Stubbs: Celtic strikers can deliver

ALAN STUBBS claims his former club Celtic still have the attacking players to trouble the best in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

Hoops boss Gordon Strachan admitted the return of 37-year-old Dion Dublin, who was released this summer after scoring twice in 12 games, was “definitely possible”.

That is hardly the signing the Celtic supporters want to see to bolster a strikeforce which has failed to find the net once in Poland, the US and in Scotland during this summer.

Kenny Miller and Maciej Zurawski were paired in attack in the Sunday friendly against Everton but it was winger Aiden McGeady who supplied their winner against the Merseysiders at Parkhead.

Fans are now wondering where the goals will come from with Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson long gone.

Everton defender Stubbs said: “It is difficult to replace players like that because they don’t come around all the time.

“Kenny Miller and Zurawski don’t have the physical presence of those players we mentioned but they pose a different kind of threat up there. There were times when their movement made it tough for us and they will trouble the best defenders in Scotland.”

Striker Craig Beattie is also set to miss the big kick-off against Kilmarnock next week with a hamstring injury and Strachan said: “We were better than we were last pre-season because we never broke our duck at all.

“We don’t have to explain to anybody that results haven’t been great and we have to concentrate on finishing but the football we are playing is OK.”

Strachan is still looking to bring in two new players before the season starts but he insists wantaway midfielder Stilian Petrov and Stephen Pearson will be staying.