There remains a sense of uncertainty surrounding Martin O'Neill's position at Celtic, although this group of players also need to be held to account for the champions' recent woes.

Incomings and exits have occurred, of course, but there remains the same core group of players who have now toiled under Brendan Rodgers, Wilfried Nancy and O'Neill across the past 12 months or so.

Yes, there was credit in ending last term with a domestic double, but even that hasn't papered over the cracks entirely, with Celtic's woes in Europe remaining a long-standing issue under a succession of managers now.

Indeed, looking back to the debacle against Kairat, simply not enough has changed in terms of personnel in the time since.

Why Celtic's squad is still in need of major overhaul

There's been so much recruitment done in 2026 at Parkhead, but it's hard to shake the feeling that Michael Nicholson has prioritised quantity over quality again.

None of the loan signings made in January were kept on permanently, while despite making ten summer signings this time around, just two were involved from the start against Rangers last time out.

O'Neill is still turning back to those he inherited in Glasgow, the same group of players who were involved on that night in Kairat back in August 2025.

Of the players who started in the second leg, as Celtic crashed out on penalties, only three have since left the club, with Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Kasper Schmeichel all departing over the summer.

It's effectively the same back four, with Colby Donovan having since ousted Anthony Ralston, while the make-up of the midfield is effectively the same, with Mika Baur offering a direct replacement for Hatate.

Even in attack, there is an argument that Yang Hyun-jun and James Forrest would still be the standout pairing, with Haissem Hassan still struggling for an end product following his £6m arrival.

The lack of change perhaps speaks to the woes of the new signings as much as it does those who have remained, yet it is rather stark how little Celtic's starting lineup has progressed over the past year.

Looking to the bench too, there's also room for improvement in the squad as a whole.

Why Celtic "scapegoat" needs to be sold in 2027

As noted above, as much as scrutiny needs to be placed on the starting lineup, a continued problem has been the lack of real options in reserve too, with there having been clear parallels between the trip to face Kairat and the recent collapse against LASK.

A year ago, after Rodgers initially brought on Adam Idah and Arne Engels to try and change the game, the three subsequent introductions were that of Dane Murray, Colby Donovan and Luke McCowan, the latter duo entering the fray in extra time.

Not exactly the most inspiring substitutions, with it a similar story away in Linz, the likes of Liam Scales, Murray, Ralston, and McCowan all entering the fray, as did Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti.

A common thread there across both Champions League playoff exits is that man McCowan, the Scot notably seeing his spot-kick saved a year ago, as did both Idah and Maeda.

His subsequent performance against LASK off the bench was perhaps even more egregious, however, the playmaker putting in a desperately poor showing at a time when Celtic need to regain a sense of control.

The tide had already shifted before his arrival, but McCowan seemingly only helped to speed up the collapse, notably at fault for the decisive fifth goal on the night.

In the view of Chris Sutton, the Hoops legend felt that the former Dundee man had been unfairly made something of a "scapegoat" in the wake of that crushing defeat, having subsequently removed himself from social media.

And yet, the plain truth is that his performance was just not at the required level, having lost the ball 21 times from just 44 touches, while winning only four of his 13 duels.

At 28, he is no mere prospect, instead someone who O'Neill would have been hoping to provide a calming presence in a troubled period in the game for the visitors.

Scapegoated or not, that outing summed up what has been an underwhelming time of it for McCowan in Glasgow, the left-footer having since been hooked at the break after being handed a surprise start in the recent derby defeat.

That felt like the final straw, in truth, and despite signing a contract extension earlier this year, Nicholson would be wise to try and move the playmaker on in January.

His deal ends in the summer of 2028, ensuring 2027 may prove the perfect opportunity to cash in on the £1m signing.