Good thread.
It’s a funny one, the result shouldn’t change your outlook on a season, but it has. The team actually delivered when they absolutely needed to. Achieving second spot with that squad, a manage who looked elsewhere twice and didn’t know his best XI for the entire season? That’s pretty good going. As I said in the match thread, hopefully that’s that monkey off dms and the teams back. They know they can do it.
That said, it was an incredibly frustrating one as we know that team are capable of playing better than they have for the vast majority of this season. Countless big games they failed to show up. This isn’t a great Celtic side and they were exposed by plenty this season. I’m glad we finally managed it, first clean sheet at park head since 94, that’s no mean feat. But where was that level of intensity and desire before?
As you say, it’s a huge summer and I am intrigued to see how McInnes recruits. Still not sure I trust him to do it, his record isn’t great and May really has been a waste of money. Maybe there is hope for him / Rooney to develop a relationship with Cosgrove, but we can’t afford to have an impotent attack like this season. However, I’m confident that if the service is there, the goals will come so my priorities are midfield and defence.
The cups this season have been thoroughly disappointing. Having decent draws in both, we really should have capitalised on them. The manner of those big game defeats is what really needs to change for next season. We’re going to lose games, of course we are, just show a bit more ambition and turn up. Give ourselves a fighting chance.
Overall, I’d give a B-, good but could improve