Celtic kicked off the defence of their league title with a 4-2 win over Ross County in what was a satisfactory performance. However, the two goals that the team conceded were very sloppy and both came from individual mistakes that can easily be avoided.
This can be attributed to the the fact that the squad is veering away from Ange Postecoglou’s very specific and unique style of play and is slowly being moulded into the type of side that Brendan Rodgers wants the team to be, and that transition takes time.
There has been some worry from fans over the last few months, warranted or unwarranted, that the club hasn’t been doing enough in the transfer market, especially if the team is to try and progress further towards European ambitions.
Joe Hart, a player who has received calls to be replaced from several Celtic fans and ACSOM contributors, being at fault for one of the goals conceded on Saturday has only added fuel to the fire of the argument that the club hasn’t done enough.
So, with three weeks left for Celtic to improve the squad for the season ahead, have the club done enough and is the fan discontent towards Celtic’s transfer activity warranted?
A contributing factor towards some of the discontent could be the perceived lack of a marquee signing. The reports that came out ahead of Rodgers’ arrival suggesting that the club could have a £30 million war-chest to splash out on the playing squad had many, this writer included, convinced that the club would spend big money on a player and potentially even break the transfer record.
This belief seemed to be strengthened by Rodgers’ emphasis on European ambitions. However, many have suggested that the players already brought in during the summer window aren’t what the team needs to push on in Europe. The first four arrivals, at least, seemed to be signed to add more depth to the squad and offer further options off the bench.
It can be argued that Celtic don’t need to spend big money on many positions in the starting 11. The squad is just off the back of winning a treble under Ange Postecoglou and the majority of the starting players are at the age in which there is lots more room for development, especially at a European level.
It also has to be considered that Brendan Rodgers is a top level manager who is renowned for his man-to-man coaching. He gets the best out of players and takes those who have been written off and deemed undesirable and makes them indispensable.
The signs are already there that the likes of Matt O’Riley, Liel Abada and David Turnbull have different levels to their games that Brendan Rodgers can unlock.
No Jota replacement
Jota leaving Celtic was a real shock to the system for fans. The move came out of the blue for Celtic as well, as Fabrizio Romano has reported that everything moved very quickly and Celtic weren’t expecting such a monumental offer to come in for the Portuguese.
A fan favourite and the sort of player who has the flair to get supporters off their feet, Jota leaving was always going to be a sore one to take. Since Jota’s departure, Celtic have only signed 2 wingers for a combined fee of £3.6 million which doesn’t exactly match the £25 million received for the 24-year-old.
A ready-made replacement for Jota may not be needed though, especially given the quality on the wings already at the club. The previously mentioned Liel Abada already looks set to be a key player for Brendan Rodgers and he has the style of play that is proven to succeed in a Rodgers system.
The potential is there, he just didn’t have the minutes to take his game even further. With an increased importance to the team and more responsibilities, Liel Abada can definitely take on the pressure of stepping up in Jota’s absence.
JAMES MCKENZIE
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.