James Forrest says “everyone is fighting” to get into Celtic team

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James Forrest has praised the strength of the Celtic first-team squad and said that “everyone is fighting” to get into Neil Lennon’s starting line-up.

The Hoops winger, who has been a virtual ever present so far this season, was part of the side that came from behind to beat Kilmarnock on Sunday. Forrest was denied an eighth goal of the season on several occasions but it mattered not as a brace from Odsonne Edouard and a strike from Ryan Christie secured the 3-1 win.

And with big games in three different competitions to come over the next ten days, Forrest is just glad there’s so much competition at the club.

“Everyone is fighting to get into the team,” he told the Daily Record. “It keeps everybody on their toes because they know there are international players not even in the squad or on the bench.

“It helps you when you’ve got a really big squad. The manager said before the game that when you are playing well and the team is doing well, you want to keep playing to keep that momentum going.

“We’re on a good run, we’ve had a good win today, and we’re back here again on Wednesday night.

“It’s a big game in the quarter-final of the cup. We need to get ready and go again.”

Forrest is right, the Celtic squad is strong

Neil Lennon is likely to make some high profile changes for that derby against Thistle in midweek. The match may be a cup quarter-final, as the club chase a tenth successive domestic trophy, but our clogged fixture list means that he probably won’t get a better opportunity to freshen things up.

Thistle may be struggling badly at the foot of the Championship but the likely appointment of Ian McCall as the club’s new manager prior to the match may give them a boost.

They won’t be easy opposition but, at Celtic Park, you would like to think we could make a few changes and still get the win.

Tom Rogic should be a prime contender to start the match. The Aussie has come on in our last two domestic matches but you can tell he just needs more minutes under his belt. Wednesday should be an ideal opportunity for him.

Greg Taylor and Vakoun Issouf Bayo could also be prime contenders to start while Mikey Johnston may be a good option on the left.

Forrest, meanwhile, may find himself playing again due to the lack of another credible right-wing option at present.