GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 05: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and St Mirren at Celtic Park, on January 05, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers wasn’t offering any excuses to Auston Trusty for his part in Dundee’s third goal against Celtic in the 3-3 draw at Dens Park.
Waiting for a corner the hoops defender had his foot stamped on, Don Robertson felt that a word of warning was enough, when the ball was delivered into the six yard box Trusty was out-muscled with Aaron Donnelly heading in at the back post from inside the six yard box.
Rodgers will often go out of his way to defend his players but now and then he’ll hang them out to dry with no excuses offered up Trusty’s part in Dundee’s third goal.
4 minutes 35 seconds
You’ve got to deal with that better. You’ve got to stay on your feet, it’s as simple as that. You’re 6ft 4in, you have to deal with that better, but he knows, he understands that. Across certain areas we went a bit soft.
Trusty came into the side when Cameron Carter-Vickers was injured early in the season, when the former Spurs man returned to fitness it was Liam Scales that made way with Trusty appearing in five consecutive Champions League matches.
His run in the team ended at half-time in the League Cup Final at Hampden, Scales came in and kept his place until the 3-0 defeat at Ibrox.
Now after conceding three goals for the third time in a month Rodgers has a headache in that area of the park a week before facing YB Bern in a crucial Champions League tie.
Worryingly Carter-Vickers hasn’t quite been himself in recent weeks, perhaps with the toll of playing 90 plus minutes in seven matches since December 26.
What historically used to be a strong point, has for the best part of a decade been so weak, the back line.
Yes we’ve had the odd player who has stood out, but as a unit it just hasn’t worked at all.
Love CCV but he turns like a lorry and looks as tho he’s pulling it when he runs.
Trusty goes from exciting prospect to liability game to game, Scales is capable but more often than not doesn’t show it.
But at the end of the day, the defence has been rocky for such a time now it can’t just be players, it has to be coaching.
Dundee’s pace on the break showed what’s gonna happen if we do progress in CL.
Its not apathy or complacency…its the coaching thats lacking.
Cracking comment, absolutely agree. I’d add that Liam Scales is a bombscare in the box yet he can play well if not consistently so.
Carter Vickers must be sick fed up carrying his central defensive partners game after game. Trusty was a bomb scare the whole game and Scales offers no comfort as an alternative. Welsh has departed on loan as a last chance for him to step up his game and I’m probably closer to a start than whatever else is lurking in the squad. I’d like to see Kenny given some meaningful game time also as Idah looks well off the levels required.
He sure as Hell Wasn’t TRUSTY last night…
And neither were a helluva lot of the others either !