A manager with multiple options for selection is often described as having a nice problem to solve and a look at the bench from Celtic’s 3-0 Derby ‘skelping of theRangers would indicate Brendan Rodgers has a series of fortunate dilemmas to resolve ahead of Saturday’s visit from winless Hearts…
With Celtic’s transfer business concluded very late on in the window, the likes of Arne Engels, Auston Trusty, Luke McCowan and Alex Valle, all found themselves starting on the bench against the latest Ibrox club. You would expect that to change, particularly given some of the fees and wages expended on the new talent, but Brendan Rodgers has some tough calls ahead.
Celtic have had a really encouraging start to the season, sitting top of the league and already five points ahead of last season’s runners up, with Aberdeen starting almost as strongly as the Hoops but arguably having faced weaker opponents to date.
The advantage the Dons have is having no European football to test the strength of their squad depth, meanwhile Celtic start their Champions League campaign against Slovan Bratislava in midweek and will regularly play two games a week until late January next year.
As such the use of the squad is likely to be tested to the maximum which will leave Brendan Rodgers with something of a dilemma. You could assume expensive acquisitions had big fees and hefty wages attached because the manager saw them improving the first eleven – and therefore may be expected to come straight into the team. Yet dropping any newbies in against Hearts may be seen as unfair on the players who have taken Celtic to such an impressive start to the season.
The likes of Greg Taylor, Liam Scales and Paulo Bernardo are perhaps the ones looking over their shoulder but it’s hard to say any of them need rested and all are in excellent form already.
You would also assume a Champions League game is not the ideal place to start blooding in fresh faces so we could almost assume the team which starts against Hearts will be almost identical to the one with faces Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday night.
So how does Brendan Rodgers play his hand? Does he stick with the winning formula and play the hot hands or does he select the new guys straight off the bat and get them 90 minutes under the belt before the big European nights start against Slovan Bratislava?
It’s no easy call. Hearts may have started the season poorly but this is a team that won at Celtic Park last season. Meanwhile Slovan Bratislava may be viewed as an excellent opportunity to start our European campaign with three points, but let’s be honest, Bratislava will also view a visit to Glasgow as an opportunity to get off the mark on matchday one of the new format Champions League.
As such an argument could be made for fielding the signings now and allowing them a run of games with a view to being settled in before that massive away tie in Dortmund on Tuesday 1st October.
It’s a nice headache to have of course for the Celtic manager and I guess that’s why he’s paid the big bucks but it’s a series of decisions I’m glad he’s the man to take, because I would struggle to know just how to play this one – how about you?
Niall J
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Thinking that the biggest call Rodgers has to be making, involves the right hand side of our defence imo?
Obviously involves AJ and CCV?
Still have my doubts regarding the fitness of CCV at present?
Would be very surprised if he has 3 games in a week, considering how he left after the Glasgow Derby?
Could that have been a reason for including rocki within our 25man squad, when much noise was being made regarding his potential departure?
Same could possibly apply to AJ also, but ralston is more than capable to cover AJ?
Our midfield areas, are still going to centre around calmac, by the looks of things?
Even though we could be covered with Engels or Paulo filling in for calmac, should the situation arise, but would be highly inconvenient to ourselves all the same?
We still will be looking to hopefully able to keep ourselves at a high tempo for the full 90 minutes now, so the use of our subs, should provide that for ourselves this season imo?
Was an element within our game that was badly missing last season, where are subs weren’t able to impact a game to much?
Don’t see that being an issue this season, especially as we no longer look like a team chasing a game, for a winning goal or even hanging on within games either?
Our transitional play has been brilliant on so many occasions this season, which will be a massive factor for ourselves within our CL campaign?
Personally believe that we have a squad that can provide that for ourselves within the midfield and attacking areas, for ourselves, even if potential injuries would remain a concern to ourselves?
As for Rodgers, he has more options available to himself now, especially for just how different teams will approach how to try and play against ourselves?
Can’t see it being a problem for ourselves, especially with the amount of footballing intelligence we are currently playing with, and can’t see that dropping either with the new additions added, even if they might take a bit of time to get up to speed with the expectations within our club?