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HOW DO WE RATE CELTIC'S 4 WINGERS IN ABSENCE OF MAEDA?

One of the biggest debates heading into Celtic's Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Aberdeen was who would start on the wings?


Daizen Maeda has been ruled out - potentially for the season - through injury, and despite the Japanese international being a player who divides opinion, it does leave Celtic light on options down the left.


Nicolas Kühn wasn't at his best against St Mirren last weekend, and Yang Hyun-jun failed to make much of an impact either on the opposite flank.


Luis Palma is only just returning from an injury, having made an appearance off the bench against the Buddies, and James Forrest has been reduced to more of a bit-part player role this season.


All four wingers featured at Hampden Park yesterday, and the man who was called Celtic's "best winger" by Brendan Rodgers last month was the one who stepped up to the plate during the Scottish Cup semi-final.


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Nicolas Kühn


The German was heavily involved in the first-half, despite his game being almost over early on after taking a knock to the nose. The former Rapid Vienna winger bounced back from the potential injury and just a few moments later he was on the scoresheet, prodding home the rebound after Kyogo Furuhashi's shot was saved by Kelle Roos.


Kühn linked up well with Alistair Johnston, whose attacking play continues to improve, and it looked like a return to form for the German after a quiet afternoon against St Mirren.


Yang Hyun-jun


Yang has been described as a hot and cold player multiple times on the ACSOM Blog, and this was the coldest of afternoons for the South Korean in the Hampden sun.


He passed up a massive opportunity early on that he really should have converted, and whenever he was on the ball he never seemed to keep a hold of it or make anything positive happen down the left flank.


The 21-year-old started the second-half a little better, finding another opportunity that was blocked by the defender, but in truth he really should have found the pass.


It was surprising that he appeared for the second-half, but his afternoon was over on the hour mark.



Luis Palma


The Honduran was brought on to make an impact on the game, but not in the way Brendan Rodgers would have envisaged as a blind pass fell to Junior Hoilett who was free on the left flank after taking a corner.


A Celtic counter led to Aberdeen levelling the game at 2-2, and a lot of the blame will be placed on Palma.


He didn't help out much defensively when Aberdeen were piling on the pressure, but he did well to lift his head back up after his error and converted from the spot during the penalty shoot-out.


James Forrest


The winger rolled back the years at the national stadium as he scored his sixth goal at the ground.


Brendan Rodgers described him earlier in the season as his "best winger" and the experienced campaigner showed against Aberdeen exactly why Brendan Rodgers rates him so highly.


Everything he did came with an attacking intent, and when Reo Hatate picked him out in space, he didn't think twice as he beat Roos and put the Hoops ahead in the second-half. He could have had another shortly after as his outside-of-the-boot effort was claimed by the Dons keeper fairly routinely.


The veteran then had a massive part to play in Matt O'Riley's goal, providing a sweet pass for Johnston to lay it on a plate for the Dane, who put Celtic back ahead in extra-time.


So often discredited and written off by Celtic supporters, James Forrest showed yesterday that he can still bring a lot of quality to Brendan Rodgers' side, even if he is only able to do it during cameo appearances these days.


James McKenzie // @JamesWHMcKenzie

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