It’s not time for messing about now. Brendan Rodgers needs to get tough after Celtic’s loss to Kilmarnock and drop three players from the first team immediately.
For too long there are players in the Celtic team who have not produced and whilst a drop in form is normal, continuing to select players when they are clearly struggling is not.
Over-reliance on hoping that players who once produced the goods or praying that summer signings will come good is damaging Celtic’s domestic form and Rodgers needs to wield the axe before a five-point lead is surrendered just as meekly as the three points were at Kilmarnock yesterday.
So here are my three players that Brendan Rodgers must look to drop immediately from the Celtic team.
Mikey Johnston must move on from Celtic
People who know me and read my content on TBR Celtic will know that I love nothing more than seeing youth players coming through the academy and becoming first-team players at Celtic.
Mikey Johnston was one of those players and whilst I was rooting for him when Brendan Rodgers gave him his debut back in 2017, it’s worth remembering that he is no longer that young boy.
Almost eight years on and the 24-year-old still hasn’t found his place at Celtic and despite cutting his teeth at international level and doing very well on loan in Portugal last season, it’s just not happening for him at Celtic.
It’s at the point where I feel a place is being forced upon Johnston due to the injuries at the club but it’s time to take him out of the firing line and give players like Marco Tilio a try or even Rocco Vata. Either way, it’s time to end the Mikey Johnston experiment as it’s clearly not working.
Nat Phillips must drop out of the Celtic team and return to Liverpool
Another player who has been drafted in, like Mikey Johnston, to fill in as a stop-gap due Celtic’s injury crisis in the summer.
Nat Phillips came to Celtic with a certain pedigree but after eight appearances this season, it’s still hard to see what exactly he brings to the table.
The 26-year-old lacks pace which is crucial in this day and age for a defender and when he came to Celtic he was clearly not match-fit.
So it is little wonder he has struggled to find any form. With his loan deal expiring in three weeks time, Rodgers must drop Phillips and draft in one of the two defenders he paid, combined, over £7m for.
Surely it’s best to try players who want to play for Celtic rather than one who knows his future lies elsewhere?
Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki are ready and waiting. The Swede just won the Allsvenkan Best Defender of the season last season. So he really can’t be that bad, can he?
And Nawrocki? Celtic legend Artur Boruc believes he is quality so why not give him a run out to let him show what he can do?
Greg Taylor needs a break from Celtic duties for a while
Probably the toughest decision to make considering there is a real lack of quality in the backup areas but Greg Taylor does need a wee spell out of the team.
Massimo Insabato/Mondadori
The Scotland left-back has been an ever-present in the Celtic team this season and has played almost every single minute of domestic and European football this season. [Transfermarkt]
I don’t want to see him dropped because I don’t rate him, I want him dropped to give him a rest. Taylor has been superb for Celtic in the past two seasons but it is clear he is underperforming right now.
So that leads to the next question. Who replaces him? With Rodgers clearly not rating Alexandro Bernabei after snubbing him against Hibs, Liam Scales could fill in for a few games at left-back.
The Irishman has shown he was capable of that in Ange Postecoglou’s early days and with his range of passing, he could be really effective on that left flank.
That would then open up a space for Rodgers to draft in either Lagerbielke or Nawrocki to show what they can do whilst not significantly weakening the backline.
People will no doubt disagree with this but what is the alternative? Do Celtic fans want Rodgers to keep doing what he’s doing and expect a different outcome? We all know what that means.
And until the transfer window opens, the Celtic manager needs to work with what he has and right now he is not.
In other news, ‘They’ll want to get out’… Brendan Rodgers confirms there are players who want to leave Celtic in January
