Andy Halliday has criticised Celtic’s new winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha after his display against Kilmarnock.
The Hoops signed Balikwisha from Royal Antwerp for £5m just a few days before the close of the summer transfer window.
The Belgian is a left winger and has started the last two games in the position against Rangers at Ibrox and Killie at Rugby Park on Sunday.
Halliday called out Balikwisha for his Glasgow derby display, and unfortunately the same criticism is coming the 24-year-old’s way.
Halliday criticises Celtic winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha again
Having watched Balikwisha’s underwhelming second game for Celtic in Ayrshire, Halliday can’t fathom why the winger doesn’t take on his full-back enough.
The Motherwell midfielder, speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, thinks it’s been a poor start for Balikwisha in the main.
Halliday said: “And again, I’ve got to echo, I think Balikwisha has started really, really slowly. I’ve never seen a winger turn down one versus one opportunities so much.
“It was exactly what I seen against Rangers and I thought it was the exact same at Kilmarnock at the weekend.
“I think he’s too passive in terms of getting the ball in one v one situations, turning and passing it back.”
Sebastian Tounekti is the complete Balikwisha contrast
On the left wing against Kilmarnock was Balikwisha, while Brendan Rodgers opted to hand Sebastian Tounekti his debut on the right side.
Tounekti cost £5.2m from Hammarby and many said Celtic had overpaid for the Tunisian international – but not on his display against Killie.
Tounekti earned an 8/10 from 67 Hail Hail for his fearlessness and trickery on the ball at Rugby Park, with Chris Sutton and Kelechi Iheanacho wowed by the star.
Balikwisha should take a leaf or two out of Tounekti’s book over the next weeks and months and produce what a real winger should produce.
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