BBC Sport pundit Michael Stewart has slammed Mikael Lustig as the Celtic weak link whose teammates are having to cover for him.
Speaking on BBC Scotland programme Sportsound during the team’s 1-0 Europa League win over Rosenborg on Thursday night, ex-Scotland international Stewart highlighted a major problem in the Hoops side.
“James Forrest, in a lot of games, plays a little bit deeper to try and protect Mikael Lustig,” Stewart explained, as quoted by the BBC Sport website’s live blog (9.14pm). “That changes the dynamic of the team slightly. Celtic’s forward attacking play has suffered because they don’t have that attacking midfielder, like Stuart Armstrong, who runs beyond the strikers. And there’s a lack of competition in that area.”
OPINION
As any Hoops fan will point out, Lustig has been a weak link in the team for a long time. Aged 31, the Sweden international is not so much over the hill, as firmly rock bottom on the other side after crash-landing flat on his backside. The defender deserves great respect for his six years at Celtic, in which he has been a key member of the team and has hoovered up trophies for fun. But, in truth, the right-back has been off the boil not just this season, but the last one, too. He does not have the energy and mobility of his peak, and struggles in one-on-ones because of that. Celtic’s attacking impetus on the right flank is being negated because the likes of Forrest are having to cover for him and provide extra protection on the right flank. The problem is that there is no obvious successor to Lustig in the Celtic ranks. Brendan Rodgers has tried various combinations, including frequent use of a three-man defence and wing-backs. Once again, Celtic are looking back at missed opportunities in the summer window.