Celtic have a goalkeeping dilemma, although many supporters would argue it shouldn’t even be one.
Kasper Schmeichel has endured a difficult few months. The experienced Dane, whose pedigree is unquestioned, has conceded a string of avoidable goals and looked increasingly uncertain in key moments. For a side chasing a title, that instability has been costly.
Martin O’Neill made the call to change things in Stuttgart for the second leg of the Europa League tie, insisting it had always been the plan to rotate. Then, at Ibrox, Schmeichel wasn’t even in the squad, with Viljami Sinisalo starting once more. O’Neill later revealed that Schmeichel had been ill on the morning of the match.
Now, with a crucial trip to Aberdeen looming on Wednesday night, the big question remains: who starts at Pittodrie?
For Chris Sutton, the answer is straightforward.
Speaking on The Warm Up, Sutton backed Sinisalo to keep the gloves.
“Yes, he does,” Sutton said when asked if the 24-year-old should retain his place.
“Schmeichel’s been an incredible goalkeeper. He’s had an unbelievable career; most people would chop their arm off for a fifth, half of his career. You would. He’s been a top goalkeeper, one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, if not the world, on his day.
“But the end comes to us all. This season, he hasn’t been good enough, and he’s let in poor goals. He’ll know that.
“Sinisalo will end up making a mistake, and he could’ve done at the weekend.
“But what I liked about him was that you didn’t notice him – and I say that in a really complimentary way. I liked him in Stuttgart. There wasn’t a save that he shouldn’t have made; he did.
“People say Sinisalo’s a young kid – he’s not a young kid. He’s 24. I do think now, yes, a lot of goalkeeping’s a nightmare, and it’s how you recover after mistakes, and he will make mistakes.
“But I think he deserves his chance. He’s looked confident and looks competent enough.
“I don’t want to Jonah him, but look at Schmeichel this season – he has made error after error, and he doesn’t come for crosses – so, I think it’s quite an easy decision for Martin.”
Schmeichel’s career has been elite, but current form matters. Sinisalo, meanwhile, hasn’t had the extended run that would allow fans, or management, to properly judge him.
At 24, he is no longer a prospect; he’s at an age where first-team responsibility is expected. The coming weeks may determine whether Celtic treat him as the present or continue viewing him as insurance.
With the title race tightening, O’Neill’s decision in Aberdeen could quietly shape the run-in.
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