How Brendan Rodgers can develop Benjamin Nygren’s game

What we’ve actually seen so far is flashes of brilliance and influence, alongside some gaps of inconsistency that make you consider whether he’s the immediate answer Brendan Rodgers needs in that No8 position, or if he may be better played elsewhere.

On the plus side we saw an improved performance yesterday, as Just An Ordinary Boy covered earlier today on the Celtic Star. There was also a genuine man-of-the-match display at Pittodrie and a lively, influential second half against Livingston which showed Nygren’s ability to affect games, getting into the pockets, driving at defenders and producing the kind of late, decisive attacking approach many Celtic fans love.

On the other hand, there have been occasional games where he’s struggled to stamp his personality on proceedings, drifting out of the game or failing to make the off-ball impact that Rodgers often demands. For a club and support that have limited patience when results or intensity dip, your writer included, that mixed bag is going to be watched closely.

In terms of positional history, perhaps even profile, Nygren could be described as a right winger, but those who watched him develop in Sweden describe a more nuanced player. Coaches and sporting directors at IFK Gothenburg have said his most natural zone is actually more central, as a classic No.10 or an inside forward who can exploit half-spaces and shoot, or slide passes on his stronger left foot. That versatility has seen him used wide on the right, occasionally as a centre-forward, and in the playmaker’s role behind the striker.

Technically, Nygren, without doubt, has a lot to admire. His left foot is precise and powerful when he has a sight of goal, and he can finish chances himself. He also sees passes others might not, as we’ve seen as recently as yesterday afternoon. He does time runs well too, often arriving late to exploit space between the lines. But he is not blessed with top end pace. ‘Not super fast’ was a recurring phrase in scouting reports, prior to his signing, as was the view his influence can wane over 90 minutes.

We’ve seen all of that already in his short time with Celtic, and those physical limitations raise legitimate questions about how he fits into a Celtic side that, in theory, plays with a fairly high tempo and certainly demands collective pressing from the front.

So where does he fit in a Brendan Rodgers Celtic team?

Well, the manager has built his current Celtic team around a 4-3-3 system, possession heavy and with coordinated counter-pressing, at least it will do again once all the new signings fully bed in. Wide forwards then are expected to attack with plenty of bite, but also to trigger the press, and try and funnel play into traps when possession is lost. Every attacking player then needs to have technical ability, solid tactical discipline and of course work-rate is a non-negotiable.

For Nygren, there are three possible options in a Rodgers system, bar persevering with the No8 role he’s playing now. However, some of the options would require tactical tweaks from the manager. As a classic No.10, a false nine/centre-forward or from the right of the front three.

The first option, a central playmaker, is probably the least likely in the short term. To accommodate a No.10 Rodgers would need to tweak his preferred 4-3-3 into something closer to a 4-2-3-1, and so far, the manager has shown little appetite for that structural change.

A false nine role arguably suits Nygren’s skill set the most. Intelligent movement, combination play, a left foot that can finish, and it is the sort of profile that can unsettle defences. Indeed, he has Harry Kane vibes to his addressing of the ball and his ball protection, and he looks good with his back to goal.

But Celtic already have many strikers, and using Nygren there would again demand tactical flexibility from a coach who specifically recruited centre-forwards for this campaign and was very public in his demands. He now, arguably, has five strikers to one position. Even if Nygren was a world-class ‘False 9’ that would leave a lot of idle strikers and a lot of explaining to do for the manager.

That leaves the right flank or continuing to bed him in as one of the attacking No.8s within the current midfield triangle.

The right-wing berth has already been trialled with mixed results. Nygren’s lack of outright pace limits the natural width and running power Celtic often rely on, which means it only works if the full-back provides serious thrust on the overlap, and may also need a No8 with an athletic profile to offer extra reassurance (Arne Engels perhaps). Alistair Johnston can offer the right back attributes required, Colby Donovan may develop into it, especially on yesterday’s showing at Firhill, but Anthony Ralston’s more conservative profile makes it a delicate balance.

Of all the possibilities however, perseverance on the right wing still feels tempting. With 34-year-old James Forrest the only natural option there, and Yang arguably more effective on the left, giving Nygren regular minutes would at least create a genuine rotation on a side of the pitch that badly needs it.

The most realistic path, however, is to persist with a high-pressing No.8 role and let Nygren feel his way into a new role and lean on his manager to tweak and cajole. It will demand patience from the support, alongside careful coaching, but if Nygren can marry his technical gifts with the off-the-ball intensity Rodgers demands, his ‘mixed bag’ start could yet develop into a consistent performer. We know Rodgers can improve players, it feels like with Nygren he could even stretch that to a relatively new position.

The concern, however, is that Celtic may have signed an excellent footballer without a clear role. Unless that changes, and he makes the No8 role his own, Nygren risks being seen as a jack of all trades but master of none, a label his career path to date perhaps does little to dispel.

Whether Rodgers is willing to tweak his system to accommodate him or instead trusts time and instruction to turn him into the No.8 he clearly believes he can become, will be one of the season’s more intriguing storylines.

However, it is also worth considering, if the No8 role doesn’t quite happen for Benjamin Nygren, there are other alternatives a more flexible tactical approach could also bring to the fore. There is always a right fit somewhere for a player with the technical gifts Benjamin Nygren possesses.