Scottish football is in the unusual position of needing a team from outside Glasgow to keep this season's UEFA coefficient respectable. Celtic and Rangers are toiling in the Champions League, and Hearts are required to ease the burden.
Matchday three in Europe’s elite competition was yet another humbling experience for the Old Firm, and optimism is dwindling fast. Beatings are sobering, and the enjoyment factor is non-existent.
Celtic, to their credit, have been competitive in every group match and sought to impose their aggressive style, while Rangers, without a goal, have implemented a safety-first approach. The systems are contrasting, but neither method is delivering.
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Ange Postecoglou commented on Celtic’s lack of recent experience in the Champions League, and both Glasgow clubs have received sufficient evidence regarding how unforgiving the top level can be. It is a learning curve, but that is not much consolation to two proud clubs used to winning.
On Wednesday evening against RB Leipzig, there were occasions when the Celtic defence was creaking under duress. Rather than carefully manage the situation and seek to weather the storm, Joe Hart frequently distributed the ball almost as quickly as he gathered it. The goalkeeper is adhering to manager instructions, but such an inflexible approach is counter-productive against opposition with superior resources.
Celtic’s willingness to commit men forward is commendable, yet they regularly struggle to find the right blend between defence and attack. Too often in recent years, a gaping hole appears in the midfield - as it did for Leipzig's opener - and numerous managers have struggled to address the issue.
Liverpool 2-0 Rangers
#UCL | @ChampionsLeague
There is naivety about The Hoops in the Champions League, but at least they have an identity. What Rangers are attempting to achieve is not clear, and their timid performance at Anfield was as woeful as the displays against Ajax, Celtic and Union Saint-Gilloise. Only Allan McGregor prevented yet another drubbing - and a lack of belief was evident from the first whistle.
The quality of Liverpool is not in doubt, they have reached three of the last five Champions League finals, but Rangers were too passive and obliging. An inability to maintain easy possession was alarming, and only when the match had simmered to a testimonial pace did Giovanni Van Bronckhorst summon much-needed speed from the bench.
The style of play under the stubborn Dutchman is bland, and the performances away from home are as inspiring as his post-match reflections. Rangers are in an unforgiving group, one of the toughest, but that does not excuse a lack of cohesion or resistance.
Despite only collecting one point in the group so far, Celtic are still in contention for second place. Upcoming home fixtures with RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk will determine their future, and they can prolong their involvement in the competition – or at least extend their interest until matchday six.
Rangers are looking to avoid the indignation of six group defeats, and based on the evidence, it seems more likely than not. The tried and tested have repeatedly failed to deliver in Europe this season, and Van Bronckhorst should be more experimental in his approach for the remaining fixtures.
In the Champions League, Celtic need to be more like Rangers, and the Ibrox club need to be more like their fierce rivals. The two sides, stylistically, are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and finding a middle ground would be more beneficial.
At the halfway point of the group stage, it would be hard to conclude anything other than both Rangers and Celtic are out of their depth in the Champions League. The financial disparity between the haves and the have-nots is vast - and the evidence is abundantly clear on the pitch.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
