Celtic 1-0 St Mirren: Lack of bite could come back to haunt Brendan Rodgers' toothless Bhoys

Daily Mail​

a day ago

Celtic might very well have added the necessary fire power to their armoury by the time the transfer window closes on September 1.
The trouble is that their season started here. That date had been in a diary for long enough.
So why, then, did they find themselves three minutes away from making the most inauspicious start to their title defence? Answers on a postcard, please.
Even though Luke McCowan struck late on to save the day, no-one who witnessed a display which lacked so much conviction in the final third would have left the ground overly impressed. It was adequate rather than awe-inspiring.
Notwithstanding the fact that Brendan Rodgers ' side fashioned plenty of chances and struck the woodwork three times, they never looked like getting the job done with much to spare.
On balance, they absolutely deserved to win the contest. But it was a display which again underscored the need for some serious footballers to be added at the top end of the field.
Quite simply, no side can lose players of the ilk of Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn and not miss a beat. And the longer Celtic go on without addressing the blatantly obvious, the greater the chance that they'll come unstuck.
It would be stretching matters to suggest the Parkhead side got away with one here. They were the better side. They created more opportunities.
Yet the fact is that only a deflected strike by McCowan finally got them over the line. While they deserved credit for showing the mentality of champions and going right to the last, it was far from vintage.
A summer of hitherto underwhelming transfer activity was reflected in Rodgers' side. Kieran Tierney and Benjamin Nygren were the only fresh faces from last season.
Hyun-jun Yang delivered in flashes last season yet started here on the right. He again offered little creatively to suggest he's the answer. With Daizen Maeda required on the other flank, Adam Idah was always going to be selected in the forward role.
Maeda finished a tough shift by providing the late assist for McCowan. Idah couldn't convert any of the hatful of half chances that fell his way.
Fraser Taylor had been the League One player of the year while on loan at Arbroath last season. Stephen Robinson thought highly enough of the diminutive midfielder to throw him in from the start at Celtic Park.
Before kick-off, the trophy that Celtic set out to defend was carried into the stadium by one of the club's all-time greats in Paul McStay.
This was never going to be a formality for Rodgers' players. Saints had taken a point here in the final match of last season with the core of the team that had chalked up three successive top-six finishes remaining intact.
The Paisley side were characteristically organised and calm as Celtic went in search of the first goal of their campaign. Idah had already fired Alistair Johnston's cross the wrong side of the upright when he rose to meet Tierney's cross. Shamal George collected his header as it bounced back up off the lush surface.
You suspect Tierney's partnership with Maeda will cause opposition teams endless problems once their understanding develops. One sharp exchange allowed the Scot to pick out Idah with another centre. This time the Irishman's header was off target.
Quick thinking by Callum McGregor caught Saints napping as they defended a free-kick. Maeda ran clear, rounded George, but found the angle too tight to convert.
Celtic created chances. Just not enough that you would class gilt-edged.
The visitors were also alive to any danger. Jayden Richardson typified their diligence with a perfectly timed block to prevent Maeda bundling home Johnston's deep low cross.
Next for a pat on the back from his keeper was Alex Gogic who managed to steer Tierney's fizzing strike away for a corner.
For all Celtic were on top, the visitors were not without their moments of promise. Kasper Schmeichel did well to spring to his left to beat away Mark O'Hara's swerving strike.
Nygren then found Idah with a cute chip over the top. The striker's poor connection made for another easy take for George.
The Saints keeper was starting to enjoy this challenge. He denied Celtic's Swedish midfielder with a superb tip onto the underside of his crossbar, the assist coming from Maeda's acceleration and cross.
It was more of the same from Celtic after the interval. Lots of the ball. Plenty moments that brought the supporters to the edge of their seats. But a distinct lack of bite.
McGregor's snapshot went through a defender's legs and threatened to creep in. George pounced on the ball. Nygren's deep cross was met by the head of Maeda. This time the keeper wasn't required.
Reo Hatate's shot from the edge of the box wasn't troubling George until it deflected off Marcus Fraser and on to the bar.
James Forrest — who turned 34 this month — replaced the ineffective Yang, with Auston Trusty required to shed his tracksuit top after Tierney indicated he had an issue. Mercifully for the home support, it appears the returning star was only suffering from a bout of cramp.
Veteran winger Forrest made an immediate impact, driving from right to centre and sparking panic in the visiting defence. Mark O'Hara's attempt to walk the ball out of trouble was cut off by McGregor.
The skipper smashed the ball home with his left foot. Parkhead celebrated until VAR correctly identified that McGregor had handled the ball before letting fly.
With frustration starting to grow, Idah took Liam Scales' cross on his chest and smashed the ball against the post. Only Cameron Carter-Vickers' smart positioning prevented sub Oisin Smyth from giving Saints the lead with his first touch.
Forrest passed up a decent chance to get the job done when he fired a volley into the stand. Those among the home support who made for the exit at that moment would regret it.
With just two minutes remaining, the tireless Maeda picked out McCowan lurking on the edge of the box. There appeared to be too many legs in his way, yet he shuffled the ball onto his favoured left foot, hit cleanly through it and finally beat George with the help of a deflection. By the skin of their teeth, Celtic had got the job done.
Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel 7; Johnston 6.5, Carter-Vickers 6.5, Scales 6.5, Tierney 7 (Trusty 65); McGregor 7, Hatate 6.5 (McCowan 78), Nygren 6 (Engels 78); Yang 4.5 (Forrest 59) Idah 5.5 (Kenny 78), Maeda 6.5.
Booked: Engels.
Manager: Brendan Rodgers 7.
St Mirren (5-3-2): George 7; Richardson 6.5 (Sobowale 78) Fraser 6, Gogic 7, King 6.5 (Dijksteel 90), John 6.5; Phillips 6.5, O'Hara 6.5, Taylor 5.5 (Ayunga 45); Idowu 6 (Smyth 78), Mandron 6 (Mooney 78).
Booked: Idowu.