Yesterday demonstrated how much Celtic rely on Cameron Carter-Vickers but it also raises wider concerns about the conflicting messages regarding our summer signings and managerial change…
Yesterday’s defeat was only our second domestic loss of the campaign. Our only other defeat of course came back in August at the very same venue, and of course on the same artificial surface. And just like that day back in August at Rugby Park big Cameron Carter Vickers was absent from the starting line up.
That tells you how important the Big Strong Man is to our side, and also highlights the weakness in our strength and depth at the back. CCV wouldn’t have allowed Killie to bully us in the box the way they did. He would have also steadied the ship and made us a more solid unit. Instead we had to rely on the cumbersome Nat Phillips.
It says a lot about the ability of Gustav Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki that they can’t get in ahead of the on loan Liverpool man. Or alternatively it opens a can of worms at the club, why is Brendan Rodgers playing a Liverpool loanee ahead of big money summer signings?
Surely they can’t be any worse than him? We paid a reported £8 million for the two of them combined which is rather concerning considering they can’t get a game. If they can’t get a game ahead of Phillips what does that say about our recruitment strategy and decision making? Both Lagerbielke and Nawrocki were highly rated in Swedish and Polish football respectively, yet can’t make the match day squad at an injury hit Celtic – why not?
Is the manager making a point? If so it’s an expensive one in so many ways? And come the January window will target signings have second thoughts about coming to Celtic given the experiences that Lagerbielke and Nawrocki have had so far?
Brendan Rodgers almost certainly didn’t have much say in the signings of Lagerbielke and Nawrocki but would have had much more of a role in bringing Phillips to the club as emergency cover after this two plus Stephen Welsh (remember him?) all got injured. Is there an obligation to Liverpool to give Phillips game-time as part of that deal, as Sandman keeps mentioning in his Definitive Player Ratings?
If they are not the required quality it’s imperative we splash out on a decent centre back to take the burden off CCV who is arguably our most important player. We need to pray he remains injury free for the rest of the season.
And for all those who were glad to see the back of Carl Starfelt, perhaps be a little more careful what you wish for.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
READ THIS…Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Celtic at Deek’s Dungeon
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