MATT O’RILEY insists Celtic have to get more out of 62-goal Kyogo Furuhashi.
The stylish midfielder teamed up again with the Japanese ace to construct the second strike in the 6-0 romp against Aberdeen at Parkhead at the weekend.
The pair are developing an almost telepathic understanding and it was highlighted once more in the 16th minute against the Dons when O’Riley ran clear on the right-hand side of the box to pick up an astute pass from Yang Hyun-jun.
He whipped in a low cross to the near post and Kyogo’s timing was perfection as he arrived ahead of the defenders to thump in No.2 to add to Yang’s opening goal seven minutes earlier.
OUTNUMBERED…it’s four versus one, but there’s no stopping the prolific Kyogo Furuhashi as he whips in No.2 against Aberdeen.
Examining the devastating partnership, O’Riley said: “Me and him have a really good relationship on the pitch and I think probably 70 percent of the assists for Celtic have been for him.
“That shows how good he is to play with and how easy it is to play with him.
“His movement’s top class. I actually think we need to use his runs a little bit more because his movement’s so good.
“He deserves the ball to be given to him because he works hard to create the space for himself. We need to keep utilising him because he’s our best goalscorer and that would be helpful going forwards.”
Kyogo, of course, was forced to leave the field shortly after the interval after being clobbered by an overly-aggressive challenge from defender Slobodan Rubezic which saw the offender booked by referee Willie Collum when a red card might have been more appropriate punishment.
Ironically, Oh Hyeon-gyu came on as a replacement, scored two goals and won a penalty-kick which was tucked away with some aplomb by Luis Palma.
SMILE ON THE FACE OF THE ASSASSIN…Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates in usual fashion after his strike in the 6-0 landslide win over the Dons.
The Honduras international has now struck five times in 12 appearances since his £3.5million summer recruitment from Greek outfit Aris Thessaloniki.
O’Riley. speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “He has a lot of quality, we know that. We have to keep demanding that from him every game, pushing him to be at that level, because he’s definitely got a lot about him.
“I think he has impacted at this club really well so far, so the hope is that can continue.
“We’ve missed loads of good players, we missed Liel Abada early in the season who’s a really important player. We’ve a really strong squad and it shows with boys like Yang who could come in and left his mark on the Aberdeen game, with Oh stepping up again.
“That shows our depth and if everyone can start to get a bit of momentum we’ll be in a really good place going forwards.
“The way we play we’re always going to create lots of chances and the more people who score the better. “
In the fall-out of the disappointing Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid five days earlier, O’Riley added: “Perfect response, I think. A result like that was pending in the league, to be honest.
“We’ve put in enough good performances and it was time – with the utmost respect – that we gave someone a real doing. There were a lot of chances created and it could’ve been more. It was needed.
WE’RE BEHIND YOU…the signs are good for impressive new Bhoy Luis Palma on the way to his Man-of-the-Match performance against the Dons.
“I shanked one from about three yards, but we were on it right from the start with our runs in behind. We let them know they were going to be in for a game right from the start and we maintained that level throughout.
“We tire teams out, the way we play. And I think when you are three-nil down at Celtic Park and you have been running for 90 minutes and haven’t had much of the ball, naturally you are going to be tired.
“The spaces do open up and we had boys coming off the bench for the last half-hour ready to fire. James Forrest and then David Turnbull comes on and scores.
“I think having that strength in depth to come on and really push the fitness levels, it is hard for teams to live with. I said to James as soon as I saw the board: ‘We have 10 minutes here, we are going to get more chances’.
“And we did.”
The rout against the Pittodrie side restored the champions’ eight-point advantage at the Premiership pinnacle and they go back into action in their quest for a twelfth title in 13 years when Motherwell visit a week on Saturday.
Liam Kelly and Co can expect a busy afternoon in the east end of Glasgow.
