Transfer window can’t come quickly enough for Deila

While the Celtic manager might still be in the hunt for a domestic treble, he remains a million miles away from producing the exciting brand of attacking football he promised on his arrival.

And, certainly on the evidence of his side’s goalless draw with Ross County, the easiest way to deliver such flair and flamboyance is a recruitment drive in January.

There is less and less evidence of the high-tempo, high-pressing brand of football the Norwegian speaks of, if there ever was in the first place.

Whenever there have been signs of progress and improvement, another poor performance or a disappointing result has always been just around the corner.

The truth is, this Celtic side isn’t any better than that of last season. In fact, there is an argument to be made for it being worse.

In fairness to Deila, he deserves another transfer window to properly put his own mark on this team and, more importantly, the backing of the board.

Just who really has the final say on signings at Parkhead isn’t certain, and therefore it might not be as clear-cut as pointing the finger at the manager for some of the more unsuccessful pieces of business in the summer.

Have the signings acquired during the previous window, of which they were seven, made Celtic a better side?

The answer to that would have to be no. John Guidetti has been a major success story and an improvement on last season’s strikeforce, albeit only on a season-loan deal as it stands.

And at the other end goalkeeper Craig Gordon has been every bit as good as Fraser Forster with the club banking £10m in the process. Jason Denayer, another Man City loanee, has played well at the heart of defence.

But the other four players Deila would have been looking at to deliver his footballing philosophy haven’t even come close to delivering.

If it wasn’t for the racism story he became embroiled in and found guilty of, most would have forgotten Alekander Tonev was at Celtic.

Jo Inge Berget contributed nothing before returning to Cardiff City and Mubarak Wakaso hasn’t managed anything of note apart from a fantastic strike away to Salzburg in one of his few appearances.

The biggest failing, considering he was the only financial outlay, has been £2.3m Serbian striker Stefan Scepovic.

Those were the players the Celtic manager must have banked on producing entertaining and free-flowing attacking football to get home supporters off their seats.

Deila is honest enough to concede he didn’t have time to make personal checks on all of those recruits, although says he has been busy in recent weeks identifying targets for this next transfer window. He has got to hit the mark with his next batch if supporters are to fully buy into what he is trying to achieve.

So what type of players does he have to unearth next month? A proper winger, someone with pace and a final ball, would make a massive difference, because the wide players aren’t doing enough as it stands.

And unless he is going to find a way to accommodate Kris Commons, something he seems reluctant to do, then another play-maker might not go amiss. It’s middle to front where the improvements have to be made.

Ironically, this goalless draw resulted in Celtic actually extending their lead at the top to five points while Ross County returned to the foot of the table. Celtic bossed

possession, but quality in the final third was missing against a well-organised and determined Ross County. It was only two months ago Celtic put five past them in Dingwall.

With his team still in pole position in the title race and in the hunt for both domestic cup competitions, it’s difficult to be too critical of Deila. But improvements are a must.