Former Aberdeen striker and pundit, Noel Whelan, believes Odsonne Edouard brings more than just physical qualities to Celtic in an interview with Football Insider.
Whelan reflects on what attributes the Frenchman brings to the Hoops as they look to secure their ninth successive Scottish Premiership title.
What has Whelan said?
The Parkhead side have experienced life without Edouard already this season after he was sidelined with injury and despite maintaining their winning run, Whelan felt there was still a notable difference in performance.
“Celtic are a better side with Edouard in it”.
“He gives you such a presence up front, he’s very smart, he’s quick, he brings others into play”.
“I think the Celtic team are more confident when he’s involved, when he’s playing. I think he gives them that little bit more lease of life and positivity with him up front”.
So is Whelan correct?
Yes – Edouard is so much more than the goals he contributes to the team, even in the 2-1 loss to Rangers at Celtic Park he continued to cause problems all over the pitch. The deflected goal he “scored” epitomises what he brings to the Hoops attacking play.
Rangers players took three attempts to tackle Edouard before he laid the ball off for Callum McGregor to fire a shot at goal, handball it might’ve been, but he started the passage of play on the half-way line and it was his presence that caused the uncertainty and without this, Celtic wouldn’t have drawn level.
Celtic’s anaemic attacking performance in the Betfred Cup final epitomises the importance of Edouard, as soon as he came on he started to cause Rangers defence problems, in fact it was Connor Goldson’s foul on the 21-year-old in a relatively “safe” area of the pitch that led to the winning goal.
Who is the better striker?
Odsonne Edouard
Moussa Dembele
It is easily forgotten just how young the Scottish Premiership’s top goal scorer still is given how long he has been at the club and how often he shines on the biggest stage, it won’t just be his goals that will be hard to replace when he does eventually seek pastures new, good strikers are hard to come by, ones that can raise the performance levels of an entire team are even rarer.