Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was pleased with how Kyogo Furuhashi adapted to his slight change of position in yesterday’s 4-1 win over Ross County.
It was, in the end, a comfortable victory for the Bhoys, who were deserving of the three points.
Their first-half dominance paid off just before the break, with Kyogo converting from Alistair Johnston’s brilliant delivery to open the scoring.
After Jordan White equalised for the hosts, the Hoops needed a go-ahead goal and upstepped the Japanese forward to make it 2-1.
On the face of it, a brilliant brace would suggest Kyogo played his typical striker’s role in Dingwall, yet that was far from the case.
Indeed, the 29-year-old was more than willing to drop deep and link the play. He played just off Adam Idah, and his footballing abilities shone through in his new role. His manager was pleased with his performance after the match: “I thought he worked really well,” he said (The Celtic Way).
“I think you have to remember he was a winger when he played in Japan. That’s what he was. He came into the club as a winger.
“So he has played there, but his profile is not 1v1, beating people like some wingers are. So it was the case of trying to obviously having two goal scorers out of the team. It was trying to bring goal scorers in and find a way to be flexible to allow him to do that.
“And I thought he and Arne (Engels) and Alistair (Johnston) managed that really well on that side of the pitch.”
It remains to be seen whether Rodgers will continue with his tweaked system, but it certainly would have given him food for thought, especially because it kick-started Kyogo’s return to form.
Next up in the Bhoys’ unforgiving schedule is a trip to face Dundee at Dens Park on Tuesday evening. After a deserved draw against Rangers last time out, Tony Docherty’s team will be primed for the visit of the Scottish Premiership champions.
