Thursday night in Lisbon was cruel. Celtic were 2-0 down at Benfica, a chance dropped invitingly in the box, and their record signing had the goal begging. He missed. Nobody in the away end said much, yet everybody thought the same thing.
By half-time he was gone. Camilo Duran slid back into his favoured spot through the middle, and the message was loud enough. Kasper Hogh, 25, arrived from Bodo/Glimt in the summer as the biggest cheque we’ve ever written. So far, one game has brought him goals. That game was a hat-trick, mind, which makes the quiet spell sting even more.
What did Martin O’Neill say about Hogh?
Asked about it, O’Neill didn’t flinch. According to AOL.com, he expects Hogh to finish the season with 20 goals. He admits the striker has lost some confidence, yet he insists it will come back. Plenty of games sit between now and January, and a bit of tinkering will do the rest.
“At the end of the season I expect Kasper Hogh to score 20 goals – this season. He’s just lost a bit of confidence.
“But he’ll get that back during the course of time.
“We’ve got game after game after game.
“I was going to say about a thousand games, but it’s pretty close to it, between now and January.
“So he will score goals for us – no question about it.
“It’s just a matter of tinkering around, but that’s the nature of it.”
Hogh is strong, brave in the air and sharp at pouncing on loose balls inside the six-yard box. Hearts arrive on Sunday, and Celtic Park will want to see those instincts show up.
Can Kasper Hogh really reach 20 goals for Celtic this season?
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Kasper Hogh of Celtic applauds fans after the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Celtic FC and Ferencvarosi TC at Celtic Park on September 17, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Yes, but only if the manager protects him from the noise. Twenty is a big number for a striker who has scored in one match, so we won’t pretend it’s easy. Still, a hat-trick proves the finishing is there. What he lacks is rhythm, and rhythm comes from minutes and service.
Duran through the middle gave Celtic a different look in Lisbon, and I’ll keep that option alive. Even so, Hogh is the nine the Hoops paid for, and pulling the plug after one bad night would damage him and the dressing room. He needs wide players who deliver early crosses and midfielders who arrive late in the box. Give him that, and the chances will multiply.
Hearts on Sunday is the perfect moment. A home crowd, a deep block to break down, and a striker desperate to prove a point. One scruffy goal can change everything for a forward with his head down.
Twenty by May? Possible. Twenty in all competitions, with the games coming thick and fast, looks far more realistic than twenty in the league alone. Celtic fans should believe in him.