Callum McGregor is a huge presence for Celtic. It’s obvious his return is a massive boost for Ange Postecoglou. Carl Starfelt wouldn’t have the same sort of status. It would be less obvious to suggest keeping him sound in the coming weeks might be just as important to the boss. But that’s what I think.
Before folk start wondering what I’m on about, let me explain. McGregor is massive to Celtic. Not only is he the leader in terms of being skipper, his performances are always top drawer. Rarely does he slip below an eight out of 10 and his ability and attitude are worth their weight in gold.
The fact that Celtic were able to get through a gruelling period of Premiership matches without their injured captain and not drop a point was a brilliant and, perhaps, season-defining spell. But they managed it because the cover was up to the job. Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate took the responsibility, played every game and managed to fill the void.
Those boys did a superb job and Aaron Mooy was another who really found his feet and contributed to ensure McGregor’s enforced absence was not, domestically at least, costly. Mooy’s impressive performances here at the World Cup for Australia served notice of the depth of cover and ability built by the boss in that midfield area and Sead Haksabanovic also proved a handy No.10 through the period.
It was the same in wide areas and in attack. Chopping and changing to good effect. Defensively, though, it’s not been as seamless. Gaps have appeared. Starfelt has been a bigger miss than some people think.
The Swedish international built a rock-solid partnership alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers last season. In his absence and with Carter-Vickers also missing games due to injury prior to the World Cup, Postecoglou has turned to Stephen Welsh and Moritz Jenz.
Those switches haven’t been quite as smooth. Last season, Postecoglou’s men won the title having lost just 22 goals in their 38 top-flight games. They’ve lost 13 in 15 already this term.
Interestingly, in the period between the Swede getting injured against Rangers at the start of September and returning for the league match at Motherwell over two months later, Postecoglou’s team lost 10 goals in seven outings before he was back in the two games prior to Qatar against Motherwell and Ross County.
Celtic’s brilliant attacking play has meant they’ve been able to overcome concessions. Losing three goals at Tynecastle or two at home to Dundee United, for example, didn’t cost them points due to explosive firepower at the other end. Postecoglou sets up to outscore teams, but he’ll know it’s not always going to flow and you need to be solid to be winning trophies. For all their attacking brilliance last term, success was built firstly on the solidity.
Starfelt was a key to that. Carter-Vickers has been immense in his 16 months at Celtic and proved at the World Cup in his one outing that he is top drawer. But he needs a solid partner. As Starfelt was last season.
And Celtic also need to have options if he’s not available and we don’t know what’s going to happen after this World Cup. Naturally, the physical aspect has been talked about as regards players returning from Qatar and what effect it may have.
To my mind, there will also be a mental aspect to it. This is the greatest show in the game and the individuals who are currently or have been involved in Qatar will have gone through huge emotional highs and some extreme lows.
Simply going from that straight back into training and onto domestic matches immediately will be a challenge for some boys. Some will sail through it. Others may take time to adjust back into the real world of bread of butter club work.
Looking from the outside, Carter-Vickers appears the calm, no-nonsense type who will have little trouble getting back into the club groove. But we won’t know until we see and Celtic have to be ready. Postecoglou has, of course, signed Yuki Kobayahsi for central defence.
First impressions suggest the Japanese kid might be afforded time to settle without being plunged in, but that’s not a given. Look at Hatate and Daizen Maeda last season. Postecoglou had no qualms about plunging them straight into it after signing them from the J-League in January and that worked a treat.
So, maybe, Kobayashi will be straight into it. Same with Alistair Johnston given Josip Juranovic is in the same returning-from-Qatar-situation as Carter-Vickers. It might be he’s going to be sold, anyway. Having a fully-fit and available Starfelt would be a big bonus for Postecoglou. He became a reliable performer and his partnership with Carter-Vickers was terrific.
There has been a lot of talk coming out of Rangers since the appointment of Michael Beale and, to be honest, there’s not a lot wrong with that. The new manager has immediately stated that the nine-point gap to Celtic can be overcome.
What else was he going to say? Oh we can’t catch Celtic? This is about building for next season? Of course he’s going to say that. He’d have been hammered for saying anything else.
But the truth is that it is down to Celtic. Unless Rangers win all three remaining Old Firm games, and I don’t see that happening, it is out of Beale’s hands. He’s relying on Celtic making mistakes against the rest and that’s where the champions have to be solid and not offer a shard of light on dark winter’s days to their rivals.
If Celtic keep themselves nine clear by doing the business game on game, the new manager bounce at Rangers won’t last long. Postecoglou has the attacking weapons to make that happen and, in getting his captain back in McGregor for today’s Portugal friendly against Rennes, he’s getting a huge boost.
Restoring that rock-solid defensive side of it is now the final thing for the boss to secure. And having Starfelt back can be crucial to that process.
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