What is Celtic’s best starting XI when everyone is available?…
This season hasn’t been the best we’ve had in recent years. It’s obvious to everyone that our form has been variable for quite some time now, hence letting an eight point lead slip. One of the main reasons for that is our inability to name the same starting line up on a weekly basis due to injuries.
Those injuries have been to our most valuable and experienced players such as Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and currently Callum McGregor. That’s the spine of our side, and now we have Maik Nawrocki and Luis Palma missing too. Those are dilemmas we could do without.
We still should be beating sides with the players available, but those players are undeniably a big miss. Not just their presence on the pitch, but for those around them. Liam Scales for instance doesn’t look as comfortable when he’s not beside CCV.
In midfield the presence of Reo Hatate is missed by those around him especially the strikers who feed off his creativity. Last season the two players who provided the most assists for Kyogo were Jota and Reo Hatate so you can see why Kyogo’s goals tally is nowhere near as good this time around.
Even Callum McGregor who has been unfairly criticised recently, is a sore miss due to his leadership skills as much as his technical ability. A lot of folk are now starting to realise how much he contributes to the side.
So what is Celtic’s best starting XI when everyone is fit and available?
For me it’s as follows…but let’s see your strongest XI in the comments section below.
Joe Hart; Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki, Greg Taylor; Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley; Daizen Maeda, Kyogo and Luis Palma
A strong side with creativity, strength and a real goal threat. It would also leave us with some healthy options from the bench. Will we see this line up before the end of the season? That is the big question. Fingers crossed.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
Think I would have Scales beside CCV – this was a proven partnership before CCV got injured. Looked really solid
My two differences to your team, Ralston for Johnston; Scales alongside CCV.
Nawrocki 7 starts and 3 as sub.
How can you pick him ahead of Scales who has soldiered on with different defensive set ups all season?
His form dipped recently.
No wonder,trying to plug gaps and without a consistent partner.
Never seen such an injury prone squad of players before in 65 years of supporting Celtic.
Hail Hail.
Time to introduce Academy home grown players.
Hail Hail.
Maeda palma
Think kuhn and yang look more dangerous
Oreilly struggling
Try palma in a Chris commons role
Sorted
Typical nonsense of it being the players who don’t play that are the hero’s and the ones who stay fit and actually contribute get the criticism , Hail hail
Strange that if that question was asked before the start of the season, then most would have had Abada on the right, with Maeda on the left?
So potentially only 1 change from a treble winning squad?
Yet getting nowhere near the same performance levels, from the majority of the same players as last season?
Personally believe Maeda is a better player for ourselves on the left, so would put yang on the right imo?
Scales still deserves the place ahead of rocki, mainly due to rocki having to fill in more so for CCV, and still no idea how he would cope with Taylor playing so high up, and needing someone to do that extra cover in the LB position also?
Thinking that was in the planning for the season at the start regarding the team imo?
But the ridiculous injury situation this season has forced to many players into the fray of Scottish football before they were really ready?
Yet don’t know what the excuse is for players from last season not playing at the same levels as last season, and so inconsistent along with it?
Has to be Scales, who might now be suffering as a result of general poor form and inconsistency, who was also immense in the first three months. Wouldn’t go with Palma, and don’t think we always need 2 wibgers, so up front we might need a proven partner for Kyogo, the main man. ‘Mon the Hoops!