The Stuart Armstrong that ends 2016 is barely recognisable from the player that started the year.
Saturday’s incredible goal at Hamilton Accies said everything about the midfielder who is now in the best form of his life.
Seven league goals from 11 starts and 4 appearances off the bench is exactly the sort of return a manager is looking for alongside Armstrong’s domineering midfield displays.
Alongside James Forrest and Tom Rogic the turnaround in Armstrong’s play has been the most marked in the squad that Rodgers inherited from Ronny Deila.
Almost exclusively through Deila’s term Armstrong found himself pushed out to play wide on the left- the position that Scott Sinclair is currently excelling in.
There weren’t many laughs or smiles around last season with the former Dundee United man admitting that he was playing well short of his potential under the previous regime.
“Ultimately, I wanted to get into the middle,that was my ambition,” he explained to The Sun.
“It’s where I felt I could be best for the team, and there was a slight frustration building when those opportunities were not coming. I want to play and will play wherever a manager wants me to play. That is true but I had a good conversation with the new gaffer at the beginning of the season.
“We exchanged certain things, and we came to the conclusion that the middle was my best position. Then it was up to me to prove I could play there.
“For him to show the faith in me to do that gave me something to work towards, and it’s something I really enjoy doing.”
Armstrong added: “In my last 18 months at Dundee United, I was scoring on a regular basis, and it is something I wanted to continue at Celtic.
“It was a slight disappointment that, initially, I wasn’t able to do that but positionally, being in the middle, it lets me get into more natural goalscoring positions without over-thinking it.
“That’s a big thing for me and helps me to score. I was really happy with that goal against Hamilton, but more than anything I was happy to contribute for the team. It was another really good victory for us.”
Incredibly Armstrong was overlooked for the Ladbrokes SPFL Player of the Month for November with Bjorn Johnsen of Hearts picking up the award.
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