Put aside Celtic’s recent defeat to Dundee, and Liam Scales is probably one of the very few players who can hold his head up high this season.
Scales certainly divides opinion at Celtic, even after the positive start he made to this pretty poor campaign for Brendan Rodgers as a whole.
Yes, the Republic of Ireland international isn’t the ball-carrying centre-back that critics want him to be.
But, as Chris Sutton touched upon, when it comes to out-and-out defending, there is nobody better in the famous green and white colours.
Not forgetting that there have been big changes on the left side of fullback, with Kris Boyd weighing in on how Celtic have made a mistake with Greg Taylor.
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Liam Scales and Greg Taylor at Celtic
To put it simply, Sutton thinks Scales has been Celtic’s ‘best player this season’, and remember, these comments were made before the abject showing at Dundee.
Speaking to Sky Sports Football (19/10/25), Boyd agreed with the fellow pundit, including how he has shown versatility by also playing at left-back.
That’s when Boyd threw in the grenade, which he thinks was ‘wrong’ for Taylor to leave in the summer, as he opted to join PAOK on a free transfer when his contract at Parkhead expired.
“He has been Celtic’s best player this season,” said Sutton about Scales. “The last couple of games, they have conceded a few goals.
“But defensively is where Celtic have been at their strongest, and he has been a big part of that. You mention the fullbacks, not quite being right. Whether it’s been Tierney or Ralston.
“But Liam Scales has been outstanding when balls go into the box. Celtic, I think, a fair part of the team lacks that aggression and ability to head the ball. He’s ahead on a stick.
“At times, he gets criticism because he’s slightly careless with his passing, with the way Celtic play, he will have a lot of the ball, and so will Carter-Vickers.”
Boyd: “Is he your Player of the Year so far?”
Sutton: “Player of the Year so far, but we are only in October. A while to go.”
Boyd: “It’s a good trait to have, that versatility. I don’t think he has let Celtic down when he has gone to left-back as well. Getting rid of Greg Taylor, for me, was the wrong one.
“Scales has been asked to go in and step in there. He’s comfortable, and he’s old school. In terms of, he will just defend.”
Scales’ stats for Celtic this season
You could argue that Scales has outperformed Cameron Carter-Vickers at the back, and that’s some going given the American has been Celtic’s best defender in recent years.
Either way, Auston Trusty’s injury during the opening weeks of the campaign seems to have done Scales the world of good because it has allowed him to consistently play.
That’s resulted in, for the most part, the Irishman putting in pretty solid defensive displays.
- Scales’ WhoScored Premiership ratings: 7.42
- Games: 8
- Goals conceded: 5
- Clean Sheets: 5
- Scales’ WhoScored Europa League ratings: 6.54
- Games: 2
- Goals conceded: 3
- Clean Sheets: 0
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