Chris Sutton has not held back in his latest analysis of Celtic’s left-back situation, admitting he believes Kieran Tierney is “miles off it” since his return to the club.
Tierney rejoined Celtic in the summer after signing a pre-contract earlier in the year, marking a highly-anticipated homecoming for the Scotland international who left for Arsenal in a £25 million move five years ago. But despite the fanfare surrounding his return, Sutton has voiced concerns about the defender’s form and his place in the team.
Speaking on the Record Celtic Podcast, Sutton said:
“I think Brendan doesn’t know what his best team is. You’ve got the left-back situation, Kieran Tierney miles off it. There’s an argument that with Saracchi coming in, Celtic have a better balance to the team because he can play that role. I’m not going to argue that.
“Brendan’s probably thinking as he did last week, Kieran will be better on that left-hand side as a centre-half. I get that, but then there’s that whole change of formation. But then in forward positions, it does worry me because Celtic still seem short in forward areas playing that 3-4-3.”
Tierney made a strong impression on his second debut against St Mirren but has since struggled for rhythm and fitness, completing a full 90 minutes just once in a League Cup tie against Partick Thistle. He’s also been deployed in varying roles as Rodgers experiments with a back three, further complicating his adjustment period.
The emergence of Marcelo Saracchi, who has impressed both defensively and in advanced areas, has added pressure. Saracchi’s inverted style offers tactical flexibility and energy, something Rodgers has leaned on during key fixtures.
Inside Celtic Park, there’s still a strong belief that Tierney can recapture his best form, especially with regular minutes. But Sutton believes that, right now, he’s still playing catch-up and with competition growing, he’ll need to find top gear soon to reclaim a permanent starting role.
He come good he be doing his thing in dressing room but in Teirney we have trust