Celtic are undergoing a dreadful run of late. The 4-0 Parkhead defeat against Bayer Leverkusen exposed their vulnerability in deep defence and former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan has singled out Carl Starfelt’s frailty in a recent interview with Football Insider.
“They brought in new players this year, Starfelt being one of them. You expect them to turn the tide. Now you’re questioning, was it a good signing? Is he the right man for it? Because performances need to be a lot better from a player of that standard.”
The 26-year-old centre-half completed a £4m summer move from Rubin Kazan. He was supposed to succeed Kristoffer Ajer who left for Brentford, but the Sweden international has not been able to live up to expectations in spite of securing a starting status week in week out. He is the prime central defensive option alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers. However, the latter has shown more resilience and intent since completing a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur on the summer deadline.
The Hoops were in mayhem following Neil Lennon’s dismissal earlier this year. Their failed attempt to appoint Eddie Howe led to Ange Postecoglou’s arrival as the new Parkhead chief, which was a surprise call given the Aussie’s no prior experience in the European circuit. Yet he stood up to the challenge and roped in a plethora of names to accelerate the transition.
Why It’s Not Working For Starfelt At Celtic
Although they brought in ample new faces, the egress of high-profile stars damaged them severely. Ajer, in particular, is lighting up the Premier League in Bees’ colours and the Bhoys are arguably missing his ball-playing ability, dribbles, great sense of positioning and aerial supremacy from the heart of the backline.
Postecoglou, known for an attacking brand of football, expects his defence to be sharp enough to instigate swift attacking threats. The Swedish centre-back is playing a lot of passes, but the majority of them are either backwards or sideways (as per Whoscored, 36 (40.9%) of his 88 attempted passes versus the German side went backwards). Moreover, his lack of pace and concentration are causing problems against low block sides who are relying on counter-attacks and direct football.
Celtic, meanwhile, are waiting for Christopher Jullien’s return from a long injury layoff. Also, they have snapped up Liam Scales from Shamrock Rovers, whereas the rise of Stephen Welsh last season can’t be undervalued either. It is to be seen now whether the gaffer opts for a rotation in order to figure out the best possible combination.
