Scott Sinclair must rediscover his best form for Celtic….and fast.
Moussa Dembele left Celtic to join Lyon on Friday.
The French striker was a massive player, and Hoops fans could be forigven for being worried about his departure, having reached the 30-goal mark during his first season at Parkhead.
But he wasn’t even Celtic’s best player that year – Scott Sinclair was.
It was the England international who won Scottish Premiership Player of the Year ahead of Dembele following a brilliant 2016-17 campaign, with Brendan Rodgers winning his first of two domestic trebles.
Sinclair has gone off the rails in a big way, evident by his performance against Suduva on Thursday but, with Dembele gone, it’s vital that Rodgers sits him down and explains the importance of rediscovering his best form.
In Dembele, Celtic lost a player who most probably would’ve scored at least 20 goals this season, meaning that the void has to be filled. Leigh Griffiths and Odsonne Edouard are certainly capable goalscorers, but so is Sinclair and it’s time that he reminds the Bhoys fans of this.
The 29-year-old, a £3.5 million signing in 2016, scored 10 Premiership goals last term and it’s just not enough for a player who scored 21 league goals during his first season. There is no excuse if his performance against Suduva is a regular thing this season.
Rangers are looking better than they have been for many-a-year, so Celtic need to maintain their free-scoring form for the entire season. Griffiths and Edouard will do their bit, but Rodgers needs to ensure Sinclair is up for the challenge too.
Because his performances in 2018 suggest that he isn’t.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
