Dedryck Boyata has come back into the fold and now played five games since not getting a move this summer.
The Belgian was subject to a banner from the Green Brigade saying he wasn’t fit to wear the jersey after weeks of speculation around his future.
Boyata refused to play in Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers due to’injury’ with the manager completely refuting injury claims by his defender.
The defender’s agent then stormed into Lennoxtown demanding to speak to Brendan Rodgers the day before a vital game against Hearts which the bhoys went on to lose.
Celtic were not going to be bullied by Boyata’s agent. Rodgers would then go onto lose Moussa Dembele who went further than Boyata by calling out the club and manager publicly. At the time, the Irishman spoke about the Dembele situation and said it was not ‘retrievable.’
Rodgers believed Boyata’s situation was and opted to keep the player at Celtic Park even though he is in the last year of his deal.
Right now, it looks like a very shrewd decision by the Celtic boss. since bringing Boyata back into his side they have not lost a single goal.
- Celtic 1-0 Hamilton (Boyata scored winning goal)
- Celtic 3-0 Suduva
- Celtic 1-0 Rangers*
- St Mirren 0-0 Celtic
- Celtic 1-0 Rosenborg
In the previous five games before the Belgians return – Celtic shipped six goals.
Their last clean sheet without Boyata coming against Rosenborg away from home.
Added to the fact the defender had the wherewithal to stay up front last night to make the vital knockdown assist for Griffiths – he’s having a very good spell at the minute.
There is no doubt Boyata has come in and steadied Celtic defence when many were all too happy to say he was so below par it didn’t matter if Celtic sold him
Brendan Rodgers knew that it mattered and while Celtic have not been flying on all cylinders in the final third, the defence seems to be assured.
Ajer will now find it difficult to get back into the team with both Boyata and Benkovic looking like a fantastic centre pairing against Rosenborg on Thursday.
With so many games though, the manager should still hopefully give the Norweigan ample time as he has done nothing to warrant an extended length of time on the bench.
I praise the Belgian international knowing full well he has still not signed a contract and looks unlikely to do so.
Celtic and Rodgers look like they know where he stands, but that hasn’t stopped him from giving his all for the club and playing to the best of his ability.
In an ideal world, Celtic would have a replacement lined up for Boyata in January, but we have learned from the summer that isn’t a guarantee.
As long as Boyata continues to help shut out opponents before he makes his Parkhead exit, then we can’t grumble too much. Can we?
The team needs to be freshened up wiyh at least 4 players and has since about last December. The invincibles are dead. The summer was a disaster and although I think we will still be Champions we are thrre for the taking. We have loads of cash but not much will be spent and we will lose important players including Boyata before we replce anyone. Time for the supporters to wake up and ask what the strategy for the future is, apart from a museum and a bloody hotel (much more important than the team obviously)
Look the way Boyata plays he will lose out some times to attacking players but if he is 100% fit in mind and body he is as good as any CH playing today,i think he will move out in the January window and i read some where that Benkovic could move back to his club in Jan,so it should be about bringing in a seasoned pro CH before the jan window opens and ready him to take over,and two more midfielders and one attacker bring them in before jan window and get all the dead wood out of the way of team players that BR wants to keep and if we can move them on before the January window it would be great even if it means selling them for next to nothing just get them out of the way….
Despite what has gone on and what anyone thinks of him he rushed to help a fan caught under the crush in the corner flag after the goal. He deserves respect and credit for that.
I would hate to see what our situation would be if we had sold Boyata the guy has been absolutely outstanding in the last 5 games and huge credit to him his attitude has been 100% bang on since he came back just wish the situation that did arise never happened but I am sure we all feel the same HH