Celtic provided the perfect response to their 3-2 defeat to their rivals before the international break with a 3-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.
The Hoops had allowed their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table to be cut down to 13 points by losing to Rangers, but immediately bounced back with a convincing win over the Jam Tarts.
Daizen Maeda took his tally for the season to 30 goals in all competitions for the Bhoys with his two strikes against Hearts, whilst Jota added another goal to his collection since his return to Parkhead in the January transfer window.
Whilst many will focus on the attacking talent that was on display, as Jota and Maeda stole the headlines with their goals, the presence of Callum McGregor in the middle of the park was equally as important.
Why Callum McGregor's performance was important for Celtic
The retired Scotland international missed the 3-2 defeat to Rangers before the break through injury and returned to show the Hoops what they missed with a sublime display in midfield.
Celtic’s captain lined up alongside Reo Hatate and Arne Engels in the midfield three against Hearts on Saturday and stood out as the star performer in that area of the pitch.
Pass accuracy
89%
81%
99%
Passes completed
59
34
66
Key passes
1
0
2
Big chances created
0
0
1
Tackles + interceptions
0
1
2
Dribbled past
1x
0x
0x
As you can see in the table above, McGregor outperformed his positional peers in the match with his exceptional use of the ball and his reliability defensively.
This illustrates why his display was so important for Brendan Rodgers against Hearts because it highlights the quality he brings in and out of possession.
The left-footed star provides a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield for Celtic with his ability to complete passes efficiently under pressure, completing 94% of his passes overall in the division this season.
McGregor, who completes 73 passes per game on average, can control games for the Hoops by dictating the tempo of matches with his passing quality, whilst also frustrating opposition teams because of his press resistance on the ball, forcing them to drop back deeper.
This is part of the reason why Celtic struggled without their captain when they faced Rangers at Parkhead before the break, as Engels is not best suited to that role as the number six.
Why Arne Engels struggled against Rangers
The former Augsburg star started at the base of the midfield, with Luke McCowan and Hatate in the number eight positions, and struggled against the Gers.
Engels is usually tasked with playing as one of the more advanced midfielders, looking to score and create goals, but had to step up in a deeper role against Rangers because of his captain’s injury.
Pass accuracy
88%
94%
Touches
76
89.1
Passes
51
73.2
Ground duel success rate
20%
59%
Possession lost
14x
7.2x
Tackles + interceptions
0
1.7
As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international failed to live up to the standards that the skipper has set for that position in or out of possession, losing the ball far too frequently and offering little protection to the back four.
The 21-year-old starlet should not be expected to be as effective in that role, though, because he is an attack-minded player who has a future as a number eight for Celtic, rather than as a deep-lying conductor of play.
Engels has racked up ten goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Scottish giants this term, which shows that he has excelled at his natural game – scoring and creating goals.
The former Bundesliga whiz is not the long-term successor to McGregor, because that is not his natural game, and that is why he struggled in the game against Rangers before the break.
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Rodgers, though, may have already unearthed his next version of the Celtic captain by bringing 19-year-old academy starlet Jude Bonnar into the first-team group.
Why Jude Bonnar could be the next Callum McGregor
The teenage dynamo has been in the matchday squad on five occasions in all competitions since the start of February, and got ten minutes off the bench in a 5-1 win over Aberdeen in the Premiership.
That ten-minute cameo, in which the Scotland U21 international completed all four of his attempted passes, was his first-team debut for the Hoops and the manager spoke to his suitability for the team after the match.
Rodgers told the Daily Record: “He’s got a good profile and fits how we want to play. So that is a nice little taster for him.”
This suggests that the Northern Irish boss sees potential in Bonnar and believes that the teenage talent has the technical skills and know-how to suit the way that his team lines up, with a number six and two eights in a midfield three.
The B team star, whose ability was described as “unbelievable” by former coach Alan McGrillen, spoke to Celtic TV after the game and admitted that he looks up to McGregor as a role model, because of how he acts on and off the pitch every day.
Bonnar has already shown a tiny glimpse of his metronomic qualities, completing 100% of his passes in his cameo against Aberdeen, and Rodgers could look to help him develop and refine that ability to mould him into the new version of McGregor in the future.
The Scottish youngster has also shown the potential to offer a goal threat, as the captain has with eight goals in 28 league matches this term, with a return of ten goals in 46 B team games.
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This is only the start of the road for Bonnar, though, and there is plenty more time left for him to progress as a player and forge his own way in the game, hopefully at Celtic.
The very early signs, however, are that the potential is there for him to develop into McGregor 2.0 for Rodgers as a composed and controlling midfield star who can also provide a goal threat.