WILL MARTIN O'NEILL GO WITH A FRONT TWO TONIGHT?
- By LIAM McBRIDE
- 12 minutes ago
- 4 min read
And so the season begins. Just what will 2026/27 have in store? Yet another league title? A return to treble-winning ways? Progression in Europe? There’s all to dream about as Celtic kick off their campaign with an unusual Monday night welcoming of Dundee.
And with the events of last night, with Rangers already dropping points to Dundee United, the Champions have a chance to put daylight between themselves and their bitter rivals, before a ball has even been kicked.
Does Martin O’Neill Pair Camilo Duran and Kasper Høgh For Dundee Game?
Steven Pressley’s Dundee lie in their way. They finished eighth last season, securing safety by five points. However, the underlying data suggests that was a major overperformance, with their expected point total of 36 putting them only above Livingston.
An unknown quantity as much as any team is at this stage, they have lost star player Luke Graham to the hands of Stoke City in a deal worth around £2 million, while Cameron Congreve and Tony Yogane have returned to parent clubs Swansea and Brentford. New signings have arrived though, Alan Forrest being the most notable of all, joining from Hearts on a free transfer.
They finished second in their Premier Sports Cup group, due to a 7-6 penalty loss to Ross County. Yet, with 4-2, 5-0 and 4-0 wins over Airdrie, Annan and Clyde, their early season form has been strong.
Throughout the group stages, they consistently employed a 4-2-3-1 formation and based on what we saw last season, that is unlikely to change when they travel to Glasgow on Monday night. Naturally it could take more of a 4-5-1 shape; however, in general terms, that can be the difference between dropping off and staying high.
Of course, with the greatest of respect to the Premier Sports Cup group stages, you would expect Monday night to be a different animal altogether.
Celtic do find themselves in a bit of a strange position, with so much uncertainty residing over what the squad will look like in a month’s time. Just in the past few days, Alistair Johnston and Arne Engels have been linked with moves away, while Benjamin Nygren’s future still remains unclear.
However, it is not all doom and gloom. There is a general feel of optimism over the striker situation, with £17.5 million spent on the services of Camilo Duran and Kasper Høgh. The former has excelled in pre-season, scoring three goals in as many matches. His movement, intensity and finishing have all been of a terrific standard.
Høgh, of course, remains a more unknown quantity despite his price tag. A positive Champions League goalscoring record for Bodo/Glimt is certainly a promising sign though.
It doesn’t change the fact that the Hoops need another two (three if Nygren leaves) midfielders, backup fullbacks and strengthening in the wide areas. However, it provides a glimpse of optimism throughout a largely frustrating period.
It does leave MON with a bit of a selection conundrum. Duran’s pre-season performances have essentially made him un-droppable for Monday night’s tie. Yet, due to Høgh’s price tag, he may straight into the team.
The Northern Irishman hinted at playing the two together, possibly moving Duran out wide for the time being, before the reinforcements in that area are made. Then it could become a game-dependent selection,
“I would think that given the time that the two players should be able to play together without a problem. I don’t know what that means, changing systems, changing all that type of stuff. But, they’re good players. He [Duran] has played out wide as well, so that’s encouraging. I’m not so sure that’s eventually where I’ll play him. I see him being able to play as a striker or just off the striker.”
You would expect Høgh to be the physical presence and Duran the runner. Moreover, should some quality wingers be signed - Fares Ghedjemis is the latest to be linked with the club- it should leave the Champions with a variety of options upfront, not just in terms of personnel but also with systems.
So, looking ahead to the weekend, despite reported interest from Everton, you would expect Alistair Johnston to return to the team. With Liam Scales suspended and Auston Trusty unfit, Dane Murray will likely pair the returning Cameron Carter-Vickers. Kieran Tierney will then complete the back four in front of Viljami Sinisalo.
Callum McGregor and Arne Engels will likely start, with a selection battle between Benjamin Nygren, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Luke McCowan for the third spot. In a bid to get the Ox up to speed, I would favour playing him from the start. However, I believe MON will pick Nygren from the start. Then, out wide I expect James Forrest and Duran to start, with Hogh making his debut through the middle.
So, with that in mind, it’s time to look forward. What will MON’s 2.0 Celtic team look like on a tactical and technical level? It’ll still be too early to tell with a lot of transfer movement expected before the end of the window; however, the main intriguing point without a doubt will be the attacking dynamic between star signings Duran and Høgh.