Celtic are back in action once again in the race to secure the Scottish Premiership title as they prepare to welcome Hearts to Parkhead this afternoon.
The Hoops are currently three points clear of their nearest rivals in the division as they bid to secure the league crown for the third year running.
Brendan Rodgers returned to Glasgow for a second stint in the dugout last summer, after Ange Postecoglou opted to move down south, and he is hoping to secure at least one piece of silverware at the first time of asking.
The Scottish giants are coming into this clash with the Jam Tarts after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Dundee away from home last time out in the Premiership.
Despite picking up all three points in the match, Rodgers could look to make some alterations to the starting XI to keep things fresh for the title run-in.
With this in mind, the Northern Irish tactician should finally unleash Irish forward Adam Idah from the start to thrive alongside James Forrest.
Why Kyogo Furuhashi should be dropped
In order to make room for the Republic of Ireland international, Kyogo Furuhashi will need to be dropped from the starting lineup for this clash with Hearts.
The Japan international did register an assist against Dundee last time out but that was one of the very few times he was involved in the game.
Kyogo, who had just ten touches of the ball all match, offered to receive a pass and either attempted to take a touch and turn or lay the ball off with his left foot, only for it to bounce up and away from him, which allowed Forrest to react and fire a half-volley in from distance.
This shows that the assist was more down to the brilliance of the Scottish winger than it was to do with the 29-year-old striker’s creativity or quality.
Minutes played
62
Shots
0
Passes completed
2/3
Duels won
1/2
Touches
10
Possession lost
5x
As you can see in the table above, Kyogo lost the ball every other touch on average and barely got involved in the match, with just two passes completed – one of which may have been a loose touch that fell to Forrest for the goal.
Hearts, who have the third-best defensive record in the division, could offer a tough test for the Hoops attack and Rodgers' side may not be able to get away with their striker being as inactive and wasteful in possession as the experienced forward was last time out.
Therefore, Idah, who offers more to the team with his all-round game, should be unleashed from the start to face the Jam Tarts this afternoon.
Why Adam Idah should start for Celtic
The Ireland international, who joined on loan from Norwich on deadline day at the start of February, stands at 6 foot 3 and provides a physical presence at the top end of the pitch.
Celtic have an outlet they can use to hold the ball up under pressure and link play to create attacks when Idah is leading the line, whereas Kyogo does not have the physical attributes to do the same.
Appearances
11
34
Starts
4
28
Minutes per game
44
67
Duels won per game
2.5
1.5
Duel success rate
47%
40%
Aerial duel success rate
65%
25%
Dribble success rate
60%
48%
Passes completed per game
7.5
5.7
As you can see in the table above, the £23k-per-week whiz has won more duels per game, with a significantly higher success rate, and completed more passes per match, despite playing 23 fewer minutes per outing on average.
Idah also has the potential to offer more in front of goal with his return of seven goals in 11 league games – with a conversion rate of 30% – showing that he has been a lethal finisher.
Meanwhile, Kyogo has scored 11 goals in 34 Premiership matches – with a conversion rate of just 13% – and this suggests that the Canaries loanee has been more prolific in the Scottish top-flight so far this season.
Therefore, due to his qualities as a target man and as a finisher, Rodgers must unleash Idah, who was hailed as "sensational" by Chris Sutton earlier this season, to start in the front three with the man of the moment James Forrest.
Why Adam Idah could thrive with James Forrest
The Scottish winger scored both of Celtic's goals in the 2-1 win over Dundee last time out, which has taken him to five goals in three league starts and 19 appearances in total this season.
Forrest has racked up five goals and three 'big chances' created in just three Premiership starts, having produced four goals and two assists in five league starts last term.
Used sparingly since the start of last season, the experienced ace has stepped up when needed and has been needed again in recent weeks.
The 32-year-old dynamo has fired in four goals and provided one assist in his last six appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions, including a goal against Aberdeen in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup last month at Hampden Park.
He has stepped up to fill in for the injured Daizen Maeda, who has been missing with a hamstring issue, and it may be a blessing in disguise for Idah, who could benefit more from playing alongside Forrest than the Japan international.
The injured star has racked up five goals, four 'big chances' created, and 0.5 key passes per game across 23 league starts for Celtic so far this season on the wing.
Whereas, Forrest has managed five goals, three 'big chances' created, and 0.6 key passes per match across three Premiership starts on the flank.
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These statistics suggest that the Scottish forward has a greater chance of benefitting from Idah's hold-up play, with as many goals as Maeda despite significantly fewer starts, and could create more chances for the strike, with only one less 'big chance' created in 16 fewer starts.
Therefore, Forrest and the Norwich loanee could thrive alongside each other in the final third, which is why Rodgers should unleash them both against Hearts.