Ben Siegrist, Alexandro Bernabei, Maik Nawrocki and James McCarthy are the big names to miss out on Celtic’s Champions League squad with summer signings Marco Tilio and Kwon Hyeuk-kyu also omitted.
Nawrocki will be more concerned about regaining his fitness after injuring a hamstring on his third appearance but it looks like the end of the Celtic road for Bernabei and Siegrist while McCarthy’s future appears to be a mystery.
All three of the players signed in the last week of the transfer window- Luis Palma, Nat Phillips and Paulo Bernardo- are included with today’s UEFA announcement the first sign of how the squad is shaping up under Brendan Rodgers.
Going with two goalkeepers shouldn’t be too much of a risk over six matches while the injury issues in central defence has probably meant that Bernabei misses out with Liam Scales doubling up as a central defender and left-back.
It looks like Rodgers will have to go with Gustaf Lagerbielke, Phillips and Scales for the first two matches, away to Feyenoord then at home to Lazio.
CELTIC SQUAD
Hart, Bain,
Carter-Vickers, Taylor, Welsh, Lagerbielke, Scales, Phillips, Ralston, Johnston,
Iwata, O’Riley, McGregor, Bernardo, Turnbull, Hatate, Holm, Yang,
Palma, Forrest, Johnston, Maeda, Kyogo, Oh, Abada
CLICK HERE for full UEFA list.
Remains interesting to see how Rodgers intends to go with our defensive set up for the CL?
Remain unconvinced that a back 4 is going to be Rodgers preferred option with not strengthening the LB position as such.
I know scales is a potential option, but hasn’t actually done to well for us in the past in the position, and more suitable as LCB of a 3 imo.
Taylor is a very willing and hard working player, yet still lacks the quality required at this level, and form really dropped off this season so far.
AJ, i believe Could also do a role as a RCB if required, if even in the plan’s of Rodgers.
Just think we could well be looking at playing a 352 for our opening game, with potentially meada as a left wing back instead of Taylor?
Only a thought, but think Rodgers has got something up his sleeve that we might not have been expecting
I hope he hasn’t got anything up his sleeve! And I hope we don’t go with a back three against the three teams we are up against!
What we definitely need to do is tighten up the defence, so 442 would be about right!
We leaked goals like a sieve before in the UCL. Better to play like we did against Barcelona
and win our home games, to have any chance to go through!
Here’s a pessimistic thought:
Hart gets injured, so Bain plays in one or more of the CL matches.
The risk of that scenario should simply not be possible,
IF the Board was serious about having any European ambitions, IMO ? 🙁
We might need to do what we sometimes moan about SPFL teams doing to us and ‘Park the bus’ –
Possibly pick up a point or two that way…
And McCarthy whose not included – What a bloody waste of cash and wages he’s been !