key Celtic role in numbers as Mr Regular steps up to fill Jota void while replacements adapt

September 4, 2023 admin Uncategorized 0

O’Riley has produced consistently so far under Rodgers even if team as a whole is yet to properly convince.

It might be a far from full strength Celtic team just now, but Matt O’Riley has stepped up.

The midfielder was the subject of two transfer bids this summer – from Bologna and a reported £10million attempted swoop from Leeds United – but both were booted out. Considering Ange Postecoglou paid £1.5million to bring him north from MK Dons 18 months ago, it could have been mighty tempting to cash in on the Denmark Under 21 international.

But under Brendan Rodgers, O’Riley has proven to be one of, if not his best attacking weapon with the season still in its infancy. The departure of Jota for £25million over the summer left Celtic needing to replace 10 goals and 11 assists from last season. Adding wingers seemed to be solution, but Yang Hyun-jun will need time to adapt, and more than cameos off the bench to properly click with his new teammates.
Luis Palma has arrived on a five-year deal and hopes are high for the Honduran. But again, this is all new for the wide man and it’s unlikely to be a case of put him in the team and watch him go. Two goals and three assists in just a few games for Aris before his switch to Glasgow this season, on the back of 13 and eight respectively last campaign, suggests he has the tools. But until those two start producing in the green and white hoops, the numbers have to come from somewhere. Step forward O’Riley.

The 22-year-old is on two goals and three assists already – averaging a goal involvement every 88 minutes so far. That makes him the only player in the Scottish Premiership averaging a goal contribution in less than 90 minutes. Now, it’s unrealistic to expect him to sustain that, but when others start chipping in more, then that’s not a big deal if he’s still getting relatively close to that ratio.The rise of Matt O'Riley: How Celtic midfielder defied doubters - and metrics - to become Scottish title winner | Football News | Sky Sports

He rounded off Celtic’s scoring against Ross County on the opening day of the season, running off the shoulder of the defender before smashing home. That was after a first half assist that Jota would have been proud of; darting past his man to hit the byline and standing up a cross to the back post despite little room to manoeuvre, for David Turnbull to power home.

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