The potential of a title party this weekend has been lost, a 0-0 draw at home to Livingston pleased no one but simply highlighted exactly where Celtic are at the moment.
With the exceptions of Ryan Christie, Odsonne Edouard and Kris Ajer, Neil Lennon is working with what is left of the Invincible squad from the 2016/17 season after three poor transfer windows.
The blame for the failings of those transfer windows can be distributed in various directions but it is the caretaker manager that is left to deal with it with today’s performance the third time in seven days almost the same players have been asked to go to the well.
Injuries too have had a draining effect, Christie, Tom Rogic, Olivier Ntcham and Filip Benkovic are at various stages in their comeback with the big target coming at Hampden next Sunday against Aberdeen.
Again, today, James Forrest was the most creative force, last Sunday he was the match-winner but there was no one to take on that role today. Goal-less draws at home are nothing new, last season St Johnstone, Dundee and Kilmarnock escaped with a point from performances like today.
Lennon will get much of the blame today but he is working with a squad that has gone stale, that has been looking for an injection of quality. In January the only transfer fees that went out were for Maryan Shved and Vakoun Issouf Bayo, neither of whom were involved today.
Such is the nature of football Lennon could be playing himself out of contention for the manager’s job on a permanent basis even if he secures a treble. Two Scottish Cup wins will provide that.
Chris Sutton believes that seven new faces are needed, the opening Champions League qualifiers start on July 9/10 leaving three months to get those changes in place.
Whether it’s Lennon or someone else an injection of fresh new faces, quality and ambition is needed to get the team back on the front foot, moving forward and progressing.