Charlie Nicholas has described Celtic's recent form as a 'write-off' and claims Neil Lennon has to stop chopping and changing his team or risk Rangers sealing the Premiership title.
Celtic have dropped vital points this season so far as their rivals cantered to an 11-point lead at the top of the table. And Nicholas puts that down, in part, to their defensive frailty. The ex-Hoops striker reckons too many players are being played out of position and that the manager has to pick a strong XI to give his players some consistency.
But he has warned that the Light Blues will now be tough opponents to knock off their perch.
Writing in his Express column, Nicholas wrote: "The past five weeks have been a total write-off for Celtic, with just five points taken from a possible 12 in the Premiership, not to mention two defeats and a draw in their doomed Europa League group campaign.
"Neil Lennon is paying the penalty for his decision to chop and change his team. Celtic remain vulnerable defensively and he is picking players in a system that isn't really working. Diego Laxalt and Jeremie Frimpong are both wing-backs, not full-backs. Kris Ajer is struggling and Nir Bitton should only be utilised at centre-back when he is up against lesser teams at Parkhead.
"I don't like to get too far ahead too soon, but it is definitely looking more like Rangers will be champions this season. Steven Gerrard's side have zoomed 11 points clear at the top and are also 17 goals better off.
"Celtic have two games in hand, but the deficit could be even more by the time they get to December and play Hearts in the Scottish Cup Final. In terms of 10 In A Row, we have to wait and see how things stand in another five or six league games. If Rangers get to 20 games with this gap or more then it would be hard to look beyond them and I would say it was their title to throw away."
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