The outstanding Hoops defender gave Brendan Rodgers an outstanding display at the back.
In the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night, Celtic defeated Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road. Good teams can win even when they are not playing at their best.
Despite their occasional struggles against Nick Montgomery’s team, the Hoops managed to secure all three points with the help of two penalties, one of which came in stoppage time.
Hibernian had four shots on goal at the end of the game, compared to just three for the Hoops, two of which were from penalties that Adam Idah converted.
The two goals of the game by Celtic’s deadline-day signing on loan from Norwich City will grab the headlines, but Liam Scales, the center of the defense, was Brendan Rodgers’ real hero.
Celtic’s courageous penalty-taking by Adam Idah
The manager gave the Ireland international his full debut, and he showed his appreciation by burying both of his penalties with conviction and sending the goalie the wrong way on both occasions.
The 22-year-old needed to show a lot of resolve to score both times—once during a protracted stoppage because of Alistair Johnston’s head injury, and again during stoppage time with the game on the line.
The young dynamo did not put on a flawless performance, though, and he will have things to learn before the 2023–2024 season is over.
Throughout the game, Idah only completed six of his eleven passes tried and missed one “big chance.” In addition, he dropped four of his five ground duels. In the upcoming weeks and months, Rodgers might try working with him to increase his involvement in games, possession, and off-ball conflicts.
The supremacy of Liam Scales at Easter Road
His international colleague Scales was one player who outperformed the Irish marksman, dominating at Easter Road and putting on a full show.
With 23 league games under his belt, the former Aberdeen loanee has established himself as a consistent starter. On Wednesday night, he proved his worth against Hibs.
| Liam Scales | Vs Hibernian (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Duels contested | Ten |
| Duels won | Nine |
| Clearances | Four |
| Blocks | Two |
Scales was a rock at the back for Celtic, as the above table shows, winning 90% of his duels, including all three of his deck fights and six of his seven aerial encounters.
He controlled the opposition virtually every chance to keep them from bothering Joe Hart in goal that evening. However, he was powerless to stop Dylan Levitt’s incredible effort from the edge of the box that made the score 1-1 on the hour.
Towards the end of the game, Scales made a pivotal adjustment to intercept and hold the ball as Hibs appeared to be setting up a quick counterattack down the right. This allowed the Hoops to mount their own attack.
With a staggering 126 passes completed (88% success rate) from 157 touches of the ball, the Irish giant was as serene when in possession of the ball.
During those 157 touches, Scales only handed the ball away 17 times. On the other hand, out of his 21 touches at the top of the pitch, Idah lost possession nine times.
The former Shamrock Rovers star was the best player on the field for the Hoops because of his dependability with the ball and his outstanding defensive play, while his countryman left much to be desired aside from his crucial penalties. Overall, the central defender gave a complete performance.
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