Kasper Hogh's confidence is completely shot, according to former Celtic midfielder Charlie Mulgrew.
Hogh is having a tough time of things at Parkhead, currently on a long-running goal drought that has spanned months at this stage. The Dane scored a hat-trick in his second game for the club, but he hasn't scored since, and that isn't the only issue.
The forward has become shot-shy, is frequently out of position and is offering very little in the way of hold-up play, which is what he was brought to the club to offer.
That has seen him dropped on multiple occasions, but Martin O'Neill still says the only thing Hogh needs is a goal. to turn things around, and he keeps giving the £11million signing more opportunities.
But patience may well be running thin, especially with Camilo Durán having to play out of position whenever Hogh plays, and the Colombian is having no problem finding the net.
“I would have hooked him off at 35 minutes," Mulgrew told the Go Radio Football Show. "He missed two sitters, you could tell his confidence is gone and he ran into the referee to sum it up. He came short for a ball and nearly set Hibs on the counter attack.
“I’ve been there as a player so I can completely sympathise with him. He’s gone. His confidence is gone. I’ve been there as a player so I can completely sympathise with him."
He added: “He wants the ground to swallow him up because he feels so low. I think he needs taken out the team for a month or so, and just brought on for 10-15 minutes here and there and eased back in to get his confidence back up because right now he is in the firing line.
“I looked at him yesterday and knew how he felt. He wants the ground to swallow him up because he feels so low. At this moment in time I am struggling to see what his outstanding attributes are.”
We did see some of those attributes early on. Hogh was holding the ball up well enough in his first couple of games, but it is true that we haven't seen any evidence that he is an £11million player.
His sloppy finishing doesn't look like a lack of confidence at this stage, even if that is playing a part. He hasn't looked like a good finisher at all during his time at the club. and that is a concern. But his hold-up play is more important, and he needs to start offering that.
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