AS the international break draws to a close, it affords us an opportunity to analyse the shape of the Celtic squad ahead of a tough run of fixtures.
Hearts away this Sunday (kick-off 2.15pm), followed by Atletico Madrid at Parkhead and then a trip to Easter Road will certainly test the Bhoys to their max. The big question is: do they have enough quality to claim three wins from three?
We already know who the key men are – it’s Kyogo, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Callum McGregor, Matt O’Riley, Daizen Maeda and Alistair Johnston. But what about those who are still relatively new to the Hoops, how have they been getting on since joining the club?
Today, I want to examine those signed in the summer and the impact they’ve made in their first few months.
Maik Nawrocki
Brought in from Legia Warsaw for £4.2m, the centre-back was arguably the only ‘first-team ready’ recruit to emerge from the summer transfer window.
He looked solid in his opening three appearances but unfortunately fell victim to a hamstring injury at the very end of the League Cup defeat to Kilmarnock in August.
The 22-year-old hasn’t been seen since, with the severity of his injury possibly apparent in the fact he was omitted from the Champions League squad.
Others also being out afforded Liam Scales a chance, and the Irishman has grabbed it with both hands. So when Nawrocki does eventually return, he’ll likely find himself on the substitutes bench.
Gustaf Lagerbielke
The big Swede came in from Elfsborg shortly after the departure of his compatriot Carl Starfelt.
Like Nawrocki, he’s young (only 23) and still appears quite raw.
However, his range of passing has been impressive and because of the early-season injuries has played more football than was anticipated. There have been shaky moments.
He got away with one at Ibrox when he dallied on the ball and was subsequently saved through a VAR decision, then was sent off in the Champions League opener against Feyenoord.
However, just this week Lagerbielke scored his first goal for Sweden in a 2-1 victory over Moldova. Let’s hope this can give him the confidence to kick on.
Nat Phillips
The man brought in on an emergency loan to cover injuries… only to quickly get injured himself. You couldn’t write it.
Liverpool centre-half Phillips is well-liked by Kopites and is a Champions League winner. His loan deal ends in January, but I would hope that it might be extended.
He’s experienced, has a strong physical presence, and if given the chance, could form a great partnership with Carter-Vickers – although Scalesy might have something to say about that. He needs minutes and I think he’ll get them over the next 10 weeks.
Odin Holm
Another ‘project’ signing, but one with immense potential. The 20-year-old Norwegian was brought in shortly after the conclusion of last season from Valerenga and has been touted over the last few years as one of Europe’s brightest prospects.
He has shown flashes in his few appearances, but was sent off for a rash tackle against Feyenoord.
We can only put that down to inexperience. Brendan Rodgers has described him as a “fantastic footballer”, but for this campaign, I believe it’ll primarily be about getting used to the physicality of Scotland and what the manager wants him to do.
Luis Palma
It was always going to be a gargantuan task to fill Jota’s boots following his £25m move to Saudi Arabia. And to be honest, I’m not even sure if Palma is expected to do this.
The Honduran doesn’t possess blistering pace for a winger but has a fantastic shot on him and was desperately unlucky to have a goal ruled out by VAR against Lazio the other week.
He netted in the recent wins over Motherwell and Killie and expressed a desire to keep progressing while on international duty this week. One who’ll only get better over time.
Hyun-jun Yang
It can’t be easy to make the transition from South Korea to Scotland, especially for someone who’s just 21.
Yang came with a big reputation in his homeland and caught the eye of supporters in pre-season with his pace and trickery. But with the season well underway, it’s been a mixed bag on the competitive front. I like his workrate and direct style, but there’s a lot to improve on, and he looked largely out of his depth against Lazio. Patience required.
Paulo Bernardo, Marco Tilio and Hyeok-kyu Kwon
I’ll bung these lads into one section because we’ve barely seen any of them.
Firstly, Bernardo, who was signed on loan from Benfica, has been given a few cameos and has looked tidy in midfield.
When he arrived, Rodgers didn’t seem overly enthusiastic, describing him as “another one with potential” – this coming at a time when he was likely frustrated with the lack of experienced recruits.
Clearly, the scouting department are hoping he can replicate what Jota did, but it’s hard to judge right now.
As for Tilio, this seemed like an Ange Postecoglou signing after the Aussie jumped ship to Spurs, but the winger hasn’t seen a second of competitive football in green and white.
He did line out for Celtic B a few weeks ago in a testimonial against Ayr United, however it has since gone quiet again.
And finally we have Kwon. Signed from the second tier of Korean football for £800k, the 6ft3 centre midfielder has outlined that he sees his long-term future in the Bundesliga, vowing he will become the best player at Celtic. Ambitious, right?
Well, he’s only got two run-outs, the first being a friendly in Dublin against Wolves. I was there and was impressed.
Fast-forward a few days to James Forrest’s testimonial against Bilbao and it was as if he had never played football in his life.
I realise it was just a testimonial, but he had an absolute shocker and couldn’t get to grips with the pace of things at all. We can’t be too harsh because, like Yang, it’s a big leap from life in Korea to the east end of Glasgow. Don’t be shocked if he doesn’t make it, though.