Celtic recorded a late win at Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Kris Boyd has claimed that he doesn’t think Odsonne Edouard is ‘up for the fight’ in regards to playing the number nine role for Celtic.
The former Scotland striker cited the Celtic’s attacker lack of physicality or strength to be able to play that forward role for his team.
On Sunday, Neil Lennon’s side recorded a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Dundee, with Edouard finding space inside the penalty area and slotting home the winner in the dying seconds of the game.
Speaking to Sky Sports Football following the conclusion of the match (17/03/2019 at 2:40 pm), Boyd spoke about the 21-year-old’s inability to play that forward role for the Scottish champions.
“He seems to be more comfortable with the ball, running with it, with his back to goal trying to back in,” Boyd told Sky Sports Football. “I don’t think he’s up for the fight as such.
“He’s more a technique player, he’ll get the ball, he’ll take people on. Once he gets one on one, he can cause problems. We have seen it numerous times over the course of this season.
“But when he is that number nine, I don’t think he has got the physicality, the strength to back in. He might have it, he just doesn’t use it.”
Over the course of the season, Edouard has played 43 games in all competitions for the Hoops, scoring 18 goals and supplying seven assists for his teammates [transfermarkt].
In his last four Premiership matches for the club, he has found the back of the net on four occasions, all whilst playing that striker role for his team.
Given his young age, Edouard will feel that he is still learning to grow into that position and he will be hoping to lead the line for his current club in years to come.
Nonetheless, those three points at Dundee meant that Celtic have now opened up a mammoth 10 point lead on their rivals Rangers, with the duo set to meet after the international break.
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