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0 duels won, 56% passing: Celtic’s 11-touch star was even worse than Valle
Once again in the Scottish Premiership, it seems the title is Celtic’s to lose, as they continue their dominant start to the season. Brendan Rodgers’ side remains unbeaten after their 1-0 victory over Aberdeen on Wednesday, extending their lead at the top of the table. Aberdeen had been the only team to take points from the Old Firm giants this season, but after another hard-fought contest, Celtic emerged victorious at Pittodrie, with Reo Hatate’s late strike – set up brilliantly by substitute Greg Taylor – securing the win. This victory gives Celtic a seven-point advantage, with a game in hand over their closest rivals.
Rangers, on the other hand, remain 11 points adrift, struggling through a disappointing domestic season under Philippe Clement. Despite this commanding lead, Celtic cannot afford to be complacent, and Rodgers may have concerns over some key players, including young Alex Valle.
Alex Valle’s Performance Against Aberdeen
Since joining Celtic on loan from Barcelona in the summer, the 20-year-old full-back has impressed, contributing four assists in 12 appearances across all competitions. He was particularly notable in the 1-1 draw against Club Brugge, where he assisted Daizen Maeda’s equalizer. Valle is starting to look like Celtic’s next loan star, similar to Jota, and will now aim for consistency under Rodgers’ guidance.
However, against Aberdeen, Valle had a tough night. Facing the energetic Duk, he struggled to make an impact on the left flank and was caught out early by a lofted ball that allowed his opponent to take a shot on goal.
Valle won only three of his 11 duels and lost possession 16 times from 55 touches, failing to complete any of his five dribble attempts, according to Sofascore. He also received a questionable yellow card just after the 30-minute mark and was substituted at halftime. Greg Taylor’s introduction proved key, as he assisted in Hatate’s match-winning goal.
Celtic’s Worst Performer Against Aberdeen
While Valle endured a tough performance, the worst display of the day came from Kyogo Furuhashi. The Japanese striker, who is known for his poaching abilities rather than his involvement in build-up play, struggled when the goals didn’t come. Furuhashi, who has scored 80 goals in 151 appearances for Celtic, was anonymous during the match, registering just 11 touches, and was substituted shortly after the hour mark.
Having been rested for the previous weekend’s win against Ross County, Furuhashi’s performance against Aberdeen fell flat, as he lost possession six times and had a pass accuracy of just 56%. He failed to win a single duel or register a shot on goal. In contrast, Adam Idah, who replaced him, provided a much more effective presence up front and looked like a better focal point in attack.
This raises the question of whether Idah, with eight goals in all competitions this season, might be a better option for away games, akin to the role Giorgos Giakoumakis played under Ange Postecoglou.
With two strong attacking options in Idah and Furuhashi, Rodgers has the depth needed to maintain Celtic’s title charge.
