After a slog-fest of away matches, including the September international break, the Celtic fans got to see some of the club’s new faces in action on home soil over the weekend.
Celtic drew 0-0 with Hibernian – their first home match since late August – and a chance for new summer signings, such as Michel-Ange Balikwisha, to shine in front of the Glasgow crowd.
After 74 minutes, Balikwisha was introduced into the action for fellow signing Sebastian Tounekti, but there has been a huge contrast as to how the duo have been performing.
First impressions are huge in life, but Balikwisha has been showing next to nothing since signing on the dotted line for Celtic, and it’s not exactly making him popular.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s worrying start at Celtic
It’s still very early days, and it remains to be seen how and if Balikwisha will progress his game, but so far, he isn’t impressing the punters.
Speaking on Open Goal, former Celt Dylan McGeouch was at Parkhead to watch the game against Hibs, and he was shocked by what he saw from the man from Belgium.
Everything stems from what the 24-year-old has been doing on the ball since arriving, with McGeouch, alongside the Open Goal panel, stating it’s ‘unbelievable’ that he ‘isn’t even looking to take his man on.’
McGeouch: “What about the winger? The new winger? (Balikwisha). He can come on at the weekend, honestly, it’s unbelievable.
Paul Slane: “It doesn’t even look like he wants to take people on.”
McGeouch: “The camera’s going on to him, and he’s getting the ball, like one v one, and he’s literally not even looking to take his man on.
“I know the Ibrox game is his first game, and he’s only been in a few days, and he was maybe a bit spooked.
“But now, hopefully, he’s learned how Celtic are, and how they want to play at home. His first home game, and he is just passing it back. It’s almost like he doesn’t want to get after them.”
Remember Nicolas Kuhn, Celtic fans?
Yes, it’s frustrating, especially when the expectations and demands are so high. But this isn’t the first time this has happened under Brendan Rodgers.
Nicolas Kuhn went through a similar period when he joined Celtic during the January transfer window of 2024, but then things changed pretty quickly.
- Kuhn’s games from January 2024 until the end of the season: 18
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 3
But then Kuhn, who joined Como in the summer, turned it up and netted 21 goals in all competitions last term, as Celtic narrowly missed out on the Treble.
- Kuhn’s games in 2024/25: 51
- Goals: 21
- Assists: 15
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