Summary Celtic secured a 2-1 win at Dundee with James Forrest scoring both goals, moving closer to another league title. Brendan Rodgers may need to bench Callum McGregor due to lackluster performance stats and potential impact on title race. Tomoki Iwata's strong midfield performance suggests he could be a better fit than McGregor if current form continues ahead of Rangers clash.
Celtic took another step in the right direction to another Scottish Premiership title as they travelled away to Dundee to secure a 2-1 win on Sunday.
The Hoops needed to record a positive result after their rivals had won earlier in the day, and they stepped up to claim all three points on their travels.
Brendan Rodgers opted to bring James Forrest, who FFC urged the manager to start, into the starting XI on the flank over Hyun-jun Yang and Luis Palma, and it was a bold call that paid off for the box.
The Scottish forward scored both of Celtic's goals to put them 2-0 ahead in the match, before Dundee's consolation goal, which speaks to his importance to the win on the day.
It may now take another bold call from the Northern Irish tactician, who returned to Parkhead for a second spell at the club last summer, to win the league title ahead of Rangers this season.
After an underwhelming display in the middle of the park against Dundee, Rodgers must boldly drop captain Callum McGregor to the bench to give his side the best chance of landing the trophy.
Callum McGregor's performance against Dundee
The Scotland international made his first league start after returning from an Achilles injury, which kept him out for three league matches, and failed to show that he deserves to keep his place in the XI.
McGregor played the opening 62 minutes of the game before being taken off and failed to make much of an impression with his lack of quality in and out of possession.
Glasgow World's Ben Banks handed the skipper a match rating of 5/10 – the lowest out of the starting group – and described some of his movements as 'laboured'.
He only completed 82% of his attempted passes – 13% lower than Matt O'Riley's 95% – and ended the match without a single chance created for his teammates, along with a 20% long pass accuracy.
The Scottish whiz also lost possession 11 times from 55 touches of the ball, which shows that he gave the opposition a chance to get back on the ball at times.
McGregor recorded a Sofascore rating of 6.7 for his display against Dundee, which is significantly lower than his seasonal average of 7.32, which speaks to how below par he was in comparison to his usual self.
Callum McGregor's Premiership season in numbers
The experienced midfielder was recently named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year, along with O'Riley, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Liam Scales, for his impressive exploits in the top-flight this season.
Prior to his recent Achilles injury, the Scotland international had been in fantastic form in the Premiership with his sublime play in possession for the Hoops.
McGregor ranks third within the squad for accurate passes per game (64.3) and joint-fifth for key passes per match (1.5), which illustrates his control and creativity in the middle of the park.
He is typically a metronome in midfield for the Scottish giants, which is shown by him topping the chart for passes made per game within the midfield group, with his ability to find a teammate with his passes at an exceptional 92% success rate.
Minutes played
62
82
Sofascore rating
6.7
7.32
Pass accuracy
82%
92%
Passes completed
36
64.3
Key passes
0
1.5
Long pass accuracy
20%
58%
As you can see in the table above, the 30-year-old star was miles away from being at his best against Dundee, with significantly worse statistics than usual in possession of the ball.
If the Achilles injury has caused his performance levels to drop then Celtic cannot afford to be sentimental or hopeful that his performances will turn around when Rangers are breathing down their neck.
The Gers are only three points adrift in second place and travel across to Parkhead for an all-Glasgow clash on the 11th of May, after the Hoops play Hearts next weekend.
Therefore, Tomoki Iwata should be unleashed from the start ahead of the captain as his performances this season have been impressive at the base of the Bhoys midfield.
Why Tomoki Iwata should start for Celtic
The Japanese gem should start at the base of the midfield as McGregor's performances since his return from injury do not suggest that he is the man to look to, unless his form suddenly improves, to lead the team to the title.
That is not a huge criticism of the Scotland international, as the injury has clearly had an effect on his displays, but it is a bold call that the manager may have to make as his sluggishness – as evidenced by his dip in form – could cost them in the title run-in.
Iwata has taken his chance when it has come this season and showcased his ability to dictate games in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants.
The upcoming clash with Rangers is a potential title decider, given how close the two teams are in the table, and the 27-year-old metronome was trusted to start the game at Ibrox.
He won five of his eight ground duels throughout the match, as the 27-year-old star stepped up to the mark from a physical perspective, whilst McGregor – making his comeback from injury – was brought on with Celtic winning 2-1 and the Hoops lost the 25 minutes he was on the pitch 2-1 to end the game 3-3.
It may, therefore, benefit the Bhoys to start Iwata when the Gers come to Parkhead in May, if McGregor continues to look rusty after his Achilles issue.
Appearances
15
Starts
9
Pass accuracy
90%
Long pass accuracy
55%
Opposition half pass accuracy
90%
Duel success rate
51%
As you can see in the table above, the Japanese maestro has the quality on the ball to replace the captain in terms of his metronomic play in the middle of the park.
His 90% pass accuracy shows that he rarely gives possession away to opposition teams, which means that Rodgers' side can control the game by not making unforced turnovers to give sides a chance to get back into matches.
This makes him an ideal replacement for the skipper, who only completed 82% of his passes against Dundee whilst Iwata completed 95% (21/22) of his off the bench.
That is why the manager must boldly drop the Scotsman to start the 27-year-old as it could be crucial in Celtic's bid to win the title ahead of Rangers, particularly with the upcoming game between the two teams.
