Tom Rogic can be a real game-changer for Celtic. The Australian international is capable of altering a game at any moment.
The Celtic star has performed well in recent weeks, following a poor start to the season. Rogic, along with his Celtic teammates, are turning the Hoops into a real force once again.
The Australian was out of Celtic’s squad at the weekend however, after picking up a knee injury whilst on international duty. With the Betfred Cup Final less than 72 hours after Celtic’s away trip to Rosenborg, should Brendan Rodgers risk his creative midfielder in Norway?
Could Rogic influence Rosenborg clash?
Celtic know what to expect from Rosenborg. Rodgers knows that his side will get time and space on the ball. This allows players like Rogic to put their stamp on the game.
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The Australian is never going to be a box to box midfielder. He isn’t able to do that at peak fitness, never mind off the back of an injury. In the game against Leipzig, Celtic needed energy in the middle of the park, due to the way the Germans play.
Against Rosenborg this won’t be the case. Rogic will get time on the ball. He will be able to use his wonderful passing, technique, and vision to exploit the Rosenborg defence.
The 25-year old is a wonderful luxury player. Some of the things he has done with a ball at Parkhead are unbelievable. This is exactly the type of game Rogic’s magic can come to the forefront. Despite this, there are bigger fish to fry for the Hoops.
Rogic should be rested
The Australian won’t be able to give two full performances in such a short time period, so he will have to be on the bench for one of them, and it should be the Europa League tie. Celtic have shown they can cope with the Norwegians, and Rogic has proven how important he can be in big games.
We only have to look to the Scottish Cup Final against Aberdeen to see how important Rogic is in these games. He can win you these significant fixtures. For Celtic’s domestic crusade to continue, they must beat Aberdeen, and Rogic will be key to any success Celtic have.
It would be great if Rogic could play two good 90 minute games in a week. However, he can’t, and the Rosenborg game may have come too soon for the Australian following his recent injury. This leaves Rodgers with a decision to make.