Celtic need Kasper Hogh to have his best all-round performance for the club if they are to get anything from Thursday night's tricky Europa League clash with Benfica.
The Bhoys have their work cut out in the Portuguese capital, taking on a Benfica side that will be expecting to qualify as one of the top eight teams in this competition.
Under José Mourinho last season, Benfica went unbeaten in the league and beat Real Madrid in the league phase of the Champions League, which shows the talent of this team.
They also beat AC Milan in their Europa League opener, and it's clear they are favourites for Thursday night's clash with the Bhoys.
Celtic have struggled against good teams this season, and they are going to have to find a more stubborn side to give themselves a chance on Thursday night, which is easier said than done.
A number of players are going to have to produce big performances, and none more than Hogh, who has generally struggled this season. The striker scored a hat-trick early on, but has been clumsy in front of goal, and while he held up the ball and brought players into the game well early on, that side of his game has also faded.
The Dane is sorely lacking in confidence, and it's both impacting his ability to take on shots and to stay in position and effectively play the build-up game. To simplify things, it feels as though he is trying to hard to get into the right positions and as a result, Hogh is often not in position to receive the ball and hold it up effectively.
But that has to change on Thursday night. Martin O'Neill has little choice but to start Hogh, he is the only real reference-point striker available. Shim Mheuka has shown signs of promise early in his Celtic career, but he is much more of a get in behind type of striker.
Celtic are going to have to weather a storm at times in Lisbon, if not for most of the game, and having someone to hold the ball up is going to be vital. Hogh needs to do that as well as being a threat when the opposing defence allows him even half a chance to do so.
The Bhoys spent big money to have that kind of player, and in games like this, they are absolutely relying on Hogh being that player. They have no one else capable of fulfilling that role.
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