What is Celtic’s Strongest XI? The Best Lineup to Face Motherwell
Celtic return to domestic action this weekend with a trip to Fir Park to face Motherwell. The Steelmen proved a tough opponent last year, with the Hoops needing two stoppage-time winners in three of their victories.
However, this Motherwell side is considerably weaker than the outfit that shocked Scottish football last season. Having lost their entire midfield of Elijah Just, Elliot Watt, and Callum Slattery, plus former manager Jens Berthel Askou, they have found it difficult to reach the same heights.
Having said that, there have still been some glimpses of that Askou-like quality, particularly on the European stage, and they do have some genuinely dangerous players in attack, such as Regan Charles-Cook, Tawanda Maswanhise, and Ibrahim Said. That is to say, Sunday lunchtime will still prove to be a really tough game for Celtic.
Anyhow, the international break came at a good time for Martin O’Neill’s men. After two derby-day defeats and a dismal showing against Ferencvaros sandwiched in between, it all felt like it was beginning to unravel for the Bhoys. So much so, that the Northern Irishman questioned whether he was truly the right man for the job, saying:
“I genuinely will reflect and see. It’s a matter of whether I can help the team. The manager is supposed to be able to do that. I will look at that this week.”
Two weeks later, he remains in the Parkhead dugout. It’s a bit of a crazy scenario to be in, with a manager who has publicly questioned his own ability to manage the team staying put. If O'Neill doesn’t truly believe in his own ability, how can the players? Anyhow, nothing surprises you in the Celtic soap opera right now, and we move on to Sunday.
The question is, though, what is the best eleven that Celtic could play?
In the final game before the international break, O'Neill played a 3-4-2-1. It’s the first time that he has started with a back three since returning to the club, and it was done largely as a reaction to the 3-0 drubbing his side suffered at Ibrox. Yet, as it proved, a formation change doesn’t solve all the issues when the same underlying balance problems remain.
So, how do Celtic line up going forward? Does O'Neill stick with the 3-4-2-1 or revert to the classic 4-3-3?
In terms of what suits the Champions the best, I would tend to revert to the 4-3-3. I genuinely believe Celtic’s issues haven’t been due to the system; it’s been poor recruitment, dismal game management, and a lack of individual responsibility.
GOALKEEPER
Vilijami Sinisalo is clearly the best goalkeeper at the club right now. While he is far from perfect and would be a backup option in a top Celtic team, Sam Johnstone’s performance at Ibrox was enough to thwart any hopes he had of taking the jersey from the Finn.
DEFENCE
In defence, Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Kieran Tierney would all be nailed-on starters. However, Johnston remains sidelined with another hamstring injury, so Colby Donovan will take his place.
The 20-year-old has shown real attacking intent since breaking into the side. His passing, running power, and crossing are all good attributes, although he does need to work on his positional play from a defensive point of view. Nevertheless, he remains a far better option than Anthony Ralston on the right side of defence.
So, who pairs Carter-Vickers? At times it felt as though he was doing all three centre-backs’ jobs last Sunday, stopping two certain goals and being the most positive in possession.
The three options are Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, and Dane Murray. All have their faults and relative strengths. Trusty has pace and is left-sided, which makes him the most natural man to partner his fellow American. However, his tackling can be rash at times, and he always has a shaky moment in him. The same can be said of Scales, who is usually reliable defending the box, but you only have to look back to the Ferencvaros game to see how prone he is to a blunder. Unlike Trusty, he isn’t particularly quick, but he is considerably better at long-range passing. Then, there is Murray. Clearly the most natural defender of all, he is a precise and confident passer, excellent in the air, and strong in duels. Do you recognise the pattern yet, though? Of course, he is also prone to errors - and high-profile ones at that.
Part of me would generally like to see Murray being thrown in for a run of games to see what he is really made of. However, with Trusty’s left-footed nature and genuine pace, he makes the most sense to partner Carter-Vickers.
MIDFIELD
In midfield, the major change I’d make is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Callum McGregor. The captain has struggled all season, continually weakening Celtic off the ball due to a lack of game intelligence and an inability to tackle. In possession, he also seems to have lost his confidence. Yes, he has always been cautious, but in this campaign, and in particular the week before the break, even by his standards, he seems to have retreated into his shell.
In contrast, Oxlade-Chamberlain provides a more physical presence and is much more progressive in his passing. Naturally, Mika Baur, the one shining light in this midfield, should join him with Benjamin Nygren in front. The Swede had really struggled against Rangers, but with Oxlade-Chamberlain in the holding role making Celtic a more solid outfit, it would free Nygren to get into more aggressive positions high up the park. When he finds those positions, more often than not he will find the back of the net, and for a team where goals are currently hard to come by, that is priceless.
FORWARDS
That leads to the front three. One thing is for certain: Yang must play. The South Korean featured on the bench in the Asian Games final, which is a promising sign that he should be back for this weekend. And how Celtic have missed him. How Kieran Tierney has missed him. Since his absence, the Scottish fullback has looked exposed and has been left in one-on-one situations that he hasn’t been able to defend.
On the right flank for now, it should be Haissem Hassan. The Egyptian has yet to score since joining Celtic (although he was wrongly ruled out against St Johnstone) but has been a largely positive influence, with his direct play proving refreshing. In the case where he isn't fit enough to start at the weekend, James Forrest should take his place.
In terms of the starting striker, Camilo Duran must start. Yes, Kasper Høgh is the big-money signing, but that doesn’t mean Celtic should try to bend over backwards to include him in the eleven. Simply put, you put your best eleven on the park, no matter their price tag.
So for Sunday, that would leave you with a team looking like this:
Vilijami Sinisalo
Colby Donovan
Cameron Carter-Vickers
Auston Trusty
Kieran Tierney
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Mika Baur
Benjamin Nygren
Haissem Hassan
Camilo Duran
Yang
Despite all the justified negativity that surrounds Celtic right now, they are still top of the table by 2 points. Rangers and Hearts are the chasers; the Celtic squad need to remember that. Both sides will drop points throughout the season, so it’s up to O'Neill and his men to change the momentum and remind people why they are the five-in-a-row champions. That starts at Fir Park this afternoon in a massive clash.
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