Wilfried Nancy’s introduction as Celtic’s manager was always expected to bring a fresh approach. Now, just six games into his tenure, it seems that his impact is far more transformative than anyone could have anticipated.

There’s a certain admiration for Nancy’s audacity in implementing such a revolutionary strategy mid-season. However, it also raises questions about the prudence of this approach.

The numbers under his management are astonishing. In just six matches, Celtic has both conceded 13 goals and scored 10. This whirlwind of thrilling offensive play paired with alarming defensive lapses has been a concoction of both triumph and turmoil, sometimes within moments of each other.

Arne Engels aptly notes that Celtic must quickly grasp the essentials, particularly in defense, if they wish to sustain the benefits of their daring strategies seen in matches against Livingston and Aberdeen.

“I think we just need to focus on the finer details that will aid our defensive game and help us concede fewer goals,” the Belgian player remarked. “We are aware that we’ve let in far too many goals and need to address this issue.”

Nancy tries to cajole his players from the touchline amid the chaos of the Livingston game

Bottom club Livingston needed only three minutes to breach Celtic’s defence last weekend

Engels celebrates his penalty strike that gave Celtic a cushion and is calling for improvement

He added, “Playing with three or five at the back, however you define it, is a new experience for us. Everyone is still adapting to it, and it’s our responsibility to improve.”

For Nancy’s midfielders too, adapting to the new system without having the luxury of a pre-season has been hugely challenging. Previously deployed in an interchangeable central three, they have had to get used to playing as a four-man ‘box’.

On Saturday at Almondvale, Engels was again positioned deeper beside Callum McGregor with Daizen Maeda and Benjamin Nygren further up the field. At times, the sheer number of bodies in the central area was bewildering.

‘Obviously it’s different, really crowded in the middle,’ added Engels. ‘But we know that, and everybody is trying to adapt to that new style and it’s good to play.

‘I’m used to playing with the midfielders there and I’ve played so many games with Callum (McGregor). Everybody is doing a really good job and I think we are improving every game, and that is being rewarded with the three points so that’s a really good thing.’

The smart money is on Nancy (below) recruiting wide players to suit his system next month. While Engels isn’t completely averse to moving to wing-back, he’s content with his current lot.

‘I played some games there, but I am a midfielder and I am playing really well over the last games and I want to improve there as a player,’ he stressed.

‘If the manager wants to put me there (wide) then obviously I need to play there and we will discuss it. But it’s good how it is now and I’m looking forward to playing there (centrally) in the next few games.’

Livingston’s Colombian full-back Montano celebrates his second goal after only eight minutes

Livingston striker Tete Yengi causes panic in the Celtic defence as the hosts threaten again

The first half of Celtic’s win in West Lothian succinctly summed up the chaos of it all. Nancy’s men twice went behind yet impressively responded. There were six goals all told with four of them coming inside the first 10 minutes.

There was a lot for Celtic fans to admire yet a great deal to concern them, too. Asked if he’d ever experienced an opening to a match like it, Engels said: ‘No, never actually. It was a crazy start, but we managed to come through. It can always happen, but we need to learn from it because we twice came back from a goal behind and that’s not really great. We need to go in front and be better in the first minutes of this game.’

The one moment of calmness actually came from the Belgian as he nonchalantly stroked home his side’s fourth from the penalty spot to open up a two-goal lead.

‘Yeah, I missed the last one (against Roma) and I wasn’t really happy with that,’ he recalled. ‘I’m not somebody that will step back from penalties. I’m confident in myself, I know that I can do it and I’ve shown it lots of times.

‘Nobody has doubts on the penalty taker that I am, so it’s up to me to keep working on that and don’t miss. I was in the zone.’

So manic was the game up to that point that you could have named your price if you fancied that there would be no more goals.

Nancy certainly needed a much calmer second half. The fervent hope of all of a Celtic persuasion will be that the control his side showed thereafter is a sign of things to come.

By hook or by crook, two wins have now been chalked up. If a third can be claimed at Fir Park tonight then belief will grow that there’s method in the madness.

Wilfried Nancy was pleased to have secured a second straight win but still has much to ponder

‘I feel like there is a lot of improvement,’ added Engels. ‘Obviously, we are still conceding a lot of goals and that can’t really happen if you want to win big games.

‘It’s up to us to keep improving, looking at the details and not concede that many. We score a lot and that’s a really positive feeling.’

A tough enough venue at the best of times, Celtic will have no margin for error at Fir Park against a Motherwell side who’ve lost just once at home this season.

The visit of Rangers may be just around the corner, but Nancy’s side will need no one to tell them that they can ill afford to let their minds drift towards that encounter on Saturday.

‘Every week is really big, we know that,’ said Engels. ‘The games are really coming at a fast tempo, so it’s up to us to have a really good feeling in every game and win every game.

‘Really, we can’t lose any more points, and we know that and I think everybody is really focused on every game with a good feeling. I’m really looking forward to the next games. We are in a good flow and hopefully nobody can stop us. I’m in a really happy place, playing a lot and feeling really confident.

‘I had a difficult period at the beginning of the season because I didn’t really play a lot but I have shown a lot of resilience and I’m getting better and better, showing everyone what player I am.

‘It’s up to me to keep this form and move on. You can’t change the past, you need to look forward.

‘I’m really happy with how it’s going now and I hope I can contribute a lot to the team.’