It’s not rocket science. Celtic used to have really effective attackers and now they don’t, with a few exceptions. Sebastian Tounekti looks a livewire in the Jota mould on the left and Iheanacho has made a promising enough start through the middle.
The rest of it is dull, frankly. Maeda is a shadow of himself having missed out on the move away in the summer he wanted. Against Braga, he was replaced by the 34-year-old James Forrest.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Johnny Kenny were both unused substitutes against Braga despite Rodgers being desperate for a goal. Two strikers signed in the summer, Shin Yamada and Callum Osmand, were not deemed good enough to make Rodgers’ Europa League squad.
Reo Hatate, usually at the heart of everything that’s been good about Celtic, is not the influence he was.
Callum McGregor, the great totem of the team for years, has been quiet. He was on four goals this time last season. He has yet to score this season.
Benjamin Nygren has come up with some goals and assists but he doesn’t appear to have O’Riley’s ability to shape games. Not yet.
McGregor said on Thursday evening the new players are still feeling their way into life at Celtic and he’s right. He also said the team need to be quicker, slicker and more efficient in everything they do and he was right about that, too.
They have a lot to work out. In terms of league form across their first six games they’re four points and five goals worse off.
Against Braga, Paulo Bernardo was picked ahead of Hatate and the £11m Arne Engels against Braga. He didn’t really perform, so is it back to Hatate now, or Engels, who has only started four games this season? Rodgers hasn’t been able to get the best out of the Belgian.
The manager doesn’t want to get dragged back into the debate about Celtic’s poor performance in the transfer window but it’s inescapable. It’s there at every turn.
Rodgers is missing game-breakers and he’s also had cause to lament the loss of Alistair Johnston, a victim of a hamstring injury on 20 August. He’s missed the past eight games and Celtic have won only three of them.
Teenager Colby Donovan has taken his opportunity in the Canada right-back’s absence, but Johnston, as well as being a good defender, adds energy to Celtic’s attack. At this point last season he’d already scored two goals while assisting two others.
Johnston will be back after the international break, which is good news for Rodgers as he tries to solve the problems.
Celtic were booed off on Thursday night. Starting on Sunday a bunch of players need to find themselves again and get the verve back.
