Brendan Rodgers has to take pressure off his record signing Odsonne Edouard by signing as many as two strikers in the January transfer window.

£9m Edouard had a horror show in Celtic’s defeat at Hibs. It was so bad for Edouard that he was booked for diving and replaced by a winger, despite Celtic being 2-0 down.

With the departure of Moussa Dembele in the summer, and Leigh Griffiths’ extended break from football due to personal reasons, Edouard is the sole striker at the club.

Edouard is Celtic’s top scorer this season with 13 goals. However, he should not have to carry the cross of being the only striker available at the club.

Rodgers has previously stated that he may need to sign two strikers next month to ease the load on his young hitman.

While today’s poor performance may be another reason to believe he prefers to play at home rather than away, it was still an indication that Celtic need reinforcements.

His hold up play wasn’t as good as it usually is, and he was dropping even further back to get involved in play.

The biggest problem with Edouard’s performance at Hibs was his lack of desire to get on the end of crosses.

On multiple occasions, Scott Sinclair and James Forrest put balls across the box and Edouard was nowhere near them.

If Edouard showed more desire to get on the end of crosses, he may have doubled his goal tally this season.

However, there are mitigating factors for Edouard’s dip in form.

This is his first full season as a recognised first team player, and won’t be 21 until his next birthday.

With no competition for a place at Celtic, complacency may set him for such a young striker.

Rodgers must bring in two strikers to challenge the Frenchman for the starting role.

Not only because it would lessen the burden on Edouard, but it would offer Celtic a new style of play in matches.

Plan B and maybe C

Celtic looked a beaten team from very early on against Hibs, and yet Rodgers did nothing to change it.

Having two new strikers, would give him an option to switch things up when Celtic are chasing the game.

A target man, who knows how to get into the box, is a must for the club next month.

It’s been far too long since the team had someone in the mould of Chris Sutton or John Hartson.

Celtic must have a physical presence up front. For a strong player like Edouard, he is easily brushed off the ball at times.

Celtic’s problems can’t be solved overnight, but they must plan for signing strikers now.

They can’t be caught short, scrambling around at the end of January looking for bargains.

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