Chris Sutton believes that Celtic will be severely stretched over the coming matches.
Just when Ange Postecoglou was hoping to get some players back from injury he has found his attacking options further reduced with Mikey Johnston and Giorgos Giakoumakis missing Thursday’s win over Raith Rovers.
It seems like a never ending run of bad news with players picking up injuries in training and during the warm up for matches that they are selected for.
Before the October international break Celtic face Dundee United, Bayer Leverkusen and Aberdeen with full points essential from the two domestic matches.
Picking up on his post-match interview about with Premier Sports, discussing the injury to Giakoumakis The Sun reports Sutton saying:
It is a massive, massive blow. Celtic have got enough injuries. They signed a goalscorer. Odsonne Edouard has gone down south now and Celtic are struggling for players.
You need players on the Celtic bench who can come on and make an impact. It is just not there. It is going to be a tough couple of weeks for Celtic. They are severely stretched
Postecoglou has little option other than to select whoever is available, only in defence does he have any big choices to make.
Kyogo Furuhashi could be back before the international break but it is looking increasingly unlikely that Callum McGregor or James Forrest will be involved.
What is it about us, our training, conditioning and preparation of players that is leading to so many injuries. An in house analysis has to be undertaken quickly by our newly employed sports scientist and support staff to reduce this concern. If we can’t have a squad available for selection then we’re gonna struggle to challenge.
We need to start getting on a run of consistency soon, we can’t keep leaking points and are only fortunate that the other clubs have leaked points also so somehow we’re still in there. We just about have the squad to challenge and with a couple of gems from the East in January then we’re there but only if they’re fit. I live in hope HH
We just need to get on with players who are fit enough to play at present the injured players will be back when they are ready to play ange on the other hand can look at players now who might have been down the pecking order to see if the are up to it for to get into the first team. I see the media back trying to sell the bigot players we will get this now till jan 22.