Ex-Celtic boss critical of flop who 'must do better' as Rangers hero claims 'Celtic have a problem'

Pundits have say on Celtic’s 3-3 draw in Dundee

Celtic were nowhere near their best as they required an Arne Engels penalty in stoppage time to rescue a 3-3 draw against Dundee at Dens Park on Tuesday night.

The Hoops were staring at their second defeat of the William Hill Premiership season when Dundee midfielder Mo Sylla blocked a Nicolas Kuhn effort with his arm in the 92nd minute and Engles levelled from the spot.

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Dundee had twice fought back from falling behind to lead 3-2 thanks to efforts from Oluwaseun Adewumi and Aaron Donnelly either side of a Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal after Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-jun had netted for Celtic.

While the home side took the plaudits - less than a week after also holding Rangers to a 1-1 draw - the performance of certain Celtic players drew stinging criticism. Adam Idah was singled out by former Celtic manager Neil Lennon as the £9million striker made it 12 matches without a goal, having also had the fewest touches of any Celtic player.

Celtic's Adam Idah after being substituted during the 3-3 draw against Dundee. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)Celtic's Adam Idah after being substituted during the 3-3 draw against Dundee. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Celtic's Adam Idah after being substituted during the 3-3 draw against Dundee. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group

"He's got to be better - simple as that," Lennon told Sky Sports. "He should have scored in the first half. He makes some runs but keeps going instead of changing his runs at times. He's got to hold the ball up a lot better and he's got to get on the end of crosses. There was one that came to the far post and he more or less ducked out of it when he really should have been going and attacking it.

"He's got good attributes but he needs to do a lot more. If I'm the captain in there, Callum [McGregor], I'm going, 'come on, we need more out of you'. It's about time he played the width of the box instead of making all these runs outside the channels, especially when Celtic are in the final third. He's got to stay central and link the play a bit better as well.

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"In a team that dominates the ball and is 15 points clear he should be full of running, full of physicality. He's not improving. Second half of last season he was really good and brought a differnet dimension to Celtic's play. But I'm not seeing that this season, not of late anyway."

Idah was not the only player singled out for flak with Lennon’s fellow Sky Sports pundit and ex-Celtic teammate Chris Sutton also having a pop at defender Auston Trusty, who was singled out for criticism by manager Brendan Rodgers in his post-match interview after being outmuscled for Dundee's second and third goals.

"He's all at sea, he really is," Sutton said of the USA international. "Not at the required level at all. He just hasn't played with the right intensity."

Celtic's Auston Trusty looks dejected as Dundee players celebrate a goal. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Celtic's Auston Trusty looks dejected as Dundee players celebrate a goal. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Celtic's Auston Trusty looks dejected as Dundee players celebrate a goal. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd chimed in by claiming that Celtic have an issue in defence ahead of two huge Champions League matches against Young Boys and Aston Villa over the next fortnight that will determine whether they reach the knockout stages.

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"Celtic have got a problem on the left hand side of that defence," he said. "You got back to the cup final, he takes Trusty off then [Liam] Scales comes on. Scales plays the last Old Firm game and was really, really poor. Celtic are way ahead in the league and sometimes complacency can set in, but Brendan Rodgers will know, they need to turn up in these next two Champions League games. They are huge games for the football club. That left side of the defence is an issue for him. You even see Trusty beforehand with Donnelly, he stood on his toe and he's rolling about grabbing his toe. You're a centre-back, you've got to stand up."

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