Celtic May Be Able To Field A Different Central Defence Tomorrow, But Should They?

Oh choices, choices, choices right now. The third piece on our team line-up for tomorrow, I want to look this time at the central defence and the decision the manager has to make there.

We won’t have Starfelt back, not yet, but Lenz might be fit.

The question is; if he is, do we play him, or do we stick with Stephen Welsh?

This is a tougher decision that it sounds, because although we all suspect that Lenz will start ahead of Welsh when he’s fully fit and has some game time behind him, Welsh has given the manager a much more difficult call to make that there was before.

Like Ralston did last season, he’s made sure that this is not a straightforward choice. You can’t simply drop a player who is on form because someone else is suddenly available.

Welsh showed us something last week, and actually throughout pre-season.

Aside from the goal, I thought his general performance against Aberdeen was excellent. He was the surprise hero, and that must have pleased everyone at the club. Now the boss has to decide if he keeps his place whilst others get up to speed.

Competition always makes players better, and the thing with Welsh is that he knows that with a third central defensive signing that unless he steps up he’s going to find himself the backup to the backup, and that has possibly pushed him hard to improve.

This is why every manager wants strength in depth.

It keeps everyone sharp and on his toes. Ralston improved out of sight when it was clear that he had a chance to prove himself but that it wouldn’t last long once the new guy was in for his position.

Likewise, Taylor had a great game last weekend, possibly because there’s competition for his place now.

I personally think he should.

We don’t need to rush Lenz back, and we don’t have the luxury of being able to put Starfelt into the team this soon. Welsh isn’t just a more than adequate replacement, he’s proved that he deserves to be in the side.