Fourteen out, eight in, but no striker

Deadline day has come and gone, we have a group of players the board believe are capable of fighting on the European and domestic front, but many of the fans are not convinced.

The agonising wait for the official confirmation of Simunovic’s transfer angered many fans and left them bringing up a point the Green Brigade made last Saturday on Twitter.

Thoughts on the banner on display today at Celtic Park from the Green brigade. Do you agree with their message? pic.twitter.com/4FhgdX5orl

— Read Celtic (@ReadCeltic) August 29, 2015

Celtic’s official website has the official confirmation article logged at 23:00 BST, the same time the paperwork for Europa League eligibility had to be filed. Whether the deal was finished earlier and Simunovic is available for the opener away to Ajax remains officially unclear.

Ryan Christie is being loaned back to Inverness Caledonian Thistle until January at least, so that leaves us with six new players for the Europa League if Simunovic in ineligible. Christie might not even see European football as a Celtic player if they fail to get out of what is a tough group.

It’s only tougher if we fail to strengthen in the right areas. Scepovic’s departure signalled that Celtic were on the horizons for a new striker, or so we thought. The Serbian failed to make an impact going just six goals in a torrid year in Glasgow.

Stokes isn’t seen by Ronny Deila as an out-and-out striker, so if Griffiths or Ciftci are either injured or suspended at the same time, who will Celtic turn to for goals? You have to wonder what the Norwegian thought of the board not bringing in a striker last night.

On the flip side to that, an injury or suspension to Griffiths or Ciftci is only hypothetical, and nobody knows what can or will happen. Who’s to say Deila doesn’t manage the forward line to keep everyone fresh and continuing to score goals freely, ash they have done. After all, the big problems lay in defence.

Virgil van Dijk’s departure leaves a gaping hole to be filled and everyone is quick to slate the loan signing of Tyler Blackett, forgetting Denayer was younger and less proven coming into the Celtic side last year. And what a season-long loan that turned out to be for Celtic.

His former Manchester City teammate Boyata needs more time to develop and will get that under Deila. O’Connell’s loan to Oldham Athletic as well as Darnell Fisher and Liam Henderson joining fellow Scottish sides St Johnstone and Hibernian will only aid their progression to break into the first team by playing more regularly.

I have every faith in the plan going forward. The immediate future is unclear and no one wants to hear it will be better in two to three year’s time. Every year the squad has to be competitive and improvements have to be made.

It is risky not having a third preferred striker and not having experience in the side – especially in defence. Just remember, it could be a whole lot worse.