Celtic's comfortable victory over Motherwell was a tale of two wingers, according to analysis of the performance. Sebastian Tounekti ran himself into the ground but his end product left a lot to be desired, while Camilo Duran wasn't involved enough but produced a moment of magic when it counted.
Jota, watching from the bench on Sunday afternoon, must have been champing at the bit to make his presence felt. The Portuguese wide man is poised to return and combine the best qualities of both players.
Tounekti's numbers reveal final-ball struggles
Tounekti repeatedly had the beating of his man but often sent in a weak or mistimed cross, or cut inside to play a square pass that slowed play to a crawl. It was one of the Tunisian's stronger games in a Celtic jersey, as he saw more of the ball in the opposition box than any player not named Kasper Hogh, with the vast majority of play going down his flank.
His ability to drive the ball forward was a key part of the win, and his partnership with Kieran Tierney showed promise. However, only three of his eight crosses found their mark, and he completed just 40% of his attempted dribbles. For a player who saw so much of the ball in promising positions, he should have created more chances of a higher calibre.
Duran's impact limited despite brilliance
Duran's goal was a moment of sheer brilliance, and he continues to offer an excellent return on the fee Celtic paid to bring him from Kazakhstan. But he looks an awkward fit out wide. His best football has come when leading the line in Hogh's absence, and with the big man sending all five of his shots off target, there's a feeling Duran might have been better off there at Fir Park.
He was the least involved of Celtic's starting attackers, playing just 23 passes in the final third compared to Liam Scales' 44, and completed just one of his two crosses. The bulk of Celtic's chance creation came through Tierney and Mika Baur, who is growing in importance in midfield.
Jota's return offers a step up
Jota has previously scored or assisted 51 goals in 100 games for Celtic, leaving no questions about his end product. He is also capable of providing magical moments out of nothing when the team are struggling. Unlike Duran, he is a natural fit for the position and will go looking for the ball rather than relying on it reaching him.
Jota isn't expected to instantly unseat one of the starting wingers, especially fresh off a 17-month absence. But if he can put his longstanding injury woes behind him and start games regularly, he's a step up on both, and it's likely he'll take that left wing berth for himself.
A Celtic team with Jota and Tierney combining down the left, a flourishing Baur and McGregor partnership in midfield, and Nygren playing in support of an in-form striker looks a menacing prospect. It's then over to Duran, Tounekti, Haissem Hassan and Hogh – whose spot Duran has a real claim to given his performances through the middle this season – to battle over the remaining spots.
