After suffering a damaging 1-0 defeat to their fierce rivals in their opening game of 2021, change needs to be forthcoming for Celtic.
They have had a disastrous season and are now a whopping 22 points behind the Gers in the race for the SPFL.
On the chalkboard
Celtic weren’t bad in the first half against Rangers. They created opportunities and were unlucky not to score on two occasions through Leigh Griffiths.
However, in typical circumstances this term, they were let down by an individual error. This time it was from Nir Bitton who was sent off and in turn, meant Griffiths had to be sacrificed.
The Scot has scored three goals in his last five but failed to find the net last week, leading to a performance that “faded” according to Chris Doyle of Glasgow Live.
Indeed, the striker was a ball of energy in the first period but like his entire team, dropped off in the second. Eventually taken off in the hope of finding a more balanced team following the red card, it was perhaps harsh on Griffiths.
Though, has that just given us a glimpse of how Neil Lennon could go about picking his side on Monday evening?
The solution
The Bhoys take on Hibernian tonight and given their defeat last time out, it will be interesting to see who earns Lennon’s trust.
Griffiths is one man who shouldn’t and unfortunately for him, the manager must take the ruthless decision to axe him from the XI. That's irrespective of the 13 unnamed player self-isolating follow Christopher Jullien's positive COVID test.
Much has been made about whether he can play in a two-prong attack with Odsonne Edouard and last time out, it didn’t work too well. The Frenchman was the striker to finish the game with Mo Elyounoussi on the left and that’s how we reckon Lennon should start on Monday Covid permitting.
The winger has been electrifying this season, scoring 12 goals and registering five assists so it’s hard to make a case for him not playing.
Griffiths, who earns £15k-per-week at Parkhead, has been in good form but he cannot play if it’s going to upset the balance of the play as it did against Rangers.
Ryan Christie and Edouard are irremovable objects in the starting XI so if Lennon wants Elyounoussi to start, he can only really drop Griffiths. The Scot struggled with his link-up play, making just 13 passes and losing possession ten times vs the Gers.
Thus, Lennon must take the brutal decision to axe him.