The depth of the Celtic squad has come into question again in recent weeks as they are missing players in key positions. James Forrest has been a regular on the right-wing for the past decade, but with him ruled out until the new year the question is, who will replace him? The answer could lie with Mikey Johnston.
The young Celt has been recovering from injuries since January this year and hasn’t made a first-team appearance for almost the entire calendar year. It’s a tough time to be coming back into the fray of things following a difficult start to the season. Celtic have been switched into second favorites with odds as high as 7/4 (2.75) with Betfair to land the title – most top UK bookies offer bonuses such as Betfair’s up to £100 in free bets for new customers, so it could be a good chance to back the Bhoys.
Forrest hasn’t played since late September, and his presence on the wing has been missed. The Scotland international has been a critical cog for Neil Lennon, and he would no doubt have been in his plans. Despite getting a bit of grief from certain sections of the support, Forrest has contributed in every season he’s pulled on the jersey. He has netted 10+ league goals in the last two campaigns as well as provided 21 league assists.
19-year-old Jeremie Frimpong has been covering well from wing-back but having a runner up the line is clearly needed. Frimpong himself picked up a nasty-looking injury against Motherwell when he was the victim of a horror tackle by Devante Cole. The young defender soldiered on for a further 15 minutes but was clearly in pain and was eventually subbed for Hatem Abd Elhamed. If his injury does turn out to be serious, then Celtic will struggle for players on the right.
Therefore, the pressure could be on then for Johnston. He hasn’t played for almost 12 months and is yet to appear on the sub bench since returning to training. It should also be remembered that the 21-year-old wasn’t a first-team player before his injury. That’s not to say he’s not a talented player, because on his day he has proved himself to be an excellent option. He has exceptional pace and can read the play well. It would be great to see him make an appearance soon to give him some minutes under his belt.
Celtic do have a decent-sized squad, but injuries are unfortunately inevitable. When they strike at the same time on players in similar positions, then it can appear worse. We could be overlooking Moi Elyounoussi for the winger role though. Elyounoussi bagged a hat-trick at the weekend against Motherwell and is the team’s top scorer with nine for the season. He has been playing in an advanced role to good effect, and it might be a shame to take him away from his forward position while he’s in form. He is, of course, a recognised winger, so it wouldn’t be crazy to suggest he move to the wing.
Callum McGregor is another player that Lennon might be tempted to try out on the right-wing if absentees continue to mount. McGregor is a versatile player who seems to have finally found a permanent position in the Celtic line-up. In saying that, central midfield is an area in which Lennon has options with the likes of Tom Rogic hitting form recently.
Despite the injury to Forrest, there are options down the right. If Johnston can get himself ready, then he might get the nod from Lennon, for at least a place on the bench.
