Celtic's commanding 7-1 triumph over Hearts on Sunday has put the spotlight on record signing Kasper Hogh's role within the team. The Denmark international, who was benched for the Scottish Premiership clash, saw a dynamic attacking trio of Camilo Duran, Callum Osmand, and Haissem Hassan lead a scintillating display.
Hogh, a £11m summer acquisition, has scored in only one of his 12 Celtic appearances, netting a hat-trick against Kilmarnock in August. Manager Martin O'Neill acknowledged the 25-year-old's dip in confidence, stating, "He has lost a bit of confidence, but we will get that back during the course of time." O'Neill also backed Hogh to score 20 goals this season.
Despite coming off the bench to assist Benjamin Nygren for Celtic's seventh goal against Hearts, and also assisting the Sweden midfielder in a 2-0 win at Motherwell, Hogh's performance in the recent 4-1 Europa League defeat at Benfica, where he was substituted at half-time, has fuelled discussion. Former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan suggested he would pick Duran over Hogh for creative play, while BBC Scotland pundit Andy Halliday believes Celtic's best attack currently does not include their record signing.
Duran, who has contributed 14 goals (nine goals, five assists) in 15 games, many from a wide role, is thriving. O'Neill has indicated that the Colombia international prefers a central role. Halliday noted Duran's impact as a number nine against Hearts, highlighting his involvement in goals and his ability to spring attacks, suggesting he offers more than just goalscoring.