Former Celtic striker and current BT Sport pundit Chris Sutton has pondered what this season’s title race might have looked like had Ange Postecoglou’s side not been missing key man Kyogo Furuhashi for a large part of this campaign.
After joining in the summer and making an instant impact, Kyogo hasn’t been seen in action since the final game before the January winter break due to sustaining further injury to his hamstring in the game against St Johnstone.
Despite missing the Japanese internationalist, Ange Postecoglou’s side has gone on an impressive run of form, which has seen them elevate to the top of the Scottish Premiership, currently holding a three-point lead over Glasgow rivals Rangers.
Writing in his weekly column for the Daily Record, Sutton has praised his former side for producing the results, even without Kyogo for so long, pondering the question of whether sides such as Rangers could handle going without key players for this length of time.
“Kyogo Furuhashi was racing towards the Player of the Year Awards before injury struck him down last Boxing Day.
“The Japanese hasn’t been sighted since due to the seriousness of his hamstring injury.
“When you think of the job that Ange Postecoglou has done to get Celtic into position to win the title and possibly even a Treble with a Scottish Cup quarter-final looming against Dundee United on Monday, you have to be impressed.
“But not half as impressed as you are when you consider he’s actually done it all since the turn of the year without his best Player.
“Makes you wonder where he’d have had them if Furuhashi was fit.
“Celtic are three points ahead in the Premiership after 30 matches.
“Furuhashi has started just 12 of those. With two sub appearances. That’s just 14 outings. The guy hasn’t even featured in 50 per cent of the top-flight games.
“Also makes you wonder where Rangers would be if Alfredo Morelos, who has played 25 of his team’s 30 league games, had missed so many games?
“The Colombian’s got eight in his last 12 top-flight games to supplement big goals in Europe.
“Let’s put this into perspective. Leading up to the Premier Sports Cup Final against Hibs at Hampden six days before Christmas, the Celtic supporters were in a state of complete and utter panic at the prospect of Furuhashi not being available.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that some thought his appearance in the Final might be the difference between their team winning and losing.
“In such a short space of time, Furuhashi had built that reputation around himself with his outstanding performances. He had created that aura.
“As it happened, he made it to Hampden, and we all saw what happened next. Two absolutely sensational finishes, one with each foot, made sure Postecoglou won the silverware.
“Since that day, we’ve seen him for 15 minutes at Perth. And he hasn’t scored another goal.
“Celtic have been without their talisman, their top scorer.
“During that explosive first-half to the campaign, after he made his move from Vissel Kobe, it was obvious what a talent Furuhasi was.
“But what was also evident was his ability to make others perform. His movement and his touch and link play made space for others brought opportunities for them.
“Furuhashi set the tone at the top of the pitch with his pressing and his presence.
“Interestingly, in that period prior to the winter break, Celtic had dropped points in six Premiership matches as they trailed Rangers by half-a-dozen points.
“In five of those matches, Furuhashi either did not start, or he wasn’t available at all.”
He continued, “Usually, there is only so long you can cope or get away with it. But Postecoglou has found a way to keep it all going.
“Fans are desperate for Furuhashi to get back and start strutting his stuff again.
“Usually, there is only so long you can cope or get away with it. But Postecoglou has found a way to keep it all going.
“Fans are desperate for Furuhashi to get back and start strutting his stuff again.”
With so many games within a short space of time, it has felt like a lifetime since we were able to see Kyogo pull on the Green and White Hoops and play a part of this side.
Sutton makes a valuable point; I’m not sure many sides would have survived and even thrived without a key man such as Kyogo for such a long period of time, but that is exactly what this side has done, producing a brilliant run of form.
For many sides in the league, it is a potentially scary thought that a player with the quality of his is still to return to this side and could do so before the end of the season, with eight games left in the title race.
Fingers crossed, we are able to see the 27-year old back in action as soon as possible, as Ange and his players prepare for a final push in the title race this campaign.
