The Hoops boss must take Kyogo Furuhashi out of the XI to start the young whiz.
Celtic return to the Scottish Premiership title battle with a match against Hearts at Parkhead.
The Hoops are presently three points ahead of their nearest competitors in the division as they look to win the league title for the third year running.
Brendan Rodgers returned to Glasgow for a second term in the dugout last summer after Ange Postecoglou moved down south. He hopes to secure at least one piece of cutlery at the first time of asking.
The Scottish giants are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Dundee away from home in the Premiership.
Despite winning all three points, Rodgers may want to make some changes to the starting lineup to keep things fresh for the title race.
With this in mind, the Northern Irish strategist should finally unleash Irish forward Adam Idah to thrive with James Forrest.
Why Kyogo Furuhashi Should Be Dropped
To make way for the Republic of Ireland international, Kyogo Furuhashi will need to be pulled from the starting lineup against Hearts.
The Japan international did provide an assist against Dundee last time out, but it was one of the few occasions he appeared in the game.
Kyogo, who had only ten touches of the ball, offered to receive a pass and attempted to take a touch and turn or lay the ball off with his left foot. However, the ball bounced up and away from him, allowing Forrest to shoot a half-volley from distance.
This demonstrates that the assist was due to the Scottish winger’s genius, rather than the 29-year-old striker’s imagination or quality.
| Kyogo Furuhashi | Vs Dundee (28/04/24) |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 62 |
| Shots | 0 |
| Passes completed | 2/3 |
| Duels won | 1/2 |
| Touches | 10 |
| Possession lost | 5x |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
As you can see in the table above, Kyogo lost the ball every other touch on average and barely got involved in the match, with just two passes completed – one of which may have been a loose touch that fell to Forrest for the goal.
Hearts, with the division’s third-best defensive record, may pose a challenge for the Hoops attack. Rodgers’ striker may not be as inactive and wasteful in possession as he was in the previous match.
As a result, Idah, who adds value to the team with his all-around game, should be unleashed from the outset against the Jam Tarts this afternoon.
Why should Adam Idah start for Celtic?
The Ireland international, who came on loan from Norwich on deadline day at the beginning of February, is 6 feet 3 and gives a muscular presence at the top of the pitch.
Celtic have an outlet they can use to keep the ball up under pressure and connect play to build attacks when Idah leads the line, whereas Kyogo lacks the physical capabilities to do so.
| 23/24 Premiership | Adam Idah | Kyogo Furuhashi |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 11 | 34 |
| Starts | 4 | 28 |
| Minutes per game | 44 | 67 |
| Duels won per game | 2.5 | 1.5 |
| Duel success rate | 47% | 40% |
| Aerial duel success rate | 65% | 25% |
| Dribble success rate | 60% | 48% |
| Passes completed per game | 7.5 | 5.7 |
| Stats via Sofascore | ||
The player who earns £23k per week has a greater success rate in duels and completes more passes per game, although playing 23 minutes less per game on average (see table above).
Idah has scored seven goals in 11 league appearances, with a 30% conversion rate, indicating his potential as a strong finisher.
Kyogo has scored 11 goals in 34 Premiership matches, with a conversion percentage of only 13%. This shows that the Canaries loanee has been more prolific in the Scottish top-flight this season.
Rodgers should start Idah, a “sensational” target man and finisher, in the front three with James Forrest.
Why Adam Idah may thrive with James Forrest
The Scottish winger scored twice in Celtic’s 2-1 win over Dundee, bringing his overall goal tally to five in three league starts and 19 appearances this season.
Forrest has scored five goals and created three ‘huge opportunities’ in just three Premier League starts, following four goals and two assists in five league starts last season.
The seasoned ace has been used sparingly since the start of last season, but he has stood up when needed and has been called upon again in recent weeks.
He also sparked curiosity in January.
These data show that the Scottish forward has a better chance of benefiting from Idah’s hold-up play, having scored as many goals as Maeda while making much fewer starts, and could create more chances for the striker, with only one fewer ‘big opportunity’ created in 16 starts.
As a result, Forrest and the Norwich loanee might thrive together in the final third, which is why Rodgers should start them both against Hearts.
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