Wednesday’s Scottish League Cup match is an exciting opportunity for Neil Lennon’s Celtic.
A win against Scottish Championship side Partick Thistle would see the Hoops book the first Hampden date of the season and show fans that they are very much in the hunt for an unprecedented ‘quadruple treble’.
In terms of team selection, it’s a tricky encounter for Lennon. He must balance fielding a strong enough eleven against rotating the side enough to keep key stars fresh for more difficult matches on the horizon.
Thistle will be no pushovers, but they are not at the level of our UEFA Europa League opponents.
Room for attacking stars
Given Celtic are likely to dominate both possession and territory against the Glasgow club, Lennon can afford to name an attacking lineup. In a cup match that must be decided on the night, the Hoops must go for the jugular.
That means there should be room for players such as Mohamed Elyounoussi in his lineup, with there being no need to pack his team with central midfield options as he did against Kilmarnock.
Width and explosive potential should be the name of the game. The Norwegian international certainly provides that.
Elyounoussi’s start
Elyounoussi has so far just played twice for Celtic. Joining on deadline day, he’s not quite gotten himself up to full speed in Neil Lennon’s team.
However, there have been positive early signs.
The away match against Hamilton that served as his club debut was a difficult one considering the surface and Hamilton’s style of play. There wasn’t much room for him to make an impact beyond his assist just minutes into the game.
Rennes represented a much stiffer test. He was eventually substituted early in the second half, with Lennon looking for a different way to break the Ligue 1 side down.
Wednesday selection
A home debut against Thistle the perfect way to continue his introduction to Scottish football.
The open spaces at Celtic Park should give him the chance to exploit our visitors and give fans the first taste of what they can come to expect on a regular basis from the winger.
With a bit of pressure in the match too, considering it’s a knockout tie, it’s a good way to see him take more responsibility on his shoulders.
We’ll need him at full tilt for upcoming tests against Cluj and Lazio. Getting minutes into his legs now will pay off going forward.
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