Celtic's Evolving Attack: O'Neill on Emerging Talent and Challenges

Celtic’s attacking options are starting to look a little more like a title-chasing squad than a patched‑up forward line – and Brendan O’Neill knows it.

Kasper Hogh has rejoined full training over the past couple of days and is pushing hard for a place in the squad, while Kieran Tierney stepped back in with the group this morning as he continues his own comeback. Both are in contention for the next game, with Hogh viewed as the more likely to feature as things stand, even if O’Neill admits there are still “a couple of other fitness issues for players” lingering in the background.

The Celtic manager is particularly excited by the emergence of 18-year-old forward Matty Mheuka, but he is determined to keep the noise around the youngster under control.

“I expect him to do well. He looks a player,” O’Neill says. “I wouldn’t want to be throwing a host of accolades in someone’s direction if they’re not up for it, but I think he’s definitely capable.”

For O’Neill, the bigger picture is clear. With Hogh, Mheuka, Camilo Duran and Callum Osmand all available, Celtic’s front line suddenly carries depth and variety that simply was not there last season.

He doesn’t hide the contrast. Last term, he says, he was “wondering where the goals were going to come from”. Now he looks at his bench and sees options, not problems.

One key piece will be missing, though. South Korea winger Yang Hyun-jun is set to sit out the next four games while he joins up with his country for Asian Games duty, and O’Neill is under no illusions about the scale of that absence.

Yang, he says, will be a “big miss”.

“He’s playing exceptionally well for what he does with the ball. It’s terrific, he’s scored a couple of very important goals for us,” O’Neill explains. “And what he’s doing without the ball, I don’t think anybody could question his workrate. He’s been great since I’ve come in here. I think he’s just responded to a bit of encouragement.”

If the forward line is evolving, the goalkeeping situation is quietly taking shape too. Joe Hart’s long-term status has prompted questions, but O’Neill is encouraged by the attitude of his challenger, Scott Johnstone.

The manager finds it “really pleasing” that Johnstone has set his sights on becoming Celtic’s number one.

“It’s not that long ago he was involved with the England squad,” O’Neill points out. “He’s determined, he’s looked really good in training, and at some stage he will get into a game because it will be necessary for him.”

That sounds less like a vague promise and more like a plan.

Next up is St Johnstone, and O’Neill’s respect for Simo Valakari’s side is obvious. He describes them as “really talented” and enjoys what he sees from a team that wants to play on the front foot.

“It’s nice to see them. They want to play football as well and they’re committed,” he says. “There’s a vitality about them which is very encouraging. Not dissimilar in many aspects to what Craig McLeish is doing at St Mirren.”

Celtic, then, head into the next stretch of the season with more strikers, a hungry keeper waiting his turn, and a key winger temporarily out of the picture. The tools are there. Now it’s about what they build with them.