There are a lot of Celtic games coming up thick and fast. The bhoys will be in action a day before the World Cup is wrapped up when they are on Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
After that, there’s a quick turnover for a double header at Celtic Park against Livingston then St Johnstone before Christmas.
The bhoys arguably face their three hardest away games of the SPFL calendar during the festive period. Aberdeen at Pittodrie, Hibernian at Easter Road and The Rangers at Ibrox.
There’s also the small matter of League Cup semi-final game against Kilmarnock in the middle of January. The League cup helped set down a marker for the Hoops last season when they went onto win the competition. It was Ange’s first Celtic trophy, the Australian would then lift the SPFL title five months later.
There’s a big call in the back of my mind Ange has probably already made but is still intriguing me. Will Benjamin Siegrist continue in goals for the semi-final?
Benjamin was between the sticks for both the Ross County game that ended 4-1 and the Motherwell game where the bhoys ran out 4-0 winners.
Has the Swiss goalkeeper been promised the entirety of the league Cup run? It’s something Brendan Rodgers implemented with Scott Bain during the Irishman’s time at the club. Craig Gordon was the number one but Scott would get meaningful game time in the cups and would play in the final too.
Celtic are heading to Hampden to take on Kilmarnock for a place in the final and it will be a massive call from Ange who he picks in goal. Will he go with his tried and trusted Joe Hart for the latter stages of the competition or will he make it clear as long as Celtic are in the competition, Benjamin will be the goalkeeper.
Siegrist has proven himself to be a very capable goalkeeper. The manager can gain plaudits for playing a fringe player if they do the business, but they can also come in for immense stick if they are knocked out of a competition due to an error by the fringe man.
It’s highly likely Ange spoke to Benjamin in the summer about cup football time, but I’m not sure how far the Australian would have gone with promises.
Should Benjamin continue in goals for Celtic at Hampden in January?
