Biggest talking point surely the triple change on 74 minutes

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The Celtic Star

·28. September 2025

Biggest talking point surely the triple change on 74 minutes

Celtic’s goalless draw with Hibernian at Celtic Park felt like a rerun of so many recent games watching this team this season, plenty of possession, a flurry of chances, but ultimately a scoreless and exasperating ending…

Daizen Maeda of Celtic & Jordan Obita of Hibernian. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership,Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

Twenty-six attempts on goal, 54 touches in the opposition box, and only six shots on target, alongside 92% passing accuracy, tells the story of a side that can move the ball but cannot quite finish the job.

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For an hour, this was actually a good Celtic performance. The tempo was sharper than in recent outings, the ball zipped around with purpose, and Hibs were pinned back from the first whistle. New left-back Marcelo Saracchi was a standout, constantly looking to play forward, taking quick throws and injecting urgency into a team often accused of moving sideways. The midfield trio controlled proceedings and gave Hibs nothing going the other way.

Marcelo Saracchi of Celtic crosses the ball beyond Chris Cadden of Hibernian. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

Some expected Hibs to come to Celtic Park and have a go, they have after all done so in the past. Instead, David Gray set Hibs up to frustrate with a Kairat influenced playbook. They rarely crossed halfway and at times had every player within 30 yards of their own goal. It was negative, 18 successful final third passes to Celtic’s 259, but it worked.

Kelechi Iheanacho of Celtic misses a good scoring opportunity. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock/IMAGO

Celtic have struggled against packed defences this season and again lacked the guile and clinical edge to turn dominance into goals. Kelechi Iheanacho provided a focal point but missed key chances and was eventually substituted, a change that perhaps symbolised the turning point of the match. Meanwhile the biggest talking point came with Brendan Rodgers’ triple change on 74 minutes.

With the game still goalless, Maeda, McCowan and Tounekti departed for Kenny, Bernardo and Balikwisha. Rather than adding fresh impetus, every substitute offered less than the player they replaced. The rhythm collapsed, the tempo slowed, and Hibs’ task became easier.

By full time Celtic looked as blunt as they had been all season and the numbers back it up, four scoreless draws already this campaign, eight goals in six league games, Celtic’s lowest return at this stage since 2018/19, and only one league fixture this season where we’ve have scored more than twice. For a club that recorded a £143m turnover last year, those attacking numbers are alarming.

Sebastian Tounekti of Celtic & Josh Mulligan of Hibernian Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

The loss of last season’s key goal contributors has been stark, and the summer recruitment, apart from Tounekti, on a limited sample size, and perhaps Nygren, has so far failed to replace that quality.

This isn’t a crisis of effort, far from it. Celtic were well-drilled, aggressive in their pressing and largely solid at the back. But in the final third there is a clear lack of belief, decision-making and sheer finishing ability. Hearts, Dundee United, Motherwell and Kilmarnock have all scored more league goals. Unless January brings two or three genuine attacking upgrades, Celtic are in danger of continuing to limp through games they should be winning comfortably.

Celtic Chief Executive Michael Nicholson sits in the directors box with Celtic s Chief Financial Officer Christopher McKay to his right. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo: Stuart Wallace. IMAGO/Shutterstock

The board who continue to enjoy the sound of silence, tasted some of their own medicine, as a 12-minute silence from protesting fans set the tone. An eery but stark reminder of the simmering frustration over a squad shorn of last season’s goals and assists. The summer window promised reinvestment but delivered downsizing, and few believe January will be any different with the same faces still in charge of deal-making.

Your Silence is Deafening banner in the North Curve. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

Supporters don’t protest lightly, yet the alternative is to clap politely and hope for a change of heart from a hierarchy that has shown little appetite for ambition. Leopards and spots springs to mind.

Referee Don Robertson Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

Referee Don Robertson did little to help Celtic’s cause and only added to the frustration in the stands. Hibs’ persistent time-wasting was met with repeated warnings but virtually no punishment, and the paltry four minutes of stoppage time felt generous to the visitors rather than the hosts. Soft free-kicks broke up Celtic’s rhythm throughout the match, while the yellow card shown to Cameron Carter-Vickers for a textbook challenge summed up an afternoon in which the big calls consistently favoured the team intent on spoiling.

Benjamin Nygren and unused substitute Kieran Tierney of Celtic applauds the Celtic fans at full-time. Final score Celtic 0 Hibernian 0. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

On another day Celtic win this game by a couple of goals. Instead, it was another afternoon of possession without penetration, a restless home crowd, and a league table that already feels tighter than it should. Saracchi’s energetic debut was the standout from an otherwise frustrating contest.

There are positives certainly, the football was more fluid, the tempo higher, and chances were created in greater volume than in recent league matches. Yet the nagging worry remains that goals will be harder to come by this season. Much now hinges on Kelechi Iheanacho finding sharpness and consistency to lead the line.

Kelechi Iheanacho of Celtic misses the ball in front of the Hibernian goal. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, , Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

The right side of Celtic’s attack continues to look vulnerable, and rival Premiership managers will surely take note. Hibs followed the Kairat blueprint, sitting deep, spoiling, and banking on Celtic’s substitutions weakening rather than strengthening the side, and left Glasgow with a point.

If you were coaching against this Celtic team, you’d probably do the same.

Niall J

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