Nobody is going to deny that Celtic were put in a spot of bother in January.
At the start of the month, Celtic are preparing to bring new players in with Wilfried Nancy in the dugout and Paul Tisdale upstairs.
But the underperforming Celtic duo were booted out, and it meant that the champions of Scotland needed to change how they approached things for the rest of the winter transfer window.
However, since October, Celtic have known they have needed a right-sided centre-back following Cameron Carter-Vickers’ long-term injury.
Yet, how the club went about dealing with their centre-back position in January left the Open Goal panel baffled.
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Will Stephen Welsh ever play for Celtic again?
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Celtic’s Stephen Welsh and Benjamin Arthur call
At first, Celtic recalled Stephen Welsh from Motherwell, as the likes of James McFadden and Si Ferry questioned his situation under Martin O’Neill.
The duo, alongside Gordon Dalziel, questioned why Welsh was recalled, then sent back to Fir Park on transfer deadline day, only for Celtic to sign youngster Benjamin Arthur from Brentford, as they stated on Open Goal.
Si Ferry: “The one that baffled me, to be honest, was the Brentford defender (Benjamin Arthur) who’s played three games.
“You have Stephen Welsh, who you know, and he does well in this league. He has done well for you previously. You put him at Motherwell, and bring in someone who has played three games.”
McFadden: “Even the boy from Manchester City. Simpson-Pusey.”
Ferry: “I know, he is playing in the Bundesliga now.”
McFadden: “That is a strange one. But obviously it’s one where we need to get a centre-back in.”
Gordon Dalziel: “But keep Welsh.”
McFadden: “Welsh is fine where he is (at Motherwell).”
Dalziel: “I know for Motherwell, brilliant. Unless this guy is really exceptional.”
Does Benjamin Arthur have enough quality to make an impact for Celtic?
Welsh to play for Scotland at the World Cup?
Makes no bones about it, Welsh has been outstanding for Motherwell, and he is better off going back than sitting on Celtic’s bench.
That’s because Welsh would have been fourth choice under O’Neill, yet by starting at Motherwell week in and week out, the Open Goal panel feel he has a chance of making Scotland’s World Cup squad this summer.
McFadden: “You don’t know what’s happened. If you are Welsh, and they turn around and say, ‘By the way, you are fourth choice. We might need you. Or do you want to go and play?’ And he has been outstanding for Motherwell.
“Can he force his way into a World Cup squad. He isn’t going to force his way into a World Cup squad sitting on the bench.”
Dalziel: “Celtic are in charge of that situation, not Welsh.”
McFadden: “If they wanted to keep him, they would have kept him.”
Dalziel: “They obviously think the boy from Brentford is a better option than Welsh – I think it’s a great move for Welsh and Motherwell because he has been different class there.”
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