Celtic round-up: Sutton highlights major problem, ‘basic mistakes’, plastic pitches

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Sutton highlights major problem

Celtic legend Chris Sutton believes the Bhoys do not have a ‘proper centre-forward’.

The BT Sport pundit watched as his old club were beaten 2-0 by Valencia at Parkhead in the first leg of their round of 32 Europa League clash.

Brendan Rodgers opted to start Oliver Burke as the central striker having done well in the position domestically, but the on-loan West Bromwich Albion forward struggled.

Not holding back on BT, Sutton said as quoted by The Daily Star: “You need a proper centre-forward. Do they have one? I don’t think so. It’s a massive problem. Celtic don’t have a recognised No 9. That isn’t good enough for a club of this size.”

‘Basic mistakes’

Brendan Rodgers blamed the 2-0 defeat to Valencia on ‘basic mistakes’ made by his team.

He told Celtic TV: “Valencia are a team who wait on mistakes, very organised, compact and we made too many mistakes especially in the first half under no pressure.

“We gave it away and when you do that against good teams it kills your momentum and it puts you on the back foot. The lessons are you need to really concentrate.”

Rodgers’ side have it all to do in the return leg at the Mestalla Stadium next week.

Plastic pitches

Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic believes plastic pitches will soon be done away with in Scottish football (The Herald).

The Hoops take on Kilmarnock at Rugby Park this weekend, which is one of three venues in the Scottish top flight to have a plastic pitch.

The ex-Dinamo Zagreb player said: “There are many players who have been hurt on this kind of pitch. When you are playing every week on normal grass then after five or six weeks you move to Astroturf, it’s a big difference.”

There is currently a PFA Scotland petition campaigning for the banning of articifial turf.