Kyogo Furuhashi has been backed as one of the key Celtic players amid a tough run without goals - but he can't help Giorgos Giakoumakis as a front two.
The Japanese forward's numbers are healthy for the Premiership season so far, netting seven times from eight games, but his last nine outings across all competitions have brought just one strike. That was turning home Matt O'Riley's goal-bound effort against Motherwell earlier this month.
The Land of the Rising Sun's forward had his form debated on Sportsound, but former Celtic Park star John Collins offered a stern defence: "When you talk about Kyogo, you can't just talk about him as a goalscorer, as he is more than that to this Celtic team. He is the first line of defence. He hounds defences. He makes runs and creates space, he doesn't stand still. He's a midfielder's dream. He'll come in and take it to feet as well."
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Celtic hero Peter Grant offered similar sentiments, but insists that both he and Greek forward Giakoumakis can't be expected to play together.
He explained: "What he gives you is that he stretches defences, he plays that two yards offside that all the top strikers do. He gets opportunities but he's playing against top quality players at Champions League level.
"He is still giving them a hard time. He starts everything for them. Giakoumakis is completely different but he can't do the pressing
"I really like him as he wants to score. Celtic are fortunate to have the two strikers they have but I don't think they can play together. They give you something different from each other."
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