MAN OF SQUAD
Last July Celtic manager didn’t have a team... now he’s got two
CELTIC ....... 2 NORWICH ....... 0
GIORGOS GIAKOUMAKIS leading the line flanked by wide-attacking duo Liel Abada and James Forrest.
Behind those three a midfield of in-form David Turnbull, new signing Aaron Mooy with either James McCarthy or Yosuke Ideguchi anchoring. In the centre of defence, Moritz Jenz and Christopher Jullien.
Scotland international Anthony Ralston at rightback. Argentine £3.75million capture Alexandro Bernabei on the other side with Benjamin Siegrist in goal.
Ange Postecoglou could send that side out most weekends in the Premiership and fancy his chances of getting a result. The fact the whole lot of them started the weekend clash against Norwich on the subs bench was perhaps the biggest take-out from the 2-0 win over the Championship side. By full-time those 10 were on the park but the fact they, along with injured Carl Starfelt, were on the sidelines serves notice of the depth and power assembled ahead of the big kick-off.
This time last year, the boss barely had enough topteam performers to get one strong team on to the pitch.
Now he’s got the prospect of two and he may not yet be finished in the summer market. Postecoglou knows that with 60 matches ahead, it’s a squad game and everyone will get a chance.
Nonetheless, managers have been known to use a final warm-up game to give a starting line-up for the first competitive outing a trial run. If that were the case he’ll start against Aberdeen with a front three of Jota, Kyogo and Daizen Maeda.
In the middle it’ll be Reo Hatate, superb again, and Matt O’Riley ahead of Callum McGregor in midfield, Greg Taylor and Stephen Welsh in the backline alongside Josip Juranovic and Cameron Carter-Vickers with Joe Hart in goal against Jim Goodwin’s Reds.
Jenz and Mooy received sub debuts as a successful seal was put on Celtic’s preseason schedule with goals either side of the interval from Maeda and Turnbull enough to see off the English Championship side.
The Japanese produced a delightful flick to net Juranovic’s centre and Turnbull’s quick feet and drilled finish sealed the deal.
That made it six games undefeated with 20 goals and 13 different scorers.
With confidence high, experience of winning in the bank and the prospect of having two proper operators for each position, Postecoglou and his team look in excellent shape to get down to the serious business.
CELTIC : Hart, Juranovic (Ralston 57), Carter-Vickers (Jullien 82), Welsh ( Jenz 57), Taylor (Bernabei 57), McGregor (McCarthy 82), Hatate (Mooy 76), O’Riley (Turnbull 57), Jota (Forrest 57), Kyogo (Giakoumakis 57), Maeda (Abada 57).