Celtic's Attacking Options Shine Ahead of St Johnstone Clash
Martin O’Neill will head into Celtic’s next outing with his attacking options finally beginning to resemble the forward line he has been craving.
Kasper Hogh has rejoined full training over the last couple of days and is pushing hard for inclusion, while Kieran Tierney also stepped back into full work with the squad this morning. Both are in the frame for selection, with Hogh viewed as the more likely to feature, although O’Neill admits there are still “a couple of other fitness issues for players” lingering in the background.
Up front, though, the picture is brighter than it was a year ago. The manager namechecks Hogh, 18-year-old striker Matty Mheuka, Camilo Duran and Callum Osmand as evidence that Celtic finally carry a sharper edge in attack.
“We definitely have better options up front than we had last season,” O’Neill says, reflecting on a campaign when he was “wondering where the goals were going to come from”. That anxiety has eased. Now there is competition. Now there are choices.
One of those choices is the teenager Mheuka, who has clearly caught the manager’s eye.
“I expect him to do well. He looks a player,” O’Neill says, careful not to drown the youngster in hype. “I wouldn’t want to be throwing a host of accolades in someone’s direction if they’re not up for it, but I think he’s definitely capable.”
While the forward line swells, Celtic are about to lose one of their most dynamic wide threats. Yang Hyun-jun will miss the next four games as he heads off on Asian Games duty with South Korea, and O’Neill makes no attempt to play down the size of that absence.
Yang, he says, will be a “big miss”. The winger has been one of Celtic’s most effective performers under the new regime, both with and without the ball.
“He’s playing exceptionally well for what he does with the ball,” O’Neill explains. “It’s terrific, he’s scored a couple of very important goals for us. And what he’s doing without the ball, I don’t think anybody could question his workrate. He’s been great since I’ve come in here. I think he’s just responded to a bit of encouragement.”
Behind that attacking reshuffle sits another key decision: who wears the gloves long-term. O’Neill is delighted to see Joe Johnstone openly targeting the number one jersey at Celtic.
The goalkeeper, who not so long ago was involved with the England squad, has impressed the manager on the training ground and is edging towards his chance.
“It’s really pleasing he wants to be Celtic number one,” O’Neill says. “It’s not that long ago he was involved with the England squad. He’s determined, he’s looked really good in training, and at some stage he will get into a game because it will be necessary for him.”
That opportunity feels like a matter of when, not if.
Before any of that, though, comes the immediate test: Simo Valakari’s St Johnstone. O’Neill’s respect for Saturday’s opponents is obvious. He sees a side trying to play, not simply survive.
He describes Valakari’s team as “really talented” and appreciates their intent.
“It’s nice to see them. They want to play football as well and they’re committed. There’s a vitality about them which is very encouraging,” he says, drawing a line between St Johnstone’s approach and what Craig McLeish has built at St Mirren. “Not dissimilar in many aspects to what Craig McLeish is doing at St Mirren.”
Celtic, then, walk into a fixture against opponents with ambition of their own, armed with fresher legs in attack, a rising teenage forward, and a goalkeeper itching for his moment. How quickly those pieces click could shape far more than just one afternoon.
