CELTIC have four senior strikers in their squad – Georgios Samaras, Anthony Stokes, Amido Balde and Tony Watt – and are fresh from a European tie they won by an aggregate score of 5-0, a pair of facts which would suggest they need not worry too much about where their goals will come from.
If only everything was so straightforward.
Neil Lennon is on the record about definitely wanting to sign one more forward, and maybe bringing in two, with Ajax winger Derk Boerrigter a target. Boerrigter has a scoring rate of about one in every four games. Gary Hooper scored 31 times last season and the loss of the best striker at the club is weighing heavily on the manager's mind.
Every coach gets touchy about criticism when a signing fails to immediately impress. Lennon's instinct will be to protect Balde from scrutiny and highlight the absurdity of rushing to judgment before he has even had the chance to play a league game. Even so, Balde would have wished to show far, far more in his first lengthy outing at Parkhead.
The 22-year-old, signed for £1.8m, did not see enough of the ball but whenever it came to him he failed to worry Borussia Monchengladbach, who were comfortable winners against what amounted to a Celtic reserve side on Saturday. His touch was heavy and he could not hold up the ball. When he was substituted 10 minutes from the end there was polite applause from the crowd of around 15,000. He ought to have been grateful for their generosity.
Neither Balde nor Watt was any threat to the Borussia goal and it was only when Stokes came on at half-time that there was some menace to Celtic's attacks, and eventually a goal when his boot became a nine iron and he chipped a lovely little free kick over the wall and into the net. Stokes has procrastinated about signing the new contract offered to him by Celtic, despite the fact that last season there were times when Lennon did not think him worthy of being at the club at all. The best striker at the club now, Samaras, did not play against Borussia but will be the main hope of a goal or two in Wednesday's Champions League third qualifying round against Elfsborg. Celtic's away record was sound in Europe last season and it would not be the end of the world if they do not have a first-leg lead from Parkhead, but they would dearly love to travel to the Swedish champions with an advantage.
Two of those 31 Hooper goals came against HJK Helsinki and Helsingborgs in the Champions League qualifying rounds last year. Unless a new signing parachutes straight into contention, the main goalscoring threat against Elfsborg surely will be Samaras and Stokes. Balde offers height but in his opening appearances he has not done enough to displace the Greek and the Irishman, who between them scored 21 times last season. Five of Samaras's goals came in Europe and he netted home and away against Cliftonville. Stokes played in one of the 12 Champions League games last season but surely will see action against the Swedes.
'We can't afford to lose away goals or be slack, because if we are teams at that level will punish you," said Watt. "We need to score first and we need to see out the tie. Despite Gary leaving there are still goals in this team – 100%. Big Amido has a few goals in him and 'Stokesy' will always score you goals. 'Sami' and Jamesy Forrest as well. We still have a class starting 11 when everybody is fit and playing, and we have a strong bench, so I think we are fine.
"Celtic, for the last few years, were not good enough away from home in Europe but we have picked that up and now we are fine. But we are totally focused on winning the home tie. We won't be happy with a draw."
A young Borussia Monchengladbach team were comfortable winners in Celtic's final friendly before Elfsborg and the start of their SPFL Premiership season on Saturday. Granit Xhaka scored with an elegant shot in 36 minutes and Branimir Hrgota got the better of Steven Mouyokolo to make room to fire home a second. Stokes's free kick gave Celtic a goal but Lukasz Zaluska was by far the busier goalkeeper overall. Joe Ledley, Charlie Mulgrew and Adam Matthews featured after recent injuries, while 19-year-old right-back Darnell Fisher was the pick of Celtic's outfield players. He had to be, given that Borussia's teenage right-winger, Amin Younes, was the most entertaining player on the pitch.
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