Celtic Boss Brendan Rodgers Faces Selection Headache Ahead of Ross County Clash
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that his team will be without several key players for their upcoming match against Ross County on Saturday. The Hoops will travel to Dingwall with significant doubts over their wide options, leaving Rodgers with a selection headache.
Nicolas Kuhn, who missed Wednesday’s match after suffering an injury in the warm-up, remains a doubt for the Ross County game. Daizen Maeda is also facing a race against time to be fit, while Luis Palma is unavailable due to personal reasons. The Honduran winger recently shared the heartbreaking news of his grandfather’s passing, and Rodgers has confirmed that Palma will not be available for selection.
This leaves Celtic with only one fit senior winger, South Korean Hyun-jun Yang, as James Forrest is already sidelined until February. The injury and availability crisis has left Rodgers with limited choices for his team selection, and the Celtic boss will need to get creative with his lineup.
One possible solution could be to deploy midfielder Benji McCowan as a makeshift winger. McCowan has experience playing on the wing from his time at Ayr United and showed glimpses of versatility during his cameo on the flank against Dundee United. Rodgers may consider using McCowan in this role to keep the current system intact.
Alternatively, Rodgers could consider playing a two-striker formation, with Adam Idah and Kyogo Furuhashi leading the line. This would ease the pressure on the wings and allow Celtic to exploit Ross County’s backline with direct play. Kyogo’s versatility could also see him start on the wing, offering pace and creativity.
The Celtic boss will need to balance the squad carefully with crucial games on the horizon, including Champions League ties and a packed domestic schedule. Saturday’s match against Ross County offers an opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table, but it won’t be straightforward without key players in attack.
Rodgers will be hoping that his team can adapt to the absence of their key players and still manage to pick up all three points against Ross County. The Celtic manager has a reputation for being able to get the best out of his players, and he will be relying on his squad’s depth and versatility to overcome the challenges posed by the injury and availability crisis.
In conclusion, Celtic’s upcoming match against Ross County promises to be a challenging encounter for Brendan Rodgers and his team. The absence of key players will require the Celtic boss to be creative with his lineup, but he will be hoping that his team can still manage to pick up all three points and extend their lead at the top of the table.
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