Celtic is poised for another exciting top-flight showdown this afternoon as they gear up to host St. Johnstone at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership.
The Hoops enter this fixture fresh off a thrilling 4-2 victory over Livingston in the SFA Cup, booking a spot in the semi-finals against Aberdeen next month.
Daizen Maeda’s stunning hat-trick propelled the Scottish giants to a 3-2 lead before Kyogo Furuhashi sealed the win with a fourth goal after coming off the bench.
Looking ahead, manager Brendan Rodgers might consider shaking up the starting lineup following their return to league action. A decisive move would be to drop Adam Idah from the XI to pave the way for Kyogo to lead the charge.
Reasons for dropping Adam Idah
The Norwich City loanee made an impressive start in Glasgow, notching five goals and an assist in his first six appearances across all competitions.
However, Idah’s recent performances have left more to be desired, failing to make an impact against Hearts and Livingston in the Premiership and SFA Cup matchups.
His missed opportunity against Livingston in the first half, with the score tied at 1-1, showcased his struggle to convert chances despite being in promising positions.
In the 2-0 loss to Hearts, Idah notably faltered, missing a penalty early on and squandering another key chance later in the game.
With a goal drought, no assists, and crucial missed opportunities in two consecutive games, Rodgers faces the tough decision of sidelining the talented academy graduate in favor of Kyogo for the upcoming clash.
Why Kyogo Deserves a Starting Spot at Celtic
Although Kyogo has faced challenges in maintaining top form this season, recent weeks have seen a notable improvement in his performance, making a strong case for him to start against St. Johnstone.
Last season, the Japan international demonstrated an impressive goal-scoring record, averaging a goal every 86 minutes with 27 goals in 31 starts in the Premiership. However, this season, he has experienced a dip, averaging a goal every 213 minutes with nine goals in 23 starts in the 2023/24 campaign.
Despite this decline, the 29-year-old striker has shown promising signs by netting three goals in his last 304 minutes of play across the last six matches, translating to a goal every 101 minutes on average.
In his recent appearance against Livingston, Kyogo showcased his quality by coming off the bench to score a crucial goal in stoppage time. His well-timed run and clinical finish highlighted his scoring prowess, earning praise from teammate Joe Hart, who once hailed him as “exceptional.”
Given Kyogo’s current goal-scoring form and impactful performances, Celtic manager Rodgers should consider starting him over Idah in the upcoming match. Idah has struggled to find the back of the net in the last two games, making Kyogo’s case for a starting role even more compelling.
