Today, we got the welcome news that Greg Taylor and Cameron Carter-Vickers are back in training. It means Celtic will likely have a fully fit squad for the weekend, which gives Brendan Rodgers the luxury of selection choices—a fine “problem” to have.
So, who gets the nod for Motherwell?
Does the manager field the usual first-choice players, or does he rotate the squad slightly, keeping in mind the team’s midweek exertions and the upcoming fixtures? I think there’s a good chance we’ll see some rotation, especially with players like Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan in mind, and it would be smart management from Rodgers to spread the workload.
That said, I don’t think we’ll see a full rotation of eight or nine players, even if the squad depth would allow for it. Nor do I expect Greg Taylor or Cameron Carter-Vickers to be match-ready to start—likely, they’ll need a little more time.
And after previous experiences, it’s clear that Rodgers has learned from going overboard with changes; it’s all about keeping the rotation limited to three or four players rather than swapping out the entire lineup. That’s the key to maintaining consistency.
Still, it’s great news overall. Having the luxury of these options puts Celtic in a solid position, not just for this match but for the season’s grind. Matches like the one against Motherwell are ideal opportunities to give minutes to players like McCowan, let Bernardo complete a full 90 minutes, and perhaps play Yang out wide. And here’s a thought: given that Luis Palma has shown an eye for goal at Fir Park before, he might be worth a shot in the lineup as well.
Up front, there’s the question of who leads the line. Adam Idah found some luck at this venue before, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start him again. I thought he held his own midweek, performing his role well, even if we did miss Kyogo’s sharpness and vision.
That said, keeping Kyogo fresh for the upcoming fixtures, especially RB Leipzig and the League Cup semi-final at Hampden, should be a priority.
Those are games where we’ll need him firing on all cylinders.
Another big talking point is the defence.
After recent performances, any doubts about Valle, Liam Scales or Trusty should be well and truly put to rest. They were all outstanding against Atalanta and fully deserve to keep their places for the Motherwell game. We’ll ease Carter-Vickers back into the fold gradually, the same way we will with Greg Taylor. The thought of a central defensive partnership between Carter-Vickers and Trusty is enticing, of course, but it’s going to be hard to dislodge Scales from the side at this point. Given his form, that partnership may still be a while off.
While Scales and Trusty keep playing well, patience is the name of the game. The confidence these guys displayed in Bergamo should assure fans that we’re in safe hands at the back.
As always, though, the midfield composition will raise the most questions. Everyone’s noticed that Arne Engels has been slightly off his game recently, but he’s a young player who’s still adjusting to his role. Given time, I have no doubt that he’ll adapt and thrive; his talent is undeniable. That said, it may be worthwhile to give him a short break and hand Bernardo or McCowan a chance to start. We know what both players can bring to the table, and Bernardo, in particular, has been impressive every time he’s stepped onto the pitch lately.
In short, it’s a good problem to have: so many players to choose from, so many options and configurations available. This squad depth is where Celtic can truly distinguish itself, especially in a season where the fixtures come thick and fast.
It’s how we can stay on track for another domestic clean sweep and still hold a real chance of progressing in Europe. Positions that looked problematic at the start of the season now seem well-covered, thanks to players stepping up and adapting.
The improvement across the board has been fantastic to watch, and as the players settle into their roles, we’re hopefully about to hit our stride.
This is the time of year when we aim to build momentum, pull away from the rest, and establish that familiar gap at the top of the table. I can’t wait to see what decisions Rodgers makes and how the team performs on the weekend.
I think AJ should probably get a rest, I’d also say Rodgers needs to think about resting Scales or Trusty to a degree. Not for the whole match but if the game is in the bag by 55/60th minute then make the change. Kuhn & Maeda could also probably do with a break. I think start Idah & bring Kyogo off the bench. I agree with the midfield entirely. Luke & Paulo in & again I’d be resting CalMac once the game is secure
A great position to be in for Brendan and therefore by dint for us Hoops fans to be in…
Motherwell won’t be easy as they’ve had a free week and we’ve had an arduous game and travel thrown in to boot…
So it won’t be easy and that’s without factoring in The Cheats with Whistles, Flags and Monitors and their ‘influence’
But it’s a challenge we face and I look forward to it…
Hopefully we won’t be away after the next time after we travel in The Champions League…
There again this is NOT so Bonnie Scotland (certainly when it comes to the football anyway) !
Depends on the game in Italy and the players condition after.
Personally I would give McCowan a start over Engels of Hatate. Luke has been chomping at the bit. Bernardo should see some game time.
If Scales and Trusty are in good shape I would stick with them and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ralston start ahead of Johnson, he looked sore at the end in Italy and may have a hamstring tweak.
The showing in Italy will set us up in good stead for the rest of the CL fixtures.
It’s a good problem tae have. Just glad we’ve a good bench and that makes a big difference. Although we’ll need tae keep our playin up, due tae the ibrox clubs return tae form, with their magnificent win against the class outfit Romanians last night. What we’re gettin, is that they’re a ‘european’ suited team as opposed tae an SPL side. Never read so much deluded, overrated, cuckoo land hype shit in a long time, as ah’ve read today. Different planet.
The amount of games we now play means we need at least 20 1st team ready players available.
The 3 Scottish teams involved in Europe are going to find it hard over the next 3 months and quite honestly we look the only one with the resources to cope.
That’s a good one Kevcelt, so they now think they’re a European class team rather than failures in Scotland, that deludamol must be strong stuff.
@ micmac. Aye, seems tae be a line a lot of them are pushin on social media. Ye’ll be hard pushed tae find a more deluded mob.
Engels has to be benched, he hasn’t shown enough to warrant a start.
McCowan should be given a chance, the team only started showing urgency shortly after McCowan cam on v Aberdeen.
I don’t yet see the value in playing Engels, he needs a rollicking for very average performances.
James Forrest also has to be dropped, he loses every ball and is more like a 12th man foe the opposition, time to give a younger player development time, Forrest can no longer develop.