Celtic pundit Kevin Graham has recently made a claim about a selection plan from Neil Lennon for the upcoming Old Firm derby.
Graham was hosting the latest episode of the ‘A Celtic State of Mind’ podcast and the panel discussed multiple issues involving the Bhoys. One topic of discussion was the upcoming Old Firm derby and Graham talked about Lennon’s potential selection for the left-back spot. Graham feels that Lennon can look to start both Diego Laxalt and Greg Taylor in the Old Firm.
Should Laxalt and Taylor start together against Rangers?
Yes
No
The Hoops have already lost the Old Firm once, as they lost 2-0 earlier in this season. They find themselves 16 points behind the Gers in the table and have three games in hand. Because of the gap between themselves and Rangers, the upcoming Old Firm might prove to be very important for the Bhoys.
Graham feels that Lennon could look to start Laxalt and Taylor on the left, with Kristoffer Ajer and Jeremie Frimpong on the right to expose Rangers’ weakness.
He said: “I think Greg Taylor’s done well since he’s come in. I think Greg Taylor gives us a bit more solidity down that side. I would like to see at one point, [an] attempt to put Laxalt in front of him and have a Taylor-Laxalt double-up there. And that’s something Lennon could do at Ibrox. He could actually end up playing Ajer and Frimpong on one side and Taylor and Laxalt on the other, because Rangers’ biggest strength is also their biggest weakness.”
TIF Thoughts on Graham’s selection claim about Lennon…
Laxalt didn’t start for Celtic against Hamilton and against Kilmarnock. Taylor had started in those two games and even picked up an assist against Kilmarnock.
Laxalt made his Celtic debut in the previous Old Firm derby and since then, Taylor has started only a couple of times. This suggests that Laxalt and Taylor haven’t been on the pitch together for too long.
Starting them in the same game – in an Old Firm clash, of all games – may be a big risk for Celtic. So perhaps, Lennon should not take this risk and go with a more tested system.