'There in body only' - Pat Bonner picks out Celtic player who 'doesn't look up to it at all'

Pat Bonner has argued that Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard “doesn’t look up to it at all” at the moment.
Odsonne Edouard. (Photo by Russell CHEYNE / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RUSSELL CHEYNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Odsonne Edouard. (Photo by Russell CHEYNE / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RUSSELL CHEYNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Odsonne Edouard. (Photo by Russell CHEYNE / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RUSSELL CHEYNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The French hitman was one of a number of Hoops players who put in underwhelming displays in the 4-1 Europa League defeat to Sparta Prague on Thursday evening.

Neil Lennon took the 22-year-old off with 10 minutes to go after he failed to register a single shot on target all game, with the Albian Ajeti coming on in his place.

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Edouard hasn’t scored for the Bhoys since the beginning of October, and is yet to hit the back of the net since returning from his period out of the side following a positive Covid-19 diagnosis last month.

Speaking after Thursday’s loss, Bonner was quick to point out the forward’s anonymity in recent games, as well as highlighting James Forrest’s absence as a key blow for the Scottish champions.

The winger has been ruled out since early October with an ankle injury, and may not return until 2021 after undergoing surgery to correct the complaint.

Bonner told BBC Sportsound: “When you look at Edouard, Edouard doesn’t look up to it at all.

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"You don’t have Edouard on the pitch - not the Edouard that we know.

"He’s not around at the moment. He’s there in body only.

"James Forrest, I think, is a big loss for them, so they’re not getting the volume of goals to camouflage their weaknesses elsewhere.”

Thursday night’s defeat means that Celtic have won just one of their last six matches, and are currently bottom of their Europa League group after picking up one point from their first three continental outings this term.