Celtic have selected a mixture of full back variations this season. For much of the first half of the campaign Josip Juranovic played at left back, whilst Ralston was performing tremendously at right back.
Liam Scales, Boli Bolingoli and Adam Montgomery all featured as back up on the left hand side, until Greg Taylor returned from injury. Thereafter, Postecoglou opted to drop Ralston and switch Juranovic to his natural position on the right, with Taylor assuming the left back role.
At the beginning of the campaign there was universal doubt about Ralston’s ability to be a first team player. It looked as if his Celtic career was over. Yet, the young defender proved everyone wrong by grasping his unexpected opportunity with both hands and scoring some important goals along the way.
Opinion is much more divided on Greg Taylor. While many feel he is not good enough to be a first choice full back at Parkhead, plenty of other supporters feel that he is adequate for the role.
Since Christmas, Ralston and Taylor’s form has been mixed. This was a key talking point after the recent defeat to Bodo Glimt.
As such, we put the question to the world of Celtic Twitter: ‘Are Celtic stronger with Juranovic at right back and Taylor at left back? Or the way we set up in the first half of the season with Ralston right back and Juranvoic left back?’
Are we stronger with Juranovic right back and Taylor left back? Or the way we were in first half of the season with Ralston right back and Juranvoic left back?
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) February 18, 2022
The results were conclusive. Almost two thirds thought that Postecoglou should return to old ways with Juranovic and Ralston as the full backs. It appears unlikely that Ange will take that approach, but it is an option that is available to him at present.
How does Ange rebuild the confidence of the team? That result is the kind of result that sets a team back and has an impact on the next few weeks. Think of the impact their result will have on them. They will take 5 off United this weekend. We need to do the same against Dundee. They will win every game until we go to Ibrox. We must do the same. However, I imagine a whole truck load of doubt will have infected our team and we may struggle. Time to stand up and be counted but do they have it? We are about to find out.
We got beat once in the last 22 games. Regardless of what the SMSM will have you believe, Bodo/Glimt are a decent team. Won their domestic league 2 years running and went unbeaten in the UEFA Conference group stage. No one likes to lose, but it happens. No professional footballer is going to go into a downward spiral because they lost 1 game to a decent team. Stop over analysing a problem that doesn’t exist.
John
‘They will take 5 off United this weekend.’
Could you tell me where you bought your crystal ball from?