There has been a lot of change at left-back for Celtic during the past 12 months.
Last season, Greg Taylor was Celtic’s starting left-back, with on-loan player Alex Valle providing competition, and then Jeffrey Schlupp from January onwards.
Not forgetting that Alexandro Bernabei was still on Celtic’s books, but all of that has been turned on its head this season.
Kieran Tierney is the main man, and on-loan Boca Juniors star Marcelo Saracchi is providing the back-up, but it just doesn’t feel right for many, as the Open Goal panel discussed the issues facing Brendan Rodgers.
Kieran Tierney and Greg Taylor at left-back for Celtic
Celtic, overall, aren’t playing well, especially in the midfield, so how much does that have to do with it? Because the left-back spot seems to be a problem.
Dylan McGeouch noted that it ‘sounds mad’, but the dynamic of the champions of Scotland has ‘totally changed’ with Tierney in there compared to Taylor, and not for the good.
Along with Andy Halliday, they explained the issues Celtic are suffering without Taylor, and how it was even noticeable as soon as the second game of the season.
McGeouch: “The problem is Greg Taylor and KT. The fact that they have signed KT. It sounds mad because he’s come from Arsenal, and how good he was before.
“But see that whole dynamic, the Celtic team, has totally changed. Totally changed.”
Halliday: “I said it to you, didn’t I? After watching, I can’t remember, it was the first or the second game. They played Aberdeen, and Kieran Tierney played very well in the game.
“But Celtic’s fullback, like you said, the dynamic was completely different together in that middle of the pitch, and making them wee runs.
“Greg Taylor used to be brilliant at getting the ball, in that wee space here (number six position), and dropping the balls in behind.”
McGeouch: “He (Marcelo Saracchi) did sometimes invert, but it’s not the same. If you are playing against Celtic, with Taylor in there, you are thinking, ‘if he gets half a yard, then he will find a pass.’
“See the other left-back, he plays like a left-back. He doesn’t look like he is going to really, really hurt you with a nice wee pass or something. He loves a shot, by the way.”
Halliday: “Tierney’s pace one-v-one (in Rodgers’ first spell), where he just had that shift out to deliver.”
McGeouch: “They have got Maeda, and they are still expecting him to play that same way, but with Taylor not there, it’s not going to happen.”
Tierney’s Celtic return in numbers
The other issue with Tierney is his fitness, and the fact that Rodgers has to be extra careful with the returning hero because of his past injury problems.
Tierney has 90 minutes under his belt, but it’s probably going to be a while until he starts churning in 90 minutes after 90 minutes.
In truth, that’s probably not the issue, but the fact that Tierney isn’t the same from his first spell, with that power and explosion in his game missing.
- Tierney’s Sofascore rating in the Premiership: 7.18
- Tierney’s Sofascore rating in the Europa League: 6.90
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