Kasper Hogh's 15-game goal drought for Celtic is raising significant concerns among supporters about the club's attacking signings. The £11m forward has not scored since his arrival, with his lack of output becoming a major talking point as the team leads the Premiership with 31 points from 13 games, having recorded ten wins, one draw and two losses.
Hogh has not found the net in his last 15 appearances for the club. His limited involvement was starkly highlighted during a recent match where he managed only 18 touches of the ball by half-time. Celtic fans are losing patience with the expensive acquisition as the wait for a goal continues, even as the team enjoys a four-point lead at the top of the table.
Manager Martin O'Neill addressed the situation with sarcasm after a recent European victory, the 3-2 win over Beşiktaş on Thursday 5 November. "It was all part of his cunning masterplan to soften up the Turks and then bring on the big guns," O'Neill said, referencing a decision to substitute Hogh.
Hassan's underwhelming contribution
Haissem Hassan, a signing costing north of £6m with potential add-ons hitting nearly £9m, has also yet to score for Celtic. The attacker has managed just two assists and averages one goal every six hours on the pitch, a statistic that shows his struggles. His lack of production has seen him start on the bench in recent matches, including the 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock on Sunday 8 November, where Liam Scales scored the winner.
Despite being 35 years old, James Forrest was preferred to start ahead of Hassan in a recent fixture. O'Neill's selection choices show the immediate pressure on the club's newer attacking investments to deliver, especially with the team's next fixture at home against St Mirren on Saturday 21 November.
Celtic's position at the top of the league table, with 31 points from 13 games, provides some context but also heightens expectations. The team is four points clear of Rangers and recently secured a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock, a match won by a Liam Scales goal. The overall attacking burden has fallen heavily on Camilo Duran, who is the team's top scorer this season with seven goals in 13 appearances. The team's recent form shows three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five matches, and they are currently on a two-game winning run. Across the season, Celtic have scored 28 goals and conceded just 10.
With a home fixture against St Mirren next on the schedule, the focus will be on whether O'Neill's attacking signings can finally translate their price tags into decisive contributions. The manager's patience is being tested as he balances results with integrating his high-cost forwards.
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