The rumours that this weekend will see the return of Cameron Carter Vickers should fill us all with dread. As much as the defensive partnership of Welsh and Scales presently terrifies us, there is no justification for bringing back any player who can’t possibly be fit, and who has already suffered setbacks after being rushed back to the team too early.
Cameron Carter Vickers cannot be thrown into this team just because we’re not sure about the current defenders. We’re risking more than just three points if we put him back in there and he gets injured again. We have the rest of this season to think about. We have an injury free summer to be shooting for. We need him rock solid and ready for the next one.
This would be amazingly short-sighted, and dangerous too. Because how match-sharp will he be? We need players who are absolutely ready and up for it. That won’t be him, not for weeks, not until he’s been in the side and played some minutes.
This is certainly not the time to be throwing him into battle, in a must-win game, in a match where blood and thunder will be needed. He’ll be wary of throwing himself into that and we should be very wary of exposing him to it. This would be a massive risk.
There is similar talk around Reo Hatate, another player we can’t possibly hope to see fit for many weeks if not months. We’ll be lucky to get him back before the season ends. This squad just seems to get weaker and weaker right now, and with Abada no use to us whatsoever we badly need quality … but not at the risk of these guys setting back their progress.
This club has to snap out of its current malaise, but it would be preferable if the currently fit players dug in and got us out of this mess whilst their colleagues and team-mates get their fitness up.
Sunday’s will be a hard game, but harder games are ahead and these guys need to be in the frame for those. Otherwise this league really is over.
I see what you’re saying regarding CCV James but needs must we are behind in the league the other defenders are unreliable there’s only 12 games to go we need to take a risk hatate I agree we probably won’t see him this season.
Celtic is making enough chances to out score teams. We just lack the quality to put the chances away. If we solve that issue, Carter Vickers and Hatate (to a lesser extent) should not be needed. We always look like conceding a goal, but shout be winning 3 or 4 to 1.
The news that CCV might play on Sunday is not for his benefit nor the teams he is being showcased for potential suitors to buy him before the new season Forget the contract he signed this board don’t care as long as this is factored into his transfer fee when the time comes the same goes for hatate a quick message to the board we are not thick but your time is up.
Totally agree that we should never play anyone that’s not 100% fit…and obviously there’s 100% fit and 100% match fit. Surely we have a professional enough medical and sport science team that can get our players returned fully fit and ready to go? Or is this another part of the complete club overhaul that needs to be improved. We’ve been without CCV and Hatate for most of this season, and we all know how that has worked out.
This league is still there to be won, regardless of recent displays, injuries and the lack of quality we’ve all discussed. Time for every Celtic player, to show their mettle, courage and ability and prove that they deserve to be at our club. That time starts on Sunday !
i think it is just to counter the rumour that he is finished brought about by Strachan senior’s comment last week that he was worried about him.
Not going to happen for a while, I fear.
James, when did you stop rating Scales? You were raving about him at the end of last year.
Scales is a good SPFL player. That’s all. He’s shown remarkable character and strength to earn his place in this team, but he is not a long term answer and it’s pretty desperate stuff for us to be pretending he is.
Our defence is not the problem, contrary to what many think. In our treble-winning season last season, after 26 league games we had:
Goals for – 82, Goals against – 18.
This season, after 26 league games, it’s:
Goals for – 58, Goals against – 18.
It’s easy to see where the problem is. Kyogo has 8 league goals this season, compared to 18 after the same number of games last season. Maybe it would help if we played our best striker in his best position?
Any yet we could have purchased Shankland or Miovski or even both for what’d be loose chance for us as a football club…
But Sonny Lawwell and Fraudgers Rodgers knew best eh !
James I agree with you .
I would also like to thank Joe Hart for treating fans with respect with his announcement today .
It something the board / owner should learn from
That is a Very AMBITIOUS thing to Expext the CELTIC BOARD TO DO…….
Totally agree about CCV .. remember how rusty he was when he came back from injury against Lazio at home.
Welsh and Scales don’t put the fear in anyone. Our difficulties are further up the park, though Bernabei is a bomb scare. I wouldn’t be putting all my hopes on Hatate either.
We need the players already here to start performing. O’Reilly, Bernardo, CalMac, Maeda, Palma and Kyogo. They have offered little to no consistency and it needs to change.
Totally agree 100% having a player however good he is coming back after injuries and not match sharp is a recipe for disaster. I’m all for giving him minutes at the end of the match if we’re winning by a few goals. Personally going forward I’d like to see Iwatta playing in front of the back 4 for a bit of security ( not sure if he’s available for selection) also I’d give Calmac or O’Reilly a rest for a few games with Holm playing in Midfield