Originally published at: How Ange Postecoglou can solve his new Celtic selection conundrum
Giorgos Giakoumakis’ introduction to Celtic action has brought a welcome and intriguing selection puzzle to manager Ange Postecoglou. The Greek striker has shown enough in his most recent two appearances to suggest he can make a substantial contribution in a Hoops shirt this season. The only problem is, in theory, his selection in the starting…
Can we not play him in behind GG with rogic making way or Turnbull and have him further up the pitch running through from deep, with 2 wingers still, would be a nightmare for defenders to have to pick up GG because of his physicality and also kyogo for his brilliant movement
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I think a great many people who comment on Celtic are missing a key point in regards to both Furuhashi and Giakoumakis.
Furuhashi did not arrive at Celtic a fully developed striker from Kobe but rather Giakoumakis did.
One was signed as an out and out striker whilst the other a wide man who can also play across the front.
I don’t think Giakoumakis was brought in to sit on the bench myself but rather he was brought in to lead the line whilst the likes of Furuhashi,Jota ,Abada ,Forrest amd Johnston support him from either a wide area or as may be the case with Furuhashi playing off of him.
Ange has tended to have a striker with an aerial threat up front as well as someone who could lead the line on their own.
Giakoumakis fits that bill.
I think we will get more out of both of them provided Jota and Furuhashi have more freedom to switch which should become more frequent as we get our current wingback situation sorted.
Juranovic and possibly Scales or Bolingoli could solve that riddle longer term?
James Forrest has proven at Celtic that wide men can score regularly as had Furuhashi previously at Kobe.
I think too many have been quick to dismiss his effectiveness from a non central area on the pitch.
Kyogo played through the middle at Kobe and all Japanese commenters have said he should be played there for the national team as well. He did start at Kobe by playing wide but you have to agree that he is now an out and out striker. I have to agree that the best way to play them together would be in a 4-4-2. Although Ange doesn’t seem to be so rigid with the shape of his front three that Kyogo can’t drift into a central position even if he is deployed on the right/left. That seemed to be happening against St Johnstone with Rogic taking up the wide right at times. The great thing is that (IMO) we now have the players for a plan A, B and C if things aren’t working out in attack. Exciting times 
kyogo leads the attack his work rate at closing down from central is important and his movement at losing centre backs from central is the best we have had since Henrik .
G.G. can play between or on a centre back with Kyogo playing around or off him.
with Jota wide left. or even dropping deeper as wide midfielder so we can play Abada /Forrest wide right.
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No I don’t t agree he’s an out an out striker yet but rather he’s still developing as one.
An out an out striker would have buried most of the chances he had v Leverkusen.
He didn’t bury any of them.
The thing is Postecoglou’s sides tended to have an aerial threat leading the attack surrounded by players like Furuhashi who provide the movement in the wide areas and around them.
I think the initial plan was for Griffiths to do exactly that but Ange realised quickly he wasn’t reliable enough and so he was replaced by Giakoumakis.
Had Giakoumakis arrived fit and ready to go I doubt very much we would have seen Furuhashi deployed centrally from the get go.
I don’t t think this was the plan by Ange.
Celtic Supporters already labelling him the new Larsson ( no pressure there then 
) might obviously feel different about that but I doubt Henrik would have walked off the pitch v Leverkusen without the match ball myself.
Giakoumakis an actual out an out striker would have no doubt been thinking similar things.
That aside you seen the list of strikers Japan has to choose from?
I think this is why he’s been listed as a Midfielder as they are quite heavy with talent up front.
We have options now in attack and I can see Ange mixing it up as the Season unfolds with the likes of Forrest and Johnston entering into the mix.
The Leverkusen game was his first game after being out injured which was actually over a week earlier than when he had been predicted to be back. Who labelled him the next Larsson? The previous comment says he’s the best at losing centre backs since Larsson. Not the same thing. You’re on your own if you think Kyogo’s best position isn’t through the middle, and it’s not because every other Celtic fan doesn’t understand the game or the club as well as you, which you seem to imply in almost every one of your comments. 
We’ll see how it pans out long term.
The Larsson comparisons have been getting dropped on Social Media.
Don’t shoot the messenger.
My point is Kyogo never arrived an out an out striker Giakoumakis did.
These are the facts that Ange Postecoglou will have been fully aware of even if some of the online diddies weren’t or aren’t.
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Give the guy a chance he missed a sitter at 4 nil and as spencer said he had been out for a few games he got the first chance early the second was a great save.
Cyan you keep saying Kyogo is a winger when he clearly is not.
They should be playing together in the middle which would end this rubbish anyway even the great Larsson had a strike partner in Sutton or Hartson.
Kyogo has a great first touch and good movement he is small and would benefit from a strong striker beside him both Jota and Abada could play wide in a 4 or even a 5 if we play 3 at the back when julien is fit,
He’s deployed as a winger for Japan and has played most of his career out wide.
I’m in total agreement about playing him alongside or off of Giakoumakis but the fact remains Giakoumakis was brought in as an out and out No9 Kyogoa wasn’t.