Celtic Player Ratings v Bodo/Glimt

Celtic’s European adventure came to an end on Thursday evening as they fell to a 5-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of Bodo/Glimt. It was 2-0 on the night as the Norwegians cruised into the last sixteen of the Europa Conference League at the expense of Celtic. 

It cannot be denied the lineup named by Ange Postecoglou this evening was what was expected however the performance could’ve certainly been better.

Here are my player ratings from the match. 

Joe Hart - 8/10

If it weren’t for Joe Hart’s antics, the score line could’ve been a lot worse. The Englishman pulled off several big saves in the first half was one of few Celtic players who actually done well this evening. 

Anthony Ralston - 6/10

Anthony Ralston made a number of ventures forward and one of his crosses was met by the head of Giorgos Giakoumakis however the Greek was unable to generate any significant power. Ralston wasn’t eye catching tonight and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Josip Juranovic come back in at right back on Sunday at Easter Road. 

Stephen Welsh - 6/10

The young centre back came in for Cameron Carter-Vickers as part of some heavy rotation which struck the Celtic side. Welsh wasn’t the most prominent although he did make some key blocks and interceptions in the second half. 

Carl Starfelt - 7/10

Starfelt was the most superior of the Celtic defenders tonight, at least in terms of performance. The Swede was confident on the ball and read the game well. The twenty six year old currently looks immovable in the current Celtic side. 

Liam Scales - 4/10

Liam Scales added further fuel to the fire surrounding the left back debate at Celtic. Greg Taylor was undone in the first leg with Bodo/Glimt and Liam Scales wasn’t far off replicating that performance. The Irishman failed to do the basics amply and made numerous clumsy challenges leading to a booking. 

Nir Bitton - 5/10

After coming off the bench to help his side to a victory against Dundee at the weekend, Nir Bitton earned himself a place in the Celtic starting eleven tonight. Bitton however, misplaced countless passes and was outplayed in midfield by a classy Bodo/Glimt side. 

Matt O’Riley - 6/10

Similarly to the first leg of the tie, Matt O’Riley started alongside Tom Rogic in the Celtic midfield. O’Riley was relatively quiet and didn’t get any notable opportunities to impose himself on the game. He was hooked at half time. 

Tom Rogic - 5/10

Along with O’Riley, Tom Rogic was brought off at half time. The Australian had a couple of moments in the first half where he had the chance to open the game up and create an opportunity however his passes were intercepted. Rogic hasn’t been on the greatest form recently and is yet to net since Celtic’s 4-0 victory over Motherwell at the beginning of February. 

James Forrest - 6/10

I may be on my own with this opinion although I felt James Forrest was actually rather adequate tonight. The right winger was moved to the left in the second half and looked tidy on the ball although it cannot be denied the thirty year old has declined in recent years and overall this season, it appears said downturn is continuing. 

Giorgos Giakoumakis - 6/10

Giorgos Giakoumakis didn’t really get a sniff tonight. The Greek powerhouse was unable to follow up his hat-trick against Dundee with a significant contribution this evening. He was replaced by James McCarthy on the seventy seventh minute. 

Daizen Maeda - 6/10

Playing the majority of his minutes on the left hand side, Daizen Maeda could’ve, and probably should’ve, had his name on the scoresheet. The Japanese had a one-on-one opportunity when Celtic were three goals behind on aggregate however he blazed off target. With Kyogo Furuhashi remaining out injured, it will be up to Daizen Maeda and Giorgos Giakoumakis to make the most of their opportunities in the Celtic team. 

Substitutes 

Two changes to the team were made by Ange Postecoglou at half time with Liel Abada and Callum McGregor replacing Matt O’Riley and Tom Rogic. Both changes undoubtedly brought some life and direction into Celtic’s play. McGregor initiated control into the midfield and Abada provided vitality out wide. Despite these changes making a difference, Bodo/Glimt were still able to pick off Celtic in the second half and the Norwegian champions killed the tie just before the seventieth minute. A few minutes after this, Celtic’s final substitute of the game was made with James McCarthy coming on to replace Giorgos Giakoumakis for his nineteenth appearance in green and white hoops. 

Opinion amongst the Celtic support continues to be split after tonight’s result. Ange Postecoglou’s decision to rotate his side was definitely a controversial one. His changes at half time assuredly made a difference although we will never know what the outcome would’ve been had the Australian fielded the likes of Callum McGregor, Jota and Liel Abada from the start. 

Looking ahead, Celtic have a quick turnaround as they take on Shaun Maloney’s Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday at noon. A win would see the Bhoys move six points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, for the afternoon at least. 

Thank you for reading this article. If you have any thoughts or opinions, leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @Josh_Footblog for more Celtic and Scottish football content.