Celtic manager Martin O'Neill admitted he was left unsure what to make of his side's performance despite extending their unbeaten start in the Scottish Premiership to six wins from six, following a narrow victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
A goal from Mika Baur, his first for the club, proved decisive early in the second half, but O'Neill's heavily rotated Celtic lineup struggled for fluency against a St Johnstone side who also made several changes of their own.
The Northern Irish manager handed debuts to on-loan Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and gave midfielder Oliver Sorensen his first Celtic start. Centre-back Dane Murray was also given a rare opportunity, while winger Sebastian Tounekti and striker Kasper Hogh returned to the side. Notably absent from the starting XI was Camilo Duran, who has been one of Celtic's standout performers this season.
"I'm not sure what to make of it, really," O'Neill said afterward, echoing similar sentiments shared with Sky Sports, where he conceded, "we're still well short of it."
The decision to leave Duran on the bench raised eyebrows given his impressive form, and the Colombian's introduction with roughly 15 minutes remaining highlighted just how much Celtic missed his influence. "Our main man only came on in the last 10 or 15 minutes, so it gives you food for thought," O'Neill said. He praised Duran's contributions at both ends of the pitch, noting he ranks only behind Daizen Maeda among Celtic players for pressing intensity. "I wanted to try and see if we could do without him, and the answer is probably not," the manager added.
Without Duran's creativity, service into Hogh proved sparse, with the Danish forward managing just two touches inside the box before halftime. O'Neill suggested his record signing needs to take more initiative in the penalty area, telling Sky Sports, "You just can't put the ball on a plate for people. They have to make room for themselves in the penalty box to try and score a goal."
Tounekti's performance also drew scrutiny after replacing the in-form Yang Hyun-jun on the wing. Former Scotland international James McFadden was critical of the winger's approach during Sky Sports' half-time analysis, describing his decision-making as overly cautious. "He's got a big problem in his starting position, where he receives the ball, he's always in the eye-line of the defender," McFadden said. "He's frustrating to watch because he's quick and sharp with good feet, but he's desperate to come inside and never wants to take the risk of going down the outside."
On the opposite flank, Haissem Hassan showed more willingness to commit defenders, ultimately setting up Baur's opening goal, even if his final delivery remained inconsistent throughout.
James Forrest, introduced from the bench, extended his remarkable record against St Johnstone, having now scored more goals against the Perth club than any other opponent in his Celtic career, though he didn't add to that tally on this occasion. His energetic cameo prompted McFadden to suggest he should start Celtic's upcoming Premier Sports Cup clash with Rangers. "I think Forrest starts at the weekend," McFadden said. "He gives you far more in that position."
Celtic now face a demanding run of fixtures, starting with the derby against Rangers on Sunday, before hosting Ferencvaros in their Europa League opener the following Thursday, followed by another league meeting with Rangers. O'Neill acknowledged the challenge of integrating his squad while results remain positive. "I know the results have been fine, really fine, but when we get players up to speed, that'll be great," he said. "I think that'll take a few weeks for players. In the meantime, the most important thing is to try and keep your head above water."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.