Celtic’s summer failings in both of the 2018 transfer windows came back to haunt them as the hoops crashed to a 2-0 defeat to Hibs today, slipping back to third in the league table.
At last month’s AGM Peter Lawwell described the summer transfer window as frustrating. Targets identified moved elsewhere for various reasons with Celtic missing out on a third consecutive appearance in the group phase of the Champions League.
Celtic entered the summer transfer window in their strongest ever position thanks to successive trebles, twice reaching the group stage of the Champions League and the Virgil van Dijk windfall.
There were obvious positions that needed strengthening, central defence and right back while the much rumoured departure of Moussa Dembele finally took place just as the window was about to close.
At the start of September Celtic recorded a £20m profit on player trading with key players Dembele, Stuart Armstrong and Patrick Roberts not replaced.
Less than halfway into the season the team was given the runaround by Hibs. In season 2016/17 just eight league points were dropped, that figure was reached in September.
With four matches to go before the winter break Celtic are behind a club that struggles to attract 5,000 of their own fans to home matches and a tribute act that has been a laughing stock for six years.
Weaknesses in two key positions cost Celtic dearly today, increasing the pressure going into the remaining matches this year.
There is no alternative to Mikael Lustig at right-back, in attack other than 20-year-old Odsonne Edouard there is no one currently available.
Lustig’s absence today meant that the team had to switch from a 4-2-3-1 formation to 3-5-2.
Half of the Celtic team were playing out of position.
The left-wing combination of Jozo Simunovic and Emilio Izaguirre was exposed within a minute as Hibs took the lead.
Kris Ajer and Scott Sinclair on the other flank weren’t much better.
At his age Edouard has did well for Celtic. Being expected to carry the team throughout December is asking far too much.
Even against a teenager and Efe Ambrose the French striker made little impact.
Hibs were up for it today as they stated in the opening minute. Like the early season matches at St Mirren and Kilmarnock it was obvious from the early stages that Celtic weren’t on their game.
The system didn’t suit the players, other than James Forrest no-one looked close to their A-game.
After going two goals behind two substitutions were made, neither Johnny Hayes or Lewis Morgan has made a meaningful contribution this season. That never changed.
Mikey Johnston provided some belated spark but by the time he was introduced most of his team-mates were resigned to defeat.
Hibs have been in horrendous form recently, picking up six points from their previous eight games. Today they were without four or five first choice players after losing last season’s midfield.
After a worrying start to Celtic’s season things appeared to be coming good with an impressive run of results coinciding with the introduction of Ryan Christie.
There are four matches left before the winter break, 10 or 12 points will be required to go into the new year with a lead.
January will be critical, a third transfer window without bringing in first team starters might end up as much more than frustrating.