Celtic’s performance against St Mirren on Saturday afternoon was not of a standard fans expect, the Celtic defence, particularly Anthony Ralston and Yosuke Iwata, came under scrutiny.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with St Mirren’s Curtis Main capitalising on the defensive errors of the Celtic backline.

Iwata’s Shift to Centre-Back

Ange Postecoglou, made an interesting switch by moving Iwata back to partner Carl Starfelt at centre-back. Iwata, who has shown promise in midfield outings, faced a significant challenge in this new role. His performance was shaky at the start, with a lack of coordination with Ralston leading to St Mirren’s first goal. A routine punt downfield by Trevor Carson was misjudged by the duo, allowing Main to slip in behind and score.

Despite this, Iwata’s comfort in possession and Celtic’s dominance in ball control could make him a useful option in this position. However, the physical test posed by robust strikers like Main could be a challenge for him in the Premiership.

Kobayashi will likely be back in at Easter Road.

Ralston’s Struggles

Ralston, too, had a difficult game. He and Iwata got themselves in a tangle for the first goal, and he was beaten by Main for a chance that hit the post. The defensive duo seemed to struggle with Main’s physicality and nuisance factor, leading to several dangerous situations. The defender also looked knackered after about 60 minutes. Understandable due to his lack of game time this season.

Looking Forward

These defensive lapses highlight the need for Celtic to sharpen up as the Scottish Cup final approaches. The shift of Iwata to centre-back and the coordination with Ralston will be areas of focus for Postecoglou. Despite the draw, Celtic remains the champions, but the performance against St Mirren serves as a reminder that there is always room for improvement, and that a treble is NOT guaranteed.