When it comes to Celtic’s 5-0 Betfred Cup quarter-final win over Partick Thistle, there is no doubt about who the stand-out player for the Hoops was.
That player is Oliver Ntcham, who was the star man for the Hoops with two goals, the first a thunderbolt of a strike.
Ntcham, who was signed for the Hoops at a cost of £4.5 million from Manchester City in 2017, has been in and out of the Hoops team this season.
However, so good was his performance against Partick Thistle that he should keep his place in the side for the upcoming fixture against Hibs.
Scored a superb double
The fact that Ntcham scored two goals on the night could dictate where he plays for the Hoops at Easter Road, should he be selected.
It could suit Ntcham to play in a more forward thinking midfield role. That seems to suit what are currently the best attributes about his game – getting forward and taking shots on goal.
He came close to scoring for the Hoops in the recent win over Kilmarnock. A terrific shot was tipped over the bar.
However, he definitely had his shooting boots on against Partick Thistle. It is a good thing for the Hoops to have such a number of good midfielders in their squad.
Two starts in a row for player
In-form Ryan Christie didn’t even make the bench for the game against Partick. That was understandable, as Neil Lennon made changes to his team. He kept Ntcham in the team though. That is two starts in a row for the midfielder.
Ntcham might not have started every game for the Hoops this season. That is fair enough, as the Hoops midfield has been strong this season. However, he does deserve to start in Celtic’s next game. Neil Lennon must have been impressed with Ntcham’s performance. It will be intriguing to see where he fits into Celtic’s team in the weeks and months to come.
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