Celtic can sell “maligned” Parkhead flop by unleashing Donovan in new role
Celtic left it late against Aberdeen to seal Wilfried Nancy’s first win in charge of the club, as Kieran Tierney and James Forrest grabbed last-gasp goals.
The Hoops were drawing 1-1 with the Dons with 15 minutes to play, on course for a fifth straight game without a win, before Tierney popped up in the 88th minute to put them 2-1 up.
The moment that changed the game was created by substitute Colby Donovan, whose brilliant cross found the former Arsenal man at the back post to score.
Why Wilfried Nancy must finally unleash Colby Donovan
Nancy’s new 3-4-2-1 system has slowed down the academy graduate’s progress at Parkhead, because he has not started any of the manager’s games in charge yet.
This fresh formation means that there is no right-back position, which is where Donovan typically plays, in the side. Instead, there is a right-sided centre-back role and a right wing-back role.
Donovan should finally be unleashed as a starter by Nancy in a new role for him as a wing-back, because he has the attacking qualities to potentially be an effective player in that position.
The 19-year-old starlet has provided three assists in 12 appearances in the Scottish Premiership and Europa League combined this season, per Sofascore, including the one for Liam Scales against Sturm Graz in the clip above.
Donovan provided another reminder of the quality that he can offer at the top end of the pitch with his sublime ball into the box for Celtic’s second goal against Aberdeen, and that is why he should start in that new role against Livingston this afternoon.
If Nancy unleashes the teenage talent as a starter in that position, there could be an opportunity for another player in the squad to be sold next month.
The Celtic flop who should be sold in January
Since the new manager came through the door to play a new formation at Parkhead, Hyun-jun Yang has been playing as a wing-back for the Scottish giants.
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The South Korean attacker has started four of the manager’s five matches in all competitions, starting every game other than the League Cup final against St Mirren, but he has not offered much in the way of quality in the final third.
Since signing in 2023, the 23-year-old winger has only scored nine goals and provided ten assists in 63 appearances for Celtic in all competitions to date, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has not offered a consistent threat in front of goal.
Journalist Graham Spiers noted that Yang is an “often-maligned” player, possibly because of his lack of goal contributions, but hailed some of the work that he did for Brendan Rodgers and Martin O’Neill.
His last two starts, against Dundee United and Aberdeen, show the best and the worst of the forward, explaining both why he may be underrated, yet also why the Hoops should cash in on him.
Hyun-jun Yang
Vs Dundee United
Vs Aberdeen
Minutes
86
69
Pass accuracy
94%
96%
Duels won
8/13
5/10
Tackles won
3/3
1/1
Shots on target
0
0
Key passes
0
1
Big chances created
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Yang did a lot of good work as a wing-back in those two matches, as he was reliable defensively and with his passes, but he lacked quality in and around the box, with no ‘big chances’ created or shots on target.
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Unfortunately, lacking quality in the final third has been the theme of the South Korean’s overall career at Parkhead, as evidenced by his aforementioned output for the club to date.
Yang has produced two goals and no assists in 19 appearances in all competitions this season, per Sofascore, which means that he has even fewer goal contributions than Donovan, who has recorded three assists.
This suggests that the Scottish full-back may carry an even greater threat at the top end of the pitch than the South Korean flop as a wing-back, which is why Nancy should make this change to the starting XI.
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Replacing Yang with Donovan would then allow the club to finally cash in on the winger, who would then not be a starting-calibre player, amid reported interest from Birmingham, Norwich, and Preston.