Celtic have had their fair share of injury concerns so far this season. From defence through to their attack, they’ve had to improvise with players out of position. It seems though that their injury problems are slowly being resolved with the likes of Moussa Dembele and Dedryck Boyata back in first-team training.
In fact, Brendan Rodgers revealed this week that Moussa Dembele was to be included in the available pool of players for this weekend’s Scottish Premiership clash at home to Ross County.
Dembele has had a tough six months, not playing consistently since March when he picked up a hamstring injury that has flared up on two occasions since against Rangers and Linfield.
In that time Leigh Griffiths has re-established himself as Celtic’s main man up front, already knocking in five goals this season. We reckon though that Dembele should be put right back into Rodgers’ starting XI on Saturday at the expense of the Scotland international.
Here are THREE reasons why…
Leigh Griffiths is great, but Moussa Dembele is better
Leigh Griffiths has been a fantastic goalscorer for Celtic and will likely become the club’s first player to score 100 goals in all competitions since John Hartson left the club. That’s a great achievement and there’s plenty of years left in his Celtic career.
When both are fit and able to play though, Moussa Dembele’s talent is more suited to Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side. With a supreme ability to hold up play and bring teammates into phases of attack, the young Frenchman has shown he can be the ultimate focal point for the Hoops both domestically and in Europe.
An incredible 32 goals last season highlights he too possesses exceptional finishing ability and if given another immediate run in the first team then he’ll likely be well on his way to matching that again.
Leigh Griffiths is fantastic but Dembele is just that bit better.
He needs to get up to speed for the UEFA Champions League
If Celtic are to compete in their UEFA Champions League group this season then they need a match fit Moussa Dembele to lead the line. He was their top performer in the competition last season and after a demoralising defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, they need positives results if they’re to finish third in the group and progress to the UEFA Europa League. The French U21 international scored five goals in Europe last season including against the likes of Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Hoops face an absolutely crucial match away to Anderlecht in just a few games’ time and having Dembele at the peak of his powers in that one could be the difference between defeat and a draw or victory.
There are three matches between now and then and Dembele needs as many minutes as possible to find his form again before Celtic travel to Belgium.
Rangers are scared of him
Also on the horizon for Celtic is a trip to Ibrox in just a week’s time, to face arch rivals Rangers. As everyone knows, Moussa Dembele was the Light Blues’ nemesis last season, scoring on multiple occasions and becoming the first player in decades to score a hat-trick in the fixture.
Rangers are scared of him; he has an ability to run their defence ragged and up against ageing players like Bruno Alves, he could find massive joy once again.
Leigh Griffiths doesn’t have a bad record against the Ibrox side himself, but Dembele is the Hoops’ derby talisman and for us must start at Ibrox next week.
Before then he needs match practice and this weekend’s match against Ross County and the midweek League Cup clash are perfect opportunities to give him the starts he badly needs.