When Celtic opened their first of three games against top level French sides, Neil Lennon appeared to have the teams appeared split into Yes’s and Maybes when it came to the season ahead. The one player who bridged the two groups and had a foot in both camps was Olivier Ntcham.
Over the course of the three games Ntcham has given Neil Lennon food for thought as to whether he could be a first choice player next season. A starting position last season for Olivier only occurred on 17 occasions, the player himself will be expecting far more this year. If performances are anything to go by he may well have good reason to expect.
Ntcham began the game against Nice as part of the second string, though notably named captain of it. By the time Celtic lost to PSG Ntcham was in the first group and arguably one of the best performers.
This appears to have started the debate as to whether the first 11 can accommodate Ntcham and whether that should come at the expense of Ryan Christie. It’s an interesting debate and one that won’t be decided over the course of pre-season, that will come down to how both players perform in competitive games.
Christie on known competitive form could argue a 20 goal season should mean he’s first pick and there is merit there. His consistency up to the winter break was superb. Had the season stopped in January he would probably have challenged Odsonne Edouard to Celtic’s player of the year award.
But the season didn’t end there and by the time the season ended prematurely Christie had seen injury and suspension hamper his availability, he also cut a figure far less at ease in a Celtic shirt than he had been earlier in the season. He did not look a happy Bhoy and that appeared to reflect in his play.
In pre-season however he has looked sharp, energetic and keen to stake a claim to being a first choice player. In the PSG game he faded late on but at this stage of the season match sharpness is a little way off, and when you consider Celtic chased shadows for large parts of the game against the French champions, that is both understandable and forgivable.
When it comes to Ntcham, to date the Midfielder has been unable to force his way into the Celtic first team with any degree of certainty. If you were to hand him a shirt number in the 80’s it would more than likely be number 12.
That Ntcham has flitted in and out the side is not down to the class he has in abundace. He has after all arguably the best range of both short and long range passing at the club. His vision at times is a joy to behold and he doesn’t often hide when it comes to the physical side of the game.
Yet while the class is evident the consistency and to a certain extend commitment has been lacking. Whilst he often comes into the side and performs well, it’s fair to say he soon seems a little detached from proceedings, fails to impact games and drops back to the bench. If Ntcham wants to change that perception then consistency has to be added to his armoury. He has previously indicated his lack of admiration for the standard of football in Scotland, yet when it comes to games against lower opposition, where he could stake a claim to a first team shirt, the Frenchman’s disinterest verges on disdain and could well continue to be his downfall.
Christie on the other hand has the energy, commitment and until January, consistency in abundance but it could be argued lacks the finesse, subtlety and passing range of his French counterpart. The one advantage that could tip the scales in the favour of Christie as the season progresses may well be on set piece deliveries.
Leigh Griffith’s current difficulties with fitness are well documented and he will be missing from the team when the season starts. In many quarters Griffith’s partnership with Edouard had deserved plaudits, yet one that may have been overlooked as a by-product of the striker’s return to the fold was his set piece delivery. With that now missing for the start of the season we need an alternative we can rely on.
Last season Christie’s delivery for Christopher Jullien was lost in the joy of a cup final winning goal against ‘the’ Rangers, but was a vital component in the trophy returning to Celtic Park. He also supplied a wonderful free kick to score against St Johnstone and on Tuesday night his worth from dead ball was evident again, when his top class ball to Jullien almost resulted in what would have been a much deserved goal against PSG.
It appears from Celtic’s defensive 5-4-1 formation against PSG that in European encounters the obvious balance to having both midfielders with such complementing styles could be incorporated into the same team. Let’s be honest however, in the majority of games there will be less need for such numbers behind the ball supporting a solitary striker. As such Lennon is likely to have to choose from one of the two.
That of course may change if Scott Brown finds himself utilised less as the season progresses and Callum McGregor drops to the base of the midfield, though in such a season where 10-in-a-row is the Holy Grail it’s a fair assumption that the leadership of the Celtic captain will be relied upon. With Callum McGregor another certainty to play, the choice for the one remaining midfielder falls to either Ntcham or Christie.
Prior to pre-season many of us would have assumed Christie’s earlier performances during the last campaign would have given Ryan a substantial edge over Ntcham, now that’s far from certain.
Ntcham will need to be given another opportunity to show that he can add the missing consistency from his game, while Christie will need a chance to evidence his form from last year can be reproduced this season. It will be an interesting battle.
For now I’d suggest Christie’s threat from dead ball situations probably edges him ahead of Ntcham, but in comparison to this time last there is far less between the players, the choice is far less certain.
Competition is of course what we need and Neil Lennon will be happy with the difficult choices he has to make, but with Christie due to enter contract negotiations and Ntcham unlikely to settle for the number 12 shirt for much longer, how the situation is handled could make for an interesting battle ahead.
Niall J
