Fresh on signing a new four year contract, Stephen Welsh was unfortunately pictured on crutches after picking up a ‘knock’ in training, as reported on The Celtic Star yesterday afternoon.
Maik Nawrocki during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie on 13 August 2023. Photo Stephen Dobson PSI
I have no doubt that he would have started alongside Maik Nawrocki at Rugby park on Sunday. His decent display at Pittodrie after coming on for the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers would have seen him start against Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon and he would have been on a high after signing a new long term contract at the club he adores.
Unfortunately that won’t happen now and it looks pretty certain that new boy Gustav Lagerbielke will start alongside fellow new boy Nawrocki. Both have only recently signed and have only trained with each other for a couple of sessions, so no matter how talented they are it’s going to be tough for them regarding terms of a developed understanding.
That’s only natural and takes time, and being thrown in to a difficult cup tie in a tricky venue won’t be easy. The supporters should remember this if it’s noticeable on Sunday. They don’t deserve any criticism as after all it’s their first game together. The media should also acknowledge this. After all they have been understanding of Michael Beale and he’s nigh on eight months in the job.
Celtic v Ross County – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Saturday August 5, 2023.Photo Steve Welsh
Of course they are talented players with plenty of experience so they will go out there and do their utmost best and hopefully put in a good performance. They deserve our backing.
This latest injury situation, losing two central defenders in less than a week, surely will result in Brendan Rodgers opting to keep Liam Scales at the club rather than allow him to leave to join Aberdeen? Scales is familiar with the dreadful playing surface at Rugby Park and that may be a factor when Brendan Rodgers is considering his starting line-up for tomorrow’s League Cup quarter final.
Gustav Lagerbielke is match-fit but throwing him in this soon is a risk we don’t need to take. A pairing of Nawrocki and Scales makes more sense.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
