It isn’t rocket science. Celtic used to have actually efficient attackers and now they do not, with a number of exceptions. Sebastian Tounekti appears to be like a livewire within the Jota mould on the left and Iheanacho has made a promising sufficient begin by way of the center.
The remainder of it’s boring, frankly. Maeda is a shadow of himself having missed out on the transfer away in the summertime he needed. In opposition to Braga, he was changed by the 34-year-old James Forrest.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Johnny Kenny have been each unused substitutes in opposition to Braga regardless of Rodgers being determined for a aim. Two strikers signed in the summertime, Shin Yamada and Callum Osmand, weren’t deemed ok to make Rodgers’ Europa League squad.
Reo Hatate, normally on the coronary heart of every little thing that is been good about Celtic, is just not the affect he was.
Callum McGregor, the nice totem of the workforce for years, has been quiet. He was on 4 targets this time final season. He has but to attain this season.
Benjamin Nygren has give you some targets and assists however he would not seem to have O’Riley’s potential to form video games. Not but.
McGregor stated on Thursday night the brand new gamers are nonetheless feeling their means into life at Celtic and he is proper. He additionally stated the workforce have to be faster, slicker and extra environment friendly in every little thing they do and he was proper about that, too.
They’ve lots to work out. By way of league kind throughout their first six video games they’re 4 factors and 5 targets worse off.
In opposition to Braga, Paulo Bernardo was picked forward of Hatate and the £11m Arne Engels in opposition to Braga. He did not actually carry out, so is it again to Hatate now, or Engels, who has solely began 4 video games this season? Rodgers hasn’t been capable of get one of the best out of the Belgian.
The supervisor would not need to get dragged again into the controversy about Celtic’s poor efficiency within the switch window nevertheless it’s inescapable. It is there at each flip.
Rodgers is lacking game-breakers and he is additionally had trigger to lament the lack of Alistair Johnston, a sufferer of a hamstring damage on 20 August. He is missed the previous eight video games and Celtic have received solely three of them.
Teenager Colby Donovan has taken his alternative within the Canada right-back’s absence, however Johnston, in addition to being a very good defender, provides vitality to Celtic’s assault. At this level final season he’d already scored two targets whereas helping two others.
Johnston will likely be again after the worldwide break, which is nice information for Rodgers as he tries to resolve the issues.
Celtic have been booed off on Thursday evening. Beginning on Sunday a bunch of gamers want to seek out themselves once more and get the verve again.
