Kelechi Iheanacho has been branded ‘downright lazy’ after Chris Sutton delivered his verdict on the Hoops striker on the Record Celtic podcast.
Celtic’s defeat to Dundee United means that Martin O’Neill’s side are drifting further behind in the title race, and Iheanacho appears to be one of the fall guys in the aftermath of the result.
Sutton spoke about the Celtic striker’s first start since the Premier Sports Cup final as he branded Iheanacho ‘downright lazy’ in the Dundee United defeat.
And that proves James McFadden’s advice to the Celtic striker is deeply flawed after the Sky Sports pundit suggested Iheanacho should ‘not run about as much’ so he could stay on the pitch longer.
Should Celtic hand Kelechi Iheanacho a new contract?
Celtic are a ‘mess’ as Sutton admits he was ‘shocked’ at Iheanacho start
67 Hail Hail have already said that Iheanacho should never start for Celtic again after his display at Tannadice, and Sutton appears to back that up as he fillets the Nigerian striker.
Sutton told the Record Celtic podcast, “I don’t know how you guys felt, but it was a shock to me Iheanacho starting.
“He’s been out his last game, the cup final, was it? His last start was the cup final. And then he had the cameos against Stuttgart, 20-minute cameos, and then he missed the games over the weekends after those cameos.
“It just shows you what a mess, what a muddle Celtic are in. And that’s not ideal. I’ve seen a lot of stuff online, people saying, well, he’s our best striker, Iheanacho.
“But I still think he’s miles off it. I think he does some good things in terms of his link up is OK at times. But I think there were times, and having played that position, I do know a little bit about sending a forward play, I think there were times in the first half where he was just downright lazy.
“And he didn’t work hard enough when balls were being played forward to actually get in a position where he could even be challenging for a ball and a knock down.
“I think maybe fatigue had something to do with that. But it’s been the story of Celtic season in the final third.”
Iheanacho’s damning Celtic stats vs Dundee United
As Celtic’s bid to save their title looks almost doomed, the remaining seven games have become increasingly more high-pressured.
Celtic cannot afford any further setbacks and need their strikers firing, and Iheanacho’s stats against United could mean he will never start another game for O’Neill this season.
Here is how Fotmob rated the Celtic striker’s performance at Tannadice:
- Minutes played: 57
- Rating: 6.2
- Goals: 0
- Assists: 0
- Expected goals (xG): 0.27
- Expected goals on target (xGOT): 0.43
- Expected assists (xA): 0.11
- xG + xA: 0.38
- Accurate passes: 11/13 (85%)
- Chances created: 0
- Shots on target: 1
- Shots off target: 0
- Blocked shots: 1
- Shot accuracy: 1/1 (100%)
O’Neill has some thinking to do about Celtic over this international break, and it seems like Iheanacho may well have scuppered his chances of being offered a contract extension at the end of this season.
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