Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy threw a curveball with his first team selection.
At home to league leaders Hearts, he started with just three recognised defenders, using Sebastian Tounekti and Hyun-Jun Yang as wing-backs.
Kieran Tierney dropped into a back three made up solely of left footers, alongside Liam Scales and Auston Trusty.
While the set-up showed signs of working during the game, the result didn’t reflect well. Nancy has been criticised for moving away from the back four set-up which had worked under Martin O’Neill.
So will he move away from it for a major Europa League clash with Roma? Ross McCormack thinks that the shape will stay the same, but a key change will be made in terms of personnel.
Predict one Celtic player to impress against Roma
Ross McCormack predicts Wilfried Nancy change for Celtic vs Roma
Celtic dominated the ball in Sunday’s encounter, but were picked off by a Hearts team that ultimately didn’t need to do much to win the game.
Against an energetic Roma side with more quality, the game will certainly play out differently.
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Colby Donovan and Anthony Ralston are surely both in contention for a start – and on Clyde Superscoreboard, McCormack said that he thinks that both will come in.
He explained: “This manager’s been brought to this club because he plays football in a certain style.
“When would be the right time to change it? Because, for talking’s sake, if he does change it and he beats Hearts at the weekend, doesn’t change it, gets a draw in midweek, doesn’t change it, wins the cup final.
“All of a sudden, people are going to go, ‘well, he can’t change his formation now.’ I think it will be the same in midweek, I do.
“I still think he’ll play that 3-4-3, but I think it will be slightly more conservative. I expect to see full-backs in the wide positions.
“I think both [Ralston and Donovan] could end up playing, to be honest with you. Ralston and Donovan.
“If you look at it, for Trusty, when he plays on the right in a back four and he’s coming out with the ball, it’s not really a different position to when he’s playing on the right of a back three and he’s coming out with the ball.
“He’s got similar options on both sides, so it’s not too different. But when I play that formation, I would like to have my two on the left of the three, who would be able to come in and be slightly more comfortable.
“Watching the way Nancy plays at Columbus Crew, sometimes those three end up as wingers, and they’re up the pitch. I think that would be more suited to a Donovan or a Ralston.
Colby Donovan and Anthony Ralston to play for Celtic against Roma?
Donovan’s progressive play has impressed since his first team breakthrough, making him a more obvious option for the wing-back spot.
The bigger question is: would Ralston work as a centre-back? He certainly isn’t the fastest, and would need help covering in behind.
Whilst Ralston’s passing over long distances can be a useful weapon, his ability under pressure is less tested. It would certainly be questioned, if he were to come into a back three.
And lastly, is Tierney a better option at wing-back than in a back-three? He recently said himself that he ‘loves’ his spot in a three, calling that into question too.
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