Celtic’s performance in the 2-0 Europa League loss to Valencia was very poor. The Hoops just didn’t get going in the game at all and failed to create any chances of note.
Perhaps the only silver lining fans can take from the game was the performance of Scott Sinclair. The winger turned in his best performance in Europe for some time.
Sinclair worked very hard for the Hoops, creating the few chances the team had in the first-half. That makes the decision by Brendan Rodgers to replace him with Timothy Weah in the 59th minute all the more confusing.
Ok, the Hoops were two-nil down at that stage, but surely you keep your best players on the park? It wasn’t a surprise that any faint hope the Hoops had in the game ended with that change.
That is no slight on Weah.
He is a more than decent player, but Sinclair should have been kept on.
Sinclair’s performance did at least continue his run of good form.
He is going to be a huge player for the Hoops going forward in the battle to retain the Scottish Premiership title. That all begins with a trip to Rugby Park on Sunday to play Kilmarnock.
The Hoops will need to be at their very best to get the three points, and Sinclair will be key to that.
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