Celtic fans looking at Elijah Just’s performance against Egypt shouldn’t be walking away with alarm bells ringing.
Because the stats don’t actually support the idea that this was some kind of warning sign about his level as Celtic target Just appeared to struggle against Mo Salah’s Egypt.
What the numbers show is much simpler, and when Celtic fans see what was behind Just’s performance, they will notice there isn’t enough information to judge him as a potential signing on this game alone.
🤔 Have Celtic missed the boat for Elijah Just?
Elijah Just’s performance vs Egypt showed a Celtic strength
Just has been gaining a lot of plaudits since his part in New Zealand’s World Cup draw against Iran last week.
But after Mo Salah’s Egypt beat the All Whites 3-1, there is a different story to be told about Just’s performance and how it matters to Celtic.
Just’s Fotmob stats are as follows:
- 25/27 passes (93% accuracy)
- 0 chances created
- 1 touch in opposition box
- 3 tackles
- 5 recoveries
- 4/7 ground duels won (57%)
- 0 dispossessions
Just completed 25 of 27 passes at 93% accuracy which shows that under pressure, the Motherwell man kept possession and didn’t give the ball away.
That’s a sign of a player who is comfortable playing while under attack. He also contributed defensively with three tackles, five recoveries, and won four ground duels, which points to a player who is willing to dig in deep and do the hard work when his team needs him.
Why Just’s World Cup performance vs Egypt matters to Celtic
Celtic fans should be careful not to mistake Just’s lack of attacking threat as anything out of the ordinary. Players in wide roles often go quiet in matches where their team is pushed back and attacking phases of play are limited.
What matters for Celtic isn’t whether Just was out of his depth against Egypt, it’s the fact he dug in deep and helped his teammates defend as the level of quality rose in the World Cup.
For Celtic this is important, especially when the Hoops take the step up in level into the Champions League.
Just has already shown he can produce goals and get into scoring positions when games open up. And now, the Motherwell star has proven that when his team really needs him to, he can, and will, chip in and do the dirty work when it is needed.
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