Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has had to deal with his fair share of injury issues since returning to Parkhead last summer.
The Irishman has needed to shuffle his pack across several positions, which has contributed to our struggles in generating lasting momentum over the course of the Scottish Premiership campaign.
Last weekend, news emerged in the lead-up to our eventual defeat at Tynecastle that club captain Callum McGregor had been ruled out with a calf/Achilles injury, which required a scan to determine the severity of the problem.
Rodgers revealed earlier this week that the results came back ‘inconclusive’, citing a need to monitor his situation on a day-by-day basis.
However, he has now been ruled out of participating in Scotland’s upcoming international friendlies against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland.
In his absence, Tomoki Iwata operated in a deeper role behind Paulo Bernardo and Matt O’Riley away to Heart of Midlothian; nevertheless, none of the above set the heather alight during a disappointing day in the capital.
Youngster Daniel Kelly came off the bench in Gorgie as he continued his emergence in the Bhoys’ engine room, and it remains to be seen whether he will gain meaningful opportunities between now and the end of 2023/24.
Odin Thiago Holm is another midfield option that could have a part to play, though he hasn’t featured for Celtic since January, where he scored in our Scottish Cup fourth-round victory over Buckie Thistle [Transfermarkt].
Liam Scales says Celtic man can lead by example in midfield
Undoubtedly, McGregor’s absence is a huge blow at this stage in the campaign, not least due to his ability to drive the side forward.
The 30-year-old also provides invaluable leadership and experience, which can’t be overlooked amid our ongoing hunt for a domestic double.
Nevertheless, Liam Scales believes that McGregor’s midfield counterpart Iwata is someone who ‘leads by example’ and can help to fill the void left by his captain.
The Irishman stated [Cited via The Celtic Way]: “Callum is a brilliant leader, but we have other players in the team who can take the step up and lead us. Tomo is a top player, and although he might not speak as much as Cal, he leads by example on the pitch, so he’s a good step-in, really.”
Tomoki Iwata may be an important player for Celtic during run-in
Unfortunately, Iwata has had to bide his time to break in under Rodgers, and his fitness issues haven’t exactly aided his chances of being granted an extended run as part of the Irishman’s midfield.
Nevertheless, the 26-year-old has now started our last three league matches, with solid performances against Motherwell and Dundee demonstrating he could have a vital role to play during the run-in [Transfermarkt].
Granted, his display at Tynecastle wasn’t one he will be keen to remember, though he was harshly penalised for a handball offence that has created a week of debate in wider Scottish footballing circles.
Moving forward, Iwata finally has an opportunity to establish himself at Parkhead, at least until McGregor returns to contention.
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