It was big part an end of the line performance from a St Johnstone team about to be rebuilt.
But it was also small part a template for what has to happen in the last few months of the season to save the Perth club’s Premiership status.
November and December displays have set a low bar.
Yet even in that context what happened in the first half of this 3-1 defeat was utterly depressing stuff.
Celtic were a team without a number of their main men but you wouldn’t have known it.
Saints yet again meekly accepted their fate in the opening 45 minutes – at a time when their manager has demanded he sees the basics of attitude and application.
He got neither.
This was a last chance for some to prove they shouldn’t be part of a January McDiarmid Park cull.
Instead, further evidence was provided of how far and fast a double-winning side has fallen.
There might only have been 500 Saints fans in the ground but after Bobby Madden blew his whistle for half-time they left the players, the head coach and the chairman in no doubt about what they think of the mess their side has become.
Liel Abada scored both goals and Nir Bitton got the third near the end.
At least for half-an-hour or so those home supporters in the ground and the others watching at home got to see some footballing fundamentals from the men in blue and white, mind you.
🗣 "A proper No 9's header!"
A lovely ball into the box from Viv Solomon-Otabor and Chris Kane is there to head past #CelticFC goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas.
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📲 Live blog 👉 https://t.co/sf1HH1lIHd pic.twitter.com/D5P08bl4pM— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 26, 2021
An excellent headed goal by Chris Kane and, more pertinently, the way in which it came about, needs to become the 2022 norm rather than the exception.
And the commitment belatedly shown is non-negotiable from here on.
If that happens, combined with several new signings raising standards, avoiding relegation does not have to be a forlorn hope.
It was going to be no easy task playing passing football on a bare pitch that needed to be sanded in one of the goalmouths.
Unsurprisingly, Celtic made a better job of it in the early stages.
Deadlock broken early
And they were in front with just nine minutes on the clock.
It was a goal that summed up so many of Saints’ ingrained weaknesses.
Jamie McCart, a player whose form and confidence has collapsed recently, played a poor pass out of defence.
🗣 "Look at the quality of that cross… it's a brilliant save, he just can't keep it out"
Liel Abada gives Celtic an early lead at McDairmid Park 🍀
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📲 Live blog 👉 https://t.co/sf1HH1lIHd pic.twitter.com/w64fWiOZVs— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 26, 2021
After Elliott Parish produced a fine save to deny Abada from Josip Juranovic’s cross, the stand-in goalkeeper got no help from the other two centre-backs when the ball was there to be won and the Celtic forward got to it first from close range.
There wasn’t much happening at the other end, with third choice goalie Vasilis Barkas getting the armchair ride Hoops fans would have been hoping for.
A Stevie May header well over the bar was the only penalty box incident of note.
By midway through the first half it was 2-0 and as good as game over.
By this stage star man Kyogo Furuhashi has gone off injured but there was still plenty of attacking quality for the visitors on the pitch – more than enough to pass their way through this Saints defence.
Tom Rogic rolled the ball into the path of Abada, who side-footed his low shot past Parish.
Basic pass and move football.
Abada at the double!
Tom Rogic with a brilliant pass to find him in the box and he calmly slots home for his second of the afternoon 🔥
St Johnstone 0-2 #CelticFC
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📲 Blog 👉 https://t.co/sf1HH1lIHd pic.twitter.com/5XDbxYqpfE— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 26, 2021
It could and should have been three for Celtic and three for Abada when Ali Crawford, another whose confidence is on the floor, under hit a pass.
Thankfully, this time the final shot from Abada was less clinical.
It wasn’t a surprise to see two half-time substitutions for Saints.
Kane and Liam Craig replaced Crawford and Craig Bryson.
There was no discernible change to the flow of the game initially, however.
Abada could have grabbed himself a couple more before the 50-minute mark and Rogic came close to finishing from close range shortly after.
On 63 minutes Callum Davidson made sub number three – Glenn Middleton for May.
By this point his players had raised their intensity and quality.
Back in it
And they got themselves a goal to show for it with just over 20 minutes left.
It was the type supporters have been yearning to see.
Viv Solomon-Otabor drove down the right wing, crossed to the near post and Kane gave Barkas no chance with his header.
This was better. So much better.
Jacob Butterfield scored in the defeat to Ross County from outside the box and he wasn’t far off target with a low 78th minute 20-yarder in this one.
GOAL! St Johnstone 1-3 Celtic (Bitton, 83)
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📲 Live blog 👉 https://t.co/sf1HH1lIHd— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 26, 2021
Hope of a most unlikely of comebacks was dashed moments later, though, when James Brown’s poor clearance ended up with Bitton shooting into Parish’s bottom right corner.
The match finished 3-1 but at least there was enough to merit applause from the East Stand and provide a bit of hope at the end of a bruising spell for St Johnstone and those who follow them.
St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson confident new signings and old habits will save Premiership status
