Chris Sutton believes Celtic’s recent dip in form has less to do with misfiring forwards and more to do with the quiet absence of Greg Taylor. The former striker argues that losing the left-back has subtly unbalanced Brendan Rodgers’ team.
Speaking to Record Sport, Sutton said Taylor’s influence is being missed more with each passing week. “If anything, Taylor’s absence is being felt more by the week. The middle of the park isn’t working.” Sutton said
“Benjamin Nygren has shown promise domestically, but in Europe he wants too much time. You’ve got to think and move quicker, take the ball on the move and pass sharper.”
Sutton also offered sympathy for Celtic captain Callum McGregor, suggesting his struggles are a symptom of wider issues. “Hatate isn’t as effective as before, and while people are pointing at McGregor, I actually feel for him,” he said. “He likes to take the ball on the turn and knit things together, but he clearly doesn’t trust the players around him. They keep losing possession and he’s left cleaning up, so you can’t blame him for taking safer options.”
He was equally direct about Celtic’s problems in attack. “There’s a serious lack of quality up front,” he admitted. “It’s a worrying mix, and at this rate you can forget about going deep in the Europa League.”
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The Sky Sports pundit’s assessment of Taylor’s importance is easy to overlook, yet it carries weight. Kieran Tierney may be the more talented player, but he hasn’t settled in Rodgers’ current setup in the way Taylor once did.
Taylor was central to an inverted system that gave Celtic balance and rhythm, qualities that have been missing since his move to Greece. The left side no longer provides the same outlet or fluency, and those finer details, the inside runs, the sharp passing triangles, the trust in possession, have faded.
While he was not by any means the most important man in the team, he was a vital cog, even on the days when Celtic weren’t ticking over as well as they should have been.
He was never a headline-grabber, but Taylor’s understanding of the system made Celtic tick. His departure, alongside the exits of Kuhn and Kyogo, has stripped away layers of cohesion that Rodgers is still trying to rebuild.
Sutton’s view may divide opinion, but it underlines a simple truth. Celtic have yet to replace the unassuming left-back who made their football work
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One Response
Except we were playing like this when he was still in the team.
The difference is no Kuhn, Kyogo or O’Reilly. That and a Rodgers is clueless when his only plan isn’t working.