Scott Bain has done enough in his last two performances to be named Celtic’s number one for the time being.
Brendan Rodgers must make the switch a permanent one, so the Celtic defence can become settled in front of their goalkeeper.
Bain’s incredible quintuple save against Airdrie showed off his shot-stopping qualities, however it’s another aspect of his game that has him ahead of Craig Gordon.
His willingness to join in when the defence has possession and calmly play passes out from the back is the mark of a confident goalkeeper.
Since making his debut at Ibrox last March, Bain has hardly put a foot wrong in between the sticks.
He was Celtic’s goalkeeper for the Betfred Cup triumph this year, and only conceded one goal in the competition.
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The battle to be Celtic’s number one is fierce between the two Scottish internationalists. However, due to Celtic’s style of play, Bain should trump Gordon in this instance.
Gordon may be a better shot-stopper, but Saturday proved Bain isn’t bad at keeping the ball out of the net either.
Bain has a massive advantage over Gordon when it comes to playing out from the back. Gordon looks nervy, and that carries into the rest of the team.
The defence never really looks at ease when Gordon has the ball at his feet. His kicking often leads to Celtic being under pressure.
Against Airdrie and St Mirren, Bain showed he can join in when the team are in possession. Not only that, but he has shown he wants to be part of the play.
Gordon usually stays within his own penalty box. This means when the ball is cleared by the opposition, Celtic are slow to get the ball back up field.
Bain has shown he can come out of his area and calmly play the ball out from the back. Numerous times against St Mirren, Bain was seen 30-40 yards from goal keeping the play moving.
He isn’t afraid to take a touch on the ball either, before distributing it away. He just looks so much more confident than his counterpart.
Bain’s gain
If Bain was to continue between the sticks for Celtic, it would breed confidence into the entire defence. Continuity is key when challenging for trebles.
Gordon has been a tremendous goalkeeper for Celtic, however the time has come for Bain to take his jersey for the time being.
In Scotland at least, the last two games proved that if Celtic’s defence is settled, the keeper won’t have to do too much.
Bain could be Celtic’s sweeper keeper for the next 10 years.