Davie Provan has provided yet another hugely unfair take on Celtic defender Carl Starfelt as he incredibly refused to give him any credit for the club’s defensive record.
Former Hoops striker Provan has had it in for the Swedish defender all season. Stretching all the way back October, it’s been constant. He even bizarrely questioned back in October whether Ange Postecoglou even signed him for some reason.
The big Swede has answered his critics in fine style. He’s been dominant at the heart of the Hoops backline as part of the best defence in Scotland. In addition to that, he’s won his spot back in the Sweden squad for their World Cup qualifying campaign this month.
Yet on the back of yet another powerful performance and clean sheet at Tannadice, Provan has hit out with his biggest insult on Starfelt yet. Incredibly, he stated on Go Radio’s Football Show tonight [16/03, 18:10] that the Celtic backline have the best record in the league “despite” Starfelt. Here’s a look at the full remarks below:
“He’s right-footed, he’s playing on the left side, and anything that’s knocked up on his outside I think he struggles. For me he doesn’t judge the flight of the ball well. He gets underneath the ball at times. I don’t think he’s good enough with the ball at his feet for the way Celtic want to play with the 2 centre-backs taking it in their own 18-yard box.
“I’m beginning to sound like a broken record here. People say to me ‘aw you’re always criticising Starfelt. Celtic have got the best defensive record in the league’. Celtic have got the best defensive record in the league despite Carl Starfelt. And if that’s hard on the boy then I’m sorry. I’ve given an early opinion on him and there’s nothing I’ve seen in the player that is going to make me change my mind.
“I don’t think he’s a Celtic player and I think, going forward, Celtic need to address that left-sided position.”
Carl Starfelt will never win Davie Provan over – latest rant is totally nonsensical
This is getting absolutely ridiculous. What does Starfelt honestly need to do to get a bit of praise out of Provan? He’s been part of a defence that’s bossed it against Rangers, Hibernian, Aberdeen, Hearts.- any team in Scotland you care to mention.
Let’s also not forget that Carl has been part of a backline that managed 3 victories in the Europa League group stages. That’s more than the Govan Globetrotters across the city managed. And Starfelt was a big part of those performances too.
How on earth can you plausibly say that Celtic have the best defence in the country in spite of one of their main centre-backs? You can’t defend with one competent centre-back and another who can’t do all of the things Provan accuses Starfelt of.
This just comes across as a pundit who is far too stubborn to just admit he was wrong. Sure he can have an opinion, but this is just becoming constant. There isn’t any attempt in Provan’s remarks to give Starfelt praise for anything. Despite the fact he’s a new centre-back making a big step-up in his career in a new country.
No, we won’t say that he’s the perfect centre-back. There are still elements of Carl’s game that need to improve. He’s still a touch awkward with certain passes he tries to make from the back. He could also do with being more threatening in the final third when it comes to set-pieces.
But, again, he’s part of the best defence in Scotland. He has a winner’s medal to his name already and sits top of the Premiership. A bit of credit from Provan is long overdue. Instead, he decides to ramp up the unfair criticism.
In other news, Daizen Maeda explains why he didn’t join Celtic in the summer
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