Celtic’s defence caved in today as the hoops lost 6-4 to Yokohama F Marinos in the first public friendly of Brendan Rodgers’ second stint in charge of the club.
A well taken hat-trick from captain for the day Daizen Maeda was completely overshadowed by defensive issues that presented Kevin Muscat’s side with six simple goals.
The malaise set in after just four minutes when Joe Hart fumbled at a through ball presenting Yokohama striker Anderson Lopes with a very simple opener.
The combination of Liel Abada on the right and Maeda through the centre looked as sharp as ever as they put Celtic in front with the former Marinos striker scoring in the sixth and 21st minutes.
1-1…… Great pass from Hatate….Abada assist to Maeda….thought he was going to hit it over the bar…. pic.twitter.com/Vzj2oWPNlt
— SirKidStarver (@theoldgovanarm1) July 19, 2023
Unfortunately the home side were back on level terms two minutes later through Mizunuma but Maeda completed his hat-trick two minutes from the break with an opportunist strike.
Ben Siegrist replaced Hart in the only half-time substitution but the partnership of Carl Starfelt and Yuki Kobayashi never looked comfortable with the Swede at fault as Lopes levelled for Yokohama in the 59th minute.
Carl Starfelt makes it 3-3 as YFM equalise pic.twitter.com/CN77EYaX2J
— ? 67 Pins ?? (@67_pins) July 19, 2023
Stephen Welsh then replaced the injured Kobayashi but the defence was cut open again as Saneto put Yokohama in front in the 66th minite.
Rodgers made nine changes after that goal with Ben McPherson and Daniel Kelly given their first outings but it was the hosts who were the sharper with two further goals coming from substitute Miyaichi before David Turnbull scored in stoppage time to produce a tennis scoreline.
Without Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston and Tony Ralston major surgery is required on the Celtic defence with no significant spending so far this summer.
CELTIC: Hart (Siegrist 46), Iwata (McPherson 67), Starfelt (Scales 67), Kobayashi (Welsh 60), Taylor (Bernabei 67) McGregor (Kelly 67), Hatate (Turnbull 67), O’Riley (Oh 67), Haksabanovic (Summers 67), Abada (Forrest 67), Maeda (Kyogo 67).
Unused subs: Bain, Vata, Lawal.
FINGERS OUT OF ARSE NOW! PRONTO.
Scottish papers back pages tomorrow ,,
Cracked club crest pictures
Bus picture with wheels missing
Brendan Rodgers pictures with head in his hands .
“CELTS PLUNGED INTO TURMOIL AGAIN” being tomorrow’s Daily Retard back page headline, no doubt, on the back of losing a preseason friendly match…..
I seem to recall shipping 6 goals to West Ham a couple of years ago, and that season went on to be just dire, didn’t it?
Losing heavily to Arsenal in 1987 also presaged a calamitous centenary season….
No surprise to me regards defensive performance…CCV is a HUGE loss to us…Starfelt is a bomb scare…Hart can be one as well…But its not so much about the individuals as the way we play…Far too open…Not enough discipline..and we will be caught out in Europe again if this continues..I wonder if BR will change approach…..An otherwise very good performance ruined by stupidity…Thought Hatate and Daizen were outstanding.
Brilliant comment. Starfelt cannot play 90 minutes without making serious errors and that’s against ANYONE. Against top Euro sides he’s mostly a liability. It’s a real pity as he does a lot of good work but then ALWAYS lets himself down. I’d be looking, as priority, CB and ‘Keeper and take it from there.
Anyone can see it. We need power/height at CH, LB, DM and CF. The first three especially as defensively we appear weak. Without CCV and Johnson for first few games (including a trip to Ibrox) we are at high risk of dropping points, very high risk in my view. Our rivals have bought some decent players recently they are way better than a year ago. We need to be better to stay ahead and to make some challenge in the CL. 3rd in group should be our goal to qualify for Europa at least. I am troubled by our slowness in the market this summer…our spend so far is -15m yes MINUS 15m.
Looking at the photo of Rodgers at the top, he looks as if he is ready to take an order of food and drinks in a restaurant.