Lyndon Dykes’ rapid rise to Scotland’s number one striker has many Celtic fans wondering “what if?”, but it’s important to remember we still have better options available.
Dykes has undoubtedly improved Scotland and has been a key part of them qualifying for Euro 2020. He’s brought a physical presence to the Scottish front-line and has also landed two goals to his name against Czech Republic and Slovakia respectively.
This all came after the big Aussie-born striker signed for QPR in the summer in a £2m agreement with Livingston (Sky Sports). Frustratingly for some Celtic fans, the Hoops had also been linked with a move too (Daily Mail).
However, it’s important not to look too much into this and try to look at the bigger picture on Dykes. There’s no denying he’s improved since he first broke onto the scene at Livi, but his form since signing for QPR has hardly been electric.
Dykes has scored three goals in nine games in the Championship (Transfermarkt). Yes, it’s not bad form, but it’s a goal every three games so far. Hardly form that makes you sit up and rub your eyes. He’s also only been part of a winning side in three of those games too.
Compare him to the vast majority of our strikers and who would you genuinely take over him?
Odsonne Edouard at his peak is on a different level, whilst Albian Ajeti already has five goals to his name since signing in the summer. Are we saying that Dykes would’ve offered us a better return? That feels doubtful, and it’s important to remember that Ajeti is now just returning from injury too and looked something like his best last Sunday at Motherwell.
Leigh Griffiths or Dykes? That’s perhaps a toss-up, but only on recent form. If you’ve got a fit and firing Griffiths, then once again I don’t believe you can say Dykes should get in ahead of him.
Yes, the former Livi man does beat the attributes of Patryk Klimala. That’s fair enough. But it’s hardly worth regretting not signing a striker who would only really have been fourth choice.
Sure, there’s an argument to say that Dykes offers a different option. A physical presence that can rough up defences and work perfectly alongside a strike partner.
But Neil Lennon has recently switched back to a one-striker system, and Dykes wouldn’t have played more regularly than Edouard, Ajeti, and Griffiths when he’s fit.
There’s an argument to say we should’ve signed him for sure, but not to the extent that we should regret it. He’s a decent centre-forward who has his traits. He also has plenty of weaknesses, and it’s important not to just dismiss those.
In the games we’ve slipped up in – Rangers, Aberdeen, Sparta Prague, etc – you can’t honestly say we were crying out for Lyndon Dykes. That feels disingenuous and too convenient. Our issues this season have mainly come from the back, not the final third.
We’ll see how much Dykes develops further in the Championship. However, personally, I’m struggling to get upset about not signing him. He’s a good player, but we still have better already at the club.
Regardless, here’s a look at what some of the other Celtic fans were saying about us not signing Dykes:
https://twitter.com/DamonP10/status/1327254743383728135
https://twitter.com/stevenfriel91/status/1327200618247835648
https://twitter.com/Ragu1985/status/1327031329343631360
In other news, a Celtic Lennoxtown starlet has suffered severe heartbreak this afternoon.
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