Callum McGregor has returned to the fold for Celtic in recent weeks, culminating in two starts in the last two games.
While his quality is undoubted, his performances of late have been a cause for concern. The skipper doesn’t look fully fit and at Dens Park yesterday, he was noticeably off the pace.
He was replaced just after the hour mark by Tomoki Iwata who shored things up in the middle of the park.
The Japan internationalist protected the back four well and helped retain the ball much more than McGregor.
Iwata was rather harshly dropped and the decision from Brendan Rodgers to play the skipper over him recently hasn’t proved dividends.
Given the former Yokohama F. Marinos man made a positive impact on Sunday and arguably offered more than McGregor, it will be intriguing to see how the gaffer manages the situation going forward.
Celtic have had issues in the past when the captain has been absent but it is telling when there is a case for him now not to play at a pivotal part of the season.
It is all down to fitness but despite this, Iwata thinks taking the buck from his leader is simple. He said: [RecordSport] “I don’t feel that it’s difficult to replace Callum.
“I just look at him as my teammate and he’s a guy I can learn from. He’s a fantastic player who can take my game to another level.
“I respect him so much as a team-mate. He’s a top player for this club.”
We have had very questionable decision making from Rodgers all season, for which many have already been very costly?
So a half fit calmac used for 2 thirds of a match, is still regarded as a better option than a fully fit iwata?
Fail to see how that makes any sense whatsoever, and very poor man management being shown from our manager, I would say imo?
Rodgers is well known for wanting to play his favourites within a team, but remains questionable how he actually uses a full squad of players?
We were seriously lacking legs all game in the midfield areas, and yet Paulo wasn’t used, and even Kelly could have provided extra energy into an area, we were so badly lacking yesterday?
Rodgers wants to play controlled football as his trademark, but can it be achieved without the energy levels to provide it?
On paper that is our strongest available midfield trio, no question.
Yet it worked so poorly together yesterday and the 3 are hardly strangers to one another either?
The question still remains as to whether scales is the best option to partner CCV?
Think that question has been answered by Rodgers yesterday, but still a partnership that is far from convincing either on yesterday showing imo?
With a 5 sub rule in play, we still require 16 players to be upon there game for a full 90 minutes throughout every game until the end of the season?
We still haven’t been able to find that with only 5 matches left to play?
Still got no idea as to why that’s the case, and our mantra of “we never stop” is only a distant memory these days imo?