Kieran Tierney has arguably been Celtic’s best player since Martin O’Neill’s return in January, yet his resurgence has gone largely under the radar. That may be partly down to the weight of expectation surrounding a player who once fetched the club a reported £25m in a move to Arsenal, but the statistics from his recent performances paint a clear picture of a left-back operating at a high level.
Against Dundee, Tierney led all Celtic players in shots on target, chances created — four in total — and crosses, sending in eight. Despite Kasper Hogh carrying the highest expected goals figure of 0.88 in that match, it was Tierney’s pinpoint delivery that proved decisive, providing the cross for Nygren to head home from six yards. BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer Tom English summed it up simply: “He looked like old Kieran Tierney. He was bombing forward, getting in the box, had a couple shots on goal, doing all his defensive stuff, he was excellent.”
That performance was not an isolated one. Tierney recorded 12 assists last season — the most of any Celtic player — and contributed six goals from a defensive position. Only Falkirk’s Calvin Miller, now at Hearts, registered more assists across the entire league. In terms of big chances created at Celtic, only Daizen Maeda surpassed him, with 14 to Tierney’s 12.
Defensively, he ranks among the best in the league for tackling, clearances and shot-blocking. Despite ongoing talk of managing his minutes, only three full-backs across the division played more than Tierney last season, though he completed the full 90 minutes on just 10 occasions in league play. Contracted until 2030, reports have nonetheless suggested a potential return to Spain could be on the horizon.
Manager O’Neill has made no secret of how central Tierney is to his plans. “Those players are the football club,” he said, referring to Tierney and captain Callum McGregor. “They are the backbone of Celtic, and I’m delighted to have them.”
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
