed on him as the team's anchor. He has been consistently performing at a high level for around seven years.

Nonetheless, the individual who I observed in recent appearances appears to resemble a fake Callum McGregor. The aura of authority that is typically emitted by a skilled team captain has become askew, as passes are not on target, missed tackles occur, and there is barely any inventiveness.

I cannot recall the captain delivering a powerful and precise pass that sliced through the opposition's defense during yesterday's match at Dens Park.

I understand that playing in actual matches is the only way for a player to get in shape for play. That seems logical to me. However, I have doubts about the manager and the team captain persisting to play through pain at this point in the season, especially if it is obvious that they are not fully capable of performing.

I acknowledge that this may sound harsh, but this journey requires everyone to work hard and contribute to it. No one should expect to have an easy ride.

Even the captain isn't exempt.

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