Celtic have seen a lot of chopping and changing when it comes to the starting eleven this season, some forced and some the result of Brendan Rodgers not quite knowing his best eleven.
The Hoops’ recent performance fluctuations have not only drawn attention but also concern from fans and pundits alike. Among them, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has voiced a critical observation that encapsulates the current predicament facing Rodgers and his squad.
Sutton pointed out that Rodgers appears to be grappling with uncertainty regarding his best lineup. This was evident in the recent lineup changes for the crucial clash against Motherwell. Notably, Nicolas Kuhn was brought in to replace Luis Palma on the wing, while Tomoki Iwata was slotted into midfield, leading to a shift away from the dual-striker setup that featured Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah.
“The bottom line is Brendan Rodgers isn’t certain of what his best eleven is just now,” Sutton stated live on Sky Sports.
“That’s with the formation as well. Kyogo goes up as the central striker today, which is where he should be playing, not off Adam Idah, albeit that’s an option.
“We’re told that Kuhn, when he signed, was going to be great quality but he hasn’t shown it, but he hasn’t had too many minutes. He has an opportunity. The service from wide areas hasn’t been there from Celtic’s wingers in recent times.
“Iwata will come into that holding role and McGregor and O’Riley will play higher up.”
It will be interesting to see how the team performs today, especially those coming into the side. Fans have been crying out for Iwata to get more game time, with midfield often overrun. Hopefully, he can solve some of the problems.
