Cameron Carter-Vickers.

If we can't beat St Johnstone at home without him, we may as well pack it in and call the season early.

 

If there’s any chance of making a slight injury turn into a bigger issue, even if he could play and maybe get through a game, don’t risk it.

The fact US National Team has left him out the squad due to injuries, that points towards if he plays we’re taking the risk on him being able to play maybe but through an injury. It’s a gamble we can’t take, it’s between him being there this weekend to him maybe not being there the rest of our games

 

Surely let him sit it out

 

Without him, Calmac, Hatate, Palma as well I think it’d be mate. We should still cope with that, for a long time we’ve had to get used to coping with two of they guys being unavailable think we could by now.

Him and McGregor missing takes so much more than just how good they are as players out of us, and both are excellent players. They set the tone, organise, control the tempo, bring a calmness and relaxed confidence to those around them. Without either of them, it’s so noticeably lacking leadership. It’s just Hart at that point.

Think that’s part of Forrest coming on for the latter stage against Livi as well, he’s the only other one who can bring that but with him its hit and miss.

 

For me that comes down to pace due to the way we have to squeeze up domestically. For example, Shane Duffy survived OK in the EPL and couldn't cope at Celtic. I don't think Efe could have survived long in the EPL; but he was mostly fine for us domestically. I think that's the problem right now: Neither AJ nor Scales is anything more than average on terms of pace and Nawrocki, Welsh, Lagerbielke, Taylor and Ralston are all very slow.

At times, you can actually watch it ****ing us over: I don't think I've ever missed Starfelt as much as when that Aberdeen player scored against us and Nawrocki, without doing anything majorly wrong, was powerless to jockey him effectively or to get close enough to block the shot due to the sheer mismatch in pace); but IMO it also ****s us over in less visible ways as the team reacts to that danger by playing in a less effective way.

 

Think Scales, Nawrocki and Welsh are ‘ok’ for pace, not noticeably slow. Scales a bit quicker than the other two. Welsh generally positions himself well enough that his pace doesn’t get tested that often, CCV also does that… and then when it does you remember that brickshithouse can shift man.

None are quick off a standing start though, and that’s been the big issue, and why Scales as well has had his slump. They’re not anticipating to have to move, and are trying to catch up guys who have a headstart on them.

 

Probably be himself. Just don’t think we have the luxury of resting players when we don’t have the replacements, missing Calmac and off the back of conceding two to * Livi at home. Had we been 4 pts clear or something course we rest him but think its too late in the day for any of the precautionary stuff. Drop points at the weekend and that’s it over most likely. If him and Calmac both can’t play then then then we will give up a good few chances, nothing surer.

 

Definitely not the player, with his constant injuries we should have a ream of medical data and monitoring him from sports science guys and medical staff. It’s them that usually give the 60 minutes only then subbed sort of calls about players returning.

Player himself will know we’re better when he plays and seen us without, and with the attitude he has he’d say yes play me regardless I think.

We’ve seen that time and time again, mind Lenny saying Efe assured him he was fine to play Juve? He was not. A game that bad it * the rest of his time at us, never recovered from that and hit the heights of the first half of that year.

Players play through soreness and knocks all the time, if you ask most they’ll say aye fine to play if it’s 50/50

 

I agree about Scales. He's not slow; but IMO he's also not fast enough to be "the quick one". The same goes for AJ.

I totally disagree about the rest: for me, Nawrocki, Lagerbielke, Taylor, Ralston and Welsh are all too slow to be first-choice starters at Celtic (which doesn't mean Lagerbielke, Taylor and Nawrocki can't be very good players in a team that plays differently from us).

 

Anyone with real pace seems to constantly get injured though. You need a balance through out.

 

Celtic have Cameron Carter-Vickers available to face St Johnstone tomorrow - but it's one in one out in terms of centre-backs as Liam Scales misses out.

Carter-Vickers sat out last weekend's win over Livingston as a precaution and while it was hoped he would return this week, he was still a doubt. But manager Brendan Rodgers has been pleased with how he has trained and the USA international is available for selection


Cameron Carter-Vickers is fine. He's trained and looks good so that's great, he's available

 

Lagerbielke and Welsh in defence tomorrow.

 

Ccv will come in about 60 mins to sure up the defence. Hopefully for Welsh..

 

Straight in the * bank.

 

Sadly nothing is a given this season. Just hope Rodgers somehow delivers the league title. Huge changes needed next season though.

 

Weird as, playing him, as said if we need him to battle May, then just give the huns the league the now.

Huge risk.

 

Such a good defender. The difference at the back when he plays is night and day.