Tom Boyd reckons that the free weekend Celtic have had due to to game againsst Livingston being postponed due to the death of the Queen will boost the squad and provide the Bhoys with enough rest to be ready for the upcoming Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Celtic legend, speaking at Celtic Park at the Wim Jansen book launch, was impressed by the first 50 minutes of football Celtic played against Real Madrid on the opening night of the Group stage. However, the missed chances by Celtic cost them dearly as Real Madrid went on to score three goals in the second half, leaving Celtic to rue the chances missed by Abada, McGregor and Maeada.
Tom Boyd believes the rest given to Celtic will give the squad the boost needed to be more clinical with their chances against Shakhtar. Kyogo received a nasty shoulder injury in the 4-0 victory over theRangers, which cost him his starting place in the opening game of the Group stage against Real Madrid. Kyogo did make an appearance during the final quarter of the match against Real Madrid but by that time it was too late to rescue the scoreline.
“Without any shadow of a doubt, there were positives to take from the Real Madrid game, on another day we could have been in the lead before Real scored. Would it have changed the outcome? Who knows, but it would certainly have given us a chance,” Tom Boyd said, at Celtic Park where he was promoting the English edition of Wim Jansen’s biography.
“I think we played better in an attacking sense against the European champions than we did when we beat Barcelona all those years ago. They put in a good performance and kept the feelgood factor going despite the final result. But it is about taking your opportunities when they come along. You have to be clinical in that aspect of your play.”
“Celtic have been for most of this campaign. They have been very clinical in terms of taking their opportunities. It’s why they scored nine against Dundee United and four against Rangers and other teams.”
On the unexpected free weekend due to the death of the Queen, Boyd said: “It would have given them some time to recuperate. Celtic paid their respects and I think that’s what everyone wanted to do. Now we can get football back on again.”
The Celtic legend believes that his old club’s striking force that will be available for the Shakhtar match tomorrow evening can get the job done.
“Kyogo seems to be the number one choice and I think if he was fit enough he would have played against Real,” Tom Boyd said. “But we know the styles of both players. Kyogo is a little bit sharper, but Giakoumakis also a goalscorer.
“It is a luxury the manager has, he has two in-form strikers. It’s up to the rest of the players around them to supply them. They will get goals, no matter what. They won’t score every game and it was obviously more difficult against the European champions with the defenders they have. But they will both score goals for Celtic.
“That’s a great luxury for the manager because normally you are trying to find a striker to get you those goals and we’ve got a couple. It’s about keeping them happy – and playing like we are and getting plaudits will keep everybody happy.”
