With crucial winner

for Celtic that have eroded their effectiveness. Except that, when all seemed so much rosier 12 months ago as Champions League group football was secured and beatings were being handed out on the domestic front where now blanks are being drawn, the strikers were providing pretty much the same returns. At this stage last season, nine goals had been plundered by those occupying frontline positions. That figure is eight goals this season.

Rodgers alighted on the issue ahead of Rosenborg’s visit when he conceded that his team were not doing enough in the final third but that a key element in that was the service being provided.

As Celtic struggled to

0 Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard holds off Rosenborg’s Tore Reginiussen.

break down the Norwegians, clear openings offered up to Edouard were notably thin on the ground. Just before half-time he was given a glimpse of goal, but that was the result of keeper Andre Hansen beating out a Tom Rogic effort into his path. The Frenchman was

unfortunate that Hansen was able to divert his low dig on to the upright.

It was instructive that James Forrest and Rogic were withdrawn midway through the second period as Celtic became increasingly unsuccessful at finding a way through their 2 Leigh Griffiths pounces to steer home a header in the 87th minute as Celtic got off to a winning start against Rosenborg in Group B of the Europa League. opponents’ defences. Such creative support players, so often matchwinners for Rodgers in his first two seasons, are toiling to provide such penetrative moments this season and Celtic are becoming much diminished as a consequence.

The need for a goal forced Rodgers to turn to Griffiths late on in place of Edouard. And, wouldn’t you just know – in a week when he has bemoaned not starting for Scotland and then had his club manager question his application – the change pre-empted the case of a Celtic striker striking back courtesy of his late headed winner.

At least in the immediate term, it was a goal that flushed away any forward line concerns.