Brendan Rodgers is Celtic master in making do but trip back in time emphasises major issue – big match fallout

It wasn’t just Daizen Maeda suffering from a bit of blurred vision at Easter Road on Saturday.

Celtic’s relentless running machine lost a contact lens after about an hour and it seemed like a good time for boss Brendan Rodgers to give the poor guy a bit of a rest after another week clocking up more miles than a long haul lorry driver. Alistair Johnston was also seeing stars after the ball was smashed off of his coupon from close range and it pretty much summed up the fuzzy sense around Celtic.

Hoops supporters were left squinting as well as their side didn’t quite look themselves with Hibs proving they can adapt their attacking game against the big boys having taken pelters for leaving the front door open against Rangers. And those travelling punters must have also felt they were peering back in time when they looked at the line-up left on the pitch at the end. Look, a point at Easter Road is not to be sniffed at sometimes.

Celtic are still unbeaten this season and have come through a brutal first section of the season that’s seen them sent to Ibrox, Pittodrie, Fir Park, the Tony Mac, Tynecastle and now Leith and these were the first points spilled on their travels. Emerging from this fixture list anomaly with a healthy lead at the top of the Premiership is an impressive feat, especially against the backdrop of the Champions League and savage injury issues.

Last Wednesday’s exertions against Atletico Madrid obviously – and understandably – took their toll. Celtic looked a little leggy in Leith. In fact, star turns like Matt O’Riley and Kyogo had the appearance of guys who needed a hug and a lie down by the end. O’Riley has been the best player in the country this season but was wearing concrete boots and starved of