Adam Idah paid the value for Celtic’s insipid first-half exhibiting towards Kairat because the striker struggles to reside as much as his £9m price ticket.
Idah was hooked at half-time of the goalless residence draw with the Kazakh facet within the Champions League play-off that leaves Celtic’s hopes of development within the stability.
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The 24-year-old ahead had solely 12 touches within the opening 45 minutes – none of them contained in the opposition field. He received solely considered one of his three tackles, was dispossessed as soon as, and didn’t muster a shot on purpose.
His lack of attacking impetus, impression and motion led to supervisor Rodgers admitting a change needed to be made.
“There is no rocket science in it. It is all exhausting work and preparation and all that results in confidence,” mentioned Rodgers.
“I needed a bit extra exercise in and across the field. Adam is an effective, sincere boy. He isn’t began how he’d like, and in video games like this right here I can not afford to attend.”
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Idah wasn’t the one Celtic striker to toil on Wednesday night time, lending weight to Rodgers’ repeated requires attacking reinforcements.
Daizen Maeda deputised by the center earlier than summer season arrival Shin Yamada noticed out the ultimate quarter-hour as Celtic’s attacking focus.
Yamada managed only one contact within the Kairat field and registered no pictures on purpose, whereas Maeda, who performed the complete 90 minutes, had a sole try at purpose – a golden probability late on that he despatched straight on the goalkeeper – and three touches of the ball inside the realm.
So the three gamers – Idah, Maeda, and Yamada – who hung out as Celtic’s foremost striker mixed for a complete of 0.09 anticipated objectives.
In equity, the service to the strikers was poor on an evening Celtic mustered an xG of simply 0.54. Can Rodgers’ facet discover extra attacking thrust within the second leg?