'I don’t think people can be too harsh on him': Celtic manager riles against criticism of star man

Ange Postecoglou and Cameron Carter-Vickers are united in their opinion that the goals will flow again for Celtic.

The goals have dried up for Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi recently.

The Parkhead side scored nine, four and four again in successive games earlier this season, when it seemed likely they would hit the net every time they ventured forward.

In recent weeks, however, it’s become a little stickier. Chances are still being created, but the goals are not going in. Not at such a prolific rate at least. Kyogo Furuhashi has scored just once in seven club appearances since a hat-trick in the 9-0 win over Dundee United. Fellow striker Giorgos Gioukamakis also has only one in seven. Meanwhile Jota, a scorer of goals as well as creator, has been ruled out of Saturday’s return to league action against Hibs.

The failure to take chances against RB Leipzig cost Celtic particularly dearly in midweek. The Germans produced two fine late goals to claim the win that extinguished the home side's hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers gears up for the visit of Hibs during training.

Two wins in their last seven contrasts sharply with the seven straight wins with which Celtic started the season, although their Champions League activities account for much of this drop-off. It's hardy a revelation to note that lung-busting effort involved against quality opposition will have an impact in the days afterwards as well.

A shock defeat to St Mirren followed Celtic's endeavours in Poland when they earned a 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk. The champions also needed a last-minute winner to emerge with full points from their last league outing against St Johnstone, four days after the 3-1 away defeat to RB Leipzig.

Hibs ought to be quietly relishing their trip to Parkhead. The most recent defeat against RB Leipzig seemed to pack an extra punch. Postecoglou is nonetheless confident his side can raise themselves against Lee Johnson’s team.

He issued a particularly strong defence of Kyogo, who has been struggling to get into stride since a shoulder injury forced him off early in the 4-0 win over Rangers last month.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has been pleased with Furuhashi's contribution and highlighted a recent assist against RB Leipzig.

“I don’t think people can be too harsh on him,” said the manager. “Last week ([n Leipzig] he set up Jota for a fantastic goal that he created.

“Champions League goals are hard to come by, but I don’t think he has been any less threatening. He is still getting into good positions. He has been unlucky on a couple of occasions. I still think he really causes teams problems.

“Domestically we have had to juggle him a little bit. People forget he was in great form and then hurt his shoulder which kept him out for a couple of weeks, so he was a little bit disrupted.”

Defender Carter-Vickers believes goals are the responsibility of the entire team. “That is the way we play – we all attack together and we all defend together,” he said. “It is not just on the strikers. Us defenders have to pop up with goals from set pieces and what have you.”

Given Celtic scored two goals in their last league outing, albeit one was an own goal, and two in the game before that, against Motherwell, he is not overly concerned.

“You are not going to go for nine or ten months when you are scoring three, four, five goals every game,” said the centre-half. “It is pretty normal and not too much to worry about.”