Celtic's 7-1 win over Hearts raises questions about Kasper Hogh's starting role
Celtic beat Hearts 7-1 in a Scottish Premiership match on Sunday, intensifying debate over whether record signing Kasper Hogh belongs in the starting XI. Camilo Duran started in the centre ahead of Hogh as part of a front three that produced the dominant attacking display.
Manager Martin O'Neill had named a frontline of Camilo Duran, Callum Osmand and Haissem Hassan for the visit of last season's Scottish Premiership runners-up, with Hogh left on the bench. The Denmark forward had been hooked at half-time in Celtic's 4-1 Europa League defeat in Lisbon to Benfica and O'Neill has publicly backed him to finish the campaign with 20 goals. Hogh has scored in just one of his 12 Celtic appearances — a hat-trick at Kilmarnock in August — and O'Neill acknowledged the player is low on confidence.
Hogh did enter Sunday's match as a substitute and provided the assist for Benjamin Nygren's seventh goal; he had also set up Nygren in the 2-0 win at Motherwell seven days earlier. His struggling display in Lisbon, sandwiched between those Premiership victories, intensified discussion about his place in the side.
Former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan gave his view of the choice between Duran and Hogh: "If I'm a creative player and I've got Duran and Hogh to pick from, I'm taking Duran every day of the week," he said. "He looks to get off the side of defenders. If you put a ball into the area, he's more likely to be alive to it." Duran was moved to the centre in Lisbon when Hogh was withdrawn and, with Hassan and Osmand wide, Celtic's attack looked more potent in the second half; that same trio started on Sunday.
Callum Osmand scored twice to help establish a 5-1 half-time lead, while Duran's ninth goal of the campaign was one of two Celtic added after the break. Duran has 14 goal contributions — nine goals and five assists — in 15 games, many recorded while he has been deployed in a wide role, although O'Neill has said the Colombia international prefers to play centrally.
BBC Scotland pundit Andy Halliday spoke on The Monday Night Club about the selection debate: "There have been question marks over whether Celtic's best attack involves Hogh. For me, it doesn't," he said. "There's no doubt there's a goalscorer in there with Hogh. You don't score in the Champions League against Manchester City, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid if you're not. He's just a goalscorer who isn't scoring goals." He added: "You look at Duran as a number nine on Sunday, the part he plays in the third goal, the fourth goal," and: "When Jamie McCart takes a loose touch, Hogh wouldn't be close enough or quick enough to get on to that loose ball and spring Celtic into attack. Duran isn't just a goalscorer, he's so much more than that - and you saw that on Sunday." Halliday also said: "O'Neill still reckons Hogh will score 20 goals this season. It's hard to suggest he wouldn't, given his previous record at Bodo/Glimt, but at this moment in time, he isn't doing enough to be in Celtic's attack. O'Neill's searching for his best team and best front three, and the three you saw on Sunday are that."
Supporters noted Hogh embraced Osmand as he left the pitch at half-time on Sunday, and there is nothing from the outside to suggest ego will be an issue if the Dane spends time out of the first-choice XI. Sunday's emphatic 7-1 result has eased broader questions about Celtic's form but, for now, the club's most effective front three did not include their record signing.
Celtic return to Europa League action against Celta Vigo on Thursday, 22 October (20:00 BST); live match commentary is available on BBC Sounds and text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
