Celts welcome the unbeaten Steelmen to Parkhead this weekend
No matter what team Brendan Rodgers puts out, Celtic just aren’t clicking this season.
Defensively, the Hoops have been steady enough with Liam Scales and Cameron Carter-Vickers their usual reliable selves at the heart of the backline
But behind them, questions continue to hang over Kasper Schmeichel.
The veteran keeper’s mistakes are beginning to pile up and his latest Braga blunder – coupled with some erratic passing – will be a major concern.
Deputy Viljami Sinisalo must feel he has a chance to usurp the Denmark legend, but Rodgers is unlikely to make such a drastic call just yet.
At full-back, Kieran Tierney still looks a shadow of his former self and Marcelo Saracchi is pushing the Scotland star hard for a start.
Gifted teen Colby Donovan, 19, has made a big impression since bursting onto the scene but will likely rotate with Anthony Ralston until first-choice Alistair Johnston returns to the fold.
The middle of the park is where the real conundrum lies.
Callum McGregor has yet to reach the lofty standards he’s set over his decade in the hoops, but he hasn’t been helped by those around him.
Summer signing Benjamin Nygren hasn’t convinced on the right of the trio, Reo Hatate continues to blow hot and cold and £11million man Arne Engels has been reduced to a bit-part role.
Paulo Bernardo fluffed his midweek audition, while Luke McCowan has added much-needed energy whenever called upon.
Up top, Kelechi Iheanacho can count himself unlucky not to have added to his tally after VAR controversially ruled out his strike against Braga.
The Nigerian has hit the ground running at Parkhead, so too has fellow new Bhoy Seb Tounekti.
The Tunisian winger has quickly become Celtic’s most dangerous attacking outlet on the left, with out-of-sorts Daizen Maeda being shifted to the opposite flank in recent games.
On paper, it’s a dangerous attack but having drawn a blank in five of the 12 games this season, the Hoops badly need to find their shooting boots.
They’ll need to rediscover their goalscoring touch this weekend when Motherwell visit Glasgow aiming to pull off another major upset.
And, examining how Celtic could line up, we expect Rodgers to make at least three changes to his side that toiled on Thursday night.
Provisional Celtic squad
Goalkeepers
- Kasper Schmeichel
- Viljami Sinisalo
- Ross Doohan
Defenders
- Liam Scales
- Auston Trusty
- Cameron Carter-Vickers
- Jahmai Simpson-Pusey
- Kieran Tierney
- Marcelo Saracchi
- Dane Murray
- Colby Donovan
- Anthony Ralston
Midfielders
- Reo Hatate
- Luke McCowan
- Benjamin Nygren
- Arne Engels
- Paulo Bernardo
- Callum McGregor
- James Forrest
- Yang
- Sebastian Tounekti
- Michel-Ange Balikwisha
Attackers
- Kelechi Iheanacho
- Johnny Kenny
- Daizen Maeda
- Shin Yamada
