Forrest still a work in progress

JAMES FORREST admits his goals-to-games ratio must improve after racking up 200 appearances for Celtic.

The 25-year-old scored his sixth of the season to secure the ninth winners’ medal of his Parkhead career in the 3-0 Betfred Cup Final victory over Aberdeen.

However, manager Brendan Rodgers continues to be demanding of the winger, insisting his best is still some way off, with Forrest himself honest enough to concede that further improvement is required.

‘You see the goals Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths score. Front players at Celtic are expected to score a lot of goals, so I definitely need to add more goals to my game,’ said Forrest.

‘When you are playing with good players, you feel like you are going to get better, though, and the manager has helped.’

Rodgers gives the impression he still sees Forrest as something of a development project.

‘The best of him is still quite a bit away, but he wants to learn and that’s important,’ said Rodgers. ‘It was just about making him understand that it’s a day-to-day thing.

‘In order to be consistent, in order to play well, it has to be your life.’

Forrest will hope to take part in the final match of Celtic’s Champions League campaign at Manchester City on Tuesday. The Parkhead side are already out of Europe, but Forrest has been encouraged by their return to this level. ‘Apart from Barcelona away and maybe Borussia at home, we’ve put in some good performances,’ he said.

‘Celtic definitely belong there. There’s no point talking about the last 16 just now, but we’ve done it before and it’s achievable.’

Rodgers is quick to issue a note of caution, though, with regard to his plan to bridge the gap with the tournament’s major players despite a vast gap in finances.

‘We’ve still a bit to go,’ he said. ‘I’ve been really pleased with the development of the team in the course of the Champions League and the confidence they’ve shown in the last few games — to play at that level, not just be there to wait and suffer.

‘You need mobility all around your key areas in the field, though. There are still one or two areas where I need to add that.’