Anthony Ralston has been getting a tremendous amount of stick at Celtic this season. Some of it is warranted, some of it is just downright vindictive.
The Celtic fullback has been standing in for the injured Alistair Johnston as Ralston has been called upon by Wilfried Nancy to fill in a hole in a defensive formation that is completely alien to him.
Have Ralston’s performances for Celtic been consistently great? Absolutely not. Does the fullback give everything for the Celtic jersey when called upon? 100%.
What an insane start to the game
The Celtic defender was heavily criticised in the win against Livingston but there are elements of Ralston’s performance that clamps those who just point the finger consistently at the Hoops star regardless of what he does.
Anthony Ralston’s defensive stats vs Livingston prove some criticism is unnecessary
Ralston is clearly not the first-choice Celtic fullback at the club but as long as Alistair Johnston is out injured, the Scotland defender is the man Wilfried Nancy trusts.
Whilst his performance against Livingston was not the best fans have seen, there were elements of Ralston’s game that need to be highlighted to provide balance to the harsh criticism he has been receiving of late.
Here is how the Hoops defender performed according to Fotmob:
- Rating: 7.0
- Defensive contributions: 12
- Blocks: 1
- Clearances: 7
- Ball recoveries: 6
- Tackles: 3
- Ground Duels won: 6/8 (75%)
- Aerial duels won: 2/5 (40%)
Out of all the Celtic players, Ralston won the most the duels proving that despite his obvious error leading to one of Livingston’s goals, he still contributes massively to the teams defence.
If we are going to judge players on mistakes leading to goals, let’s not forget Kieran Tierney’s for Livingston’s opener.
Brendan Rodgers’ verdict on Celtic defender Ralston
Departed Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was a huge fan of Ralston when he delivered his verdict on the underfire fullback.
Speaking to Celtic TV when Alistair Johnston’s injury was confirmed, he said: “Having someone of that quality out is always a blow.
“But it’s allowed us to give opportunities to young Colby Donovan, who’s done very, very well, and to Anthony Ralston, who’s always a reliable and capable player for the club.
What’s your thoughts on Anthony Ralston, Celts? Let us know in the comments below
“There’s no doubt Alistair has been a pivotal part of the team for a number of years. The power and balance he brings, both offensively and defensively, are very important for us. It’s great to see him back on the pitch and showing that strength again in training.”
Now, for context, do we believe that Ralston is the defender who should be starting for Celtic each and every week? Of course not.
As a back-up option, he is perfect but it is important that while people recognise his faults, it is only fair to also highlight the positive aspects of what Ralston brings to Celtic.
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