The dust is just beginning to settle from yet another controversial and action packed Old Firm encounter. The time has now come to take stock and consider whether Celtic can really use referee Willie Collum’s mistakes as a way of justifying defeat, or has the result proved that Neil Lennon has got some way to go before he can establish Celtic as Scotland’s premier team.

A 3-1 defeat always hurts, but to lose to your bitter rivals makes it all the worse. It is no wonder that many of those affiliated with the Glasgow club are clutching at straws and trying to find excuses. Evidence of clutching at straws was abundantly clear at Mcdiarmid Park, Perth last night when Celtic enjoyed a whirlwind start with some attractive and attacking football predominantly down the wings only to be brought back down to earth by the inadequacy of the defence, particularly Glenn Loovens. The unfortunate stopper also scored an own goal against Rangers at the weekend, ultimately proving to be Celtic’s downfall.

In light of defensive frailties Neil Lennon still has a fair amount of work to do to turn Celtic around. These defensive woes are not a new problem this season. They have been well documented and it would suggest that the problem is bigger than first thought. As said many times before, the root of Celtic’s problems are in the nervy centre back pairing of Loovens and Daniel Majstorovic.

Another reality check which demonstrates that Neil Lennon still has some work to do is the frightfully lacklustre and tame performance of the entire team in the second half of Sunday’s Old Firm encounter. It was surprising to see a Neil Lennon team so docile during a match of such importance: “Where Lennon had no leaders on the park, Walter Smith had 11 and they ended this game so comfortably on top that it must have made the Celtic manager’s skin itch.” It is worrying that this Celtic team was incapable of rising to the challenge knowing the importance of this particular derby game.

As for Willie Collum, although he did not have the best of games and his decisions were not the correct ones, it would be wrong for Celtic fans to use him as a scapegoat and in some way justify defeat. It does not take a genius to see that Celtic’s performance highlights greater problems within the team than Willie Collum’s poor refereeing. Yes decisions did not go Celtic’s way, but in a game of such magnitude and meaning Celtic, and their fans, should never rely on a referee’s decisions in order to win.

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