No better time for Scott Sinclair to deliver for Celtic

Celtic fans were spoiled by the players and coaching staff last season. A return to Champions League football, a domestic treble without losing a match, goals galore and so many stellar performances that only the bizarre exclusion of Scott Brown for Johnny Hayes in the player-of-the-year voting stopped Celtic from having a clean sweep of the nominations.

No player did more to raise expectation sky-high than Scott Sinclair who won every gong going for his scintillating play.

In fact, having come from a trying time before Celtic to find his home an dazzle with his skills, this blogger even started to think of the potential for a story similar to another player we once got in similar circumstances – you know, the Swedish guy.

This year, however, it hasn't quite happened for Scotty. He has not had a bad season by any means and rightly points to his goalscoring and exception assists rate.

But the Scotty who can't wait to take defenders on, going left or right with equal apparent ease has been missing.

I suspect that the reason for that is to do with confidence – either that something has changed since last year or that he is intimidated by the expectation that his performances have created.

And that's a shame because he has all the attributes to be a top-class footballer.

After having been dropped a few times this season – unimaginable last term - today would be a great time for Scotty to start terrorising defences again.

If he does, then I think we will give Aberdeen a really hard time. And with the recent fitness and form issues of the squad, we need that.

Let's hope that this is the day we see the real Scotty Sinclair re-emerge.

--