Martin O'Neill, the man at the helm of Celtic, is preparing to tweak his tactical set‑up so that it highlights the strengths of his most influential squad members, especially as he juggles the loss of Hyun‑jun Yang and the reintegration of Kasper Høgh. The Danish forward, who has been sidelined for three matches with a lingering groin issue, left a noticeable void that was filled by the Colombian striker Camilo Duran.
During Høgh's absence, Duran not only found the back of the net three times but also supplied the decisive assist for Yang in Celtic's 2‑1 win over St Mirren on Saturday. He even had a goal ruled out for off‑side in a controversial decision, underscoring his growing importance to the side. Duran's journey to Celtic began at Qarabağ, where he was primarily employed as a centre‑forward. Although he initially impressed when positioned on the flanks, his natural instincts as a target man have shone through in recent weeks.
His ability to hold up play, bring teammates into the attack, and finish chances has forced O'Neill to reconsider his forward line options. Alongside Duran, the club also has on‑loan Chelsea youngster Shim Mheuka, an 18‑year‑old who has already experienced the frustration of a disallowed goal in the Paisley fixture. Mheuka has shown flashes of threat during two brief substitute appearances, suggesting that he could become a regular contributor if given more minutes. Adding to the mix, Callum Osmand is slated to return from an ankle injury next month, potentially expanding the pool of attacking talent.
Meanwhile, South Korean winger Hyun‑jun Yang missed four games while representing his country at the Asian Games, leaving O'Neill with a dilemma: should he revert to the 3‑5‑2 formation he favored during his first spell at Celtic, or continue experimenting with other systems that accommodate the emerging players? The Scottish manager hinted that fitness will be the decisive factor, stating, "We've got Kasper back the last couple of days and Kieran (Tierney) did a little bit of work with us, so we'll have a look to see how they are.
We've got a couple of other fitness issues with players, but will try to go as strongly as we possibly can." He added that once the squad is fully fit, the focus will shift to fielding the best possible lineup. O'Neill's confidence in Shim Mheuka is evident. "I expect decent things of Shim," the 74‑year‑old manager said.
"I expect him to do well. He's just getting to know the players, the style of play, what we do with the ball and what we do without it.
It's essentially what he does with the ball that will determine not only his time here, but his future in the game. We definitely have got better options up front than we had last season." Mheuka, an England youth international, arrived in Glasgow with a clear mission: to make an impact. "I'm just focused on playing and training, trying to get into that team and come on and make an impact whenever I can," he explained. "When you come on, in your mind, you want to try and take that one opportunity that might come to you.
It's just about staying positive, always believing in putting yourself in the right positions and, ultimately, I'll get chances. You can't get anywhere without self‑belief. We're all in positions where we want to be because of how confident we are in our abilities and how much we believe in ourselves." The manager also praised the progress of younger rivals in the league. Simo Valakari's St Johnstone have won their first two home Premiership fixtures, a feat O'Neill described as encouraging.
"It's nice to see really talented young managers doing well. They want to play football and they're committed. There's a vitality about them which is very, very encouraging.
Not dissimilar in many aspects to what Craig McLeish is doing at St Mirren," he remarked, drawing a parallel between the fresh energy of Valakari and the seasoned approach of McLeish. Looking ahead, O'Neill faces a pivotal match against St Johnstone, broadcast live on Sky Sports. He emphasized that the ultimate goal is to have all his players at peak fitness, allowing him to select his strongest XI. The manager's tactical flexibility, combined with a deeper bench of forwards—including Duran, Mheuka, Høgh, and the soon‑to‑return Osmand—means Celtic could adopt a variety of formations, from a classic 4‑3‑3 to a more adventurous 3‑5‑2, depending on the opposition and player availability.
In summary, Celtic's upcoming weeks will be defined by O'Neill's willingness to adapt his system to the attributes of his most effective players. Whether that involves reinstating Høgh as a central striker, giving Duran a permanent role up front, or trusting the youthful exuberance of Shim Mheuka, the manager is clear that the priority is to field the best possible team once injuries are resolved. The club's fans can expect a period of tactical experimentation, but also the promise of a more dynamic and potent attack as O'Neill fine‑tunes his squad for the challenges ahead.