No Dembele-ache as Griffiths waits in the wings for Celtic

While the news that Moussa Dembele may have played his last game for Celtic this season is unfortunate, it won’t be entirely unwelcome news for all concerned parties.

Last season’s ‘Mr. Reliable’ Leigh Griffiths, as a result of the Frenchman’s barnstorming first season, has found himself relegated to the fringes of Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic squad; an unthinkable concept at the start of this campaign for a player whose forty goals last season were arguably the only remarkable feat in an otherwise forgettable season.

With the League and League Cup double already tied up, all eyes will be on the looming Scottish Cup Final against Aberdeen which, if won, would secure Celtic’s first treble since Martin O’Neill’s inaugural season sixteen years ago. Coupled with the potential of an unbeaten, league season there is still a considerable amount to play for in these last six games.

So step up, Leigh Griffiths; a man whose remarkable scoring feats for the Bhoys have earned him acclaim from the critics and adulation from the support. In a season hampered by injury and limited first team opportunities, it says a lot for his character that he’s not assumed the role of the sultry, dejected bit-part player and has embraced all the hype surrounding this record-breaking season. In years gone by, his conduct and attitude has come under fire but in the absence of Dembele, he is afforded a real opportunity to stoke the flames of debate regarding who deserves the mantle of being Celtic’s starting striker.

It is worth mentioning that limited opportunities aside, Griffiths has still found the net fourteen times this season in his twenty-nine appearances. He started the season in scintillating form, and after performances like that against Hapoel Be’er Sheva at home in the Champions League qualifiers in August where he scored a magnificent free-kick, it seemed he would pick right back up where he finished last season with his scoring exploits.

With six games remaining before the end of the season, there is ample time for Griffiths to make his mark and have Rodgers asking questions about his starting eleven ahead of next season and another crack at the Champions League.

There’s no denying that after a superb first season, with thirty-two goals to his name and some outstanding performances on the European stage, many of the plaudits coming Moussa Dembele’s way are well-earned and entirely justified. An inspired, bargain of a summer signing from Fulham, he has defied any and all expectations to become arguably Celtic’s most exciting, young prospect.

His skill, physical presence and goal scoring record bely a player much older and much more experienced and established than the young Frenchman, and have fans salivating at the prospect of what more he has to offer in years to come.

However, this is what is easily forgotten when it comes to Dembele. At twenty-years old, you feel he is far from the finished article, and with some lukewarm and pedestrian performances (in an otherwise terrific first season) there is certainly room for that often-glimpsed potential to flourish.

It is easy to get carried away when it comes to him when his overhead kick against Man City and his utter bullying of Rangers’ defence in the Hogmanay game come to mind, and price tags north of thirty-million pounds are flaunted. Yet he remains a young player with areas of his game to improve and inconsistencies to shake off.

Though only 26-years-old with many great years still to give, Griffiths is the more established of the two and arguably a more well-rounded player. Griffiths pace and drive can act as the beating heart of the Celtic attack and his role as a team player can be said to supersede that area of Dembele’s game. It’s not unreasonable for Griffiths to expect regular first-team football at this stage in his career, especially with his proven track record, and one might think that another season of limited playing time might not be to his liking; especially when other teams come calling for his services.

His contribution during the Scottish Cup Semi-Final is an ideal example of what he has to offer the Celtic team. Though not on the scoresheet himself, his awareness, drive and pace won that all important penalty for the second goal to conclusively win the game and put Rangers to bed.

The first real challenge to his resolve will come in the form of a second consecutive game against our city rivals this coming Saturday where he can make a real statement of intent about his desire to be a part of Rodgers’ long-term plans. With an unbeaten record still to play for this, the stage is set for him to offer a passionate performance at Ibrox and keep the dream alive.

Though we wish Dembele a speedy recovery so that he resume his dominant, goal-scoring ways, it is with quiet optimism that we watch Griffiths assume the mantel of danger-man for the Celtic attack.

With the tantalising prospect of the Scottish Cup Final ahead, Leigh Griffiths has the opportunity to kick-start a rich vein of goalscoring form of which he is more than capable.