Rodgers: Leigh smelling the goals again

CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers believes that Leigh Griffiths is “smelling the goals” again after the striker netted his third in six days for the club.

Griffiths (below) finally broke the deadlock in Perth for the Parkhead side to set up a League Cup semi-final meeting against Hearts and Rodgers has applauded the recent form of the Scotland internationalist.

Griffiths signed an extension to his Celtic deal earlier this month and looks to be building up some momentum.

“Leigh could have had a hat-trick, but what is important is that he is smelling the goals again,” said the Celtic manager.

“He is making the right moves. He had a couple of great opportunities getting into good positions and credit to their keeper as he made a couple of great blocks.

“Leigh is always going to be alive in the box and it was a great finish.”

Griffiths and Odsonne Edouard started against St Johnstone, a tactic that could be used more frequently as the season progresses.

“He is a very clever footballer Odsonne, so him playing off the side is something he has done a number of times for us,” said Rodgers.

“He’s probably not the out and out goalscorer Leigh is, but he brings a great intelligence and pace and touch, I thought he did very well.

“Leigh is our box player up there. If we are playing in a game where we really need to stretch the team with speed that’s something I need to think about Odsonne playing more central. But I thought as the game wore on we started to look more like ourselves.

“With a little more confidence we probably score three or four goals.”