Former Celtic star and current Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas has urged Brendan Rodgers to listen to his advice about playing two strikers as he delivers his prediction for Celtic’s clash with Rosenborg.
The Hoops meet the Norwegian side at Parkhead for the second time this season on Thursday after beating them in the Champions League qualifiers, and will be hoping for a repeat of the result back in July, Odsonne Edouard’s brace helping them to a 3-1 victory.
Now Nicholas is demanding that Rodgers puts the French hitman up top with Leigh Griffiths in order to sink the away side in their first Europa League match of the season.
Predicting a 2-0 victory, he wrote on Sky Sports’ website: “Celtic aren’t playing well, but at the same time they have already beaten Rosenborg in the qualifiers for the Champions League.
“Celtic aren’t making a lot of chances at the moment which is frustrating for a lot of people, none more so than Brendan Rodgers. Being a Celtic man, I would play Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths together and go after Rosenborg and pin them in.
“I wouldn’t be concerned about them (Rosenborg) scoring loads of goals here on the counter, they are slightly dangerous because Celtic have their own issues. I am going for 2-0, hopefully Brendan finally agrees with me and I will back Edouard and Griffiths both to score.”
Opinion
Nicholas has a very good point about Celtic playing with two strikers, although there is one hurdle which looks to put his plans to bed. The Hoops looked lethal up top when Edouard was partnered with Moussa Dembele before his departure for France, and if Rodgers can get Griffiths on the same wavelength then he could be reignite that dangerous duo up top. However, the problem is that by putting both in the starting XI, it leaves no backup for the strikers, with Dembele’s exit leaving the Hoops a man light up top. It would be a gamble to have both of your hitmen in the firing line, both for the Rosenborg game and just generally for the Bhoys. It seems as though Rodgers is destined to continue using a sole frontman for now – unless he has faith in any other players to fill the void, something which has not yet happened.