No, says Stewart Fisher.
Most things in football management are a matter of risk assessment. A few things are undeniable. The Celtic management clearly rate Jozo Simunovic very highly. They paid a lot of money to get him from Dinamo Zagreb, and he has already recorded one big win against the Norwegians this season, part of the Zagreb side which knocked Molde out of Champions League qualification on the away goals rule at the end of a tie which finished 4-4.
Right now Deila is weighing up whether it is more of a risk to go with the back four which recorded a clean sheet, albeit being hardly tested, in the Ladbrokes Premiership against Motherwell on Saturday or throwing your star signing back into the fray after a month out with bone bruising on the ankle into a match on artificial turf. For me it is the latter.
Simunovic had an error-free match in Celtic's last Europa League away tie, the 2-2 draw with Ajax, but that was more than a month ago and it is difficult in the extreme to step right back in to a match of this calibre. While it is difficult to trust Efe Ambrose back there after the mistake against Fenerbahce, I would expect him to go with the experienced Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre in the full back positions, with the right sided Dedryck Boyata and left footed Tyler Blackett given the chance to keep their places. Simunovic could always enter from the bench if Deila really needs him.
Yes, says Alison McConnell
The bottom line is that Celtic’s defence is crying out for a level of stability and continuity. It would be foolish to play the Croatian defender if he is not fit but the fact that he has travelled and suggests that he has always had an outside chance of starting the game.
Given the fact that Celtic paid a significant transfer fee for the player, the expectation is that when he is physically able he will be a mainstay of Ronny Deila’s side.
The Parkhead men are seeking their first victory in the Europa League tonight. Celtic have performed well in the tournament to date but they need a settled backline now if they are to plot their way out of the group stages.
Tyler Blackett was a little more composed at centre-half at the weekend than he has been all season, but the on-loan Manchester United defender still lacks a level of aggression that is required at this stage.
If Simunovic is fit, it makes sense to throw him in alongside Dedryck Boyata.
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