More of a whimper than a roar​

Deila's Celtic team disgrace themselves as pathetic defending once again rears its ugly head.

If you missed tonight's Celtic match, don't worry, you can re-create it in an instant by getting one of your friends to repeatedly punch you in the stomach. The sad truth is that the 3-1 scoreline flattered Celtic as the most spineless, gutless and desperate performance played out in front of our eyes.

Losing two goals in the first twenty minutes of the match spelled a long night for the travelling Celtic support, who endured weather that was only surpassed in awfulness by the way the team played.

In the 3rd minute, Griffiths had shots blocked. Molde defender Linnes gets to the first then Molde's goalkeeper blocks the second. In the 5th minute, Johansen tries to feed Griffiths inside the box but it fails. In the 9th minute, it is Commons who tries to set Griffiths this time but a sliding tackle from a Molde defender keeps the ball from reaching the front man.

Disappointingly for Celtic, it was poor positional play from Efe Ambrose that allowed Kamara to take the ball just inside the box to slot home past Craig Gordon's left hand side. Another big game, another mistake from Ambrose, the song is stuck on repeat and there doesn't seem to be a way to turn it off. It would also not be unreasonable to state that Izaguirre was too high up the pitch for Molde's first and were he not, he may have had a chance to win the ball back from Kamara. Finally, it can be argued that Gordon should have done better with the shot as his attempt at a save seemed timid at best.


Kamara celebrates

For the next few minutes, Celtic tried to push on and get a quick equaliser to bring themselves back into the game, but Molde played a deep 4-5-1 formation when defending and to their credit, their discipline and organisation was impressive.

Armstrong had an attempt on goal in the 17th minute, however it went flying over the bar.

Just a minute after Armstrong's attempt, more car crash defending appeared in the Celtic back four and the most guilty culprit on this occasion was Emilio Izaguirre, who failed to mark Vegard Forren, which allowed him to freely convert a cross with a volley that bounced off the pitch before beating Gordon. This is the second time this season, in Europe, that Celtic have conceded a goal due to a player being unmarked at the back post (Jo Inge Berget at Celtic Park, anyone?)

A noticeable change in the Hoops' confidence is visible on the pitch but they go through the motions and attempt to pull a goal back before the end of the first half. Molde seemed happy to let Celtic come at them and poor passing and a complete lack of creativity meant that Celtic's efforts were fruitless. If Leigh Griffiths firing a shot over the bar in the 29th minute summed up the Scottish champions' attacking prowess in the first half, then Johansen and Armstrong clattering into one another outside the Molde box in the 39th minute sums up Celtic's entire night.

At the game, the camera panning to Celtic fans showed a dejected, miserable, wet and cold bunch who were witnessing a team letting them down. Social media and internet forums were plastered with comments of sympathy towards the fans who had travelled over for the match.
Commons managed to take a shot in the 41st minute but a deflection puts it out for a corner that produced nothing. Molde came close to adding a third before half time in the 44th minute as a cross-shot from Elyounoussi causes Gordon to tip the ball over the bar. The first half ends and two goals in 7 minutes made for an embarrassing first 45 minutes for the Hoops.

No substitutions or obvious changes made by Deila as the second half begins and the fans were surely wondering what Deila was going to do to try and salvage something from this game. 47th minute and Bitton hits a shot that again goes off target.

The 53rd minute sees the first substitute of the match as Flo comes on for Rindaroy at left back, as the player coming off was injured in a challenge.

Almost miraculously, Commons intercepts a poor pass across the front of Molde's defence, beats a player then delightfully chips the goalkeeper with his right foot as he is being closed down, 55th minute. A glimmer of hope as Celtic gained confidence and got back into the match.

Blink and you'll miss it, that's how quickly Molde retaliated as they extended their lead to 3-1 straight from kick off. Elyounoussi converts a cross to the back post as Lustig fails to get anything on it and Gordon deals with the shot poorly.

Molde, despite their lead, still looked the most likely to score as, in the 64th minute, Linnes sends in a which Kamara nearly gets the head on to.

As the game approached the 70th minute, Deila still hadn't changed the team as no substitutes had been put on. Everything Celtic attempt to do to get a goal is failing spectacularly.

Celtic's comedy defending continued in the 72nd minute as both centre backs misjudge a long ball and Kamara got on to it, before his shot went past the outside of the far post for a goal kick. The Hoops continued to have possession but nothing to show for it. Molde's defensive organisation remained strong.

Exposed again in the 74th minute, the Celtic defence didn't pick up Flo as he receives the ball unmarked in the box but he slips due to the conditions.

Ronny Deila finally decided to make two changes in the 75th minute. Armstrong off, Mackay-Steven on. Simultaneously, Molde took Kamara off as Hestad came on.

Cifti was then chosen to go on as Deila elected to take goalscorer Commons off. The midfielder's face contorted with disgust as he walks off the pitch. He looked to throw his jacket to the ground before sitting down in the dugout, furiously screaming at John Collins, waving his arms around and looking like a man possessed with rage.


Disgusted at being substituted


Commons' dissent

Every Celtic fan could empathise with how Commons' was feeling, despite it being unacceptable behaviour.

After Commons was taken off, there were approximately 12 minutes remaining for Celtic to save the match, but they weren't able to score, despite a Ciftci header narrowly going wide of the post from a cross. After 4 minutes of extra time, the referee puts Celtic out of their misery and brings down the curtain on a disciplined Molde performance, where the Norwegians were deserving winners.

Ronny Deila's facial expression showed a man well and truly beaten and whether rightly or wrongly, it comes as no surprise that the web is buzzing with Celtic supporters calling for Ronny's head. The Commons situation will be a major talking point in the media however you cannot ignore the abysmal performance that led to him (and all of us) to be feeling that way. Personally, I don't think Celtic have been that awful in Europe since Artmedia Bratislava and the mere mention of that infamous Strachan defeat underlines how utterly hopeless the team was tonight.


Deila looks lost