It's perhaps understandable the Celtic squad think the league is in the bag and they can take their foot off the gas – because the people running the club have done exactly the same.
I said it at the time and it’s even more clear now. The decision to sell Kyogo in January and failure to recruit a replacement just smacked of complacency.
The message was that they wanted another striker but, ah well, it wasn’t to be. They assumed the Premiership was done and dusted and they could get by with what they had.
They might be proved right in the end but it’s no wonder that attitude has seeped in to the dressing room.
It’s certainly not a message that comes from the manager though and Brendan Rodgers didn’t mince his words at the weekend after the woeful defeat to St Johnstone.
He admitted he wanted a striker in January – and he definitely doesn’t want anyone in his squad to be coasting. That goes for the board too.
But that is how it looks right now. There’s no other way to square up three defeats in six league games and four since the turn of the year.
And you could see it at McDiarmid Park on Sunday. Rodgers could see it too, and he didn’t miss in his post match interviews.
One of the biggest boots you can get as a player is being told the other team wanted it more. It’s questioning the desire, the commitment and the work rate. That sort of stuff can sting – and it should sting the Celtic squad.
And you suspect that’s why Rodgers did it. He’s not a man to get emotional after games. I look at the contrast between him and Barry Ferguson at Rangers. The Ibrox caretaker manager spoke from the heart after the hopeless loss to Hibs. He's done it a few times now.
A lot of Rangers fans respect him for it and that’s their prerogative. But Rodgers is more measured. He was also very critical of his team 24 hours later, but you know it wasn’t a knee jerk response.
Rodgers has seen warning signs and wants a reaction. To be fair to the players, it is difficult performing to such a high standard week in, week out. It’s especially difficult when there’s no jeopardy involved with such a big lead at the top.
I’m sure a few of them, even subconsciously, will have seen the Rangers defeat to Hibs and felt it was just a case of turning up against Saints.
But football doesn’t work that way and has a funny habit of biting you on the backside when you are not at it.
Recent results have been a timely reminder. Would Celtic have dropped these points if the gaps was five or six points? You’d doubt it, but there’s no way to know for sure.
But what we do know, is they’ll need to lift it again because the job is not done yet. Yes, the title is in sight, but they still need to get there.
And I don’t go along with this notion the Treble is a formality. St Johnstone gave them a bloody nose at the weekend and even if they deal with them at Hampden, Hearts or Aberdeen are more than capable of giving Celtic a game on their day.
You’re waiting for Celtic to go back up through the gears – but they can’t just assume it will happen. That’s what seems to be going on with Nicolas Kuhn. You don’t want to single out players but there has been a huge drop off with the German.
It smacks to me as an attitude thing. He looks like a player who thought he’d cracked it and everything would just fall into place for him.
But you need to put in the word and we haven’t seen enough of it lately. Back in December there was talk about Newcastle United considering a bid and it was by no means a stretch of the imagination.
He’d be lucky if Sunderland came in for him on recent form. You can bet teams like Newcastle would have been watching him back then. The thing is though, they will continue to watch and they won’t have been too impressed with his application of late.
There are others who seem to think they can stroll too. I look at Auston Trusty and he gives the impression he thinks he’s a player. That’s fine if you back it up, but you can’t waltz around and get too casual. You need to be on it – every week.
Jeffrey Schlupp was sloppy against Saints and while I’m not going to join in with the bashing of Arne Engels, there is more needed from the midfielder, along with Reo Hatate.
Jota has shown flashes but he needs time and Celtic can’t just rely on Daizen Maeda every week. The burden on him is massive – and that goes back to the careless January transfer window.
Listen, I get that it’s been a tough season. There is an argument Celtic – and others – are suffering the effects of the extra games in Europe and the lack of a winter break.
But that’s still no excuse. The squad is big enough to rotate at times and you need others to step up.
This is a time of the campaign when you need to be getting stronger again. There’s every chance Celtic will be able to muddle their way through to the end of term and end up with all three trophies, which would be a huge achievement, yet it would feel a bit underwhelming to some.
Rodgers wants to avoid that scenario in the remaining weeks and beyond. That’s why his strong McDiarmid message was for the players – but also aimed at the boardroom.
