There has been a dark cloud over the transfer business Celtic have concluded in recent times.
But one man who can hold his head up high is Benjamin Nygren, after he joined Celtic in the summer from FC Nordsjælland in Denmark.
Whether it’s under Brendan Rodgers’ stale football at the start of the campaign, Martin O’Neill’s first interim spell, the nightmare reign of Wilfried Nancy, or on O’Neill’s return to the dugout.
One thing has been a constant with Nygren, and that’s scoring goal after goal, but Frank McAvennie still has a few gripes to pick with the midfielder.
TRUE OR FALSE: BENJAMIN NYGREN WILL SCORE MORE THAN 20 GOALS THIS SEASON FOR CELTIC
Should Celtic use Benjamin Nygren as a striker?
Whilst McAvennie appreciates the work of Nygren going forward, he wants the Sweden international to provide more bite without the ball.
The former Celtic man clearly thinks it’s a big weakness of Nygren, and it doesn’t help the other midfield players he operates alongside.
That’s when it was suggested on the Let Me Be Frank Podcast that the Hoops should use their goalscoring midfielder as ‘a striker’, but McAvennie batted that away.
Simon Houston: “I want to talk very quickly about Nygren as well. There is this joke doing the rounds that he is the best c__p player Celtic have ever had.”
McAvennie: “I am going to be very honest with you, this is what I think about Nygren. No doubting his ability going forward and scoring goals. Absolutely perfect.
“But he is a midfield player. See, when your teammates are getting overrun in midfield, sometimes you have to help them. Instead of keep running there. Running by the strikers.
“It’s great timing when he comes in for the goals. That’s a great asset to have.”
Houston: “Is it actually just daft to suggest that Nygren is just a striker?”
McAvennie: “Nah, he’s not a striker. No chance.”
Houston: “But all he does is score goals. He’s the top scorer in Scotland. He reminds me a wee bit of Billy Stark.”
McAvennie: “I keep telling you there is more to a striker than just scoring goals – he’s a big boy. A bit like Engels, why would you get shoved off the ball? When you are that size? And you have that ability. I might be sounding tough on him.”
Nygren’s numbers for Celtic this season
Make no bones about it, Nygren has been a success for Celtic, and as long as he continues to score goals, you can worry about the rest later.
Yes, that midfield needs more bite, but it’s not just a Nygren issue. It has been a problem all season long.
Either way, this is how Nygren’s numbers stack up this season.
- Premiership games: 24
- Starts: 16
- Goals: 12
- Assists: 3
- Man of the Match: 4
- WhoScored rating: 7.13
- Europa League games: 8
- Starts: 6
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 1
- Man of the Match: 2
- WhoScored rating: 6.79
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