CELTIC goal hero Frank McAvennie reckons he has the answer to his old club’s striking problem.
The legendary frontman reckons Martin O’Neill should try Benjamin Nygren as attack-leader because the Swede is “a waste of space in the midfield.”
Nygren, bought in the summer for £1.7million, is the Hoops’ top scorer with 19 strikes in a turbulent campaign in which the champions have failed to spark with any degree of consistency.
The situation has not been helped with three managers utilised over the course of the crusade – Brendan Rodgers, Wilfried Nancy and O’Neill, in two interim periods – while the frontline has been chopped and changed in an effort to find a solution.
MATCHWINNER…Benjamin Nygren slams in the points-clinching goal in the 2-1 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie earlier this month.
Adam Idah led the attack in the team’s Premiership kick-off against St Mirren on August 3 at Parkhead where Luke McCowan scored the only goal of the game.
The Republic of Ireland international frontman was sold to Swansea City in a £6million move before the month was out.
Johnny Kenny and Shin Yamada were also given the responsibility before being shipped out on loan during the January window.
Daizen Maeda has flitted in and out of the No.9 position from his preferred role on the left wing, but has failed to reproduce last season’s breathtaking form when he completed the term with 33 goals.
Kelechi Iheanacho, who fired blanks in the team’s dire 2-0 loss to Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday in his first start since mid-December, is also unlikely to rediscover the touch that made him hot property at Manchester City and Leicester City before his ill-fated switch to Sevilla.
AIR WE GO…Kelechi Iheanacho, along with Benjamin Nygren and Colby Donovan, celebrates his winning penalty-kick in Celtic’s 2-1 success at Kilmarnock in September. Alas, the striker has claimed only two more goals in an injury-interrupted debut campaign.
Callum Osmand looked promising after scoring the third and killer goal in the team’s 3-1 Premier Sports League Cup semi-final win over Ibrox opposition in November, but injury struck in the next game against FC Midtjylland and the young Welshman has been out ever since.
On-loan double-act Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu do not look like providing the answer in the run-in to the campaign.
Analysing the problem position, former fans’ favourite McAvennie, speaking on his Let Me Be Frank podcast, said: “Nygren can score goals, so play him up front. Just give him a chance.
“Listen, we are going into the last seven games. He is a waste of space in the midfield. He really is a man down.
“So, play him up there or don’t play him at all.
“He can’t touch the ball. He has a horrible touch. He’s not aware. He is good around the box, one-twos, so play him up front.
“That’s what I would do.”
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