Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou did not select a single attack-minded player on the bench for the Europa League game against Real Betis this evening.
There were two goalkeepers in Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain, four defenders in Dane Murray, Liam Scales, Stephen Welsh and Osaze Urhoghide, and three midfielders in Liam Shaw, James McCarthy and Ewan Henderson.
Supporters on Twitter are rather concerned by the lack of depth in the squad, and how it could impact Celtic’s ability to change games from the bench:
thread bare
— Bigbthesoulman☘☘🇮🇪 (@bigbthesoulman) September 16, 2021
This shows the lack of squad depth we have. Don’t see where the goals are coming from tonight. Take the point and run! 🍀
— James Chambers (@JChambers1984) September 16, 2021
Why would we have two keepers on the bench?
— Tanny Bogus (@TannyBoguss) September 16, 2021
Surely we have a youth team player who could play up top of we desperately require them
— McCormack (@MikeMcCormack07) September 16, 2021
We cud be in trouble here
— Owen McCusker (@OwenMcCusker4) September 16, 2021
Christ alive. The bench shows you just how thin on the ground we are.
McCarthy should be playing. No question. The big man knows what he wants though and literally anything bar a pummelling is good for me
— Harkie (@Harkie_no1) September 16, 2021
It must be said though there are seven key first-team players missing from the squad. Liel Abada is observing a Jewish holiday, while Callum McGregor, James Forrest, Kyogo Furuhashi, Greg Taylor and Christopher Jullien are all currently sidelined with injury.
Giorgos Giokoumakis is still lacking match fitness so today’s game came too early for the Greek international but Postecoglou is hopeful that the striker will be available either for the Livingston match or for the League Cup quarter-final versus Raith Rovers next week.
