I have an instant wariness of people who announce that they don’t like football. First of all, I am aghast that they could leave a void so empty in their existence that they must invent games that involve talking to the walls, before a creeping element of envy flashes over, knowing that they will invariably live longer due to not witnessing the heart crushing lows associated with the game. Paradoxically, they are not lost within the beautiful moment of triumph, be this the witnessing of a winning goal or an unexpected victory over your greatest rivals. Part of me always feels that non-football fans are safe and happy in their quiet, middle of the road existence. The problem with staying in the middle of the road, however, is that eventually you’ll be run over. Just like the Celtic defence was against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

With the explosion of social media sites, football interaction has irreversibly altered. In a society that on the whole adopts a quick fix culture of blame, football managers and players are never more than three games away from heroic stature or downtrodden scapegoat.

Part of the success on the pitch has been the introduction of Kris Commons. The New Year derby win aside, Commons’ arrival has seen a shift in tactics that has allowed him to, in essence, have a free role within a wide position. Izzaguirre’s energy on the left has contributed to this, allowing Commons to drift inside because the cover is there with a high pressing left back.

A successful component in this system has been Brown’s ability to be a central midfield player in a wide position. The old notion that a 4-4-2 system should be played with two pacy wingers whose sole job is to supply crosses into the box is an out-dated one. The midfield, post-Christmas, has been balanced and effective. Brown drifting inside, like Commons, gives greater responsibility to the right back, and when this works, Wilson is left free as Brown drags the opposition left back out of position. However, as we saw in the league cup final, when opponents’ set up their teams to counteract your threats, the system is flawed somewhat, especially with two strikers.

Tactically, Lennon has been excellent for most of the season, but the Caley game exposed the more gung-ho side to his system, especially with Maloney and Commons out wide. Maloney offers little protection to either the central midfield or the full back, meaning that others are uncertain how to position themselves. The shambolic defensive display cannot be blamed on anyone other than the midfield, but the domino effect created by an imbalance in the middle of the park resulted in full backs pushing too high to join in with the midfield that was being stifled by five highland hackers. This, much to our immediate anger and sadness, resulted in a shambolic second half display.

With the bitter blow that Kayal has joined Ledley in being out for the season, options appear somewhat limited. At this stage of the season, continuity reigns over a new system, so don’t be surprised to see Maloney, Ki, Brown and Commons as the quartet against Kilmarnock, especially as Killie were unable to handle the high tempo pressure and wide play in the previous game.

However, an alternative could be to bring in the forgotten man, Juarez, to sit alongside Ki. This will enable Brown and Commons to tuck in slightly, allowing the full backs to maintain the attacking approach without a sense of fear. Kayal and Ledley are a huge loss, but Celtic still has the quality to overcome the next three opponents. Stokes’ suspension raises another dilemma, because a temptation could be to play the flexible 4-5-1 formation that can become a 4-3-3, but this will bring Brown back into the centre where he seems to struggle at times. Maloney and Hooper may be the chosen pair, with either Forrest to start out wide or even Juarez in the centre.

Whatever the formation, the intense fear that infiltrated the team against Caley can be lifted. The title can now only be thrown away by Rangers, and it is up to them to handle the pressure, admittedly against opponents which won’t show the same level of motivation that Terry Butcher’s side managed to save for a meaningless game for them.

Lastly, for all those Celtic fans that infiltrated twitter with damning words of negativity, I do not wish to patronise, but merely reaffirm my own beliefs. Celtic is far more than what happens on the park. Winning the title, especially this season, will be a monumental achievement against such hatred and hysteria. Yet, it is not the greatest triumph in the same manner that the Inverness defeat was not the lowest despair. Maybe it is because Celtic are only my second footballing love and can sometimes step back and look in, but Celtic truly are a wonderful club, full of rich history and richer ethics. Being a Celtic supporter transcends the boundaries of winning and losing, it brings people together from a plethora of backgrounds in a way that no other club can. To be part of Celtic is to be truly part of something unique and special. The greatest triumph for a Celtic supporter is the club itself, and from the darkness of defeat comes the rising sun of victory. The title is still possible, and we will continue to be faithful through and through, even after every heart shattering defeat.

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