Celtic go into the Glasgow Derby on Sunday knowing a win would virtually seal the league title. A victory on the day would put the bhoys 9 points clear with just 9 remaining.
The last two league derby games have ended in wins for Celtic. The League Cup semi-final went to extra time before the Hoops finally fell to a defeat.
Confidence will be a high among the players going into the game, but there’s one major talking point that I think will go all the way until the starting XI is announced on Sunday morning; Kyogo or Giakoumakis?
We’ve put the question out on our social media pages and it’s splitting the Celtic support.
Kyogo started his first game since December at the weekend and got the opener for Ange Postecoglou’s side. His movement on and off the ball was tremendous. The striker’s sharpness let him down and he really should’ve had a couple of more goals on the day.
Giak has started the last two Glasgow Derby games Celtic have won. Not getting on the scoresheet but defending from the front and helping make the space for others to shine.
The old cliché goes ‘it’s a great problem to have’. Both offer very different things.
However, the thing that edges it for me the most is Kyogo has not started a Glasgow Derby game this season as our lone striker. The man from Japan was pushed out to the left during the 1-0 defeat at ibrox earlier this season to accommodate the outgoing Odsonne Edouard.
He then missed the next two through injury and his semi-final appearance came as a sub after not playing much football at all all.
Sunday would be the time to see a fully fit Kyogo as our focal point in attack. He can terrorise guys like Goldson who instinctively leave their post to go chasing down the ball leaving a lot of space in behind.
Ultimately, whoever Ange chooses on the day will be backed by the Celtic support. He will be watching them closely in training, if I had to get into the big man’s mindset, I think Kyogo got a start at County with Sunday in mind.
If we have Kyogo for 60 minutes then bring on Giakoumakis for the last half an hour, it could be enough to get the job done.
quite happy to do the same as Sunday,start with Kyogo then bring on GG.
Personally, I would like the other way around. Let GG roughen them up and then bring in the speed and nippiness of Kyogo. However, I don’t really care so long as we win. But not forgetting even a draw leaves us needing one win from three.