3 hours ago
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If Kasper Schmeichel has endured a difficult start to the season with Celtic, a return home to Denmark on international duty this week is unlikely to bring much comfort.
His form and fitness have been the subject of intense scrutiny in the Danish media in recent times, to the point it has dominated the news agenda around their national team.
Earlier this year, the Danish PFA had to step in and release a statement defending the veteran goalkeeper after one journalist allegedly ‘fat-shamed’ him in an article.
In all fairness, that was below the belt. But, with Schmeichel’s form still looking ropey at best, the jibes are unlikely to disappear. The question marks will continue to hang over him.
He had a shocker against Braga in the Europa League last week as Celtic crashed to a 2-0 defeat against the Portuguese side.
The 38-year-old completely flapped at a long-range shot from Ricardo Horta, struck from fully 30 yards. He failed to really get off the ground as he jumped to save it with the wrong hand as the ball flew past him into the net.
Kasper Schmeichel has not looked like his usual confident self at Celtic this season
The Dane made a horrendous mistake as he tried to save this Braga effort last week
It was a horrendous mistake and entirely in keeping with his performance overall. His distribution in particular, normally such a strength, was awful.
Time and time again he was shelling passes straight out of play or putting team-mates under pressure with slack, risky balls into tight areas.
Schmeichel is becoming a bag of nerves and the crowd at Celtic Park can sense it.
This all goes back to the tail end of last season.
He missed a couple of months due to a shoulder injury, but returned just in time for the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen.
Having looked a very capable replacement in the Dane’s absence, Viljami Sinisalo was extremely unfortunate not to play at Hampden. Schmeichel hasn’t looked the same goalkeeper since then.
He blundered late in the cup final, awkwardly punching a Shayden Morris shot into his own net for the Aberdeen equaliser, before then failing to get near any of the penalties in the shootout.
When Celtic were toiling against Kairat Almaty and needed their keeper to come up trumps and dig them out of a hole in a Champions League shootout, Schmeichel again failed to make a single save.
Viljami Sinisalo deserves his chance to replace Schmeichel as No1 at Celtic this season
Schmeichel looks crestfallen after failing to prevent Braga's Ricardo Horta from scoring
It's been a tough campaign to date at Celtic for Schmeichel who has also come under fire in his native Denmark for his performances with national team
Right now, given his form in the early part of the season, he looks like an accident waiting to happen. Sinisalo is waiting in the wings and it can only be a matter of time before he’s given a proper run of games.
Celtic fans were clamouring for Schmeichel to sign a new contract last year. That was understandable given his good form when he first arrived.
But things change quickly in football. He turns 39 next month. Right now, he looks a cumbersome and error-prone goalkeeper.
For all that he has enjoyed a fantastic career, this looks like it could be one season too far for Schmeichel.
