Shane Duffy’s season long loan signing from Brighton and Hove Albion has certainly lifted the mood of the Celtic support today. In reality Duffy is the somewhat delayed replacement for Jozo Simunovic. The Irish International defender is the second loan deal heading from the South coast with Moi Elyounoussi having been the first signing of the transfer window joining for a second spell from Southampton.
Both these temporary solutions have been added to by the permanent signings of goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas, striker Albian Ajeti and last week’s signing from Motherwell of David Turnbull, as Celtic look to strengthen in a transfer window extended to 5 October.
So, with a little over four weeks to go, how do Celtic look as they campaign for Ten-in-a-Row in comparison to the squad that brought home the Nine?
First up we’ll have a look at the Defensive positions before looking at the midfield and attacking areas in a follow up article.
Goalkeeper
This time last year Celtic had a three-pronged goalkeeping contingent consisting of Fraser Forster, Craig Gordon as back up and Scott Bain as third choice.
This summer the first transfer saga of the summer saw Fraser Forster apparently surprise Neil Lennon and the coaching staff by choosing to return from whence he came and fight for a starting place at Southampton. Meanwhile as part of a wage reducing early summer spurge Craig Gordon refused markedly reduced terms and headed to boyhood club Hearts for an extended contract and a chance to play Championship football.
This season we have spent a not insignificant £4.5m on Vasilis Barkas from AEK Athens, Scott Bain has been promoted from number three to first back up and young Connor Hazard has a first team jersey for the time being at least as third choice goalkeeper.
The jury is out on Vasilis Barkas but he looks a decent goalkeeper though you’d be hard pushed to argue he’s better than Fraser Forster. Scott Bain was fancied less last season than Gordon and has now has stepped up a place in the pecking order whilst Hazard is a young man trying to force his way into first team contention and despite a promising loan spell at Dundee last season and fair performances in pre-season remains unproven.
Conclusion
Compared to this time last year the depth of goalkeepers available to Neil Lennon certainly looks weaker this season, though the financial outlay on wages looks on paper to have significantly reduced. There may be scope for another goalkeeper, perhaps another loan move to allow Connor Hazard to head out for first team experience and it will be interesting to see how that one develops over the next few weeks.
Left back
This time last year we had three options Neil Lennon could utilise at left back, this year you could almost say that has whittled down to one.
Jonny Hayes was not offered a contract extension and as squad player and one that was ageing to boot, you could see the rationale with Covid 19 financial concerns in getting the player off the books, now you’d start to question it but Celtic weren’t to know what lay ahead with one player in particular.
Boli Bolingoli has added rank stupidity off the park to inconsistent performances on it and not many would wish to see the player in a Celtic shirt again. We are playing catch up in the Scottish Premiership due to his behaviour and those two missing games undoubtedly had an effect on Neil Lennon’s preparations for European football. It would be a U-Turn of seismic proportions if Bolingoli returned to first team football but sadly as things stand that looks a possibility.
Greg Taylor joined late in the window last season and by the end had established himself as Celtic’s first choice left back, he’s continued in that vein this season. His performances improved last season and those incremental improvements have continued this season. It’s clear his ability to beat a man needs work but his final ball has certainly improved. While you can’t fault Taylor for commitment, application and effort a little competition may be just what he needs to keep up his progress.
Conclusion
This one is simple enough. Last season we had three to choose from, this season we have two and one of those is rightly persona non grata around Lennoxtown. The left back position in the ten-in-a row campaign looks considerably weaker than those Lennon was able to call on during the 9-in-a-row success.
Right Back
With Jeremie Frimpong breaking into the team last year alongside the signing of Hatem abd Elhamed, the long-term concerns over losing Mikael Lustig soon diminished. Both have simply been superb signings and bring a mixture of attacking and defensive qualities as well as an ability to fill in in other positions when necessary. Last season Anthony Ralston was deemed surplus to requirements given the talent of Frimpong and Elhamed. He was sent out on loan to St Johnstone with Mauritz Bauer signing on a year-long loan deal from Stoke City, it’s fair to say however Bauer made little impact. So far this season Ralston has been retained and young Lee O’ Connor has gone out on loan to Tranmere Rovers.
Conclusion
Compared to this time last season it’s much of a muchness at right back. We have retained our main two full back options and both, touch wood, remain fit at this time. We also have the back up of an able enough Scottish Premiership performer in Ralston to supply a little depth, though you may have concerns over European exposure for him. Granted that concern has been lessened somewhat following our Champions league exit.
We may not have strengthened this area this season but it’s been more than enough to stand still given the quality we have in our first-choice right backs. There is an argument to say we’re weakened in terms of Mauritz Bauer returning to Stoke City but it would be a little churlish as Bauer rarely impressed when he did play and that wasn’t very often at all. He was a bit of an expensive indulgence.
Central defence
This one saw Celtic start last season with Christopher Jullien, Kris Ajer, Nir Bitton, Jozo Simunovic and after January young Stephen Welsh returning from a successful loan spell at Morton to supply extra cover.
This summer Jozo with too many injuries to be relied upon was moved on. As with Hayes, at the time that looked a prudent move financially if someone was lined up to come in. Turns out no-one was and we’ve had to start the season a man down in the middle of defence. It’s had an obvious impact on Neil Lennon’s tactical plans for this season.
Thankfully Nir Bitton has been an able deputy when required and Ajer and Julien have at least been able to stay fit. There was of course an argument that with Lennon’s mid-season move to a back three that not only would Celtic be looking to replace Simunovic we’d also be looking for someone else to supply extra cover and indeed balance to the backline.
Some two months after the releasing of Simunovic we have signed a loan deal to bring Shane Duffy to Celtic for the remainder of this season and the Irish international should certainly be an improvement on the injury prone Jozo.
Conclusion
I’m fairly sure Lennon would like another defender to play a back three with the confidence of having another back-up, but with young Stephen Welsh knocking on the door you get the feeling we’ll have to make do, particularly given the financial hit of exiting the Champions league and with a left back now being an unexpected requirement.
Shane Duffy certainly brings quality, experience and a will to win with him and it’s with that in mind I’d be tempted to say the centre of defence – whilst arguably a little light on numbers – now looks stronger than the options Lennon had to rely on last season. With the obvious caveat that those we do have will need to be retained over the next four weeks of the transfer window.
Defensively then – and with four weeks of the transfer window remaining – you’d have to say it’s a mixed bag. In comparison to last season we look considerably weaker at left back and it’s an area you’d assume Neil Lennon and Nick Hammond would look to strengthen, otherwise Bolingoli may find himself re-integrated to the first team squad. Not something many of us would wish to see.
At right back we look to have retained our strength from last season and in central defence the signing of Shane Duffy looks to be an improvement on an injury prone Jozo Simunovic.
Our strength in depth however in the goalkeeping department looks weaker than last season but I’m not sure we’ll see much change ahead of the transfer window closing.
Next up we’ll have a look our midfield and attack and how we match up in this campaign compared to last season’s 9-in-row winners…
Niall J