Tierney shows value as Celtic title defence begins

ByAndrew Petrie

BBC Sport Scotland

On a pugnacious nighttime astatine the precise commencement of a caller season, against a dogged Dundee, it was a acquainted sanction that helped Celtic usher successful victory.

No, not Benjamin Nygren - past season's apical scorer and the antheral who nodded successful the victor to kickstart the Scottish Premiership defence - but Kieran Tierney, the antheral who crossed the shot for the Swede to caput in.

The left-back has arguably been Celtic's champion subordinate since the instrumentality of Martin O'Neill successful January, but his renaissance has gone a small nether the radar.

Perhaps that's due to the fact that we expect truthful overmuch from the antheral who erstwhile fetched Celtic a reported £25m successful a determination to Arsenal.

Regardless, helium inactive registered 12 assists past season, the astir of immoderate Celtic player, and scored six goals from defence.

One of O'Neill's astir trusted lieutenants, he's contracted until 2030 but reports person suggested a imaginable instrumentality to Spain, truthful conscionable however important is helium to Celtic?

Despite Kasper Hogh's 0.88 expected goals (xG), it was really Tierney who had the astir shots connected people for Celtic against Dundee - albeit lone two.

He created much chances than immoderate of his team-mates (four) and sent successful 8 crosses, the astir of immoderate Celtic player.

"He looked similar aged Kieran Tierney. He was bombing forward, getting successful the box, had a mates shots connected goal, doing each his antiaircraft stuff, helium was excellent," said BBC Scotland's main sports writer Tom English.

Excellent was the connection to picture the left-back's transverse to Nygren, and it was conscionable what Celtic needed.

In the archetypal half, the reigning champions were pushed hard by a Dundee broadside that acceptable retired to beryllium assertive and frustrate the hosts, and that's conscionable what they did.

But the chances started to go much frequent, and soon it was the trusty near footwear of Tierney that unlocked the door, allowing Nygren to caput location from six yards retired with a pinpoint cross.

However, his interaction connected this Celtic squad is thing new.

Only Falkirk's Calvin Miller, present astatine Hearts, registered much assists past season. At Celtic, lone Daizen Maeda created much large chances - 14 to Tierney's 12.

Defensively, helium consistently shows up arsenic 1 of the champion defenders successful the league for his contributions, his tackling, clearances, blocking shots.

And for each the speech of managing his minutes, lone 3 full-backs crossed the league played much than Tierney. That said, helium played the afloat crippled connected lone 10 occasions successful the league.

"Those players are the shot club," manager O'Neill said of Tierney and skipper Callum McGregor. "They are the backbone of Celtic, and I'm delighted to person them."

With past season's on-loan left-back Marcelo Sarrachi having returned to his genitor nine Boca Juniors, there's presently nary different elder left-backs connected Celtic's books.

"Of people [it's important to bring successful screen for Tierney], that's thing we're looking at," O'Neill told BBC Scotland.

"Kieran, with the champion volition successful the world, volition not get done each azygous game. Last year, helium was recovering and didn't spot immoderate games retired due to the fact that helium puts truthful overmuch into it. We're looking that way."

It was reported contiguous that Osasuna person enquired astir Tierney, though that aforesaid nonfiction suggested Celtic chiefs volition sound backmost immoderate offers for the 29-year-old.

Given the deficiency of options successful that position, and besides Tierney's value to the league champions, that is hardly a surprise.

"Kieran's going nowhere, helium loves the shot club," said his erstwhile skipper Scott Brown connected Sportsound.

"You ne'er cognize what tin happen, but I emotion watching the wee antheral play, I emotion his passion. When there's a 50-50 helium wins it, erstwhile a shot goes into the container helium puts his caput connected it.

"It's the prime connected the different broadside arsenic well. You tin spot wherefore helium went down to Arsenal. Other teams volition privation that, and Celtic are fortunate to person these 3 [Tierney, McGregor and James Forrest] for that agelong a period."

Club skipper McGregor is different who impressed successful the league opener, but there's besides been whispers that helium mightiness beryllium connected the mode out. Those rumours look to person died down successful caller weeks.

"Callum has retired from Scotland truthful he's had the clip off, and helium looks truly fresh," said Brown. "He is the brains of this time, he's got the knowing and leadership.

"If immoderate young kids are watching, ticker Callum McGregor, ticker Kieran Tierney, ticker James Forrest. You're not astatine a shot nine similar this for that agelong if you can't recognize the different broadside of the game."