Brendan Rodgers rang the changes for Celtic’s midweek clash against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Greg Taylor, Tony Ralston, and Arne Engels coming into the team wasn’t overly surprising, but the Irishman throwing fringe wing duo Luis Palma and Yang Hyun-jun into the lineup for their first starts of the season defied the odds.
Palma bagged a hat-trick against Sligo Rovers in an international break friendly a few weeks ago yet flattered to deceive last night.
Aside from a teasing first-half delivery to the back post and a long-range drive which stung the palms of Jon McCracken in the second, the Honduran didn’t muster much in a frustrating evening.
Palma was wasteful with the ball and failed to seize his opportunity in the starting lineup, so Rodgers withdrew him before the hour mark.
Yang Average
On the opposite flank, Yang showed flashes of potential.
He did well for Celtic’s opener, dropping the shoulder and crossing in for Alistair Johnston, who smuggled the ball home.
The South Korean could have had himself on the scoresheet, too, if he connected with Palma’s aforementioned back-post cross in the opening 45.
Still just 22, Yang has more room for growth than Palma, 24, and continually shows positive signs without putting in a truly consistent performance.
Both players are nowhere near first-choice for Celtic, though, and perhaps their displaus last night point towards the Hoops’ concerning lack of depth in the wide areas.
Rodgers is one or two injuries away from consistently relying on one of Yang or Palma on big European nights.
Signing a winger should be at the top of the manager’s priority list in January if it wasn’t already.
As much as I would like every player to be a success that we sign, the reality remains that is never going to be the case unfortunately?
Sadly agree that looks like being the case for Palma and yang, who will eventually join a list of Bain, bernie, monty, rocki, Holm, largerman, at present, who don’t or won’t be within the plans of Rodgers imo?
Possibly are 2 wide men short, along with another midfield option, to where Rodgers would like the overall squad to be at imo?
Getting in 2 wide players, would allow for Maeda to do the 3rd striker role if required?
Plus allows for better rotation in our wider areas, especially when forrest is more of an impact sub these days, than starting matches imo?
But for now, it looks like the roles of Palma and yang within the squad, will be to rest the legs of Maeda, kuhn and forrest in matches already won or lost?
So fairly limited game time available to both of them now, and think Rodgers would like to rely upon much more in his wider areas imo?
Who? The? Hell? Is? Largerman?
Palma must be Crapman.
imo?