After an all round impressive performance at Rugby Park on Halloween, Celtic fans no doubt were predicting a more encouraging start to November than the previous month. From this result, ahead surely lay a week that would reignite Celtics European ambitions and solidify their place atop the premier league. Against Kilmarnock, Celtic with a performance of quality and assurance gave credence to the assumption that Celtic’s poor form had ended and with goals finally hitting the net, Celtic could breathe fresh life into their season with a string of winter victories at home and abroad. This sadly was not the case as the following week merely served to demonstrate the frustrating inconsistency that is becoming synonymous with Tony Mowbray’s side.

Following the 3-0 trouncing of Kilmarnock, the Celtic fans travelling to Hamburg were no doubt hopeful of seeing a performance full of heart and bravery. Celtic duly provided both, but sadly, once again weren’t able to provide a victory. Instead Celtic fans were subjected to another night of missed chances as the fixture ran out goalless. This latest 0-0 leaves Celtic fans uttering but one phrase. “If Only”. If only one more goal, just one more goal had been scored, in any of their European fixtures, the campaign would look oh so different. If only Samaras had scored just one of his chances at home against Rapid Vienna or Hamburg, if only McDonald had slotted the ball past the goalkeeper instead of against him in Germany, Celtics fortunes would be all but reversed. Instead the strikers continual habit of missing chances leaves Celtic’s European ambitions in tatters, needing to win their remaining two fixtures and hoping that Hamburg lose both of theirs. It is a most unlikely scenario that I’m sure Celtic understand is not likely to come to fruition. A much more probable scenario is that Celtic will finish bottom of a preliminary group in what is, by some distance, Europe’s secondary competition. This is a humiliation, most unfamiliar to a Celtic fan base spoiled in recent years with trips to the Nou Camp in the latter stages of he Champions League.

Although bitterly disappointed and aggrieved by Thursday nights result, Celtic fans managed to leave the stadium without the involvement of riot police and tear gas unlike their rivals, and looked to Sunday’s game against Falkirk with optimism given the nature of Celtic’s performance if not the result. Any optimism though was to be dashed by what was probably Celtic’s worst performance of the season. Against Falkirk, a team marooned at the bottom of the table and with only five goals to their name this season, Celtic no doubt thought they were faced the perfect fixture to overcome their European blues. Celtic though could not emulate the fine performance of one week prior as a spirited Falkirk team heaped more pressure on Tony Mowbray.

Celtic, though clearly weary eyed from their midweek exploits, had a golden opportunity to take the lead when awarded a first half penalty. McGeady (a player surely not on his best form) was the man to take the penalty and, sadly, the man to miss. Twice. Robert Oljinek’s remarkable double save denied McGeady, firstly from his spot kick and then more impressively, on the rebound as well, leaving the teams to go in at half time level. Gary Caldwell on 55mins managed to give the hoops the lead with his head, before conceding a penalty, allowing Arfeld to succeed where McGeady failed and score from the spot. Things were to get worse for Celtic as Falkirk, high on energy and spirit conspired to take the lead just three minutes later. Pedro Mountinho volleyed the ball past a startled Zaluska, setting up a difficult afternoon for the bumble-bee clad Celtic team.

Celtic in dire need of inspiration, were forced to turn to the substitutes bench. Scott McDonald, a player unacquainted with life on the sideline, was thrown into the mix and in scoring a well executed  double gave Celtic the lead whether they deserved it or not. With only ten minutes remaining, surely all at Celtic would have expected the team to hold their lead, leave with the three points and put a difficult game behind them. In actuality Celtic could not manage to last five minutes as Stewart managed to equalise on the 83rd minute. Celtic strived for a winner and should have got it when Scott McDonald, again, put the ball in the net in the 89th minute. Unfortunately the referee had deemed Samaras to be off side despite replays clearly showing otherwise. It was a frustrating end to a frustrating game in a frustrating week for Celtic, that once again lead to but one thought…If only.

By Luke Quinn