Brendan Rodgers has not got many decisions wrong when it comes to his tactics as Celtic manager.
The Irishman has been near-perfect in his time at Celtic Park with his trophy haul showing exactly that.
Yet every now and then there comes a moment, a split-second decision from either an individual player or as a collective that poses a question about what Rodgers has called for inside the corridors at Lennoxtown.
One such moment came against Hibs last weekend where Celtic fell to a 2-1 defeat at Easter Road.
It was an unexpected loss which came after the shattering Bayern Munich clash in the Allianz Arena – which might explain the sluggishness of the squad in Leith.
But for the Hibs opener within the first two minutes, defender Auston Trusty found himself haring down the pitch to challenge Kieron Bowie at the halfway line before taking another few steps inside the Hibs half.
And that spelled disaster as the home side broke at pace with the American unable to make the ground up before Josh Campbell netted.
Jackie McNamara questioned Auston Trusty’s Celtic defending
For Jackie McNamara speaking on Open Goal’s podcast, he questioned Trusty’s decision to make that unnecessary movement. He pointed towards Liam Scales being caught out in a somewhat similar spot against Aston Villa and also being punished by Morgan Rogers.
And when the suggestion was made by Si Ferry that it might be a Rodgers tactic, McNamara wasn’t sure why the manager would want that happening.
“I don’t think Trusty has to go there…” McNamara said, before Ferry asked: “Is that an instruction that’s come from the manager?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Jackie added. “But it was the same when they lost one of the goals against Aston Villa. Scales was away, there’s no danger, you’re protecting the goals.
“Leaving the space there, just pass him on and shout to one of the midfield players and close rank because you’ve created the space for them to go in, boom, goal. Aston Villa was the same.”
Again Ferry asked: “The fact that Scales did it that game, then Trusty, it must be an instruction from the manager?”
And McNamara concluded: “Maybe. I’m surprised that you would want your centre-back to go that far.
“He wasn’t like just over the halfway line, he was 20 or 30 yards away out of it. Hibs won the ball and they’re chasing it.”
Auston Trusty Celtic stats
It was a moment of madness from Trusty at the back in the capital.
The former Sheffield United star was miles away from the attackers who would create the goal and it was a confusing point as to why he would be so far forward.
Perhaps he did not expect Hibs to be as sharp as they were in the opening minutes of the action.
| 2024/5 so far |
| Matches played: 32 |
| Goals scored: 1 |
| Goals conceded: 35 |
| Clean sheets: 14 |
Trusty has had his ups and downs this campaign so far with Rodgers criticising the defender after a 3-3 draw at Dundee.
He was accused of schoolboy defending that evening.
However his stats have been solid enough as he continues to establish himself as a starting Celtic centre-half.
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