Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will view the position his team find themselves in as a combination of several factors that have led the Bhoys to this point.
Following six domestic victories on the trot, the Irishman’s side hammered Slovan Bratislava 5-1 on Champions League duty, placing them second in the new league phase table.
However, Celtic’s story so far hasn’t just been a case of relying on starters. After all it is a squad game, evidenced by Adam Idah’s goal and James Forrest’s assist during midweek.
This weekend, Rodgers has indicated rotation is likely amid niggles to a few of his first-team regulars that will be assessed over the next day or two before the Bhoys face Falkirk.
Whether there are a few changes or not, the emphasis on maintaining intensity during matches couldn’t be any louder from the man in charge.
Brendan Rodgers on the power of Celtic’s squad
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Falkirk in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final, Rodgers has acknowledged the added depth he has off the bench that wasn’t always there in the first season of his second spell in Glasgow.
He stated [Celtic FC YouTube]: “There’s a big cost to how we play, there’s a cost in energy, and when that starts to drop a little bit, that ability to make changes to sustain that is very important. I think we seen that right to the very end.
That was probably something that last season, maybe at times, it was maybe too inconsistent. But through to the end of the season and then the pre-season, we were able to really grab hold of everything in terms of that element of fitness, tenacity, and always being able to roll that out.
The subs are so important; five subs now for us gives us every chance to keep that energy and that intensity in; I think we’ve seen that over the course of this early part of the season in early game.”
Assets present to change the course of a match is necessary at a club like Celtic, but it isn’t possible without strength off the bench to add a different dynamic to proceedings.
The Bhoys enjoyed a strong summer window and have a healthy balance of options across the park to balance their workflow efficiently.
Not every team has that luxury, though Celtic also subscribe to a more hectic schedule due to their involvement across several competitions, requiring strength in depth.
