The Japanese striker has only scored one goal in ten matches but has huge part to play

If there is one concrete sign of progress for Celtic in another failed Champions League campaign, it is to be found in the two exquisite strikes Kyogo Furuhashi fashioned in the club’s two home group encounters.

The immaculate finishes in the 2-1 defeat to Lazio and the 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid – instrumental in earning Brendan Rodgers’ men their solitary point of Group E – well and truly put the kibosh on blether that reared across last season’s sojourn in the most exalted football stage. Then the Japanese striker, as he battered in goals in the domestic domain but could not conjure up any on the continental stage, was painted as a performer incapable of sketching out potent moments on the most illustrious canvas. Instead, as Celtic seek an end to a mortifying 15-game winless run in the competition when playing host to Feyenoord in an otherwise irrelevant group closer on Wednesday evening, Furuhashi has the opportunity to become the club’s first player to net in all three home encounters in a Champions League section – a feat that even eluded Henrik Larsson.

The upside of Furuhashi’s season that began in the summer with the revelation he was managing a shoulder issue that at some point requiring surgery, the downside is curious. And has led to digit-jabbing in the direction of Rodgers, which has been coming from all fronts following the second-half collapse at Kilmarnock on Sunday that condemned the Scottish champions to a first Premiership defeat. Unquestionably, the player has appeared a diminished force on the Scottish scene, far removed from the unquenchable sprite who bagged 54 goals across the two campaigns that followed Ange Postecoglou making him his statement signing with a £4.7million move from Vissel Kobe to presage the pair plundering five domestic honours out of six inside 24 months.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 06: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers insists nothing has changed with what is being asked of Kyogo Furuhashi as the Japanese striker struggles for the potency he exhibited in his two seasons under Ange Postecoglou. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Rodgers stands accused by detractors of clipping the 28-year-old’s wings with his modifications to Celtic’s style since he returned for a second spell as successor to the Tottenham Hotspur-enticed Australian. One goal in his past ten appearances – the most recent two outings from the bench as Oh Hyeon-gyu has been given a run – is the figure bandied around to support the contention. The truth, Rodgers suggests, is altogether more prosaic, even if he did state in the opening weeks of the season that the forward could offer another dimension in linking up play.

“I’ve obviously seen him play over the last couple of seasons and he’s got the issue with his shoulder. Nothing has changed in his game. He’s not been asked to play any differently,” Rodgers said, who confirmed Furuhashi will return to a starting berth against the Dutch side after being “fair” to him recently through not asking him to lead the line from the first whistle in practically every game – as is now forgotten, was a grumble over Postecoglou by some. “His strength is his penetration, running in behind and timing his runs. You have to make ten runs maybe to only get it once, but that’s your job as a striker. So there’s been nothing changed in that. We are looking to add to him when the balls comes in. If you look at his numbers and stats he was very rarely involved in the game and especially when you are playing teams who are sat low in the pitch. He’s not going to have a lot of numbers.

“Sometimes then as a striker what do is you start to wander a wee bit to come underneath for the ball. But there’s been absolutely nothing different asked of him because his strength is playing off the last line, timing his movements and being instinctive in the box. He’s not a dribbler, he’s not someone who does drop in. He can do it, but it’s not his strength. He has shown up well at this [Champions League] level. He’s been a threat in every game he’s played and instinctively in the box he can get goals. I think strikers go through wee stages at times where you can sometimes chase the goal, or maybe you don’t like the pass, or you look for it so much.

“We went through his video stuff the other week. We looked primarily on the fact I don’t need him dropping in so much. When you’re playing in a lot of games where teams are sat deep, you don’t get a kick of the ball really unless it comes into the box. So what do you do? You start wandering. And that’s always the challenge for a striker who wants to affect games. But he’s very receptive. He’s not a baby, remember, he’s 28 years of age. What we’re saying at this moment is that if he’s up there with someone like Oh, then Kyogo is probably going to be the one who is a wee bit more flexible to move. But when he plays as a single striker, his role is to pin the centre-halves back and penetrate. Look at the goal Oh scored against Hibs [in the 4-1 win last week]. Callum [McGregor] played him through, he dips in and finishes. That’s what you’re looking for.”

Furuhashi is all smiles during a Celtic training session ahead of facing Feyenoord.

One factor that seems to have been overlooked in the apparent dilution of Furuhashi’s effectiveness is how the delivery into the box has changed. Celtic had directness, crosses flashed in to the posts from close to the byline by such wingers as the now-departed Jota and currently injured pair Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada. Luis Palma and Yang Hyun-jun are different sort of wide performers. “If you look at when Yang has played he more drives inside then he looks for the pass and it’s maybe a shorter cross,” said Rodgers. “On the other side, Luis Palma maybe comes inside a little more but he’s delivering in his way. But his [Kyogo’s] strength is in the last 40 metres, making runs in behind and being in the box. For me, really, I’m not bothered who gets the goals. I spoke to Matt O’Riley in the summer and he’s delivering great numbers. But it’s everyone’s responsibility to score, not just Kyogo.”

Celtic boss denies clipping Kyogo Furuhashi's wings - shoulder issue, wingers' impact and chance to usurp Henrik Larsson

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