Yahoo Sport 
Celtic Fan View: Winter break has come at the right time for jaded Hoops
There wasn’t even a hint of hesitation in Brendan Rodgers’ voice when he was asked if the winter break was arriving at a good time for his side following their drab stalemate with Rangers. “Absolutely,” was his response. He also said: “It was our ninth game of the month so there was probably some tiredness in the performance. When you play for Celtic there’s a mental and physical drain on you.”
While Celtic’s performance against Rangers was well below par, blaming it solely on fatigue is probably too much of a stretch. It’s true that the derby was game 38 in a five and a half month period which has included some extremely tough encounters. As well as 22 SPFL matches the Hoops endured three rounds of Champions League qualification, six group stage matches and a League Cup run which ended with Scott Brown lifting the trophy.
READ MORE: Celtic EXCLUSIVE: Liam Henderson wanted by Swedish side Ostersunds
It’s possible that this schedule culminated in a weary display in the match where supporters demand a solid performance and victory. The Bhoys were incredibly slow, predictable and lacked bite from middle to front. Very few individuals received pass marks on the day.
But it’s hard to avoid the feeling that standards have also dropped within the Celts’ ranks. As a collective the relentless and consistently thrilling attacking football from last term has taken a sharp dip. More errors are being made by the backline which doesn’t resemble the same defence that looked resolute during the invincible campaign. The likes of Scott Sinclair and Stuart Armstrong have struggled to hit the heights of 16/17 while strikers Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths have been inconsistent.
READ MORE: Fury challenges champ Joshua to comeback fight
READ MORE: Chelsea want Thomas Lemar and Richmond Boakye over Moussa Dembele as interest in Celtic star cools
Either way, Rodgers is right, the winter break arrives at the best time for his side. It gives his men time to rest as well as get some key individuals back from injury. With creativity very limited against the Gers last week, you can’t help but feel that Patrick Roberts or Tom Rogic could have provided some sort of inspiration. Unfortunately for Rodgers both are on the sidelines.
The boss could do with a break too in order to improve aspects of the Hoops’ game that haven’t quite clicked. He certainly needs to find a solution for the defence and try to get the speed back in their attacking play. Far too often this season have his team found it difficult to raise the pace of their game and unlock deep-lying defences.
READ MORE: Rangers confirm signing of QPR midfielder Sean Goss on loan
READ MORE: Wilshere deserves England recall, says Wenger
Rodgers will undoubtedly re-evaluate his squad too. It seems as though there will be quite a bit of movement in and out of Parkhead this month. Marvin Compper has already signed and a few more could join him including Dundee’s Jack Hendry and Lewis Morgan from St.Mirren. On the opposite end of the scale, Dembele’s future still hangs in the balance and fringe players like Erik Sviatchenko, Liam Henderson and Eboue Kouassi are set to leave.
The January business must be smart and precise. The team is in need of freshening up with quality figures who can make a contribution in the second half of the term. As Celtic aim to up their game, defend their domestic trophies and put together a Europa League run, an injection of impetus is vital as well as shifting some deadwood.
Rodgers also said in aftermath of the Rangers match that: “The second half will be better than the first half of the season, for sure.” We’ll see if the gaffer and players can rediscover that magic touch that made 2017 so memorable.
