He isn’t flashy, nor is he a player to completely rave about, but Celtic have arguably never needed Hatem Elhamed more.
The Israeli defender was due back from an injury layoff against Copenhagen in midweek but didn’t make the squad as the Hoops crashed out of Europe.
However, he appears to be close to full fitness and after the events of Thursday night, he needs to be back in the squad as soon as possible.
On the chalkboard
One of the biggest problems for Celtic in midweek was their defence. Neil Lennon chose to play Kristoffer Ajer at right-back as he kept Jeremie Frimpong on the substitutes bench.
That meant that Jozo Simunovic featured in the backline, though, his performance was nothing short of woeful. The Croatian lost possession 14 times and made a horrendous individual error for Copenhagen’s opener on the night.
“Very ropey” was one phrase used to describe his performance by Daily Record reporter Craig Swan as the 6 foot 3 defender was far from his best.
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Considering the 25-year-old’s contract is up at the end of the season, it’s an untimely performance for a man trying to convince the club’s hierarchy to trigger his one-year extension.
Dependable Elhamed
We suggested after Simunovic’s display that he should no longer have a future at the club. With that in mind, there only feels like one solution to Lennon’s woes, particularly if he resumes the three-man defensive system.
Celtic went back to a four-man defence on Thursday but it didn’t pay off as they shipped three goals at home. In five consecutive SPFL matches, however, he’s played with three central defenders.
Signed for £1.6m last summer, unleashing Elhamed feels like the most viable fix. He’s proven to be a dependable figure in the backline this term and if he was fully available for selection on Thursday, the Hoops may have won. That’s a huge ‘what if’ though.
The Isreali has been more than capable this season, primarily playing at right-back after arriving as a centre-half. Chris Sutton hailed his instant impact at the club back in September, saying: “Hatem Abd Elhamed is another signing who looks dependable and safe. There’s no drama there. He’s strong, he’s diligent and he does his job well for the side.”
No drama is precisely what Lennon’s team need after the shambolic events of two days ago.
Not only is he safer, but Elhamed is statistically better than the calamitous Croat. If you compare the two in European competition, the former has won 2.5 interceptions and 2 tackles per game. The latter, meanwhile has won the same number of interceptions but his positional sense is a lot worse – winning 0.8 tackles.
It was that aspect that caught him out so badly on Thursday and proves why Elhamed needs to start once he’s fully fit.
Meanwhile, Celtic could end up THROWING AWAY £10m this summer…