Following their famous victory in the Europa League against RB Leipzig, Celtic failed to build upon an outstanding performance when they faced Livingston on Sunday afternoon.
After scoring an eye-watering 20 goals in the 4 SPFL fixtures which preceded Celtic’s clash with Livingston, the task which awaited the visiting side looked straightforward, on paper at least. But, such is the beauty of football, just days after beating one of the best outfits in the Bundesliga, the Hoops fell short against a mediocre Livingston side, who stepped up to the challenge to claim a valuable point in a 0-0 draw.
In stark contrast to his match-winning display against RB Leizpig, Odsonne Edouard was muted by a sturdy defensive unit, whose clearly formulated pre-match plan designed to nullify his threat was executed with military efficiency.
Playing as a lone striker against Livingston’s sturdy back-three, Edouard lacked the conviction and penetration which he possessed at Celtic Park last Thursday.
It was a disappointing afternoon for the 20-year-old, and his failure to make his mark on proceedings was duly noted by BBC Scotland pundit Brian McLauchlin.
Indeed, McLauchlin’s claim that it was one of his quietest afternoons with the club was certainly no exaggeration.
Perhaps feelings of physical and mental fatigue manifested themselves in his performance just days after he worked relentlessly at the spearhead of Celtic’s attack in Europe and, while his showing was certainly disappointing, he can be excused from a rare off day considering the circumstances.
As Edouard develops at Celtic, he will slowly manage to deal with the challenges posed by playing two games in the space of three days.
And the return of Leigh Griffiths should be enough to ensure that his lacklustre display against Livingston merely represents an anomaly in an otherwise glowing season.
Celtic fans – thoughts on Edouard’s performance against Livingston? Let us know below!
