Brendan Rodgers’ defensive decision on Sunday raised eyebrows among fans who were travelling up to Perth, as Maik Nawrocki was dropped in favour of Auston Trusty despite impressing in recent weeks.
Nawrocki had been a standout performer in the derby defeat to Rangers, and followed that up with a solid showing in the 3-0 win over Hearts. With momentum and form on his side, many expected the Polish defender to retain his spot at McDiarmid Park.
Instead, Rodgers opted to recall Trusty. It was Trusty’s first start since the international break, and he looked off the pace and struggled to deal with the physicality and pace of the St Johnstone front line.
Speaking on Open Goal, Paul Slane summed up the general feeling: “Nawrocki came in the last two weeks and not put a foot wrong. On the ball he’s aggressive, off the ball he’s got that side to his game… why he came out was beyond me. I don’t know why Rodgers has done that.”
Rodgers will likely reflect on that choice, particularly with Trusty’s performance lacking the assertiveness and composure Nawrocki had displayed. It could be a selection that the Celtic boss rethinks going into a vital stretch of games with silverware still up for grabs.
He’s already hinted that he’s going to be making changes and dropping players who are cruising along.
The hope now will be that consistency returns to Celtic’s backline ahead of the split and the Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone. Whether Nawrocki is reinstated remains to be seen, but his recent displays have certainly strengthened his case.
