Celtic manager’s selection dilemmas heading into tomorrow’s game against Hearts…
After a first Champions League win in six years, Brendan Rodgers and his side will look to continue the momentum garnered from Wednesday night as they face Hearts at Celtic Park tomorrow afternoon.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda all trained at Lennoxtown this week and are in the squad for tomorrow’s match. With injuries create opportunities, and many places remain up for grabs in Brendan Rodgers’ starting eleven.
Who starts beside Scales?
Liam Scales and Stephen Welsh both contributed effectively in Celtic’s Champions League win on Wednesday night, and both would most likely be in line to start again had the latter not picked up a knock with fifteen minutes to go.
The extent of the knock picked up by Welsh is unknown yet, but such bad luck could open the door for Gustaf Lagerbielke who will head into tomorrow brimming with confidence after this injury time winner mid-week. Maik Nawrocki is another option for Rodgers, but the Pole has not featured in a matchday squad since returning from injury and is unlikely to start tomorrow given this.
Liverpool loanee Nath Phillips has failed to impress in a Celtic shirt so far this season, and was left on the bench against Feyenoord with Lagerbielke coming on at centre half ahead of him. Fresh off the back of a night to remember at Paradise 48 hours ago, the Swedish international could be line for his first start in a Celtic shirt since September.
That’s all assuming that the manager doesn’t want to take any chances as far as Cameron Carter-Vickers is concerned. If Rodgers is satisfied that is no ongoing concerns regarding the United States defender then he starts alongside Scales, it’s as simple as that.
Does Frame deserve a chance?
Celtics left back situation at the moment is precarious to say the least. Greg Taylor’ recent form has been poor, and with his only competitor Alexandro Bernabei seemingly not in the first team picture, many have called for Mitchel Frame to be given a chance at left back.
The 17-year-old had a baptism of fire mid-week, making his first senior appearance for the club on the biggest stage in European football. Frame dealt with such an occasion brilliantly, playing in his secondary position at left wing, the Scottish u19 international was brave in possession and fearless taking on the Feyenoord captain at will.
The highly rated teenager looks more physically capable than Taylor, standing at 5 foot 10 inches and possessing a great deal of pace. The chances of the 17-year-old starting tomorrow are low, with Rodgers commenting post-match mid-week that Frame has a “long, long way to go”. Celtic have been guilty of mismanaging talented academy players in the past, let’s hope Mitchel Frame will not be another player to add to such a list.
Plenty of Celtic fans are calling for him to be given a start and it might just be worth the risk.
Oh or Kyogo?
Kyogo Furuhashi has almost been Celtic’s forgotten man over the past couple of months. Bar two quality moments and finishes in the Champions League, Furuhashi has struggled for goals domestically this season, netting just six times in 17 league appearances. It is of no fault of his own, but rather to the lack of quality service provided to him by Celtic’s wingers this season. Oh Hyeon-Gyu has impressed whenever he has played so far this season, netting five times in 14 appearances (three starts) and boasting a goal every 97 minutes.
Kyogo holds an impressive record against Hearts, scoring a goal a game in his last four appearances against the Edinburgh side. Both players will likely feature at some point tomorrow but given Kyogo’s impressive record in this game, he just about edges it for me.
James French
