Adam Idah may still be searching for his rhythm in a Celtic jersey after his summer move, with former Hoops goalkeeper Pat Bonner suggesting that manager Brendan Rodgers was less than impressed with the Republic of Ireland striker’s performance in the 4-0 Boxing Day win over Motherwell.
While Idah showed moments of promise, his failure to make a decisive impact, particularly in front of goal, raised questions about his readiness to challenge Kyogo Furuhashi for a regular starting spot.
He did see a bit of the ball, especially in the first half, but he had his back to the wall in the majority of his touches, with an off-balance shot not threatening the ‘Well goalie.
Speaking on BBC Scotland, Bonner pointed to a specific moment late in the match where Rodgers appeared visibly frustrated:
“I don’t think Brendan Rodgers is impressed there with Adam Idah.
“He gave the ball away on the edge of the Motherwell defence.
“When you can go to the bench and you can bring on three players who would be normally starters, then you are probably right in your explanation about it going up a standard.
“Brendan has been able to get some of these players some game time, which is important and assess them. Adam Idah also coming off. Yang coming off. Bernardo, the other one. The other three coming on, they certainly wouldn’t drop the intensity. They certainly maybe increase it.”
At the end of the first half, there did seem to be further frustration from Rodgers, who had to remind Adam Idah to keep his head.
Since arriving at Parkhead, Idah has struggled to consistently produce the kind of performances needed to displace Kyogo as Celtic’s primary striker. Despite flashes of ability, his lack of cutting-edge finishing has hampered his progress, and matches like the one against Motherwell offer little to bolster his case.
Celtic’s depth has been a key asset this season, with substitutes often raising the intensity rather than dropping it. The likes of Kyogo, Nicolas Kuhn, and Daizen Maeda have been key contributors and continue to set the bar high for players like Idah.
With the January transfer window looming, Rodgers may look to assess whether Idah can provide the consistent performances needed or whether further reinforcements are required in the forward line.
He is set to have a closer look at Johnny Kenny, who is returning from his fruitful loan spell with Shamrock Rovers, where he impressed domestically and in Europe.
