Ryan Christie, Scott Allan and Patrick Roberts are all named as substitutes for todays game against Inverness, with a starting line-up that is identical to the one which began last week’s game. Also on the bench is Kris Commons.
The manager’s decision to start with the same team is either an extraordinary act of faith in his preferred players or another example of a myopic refusal to try something different, something new, in our quest to put the league title in the bag.
I guess this is progress of a sort; not one of these guys was even available on the subs bench last week amidst much criticism. Now all of them are. Maybe we’ll see them actually get on the pitch at some point, although hopefully not to chase the match.
Say what you want about Deila, he does show remarkable loyalty to certain players, most notably Stefan Johnsen, who’s inclusion here strongly suggests he’ll not be amongst the players leaving the club at the end of the season.
Missing entirely from today’s squad is Tom Rogic, who has been one of our outstanding performers this season, and James Forrest, who is yet to sign a new deal.
There is no place in the squad for Carlton Cole.
The lineup and substitutes are as follows:
Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Sviatchenko, Tierney; Brown, Bitton; Mackay-Steven, Johansen, Armstrong; Griffiths.
Subs: Bailly, Mulgrew, Commons, Kazim-Richards, Christie, Roberts, Allan.