There has been much discussion about Liam Scales’ position on the Celtic squad, and his most recent performances have only heightened calls for a review of his starting position.
Though he was initially close to leaving, Brendan Rodgers had to keep him around due to unanticipated events, namely injuries on the team. With appearances in crucial games, including as the Champions League group stages and the derbies against Rangers, Scales has been thrown into the limelight. It’s becoming increasingly accepted that Scales might not be up to the high standards expected at Celtic, even in his moments of skill and sound tackles.
This difference in quality was brought to light in the most recent match against Motherwell, particularly in comparison to the return of Cameron Carter-Vickers, whose impact on substitution was evident right away. There were questions when Maik Nawrocki—who gave a great performance—was chosen to start in Scales’ place rather than Scales, maybe because of fitness concerns instead of form or tactical strategy.
Throughout the game, Scales had a lot of trouble, especially when it came to Motherwell’s Theo Bair, who repeatedly outwitted him. Thankfully, an offside call prevented an early scare where Bair skinned Scales to score, sparing both Celtic and Scales from early red cheeks. But this episode represented the larger problems with Scales’ defensive consistency and his susceptibility to opponent attacks.
The defensive problems are made worse by Scales’ contribution—or lack thereof—in possession. His attempts to advance the game frequently result in lost possession, which unnecessarily puts Celtic under duress. Even though Tomoki Iwata makes an effort to minimize these errors, his aggressive forward raids frequently lead to positional gaps that opponents take advantage of.
There is a strong desire for Celtic to rearrange their defense ahead of their match against Dundee. Many supporters would be happy to see Nawrocki start alongside Carter-Vickers because he would provide a stability and toughness that Scales does not bring to the field. As the race for the championship heats up, Celtic’s defensive resilience becomes more crucial than ever. This forces Rodgers to reassess Scales’ place in the team and make tactical changes to keep Celtic’s hopes on course.