The Celtic manager has talked in recent times about having sleepless nights over certain decision and I can guarantee he will be having one or two of them when he thinks about a very important cup final decision. Why do I know this? Because I am having one myself just thinking about his decision and I’m not even the one under the pressure to make it!
And the decision is a huge one. Does he play Kyogo?
Whatever Ange decides, I will be fully behind him. Because this isn’t Betis, this isn’t a meaningless game in terms of progression, this is a cup final, and the change for Ange to win his first available trophy as Celtic manager, and lay a real positive marker down for the season.
I don’t believe there is any possibility Kyogo will be 100% fit to play on Sunday. At best I would estimate 70-80%. At worst maybe half that.
The problem for the manager is this isn’t like a cup final at the end of the season where you can take that chance, knowing the player will have the full summer to recover. He has to make this decision knowing that the hugely important Glasgow derby is just two weeks away, and that his decision could potentially impact Kyogo’s availability to play on the 2nd January, a game that in my opinion, we need him more for.
Does Ange start Kyogo on Sunday? Giving us much more of a threat up top but more of a risk he breaks down as the match goes on?
Or perhaps he starts with Abada through the middle again, which I believe he is capable of playing well in that position, but then again we lose an attacking threat on the right. But if he starts on the bench then we potentially might not need to bring him on at all if we are winning comfortably.
But what if we struggle to finish the game off like our last two games without him? Ange could bring him on after 60-70 mins for example, but then what if he struggles to get into the game?
There are so many possibilities and potential outcomes that Ange will be playing through in his head over and over again. He said himself Kyogo will want to play, and we know he will run about like a man possessed if he does, that’s just his style and part of what makes him great, but obviously when you play at 100mph and have a hamstring that isn’t fully recovered it is a dangerous game to play, especially with the game on 2nd January so close.
I can’t even predict what he’s going to do. But whatever decision he makes, I back him 100%.
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