Two games, both at home, no goals. Yes, not the ideal week for those of a Celtic persuasion, nor for manager Brendan Rodgers.
Of course, Thursday’s disappointing meeting with Braga in the Europa League did see the bizarre and frankly head-scratching decision to disallow Kelechi Iheanacho’s second-half strike, although that moment aside, the Hoops were tame and tepid again in front of goal.
Having come up short just days earlier against Hibernian, the Scottish champions are currently finding it hard to catch fire in the final third, even amid the promising introduction of a certain Sebastian Tounekti.
The Tunisian international, a goalscorer against Partick Thistle, has looked direct and lively in his early outings in green and white. A Celtic player in every sense.
Unfortunately, far too many others around him aren’t doing the same, with recent recruitment again needing to be called into question.
In the case of one new man, in particular, he could be heading into Arne Engels territory already…
Ranking Celtic’s summer signings so far
It is still early days, yet Tounekti must surely sit at the summit when analysing Celtic’s summer business, having looked so impressive in recent weeks.
While he has just one goal and no assists to show for it, the 23-year-old has been a constant threat down the left flank, as he was again in midweek, looking to beat his man at every available opportunity.
Across his two European outings, he is already averaging four successful dribbles per game, as per Sofascore – no time for adaptation needed.
Elsewhere, considering what looked to be an act of desperation at the time, the aforementioned Iheanacho has begun to silence a few doubters of late, netting twice already while seeing that third so harshly chalked off.
As was evident on Thursday, his lack of blistering pace is an issue when leading the line, but it is hard to question his touch and silk in possession.
The same is also true of another man who struggled last time out, in the form of Benjamin Nygren, with the 23-year-old boasting three goals and four assists already, while having particularly caught the eye against Red Star last week.
Kieran Tierney, meanwhile, is still yet to get up to speed, while it feels too early to judge the loan duo of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Marcelo Saracchi, albeit with the latter providing the assist for Daizen Maeda’s header away at Killie.
With the Japanese duo of Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, alongside Ross Doohan and Callum Osmand, not truly in the first-team equation, perhaps the biggest disappointment to date lies in the form of £5m man, Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Why Celtic may have another Engels on the cards
A high-profile Belgian addition, signed for a sizeable fee, yet struggling to make an impact – ring any bells?
Like the list of names mentioned above, it may appear too soon to be writing off anyone, let alone a figure like Balikwisha amid his limited involvement, although already questions are being asked over his summer arrival.
As was the case for Engels last term – who Rodgers said was “nowhere near the finished article” – it is hard to see a clear route into the side for Balikwisha, not least amid Tounekti’s early breakthrough.
With Tounekti, alongside Maeda and the sidelined Jota, all favouring a role on that left flank, the right-footed Belgian is already facing a fight for game time, amid the prospect of having to be relocated onto the opposite flank, or in a central role.
A player who previously dazzled in the Belgian Pro League with 47 goals and assists in 145 games for Royal Antwerp, as per Transfermarkt, Balikwisha has so far chalked up one assist from five games in Glasgow, having not even made it off the bench against Braga.
Games (starts)
3 (2)
Goals
0
Assists
0
Big chances missed
0
Big chances created
0
Key passes*
0.3
Pass accuracy*
87%
Successful dribbles*
0
Possession lost*
5.3
Engels, once of Club Brugge, did end last term with 23 goals and assists in all competitions for the Hoops, but the debate over his £11m addition raged on, with the 22-year-old perhaps burdened both by his price tag and the need to fill Matt O’Riley’s shoes in the centre of the park.
Balikwisha also has a similar issue, as he looks to help fill the void left by the likes of Nicolas Kuhn, Adam Idah and Kyogo Furuhashi, with the early signs not exactly promising.
Indeed, he came under fire from pundit Andy Halliday for his ‘passive’ performances to date, with the ex-Rangers man stating:
“I think Balikwisha has started really, really slowly. I’ve never seen a winger turn down one versus one opportunities so much.
“It was exactly what I seen against Rangers and I thought it was the exact same at Kilmarnock at the weekend. I think he’s too passive in terms of getting the ball in one v one situations, turning and passing it back.”
As the case of the aforementioned Kuhn showcased, a slow start doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a reason for alarm bells, but at present, Balikwisha looks in danger of heading the same way of Engels, as an expensive Belgian signing whose acquisition is still being debated.