da esport bet： Club football returns this weekend, much to the relief of everyone, not least fans of football in Scotland. After a disastrous international break for the country, it’s time to focus on the positives again and for Celtic supporters there are plenty.
da supremo： Still undefeated in domestic football since Brendan Rodgers arrived at the club, the Hoops host Dundee at Celtic Park on Saturday hoping to strengthen their position at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
Looming ahead next week are Bayern Munich, but it’s vital that Celtic focus on their bread and butter first, with Dundee often running them close with battling, physical performances.
The Hoops aren’t helped by injuries to Scott Brown and Stuart Armstrong who had to drop out of the Scotland squad during the break. Both have returned to training but Brendan Rodgers confirmed they are not in contention to play Dundee. Neither is Tom Rogic, who was halfway round the world this week on duty with Australia.
That means there are critical midfield decisions to be made ahead of the weekend and these are the THREE players we think should take up the central positions in the middle of the park…
Play Patrick Roberts behind the striker
Patrick Roberts has made his name at Celtic playing on the right wing but he can be just as devastating playing through the middle, roaming from flank to flank behind the striker.
The Manchester City youngster has actually found it difficult to displace James Forrest in the starting line-up on his return to the club, but a classy performance and goal against Anderlecht should give him the confidence to push on and become a regular once again.
Playing both Forrest and Roberts on Saturday though could be a fine option, with the Scotland international’s pace giving width to the side and the vision of Roberts creating all sorts of chances, using his ability to find space between the midfield and defensive line.
With one goal and three assists in six matches, the Englishman is already making an impact this season, but the Dundee match is the perfect opportunity to take his contribution to the next level. With Tom Rogic out of the side, Celtic will need him at his best.
Give Callum McGregor another chance to shine
Callum McGregor was in blistering form for Celtic before the international break, running the show against Hibernian and finally convincing now departed Scotland manager to call him up to his international squad.
He should be one of the first picks on the team sheet for Saturday’s match. His direct running, finishing ability and desire to get into the final third is the best facsimile for Stuart Armstrong in the Celtic squad and on his day he can be every bit as effective as his teammate.
He’s already scored six goals and provided three assists this season, despite not starting games as regularly as some in the Celtic side. Against Dundee he could be extra motivated to put in a performance in an effort to convince Brendan Rodgers that he deserves to start in the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich next Wednesday.
Give Olivier Ntcham defensive responsibility
Olivier Ntcham has had an up and down start to his Celtic career. For every accomplished, confident performance there has been one that’s been less than convincing, with the young Frenchman sometimes looking a bit casual on and off the ball. However, the potential is there for him to be a mainstay in Brendan Rodgers’ side.
With the absence of Scott Brown on Saturday, the opportunity is there for the 21-year-old to take responsibility and assert himself on the match in an effort dominate the midfield. We’ve seen plenty of his creative vision and passing range in his time at Celtic so far, but we’ve not really seen him provide the kind of defensive performance that Brown has provided the Hoops for years now.
Callum McGregor should be given the freedom to break from the central positions and Rodgers should deploy Ntcham in a deeper role in front of the defence to see if he’s up to doing that job for the Hoops. Can he be the midfield all rounder that can be relied upon in the absence of the Celtic captain?