OPINION
There were not many performances for the Celtic faithful to celebrate on Thursday in their clash with Valencia and they will be hoping their side can bury the memory with a confident win against Kilmarnock on Sunday.
It was a disappointing display from the Hoops’ stars and whether it was an bad day at the office or a sign of the gulf between the two sides, only those who were out there for the 90 minutes will know.
One man who had a real shocker against the Spanish side was Scott Brown – usually the Bhoys’ Mr Reliable – as he struggled to impose himself on the opposition, chasing shadows left by the visitors to Parkhead and simply failing to show his best performance.
With Kilmarnock up next, Brendan Rodgers will have no doubt pencilled Sunday’s clash as a chance for him to rest some of his top players – likely with an eye on securing a result away in Spain next week, although that looks to be a case of too little, too late now.
Brown would certainly be one of those in line to drop to the bench for a breather but a report from the training ground, revealing the match day squad for the domestic showdown, suggests he might well have to play from the start once again.
The Daily Record name the squad for Sunday and there is one notable absentee which could well give Rodgers little option as to who he chooses in the middle of the pitch – Olivier Ntcham.
The French midfielder is out through injury and while Nir Bitton is selected, he is hardly going to be chosen ahead of Brown when the club are still involved in a title battle.
Brown, Bitton and Callum McGregor are the only natural options to play in the midfield – the converted winger looking like a regular in the centre of the pitch for the foreseeable future – and when it comes to the other two, there is only one winner.
The Scottish talisman perhaps should not be starting after his shocker against Valencia and he can consider himself lucky to escape with a role in the line up come an hour before kick off.