One of the less talked-about Celtic transfers in January was Benjamin Arthur.
A lot of the headlines were aimed at the forward players Celtic were signing, but the club also concluded a double deal at the back.
Stephen Welsh returned to Motherwell for the rest of the season, and Celtic signed Benjamin Arthur from Brentford on a loan deal.
The 20-year-old’s arrival has resulted in Frank McAvennie making his feelings clear to the powers that be at Celtic, and that’s the fact that he wants Arthur to start games as soon as possible.
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You suspect that Arthur is going to be Celtic’s fourth-choice centre-back behind Liam Scales, Auston Trusty and Dane Murray.
That’s because Welsh was in that position before he left, and Arthur has effectively replaced the Scotland hopeful.
Either way, speaking on his Let Me Be Frank Podcast, McAvennie was pretty clear in his thoughts, as he stated, ‘before everyone starts screaming’, he wants Arthur to start matches because ‘the boys aren’t good enough at the back.’
“My opinion, and it’s only my opinion before everyone starts screaming, we need this boy from Brentford to come into the team because the boys aren’t good enough at the back,” said McAvennie.
“I’ll tell you why. People will say, ‘He has done great. Oh, he’s done great.’ The chances that are getting created against Celtic, I have never seen so many.
“Now, the keeper saves them. The keeper saves them. And because we win, it’s another clean sheet. But it’s the chances. A good striker would have buried a few of them, and we are getting dominated by teams now.
“I don’t care how old he is (Arthur). He’s 6ft 3 or 6ft 4. Get him in the team. If he is playing for a Premiership club, get him in the team.
“We brought van Dijk up. Nobody knew who he was. Straight in the team, and was a colossus.”
Liam Scales ‘has to learn’ at Celtic, says McAvennie
Liam Scales divides opinion at Celtic, and it seems as though McAvennie is one of his critics.
Many feel Scales has been Celtic’s best player this season, but it’s fair to say that McAvennie sees everything differently.
The former Hoops and West Ham United star explained what irritates him about Scales’ game, as he simply isn’t learning from it.
“I keep seeing him, and I keep talking about it,” said McAvennie. “I am not saying he isn’t a good player. But why are you chasing a centre-forward into their half?
“And then one-twos. Then all of a sudden, you are screaming to get back. The midfield players have run over the top. You are in their half.
“Now, how many times have you seen that with Scales? It happens, but you have to learn from it. He’s not learning. That’s my problem with Liam Scales. I think he could be a good player. He has to learn from it. How many chances have come off Liam? And people missed them.”
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