These last few months have been pretty destabilising for Celtic and the players, given the number of changes in the dugout.
From Brendan Rodgers leaving in October, Martin O’Neill coming in, then the nightmare Wilfried Nancy reign, and O’Neill’s return.
During that period, it could be argued that Hyunjun Yang has progressed in a Celtic shirt and been one of the better performers.
After Celtic signed the likes of Junior Adamu and Joel Mvuka on transfer deadline day, both can play on the right flank, the role of Yang was discussed by the Open Goal panel.
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Is this Celtic’s strongest starting XI now that the transfer window has closed?
What does yours look like?
Hyunjun Yang is Celtic’s ‘number one’ winger
It’s going to be interesting to see how O’Neill balances his XI, especially his forward line, because he now has options to choose from.
From Ross McCormack’s perspective, Yang stays in the XI because he is now Celtic’s ‘number one’ winger.
Andy Halliday touched upon how Celtic were looking to sell Yang in the summer, but he didn’t leave because there wasn’t a replacement in the building.
Whilst the Open Goal panel agreed that the South Korean star isn’t good enough to win the league for the Hoops, they do think he is putting in the performances right here, right now.
Si Ferry: “Does Maeda need to come out now (after the signings of Adamu and Mvuka)?”
Ross McCormack: “I was just about to get to that. I was going to say, ‘Where does he fit in?’ Do you reckon he can play on the left?
“I think Cvancara, he is nailed on to play through the middle. For me, at the minute, Yang is their best winger. He’s productive. I think he is the most productive.
“If you take away the Falkirk game, all the games before that.”
Ferry: “Is he good enough to win leagues?”
McCormack: “Yang? No. But that’s not the question. For me, he is their most dangerous quick winger.”
Andy Halliday: “Yang was driving down to Birmingham in the summer. Celtic were desperate to get rid of him. He was on his way; it was pretty much all done. They couldn’t get a replacement, and they called Yang back.
“Now you are talking about him being the number one Celtic right winger. Don’t get me wrong, he has done well. I still feel Celtic needs to strengthen that area of the pitch.”
Martin O’Neill’s options on the right flank
The big test for Yang is whether he can now hold off the competition. There are now several players who can operate on that right flank.
So far this season, Daizen Maeda, James Forrest, Luke McCowan, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, and Sebastian Tounekti have been deployed on that side.
The likes of Maeda and Tounekti only played out there because Celtic were struggling for options at the time, but now that has changed.
- Yang
- Balikwisha
- Forrest
- McCowan
- Adamu
- Mvuka
- Iheanacho
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