At 1:45 yesterday, all eyes were on that starting line up, waiting for its release on social media.

When it was released it was pretty much more of the same from Monday’s 1-1 draw against Hibs with the additions of the likes of Nir Bitton and Anthony Ralston. One omission that did surprise me though was Stephen Welsh.

Welsh was arguably one of the better performers on Monday evening and didn’t deserve to be dropped whether that was for the returning Bitton or Irishman Shane Duffy. Don’t get me wrong both those players have vastly more experience but they haven’t exactly set the world alight with their performances?

Overall in his Celtic career, Welsh has made 4 competitive starts for the club, all of which have felt like he has been thrown in under difficult circumstances, none bigger than being put in for just his second start against Rangers back in October.

Personally, whenever I have seen Welsh I have been impressed and it was the same on Monday. He looks like a player with the potential to become a first-team regular in a position we haven’t created much talent in the last few years.

So surely games like yesterday are the ones he should be getting the chance to prove himself in, especially as we are without several first-team regulars who are currently out self-isolating.

It’s incredibly frustrating and it does make you consider, what must these young players be thinking when they don’t seem to be given that chance to perform.

From now, I would like to see Welsh given a bit more consistent game time whether we bring in another central defender or not.

With the season all but gone we have to look to the future and Welsh looks like he could play a part in that. So let him show us what he is all about and what he can give to this team.