Celtic's 7-1 win over Hearts raises questions about Kasper Hogh's starting role
Celtic's emphatic win over Hearts, built on a dynamic front three without record signing Kasper Hogh, has intensified debate over whether the £11m Dane belongs in the first-choice attack.
Celtic's 7-1 demolition of Hearts answered many questions about Martin O'Neill's side, but it left one unresolved: where record signing Kasper Hogh fits. The £11m Denmark forward was benched for the visit of last season's Scottish Premiership runners-up, with Camilo Duran, Callum Osmand and Haissem Hassan forming a front three that drove a scintillating attacking display. Osmand scored twice as the champions built a 5-1 half-time lead, and Duran's ninth goal of the campaign came after the break.
Hogh's situation has drawn scrutiny. He has scored in only one of his 12 Celtic appearances, a hat-trick at Kilmarnock in August, and was withdrawn at half-time in last Thursday's 4-1 Europa League defeat at Benfica. O'Neill has publicly backed the 25-year-old to reach 20 goals this season, saying he has lost confidence but will regain it over time. Hogh did contribute off the bench on Sunday, setting up Benjamin Nygren for Celtic's seventh goal, after also assisting the Swede in the 2-0 win at Motherwell a week earlier.
The contrast with Duran is striking. The Colombia international has 14 goal contributions in 15 games, nine goals and five assists, much of it from a wide role, though O'Neill says Duran prefers to play centrally. Former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan said that, given the choice between Duran and Hogh, he would pick Duran, citing his sharper movement off defenders and greater alertness to balls into the area.
BBC Scotland pundit Andy Halliday argued that Celtic's best attack does not include Hogh. He stressed that Hogh remains a proven goalscorer, pointing to his Champions League goals against Manchester City, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid, but said the Dane is "a goalscorer who isn't scoring goals." Halliday added that Duran offers more than finishing, citing his role in Celtic's third and fourth goals against Hearts and his speed to pounce on a loose touch by Jamie McCart.
Supporters were encouraged to see Hogh embrace fellow forward Osmand as he left the pitch at half-time, with nothing from the outside suggesting ego will be an issue if he spends time out of the starting XI. For now, Sunday's result has tilted the debate: Celtic's most potent forward line appears to be one without their record signing, even as O'Neill continues searching for his best team ahead of Thursday's Europa League match against Celta Vigo.
Image: SNS / BBC Sport
