Celtic's Mika Baur injury scare highlights biggest transfer shortcoming

Celtic still have significant work to do in this transfer window, and it was oddly made clear during a 3-0 win. Martin O'Neill lost Arne Engels ahead of the Champions League qualifying first leg with LASK, and on paper, the £22million departure did not show.

The Bhoys won comfortably, albeit they were a little too open at times. But O'Neill had to play two players out of position just to get by.

Mika Baur was forced into a deeper role, and while he did well enough, it is not his natural position. The German is used to playing a little further forward, and he does not have the stature or physicality to play a deeper role.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would have played there in an ideal world, but the veteran is suspended for these Champions League playoffs.

Baur picked up an injury later in the game, appearing to roll his ankle, and O'Neill was forced to bring in Reo Hatete in a deeper role, with the Japanese international also having to play out of position.

Again, Hatate actually came on and did very well, especially considering he hadn't played at all so far this season, but O'Neill should not have to be making these compromises.

Celtic have known all summer that Engels was likely to leave, and we have repeatedly called for them to be proactive so that they did not go into these games without a holding midfielder available.

Everyone seemed to know there was a danger of that, but Celtic did not act and they are now having to play players out of position to get through. It looks as though they will get away with it, which is great, but it does speak to a lack of competency in the recruitment.

And win or not, Wednesday night should have served as a real wake-up call to those recruitment chiefs to address that area as a matter of urgency. Celtic also need a left-back and a goalkeeper before the deadline, but that holding midfield role simply must be addressed as a priority, and it's likely the Bhoys are actually going to need two more midfielders to have proper depth going into a campaign that will likely bring at least eight Champions League games.