The Parkhead manager moved to clarify why the Hoops defender was left off of the starting lineup and not on the bench during the close victory over St. Mirren.
The Celtics’ absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers, according to Brendan Rodgers, was a part of his “game plan.”
Last night at Parkhead under the lights, the Scottish champions played St Mirren, and the Hoops defender was noticeably missing from both the starting lineup and the bench. The Buddies took the lead after just seven minutes of play, and veteran stopper Joe Hart had no chance with the headed effort, causing an early setback for the home team.
The league leaders didn’t have to wait long for an answer, as David Turnbull, who had been in from the beginning, quickly levelled the score with a magical curling shot from the edge of the area. He responded to his manager’s pre-match confidence with a scream, as he was known for his attacking abilities and goal threat. The midfielder’s luck might have improved later in the half when a VAR review determined that his effort had struck Alex Gogic’s hand, awarding a penalty. However, the game was still tied at one goal when the former Motherwell player crushed his spot kick off the base of the post.
After Celtic’s goalless draw with Hibs at Easter Road over the weekend, it appeared as though more minutes would pass before Celtic lost ground. However, with seven minutes remaining, a brilliant passing play involving Kyogo Furuhashi and Odin Thiago Holm found Oh Hyeon-gyu free in the area, and he smashed his effort high into the net to complete the turnaround and secure a massive three points to keep the lead at the top to five points following Rangers’ five-star performance at Dundee.
In an interview with BBC Sportsound regarding CCV, Rodgers assuaged any concerns about a knock or injury by stating that everything was according to plan with the USA defender and that it was an opportunity for him to recuperate for the weekend.
“It was the strategy to bring him out,” he stated. He is still addressing some of the problems related to his knee. Since he has played a lot of games in a short amount of time, this is his opportunity to rest and get ready for the weekend and beyond.
When Celtic travels to Dingwall on Saturday lunchtime to play Ross County, they will be back in action. After that, they’ll play their rematch against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League away from home before hosting Aberdeen in Glasgow’s east end for the last game before the November international break.
