Charlie Wellings grabbed the glory on Sunday with a SWPL Cup Quarter Final winner over theRangers and in truth it’s something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for our star summer signing. Celtic’s new striker has a knack after all of making hitting the back of the net look almost effortless, as well as on Sunday adding the cherry on top of the cake by also making the opposition ‘keeper look rank rotten!
Yet there are a few of Celtic’s summer signings now settling in just as nicely, and one in particular is really starting to look the part.
Shen Mengyu signed for the Hoops this summer, and signing as she did at 19 years of age from Shanghai Shengli, whilst becoming the first Chinese player to grace professional British football, it must have been a huge challenge particularly in the midst of pandemic uncertainty.
Yet despite her age and such insecurities, Mengyu stood out a country mile against far more experienced opponents on Sunday afternoon at Murray Park as she put in both a tireless defensive shift in midfield allied to some wonderful attacking play to boot, and it was a performance the Chinese international has been threatening for some time.
In a game where it soon became clear the battle for territory in the centre of the park was going to ultimately have the greatest bearing on who won or lost a tight and fiercely contested cup tie, it was Mengyu alongside central midfield partner Olivia Chance who added the grace to the graft to ensure Celtic took control of the midfield for huge parts of the Glasgow Derby and it was that foothold that ultimately gave Celtic the edge. Charlie Wellings may have got the goals and the post-match headlines but Mengyu really did catch the eye as she patrolled midfield, sharp on the ball and disciplined out of possession.
Alongside her more experienced partner Chance, Celtic now look at long last that there may be some balance emerging in the midfield area. The loss of Lisa Robertson, bizarrely allowed to leave on loan no less to Birmingham City in the WSL, left Fran Alonso little time to forge a partnership and some balance to Celtic’s midfield. It has been a few weeks in the making but the partnership of Mengyu and Chance really looks to have some promise and hopefully it gets the run of games now needed to fine tune that developing understanding.
There will of course be a temptation to rest some players tomorrow night as Celtic return to SWPL1 action away to Hearts, coming as that game does sandwiched between Sunday’s cup win and this weekend’s second Glasgow Derby in seven days. But Fran Alonso must also be acutely aware an element of a disjointed and rotated midfield has added pressure to a defensive back three who could do with some assuredness in front of them as they get to grips with a new formation.
With Robertson gone, Natalie Ross still not back to fitness and the playmaking creativity of Sarah Harkes still sidelined there is little real scope left for too much tinkering with Celtic’s midfield at this time, and with Mengyu and Chance showing a real developing understanding it may be worth Alonso considering getting both on the park against Hearts, getting the game won, and if rest is required doing so when, hopefully, the match is effectively over.
Mengyu will also have international aspirations having been unfortunate to miss out on selection for the Chinese 2020 Olympic team, she had after all been in both the initial squad of 26 and the qualifying rounds. Yet her absence may have been a blessing as China lost spectacularly to both Brazil (5-0) and the Netherlands (8-1) as well as a 4-4 draw with 104th ranked nation Zambia.
As such there is a great deal of pressure in China for a squad overhaul and if Mengyu can continue her upward trajectory at Celtic she’ll be right in the frame soon for further international recognition. And what better way to do that than continue to perform as she did superbly in Sunday’s excellent win with follow up performances tomorrow night against Hearts and in the Glasgow Derby at the Penny Cars stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Charlie Wellings deserves every column inch of praise she has received so far, after a blistering start to her Celtic career, but I’m certain she’d be the first to acknowledge the midfield masterclass from Shen Mengyu pulling the strings and covering every blade of grass behind her that was just as important on another ‘skelping Sunday for the Celts. Before that though it’s Hearts tonight and a Match Preview on that one will follow on The Celtic Star.
Niall J
