When we started off on the journey this season, nobody could have imagined Anthony Ralston would still have a place in the side going into November.
Under more stable circumstances, Anthony would’ve likely been moved on by the club. We were so short of players, Celtic chose to activate the one-year clause in Ralston’s contract.
Since coming into the side, Anthony has been brilliant at times. The defender has played above himself and not one Celtic fan can deny the amount of effort he continues to put in on the field. The defender is always playing like he has a point to prove, and maybe he does.
The Celtic star will appreciate if his performances dip, he will likely find himself out of the team.
Anthony isn’t our most gifted player but he’s up there as a grafter and some of the stats are showing it.
SofaScore put together ratings based on performance and stats from every game played.
What’s interesting is Anthony has not only got the highest average match rating for Celtic on the stats platform but the highest average performance rating in the league!
The Scottish right back has played 8 out of the 10 SPFL games this season so far; making four teams of the week with Sofa Score.
There has been rumours of Ralston in talks over a new deal. Could he be set to extend his stay? Would you be happy to see it happen?
SPFL Matches
| Total played | 8 |
| Started | 8 |
| Minutes per game | 90 |
| Team of the week | 4 |
Attacking
| Goals | 2 |
| Scoring frequency | 360 min |
| Goals per game | 0.3 |
| Shots per game | 1.5 |
| Shots on target per game | 0.5 |
| Big chances missed | 0 |
| Show more |
Passing
| Assists | 2 |
| Touches | 96.5 |
| Big chances created | 6 |
| Key passes | 1.8 |
| Accurate per game | 54.0 (83%) |
| Acc. own half | 23.5 (85%) |
| Acc. opposition half | 31.4 (73%) |
| Acc. long balls | 3.8 (51%) |
| Acc. chipped passes | 2.5 (59%) |
| Acc. crosses | 0.9 (16%) |
Defending
| Clean sheets | 4 |
| Interceptions per game | 0.5 |
| Tackles per game | 2.5 |
| Possession won | 0.4 |
| Dribbled past per game | 0.3 |
| Clearances per game | 2.1 |
| Error led to shot | 0 |
| Error led to goal | 0 |
| Penalties committed | 0 |
Other
| Succ. dribbles | 1.5 (55%) |
| Total duels won | 7.5 (63%) |
| Ground duels won | 5.3 (61%) |
| Aerial duels won | 2.3 (69%) |
| Possession lost | 19.5 |
| Fouls | 1.5 |
| Was fouled | 1.3 |
| Offsides | 0.1 |
If Tony gets offered a new contract it’s thoroughly deserved. What he lacks in finesse and skill he more than makes up for in effort. The improvement he’s made under Ange’s coaching is astonishing. Look we all know he’s probably not a long term right back but he hasn’t let us down once this season and at 1-0 against Ferencvaros he makes a goal saving tackle, if he doesn’t who knows how the game might’ve finished. He’s still only young who knows how much he still has to improve and even if we allow him to leave he can go with our best wishes and his head held high.