Scales and Taylor show the benefits of competition. These guys have never looked better.

There was some panic today over a couple of photographs which appeared to show that Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston missed training. I can’t say I found it all that concerning, as I’ve already written about how this team needs to give certain players a break, and I fully expected some squad rotation heading into this game.

This is the beauty of having a big squad. Players will miss games, get injured, or face difficulties, but we’ll manage just fine because the squad is stronger than it has been in a long time. Anthony Ralston is an excellent deputy for Johnston, a good team player who never complains and just gets on with the job. With Auston Trusty now in the building, we have another more-than-capable player ready to step in if Carter-Vickers or Liam Scales is unavailable.

Which brings me to the curious case of Liam Scales. Scales wasn’t supposed to be part of the Celtic team at this stage. I don’t think there’s a single one of us who didn’t believe he was on his way out of the starting eleven. If he managed to get back into the side, it was expected to be temporary at best. But what an incredible few weeks it’s been for him. He’s continuously proven people wrong, myself included, and is making the spot his own.

The same goes for Greg Taylor, who has always thrived under pressure and believed he could see off any competition. I took some flak when I suggested that bringing in a Barcelona Academy player on loan might not be the best solution for left-back. His grand total of zero minutes so far hasn’t exactly proved me wrong, has it? It’s a position we needed to fill properly. But we’ll see how things pan out over time—Valle will get games, and then we’ll see what he’s capable of.

However, Greg Taylor has given the new signing no encouragement whatsoever by consistently playing well. Taylor has been under the spotlight since his first game for the club, with his position constantly under threat, yet he’s never let it affect him. The same is true for Scales. Both have been under a cloud since they broke into the team, but neither has let it faze them. In fact, it seems to have spurred them on to better performances than any of us could have expected.

You see this a lot at clubs with plenty of talent. Everyone pushes themselves just that little bit harder.

It’s possible that this competition is one reason why we’re seeing such an improvement in form. The regular starters want to remain in the first team, and none of them wants to be the first to lose their spot. While I expect changes for Sunday’s match, I believe they’ll be more about giving players minutes and ensuring fitness rather than disappointment in anyone’s performance—because right now, there isn’t a single failure in this Celtic side.

So I wasn’t overly concerned by talk of players missing training. It turns out the manager simply gave Carter-Vickers and Johnston time off, as both returned later than the rest of the squad (except the Japanese players) and have had minor injury scares. The manager is proceeding with caution, ensuring they have adequate time to recover. All to the good.

This is where the strength of the Celtic squad comes into play. We could, if we wanted, change the entire starting eleven from midweek for tomorrow’s game. I don’t think we will, but the fact we could speaks volumes. I’m hoping to see the likes of the new boys Valle and Trusty, and I think Yang and Luis Palma should get starts as well.

But, to be honest, the player I’m most excited to see—if he does start—is Luke McCowan. He looks like he’s got the energy and aggression to make a big impact in this team, and I think he could score a lot of goals from midfield. In fact, I wouldn’t rule him out as a sneaky pick for first goal-scorer on Sunday. We’ll need to see the team sheet first, but I’ll be disappointed if he’s not in it. While I appreciate it’s a cup competition and you want to field your best, it’s hard to look at our backup eleven and think we’d be taking any real risks.

What a fantastic position for the club to be in. I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the lesser-used players get a chance to stake their claim. That’ll keep everyone else on their toes, pushing them to work harder—just as Scales and Taylor have been doing ever since they first made the starting eleven. If you’re looking for two examples of model professionals, both are a great inspiration for any young footballer striving to break into the first team.