Gordon Strachan reckons James Forrest can be a difference-maker for Celtic in the closing stages of this season.
Forrest has been missing for a large portion of the 2020/21 campaign, out with an ankle injury that ultimately required surgery and rehabilitation.
He returned from the bench against Dundee United last week at Tannadice and could now play an important part in our push to win the Scottish Cup.
Strachan reckons he’s been a huge miss this term and that a formation change could bring out the best in him moving forward.
Writing in his Herald Sport column (13/03 print edition, page 16), the former Celtic manager stated: “James has got so much going for him as a player, and I’m in no doubt that he would have made a massive difference to Celtic’s season had he been available. To be missing his ability to eliminate people has such a knock-on effect, and I think that is one of the reasons why Celtic haven’t done as well.
“Normally as a coach you are telling people to move the ball this way or that, but when you see players going past people, it saves you a lot of work!
I don’t really know the ins and outs of the injury. I know my son works there, but I’ve never really asked! You don’t want to pry. But what I do know fine well is just how valuable he is.
“If you think back to Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic team, for example, where he’s playing a 4-2-3-1 with two wide men, they could all eliminate people, and then you had a real target man or striker to supply. I think that’s when James was at his best.
“Celtic have also really been missing that option of the longer diagonal ball over the top with the winger coming in this season. It’s a pass that may not always come off, but if the opposition back four knows that you have that in your arsenal then they will naturally sit back a bit, which gives you more room to play.”
Should Kennedy pursue Celtic formation change to help James Forrest?
A return to a formation that utilises out and out wingers could be a refreshing change in the tail-end of this season. With James Forrest and Mikey Johnston both available for selection again, we have the talent to exploit opposition defences on the flanks. Mohamed Elyounoussi can also play the role well.
In recent months, Neil Lennon and John Kennedy have pursued a central diamond formation but it isn’t quite working. There’s been an over-reliance on our full-backs and not enough exciting central interplay to score the amount of goals the team is capable of.
I wouldn’t be against a 4-2-3-1 formation for the Scottish Cup run, nor the remaining Scottish Premiership matches.
If that’s what is needed to unlock the best of Forrest and other attacking players, it should be explored again now he’s back.
In other news, the Scottish Government provided a Friday night update after meeting with Celtic and Rangers.
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