With the new season on the horizon, Celtic fans are eagerly anticipating how manager Brendan Rodgers will set up his team.
The recent injury to right-back Alistair Johnston and the signing of defender Maik Nawrocki has added a new dimension to the tactical puzzle. Could we see Rodgers opt for a back three to kick off the campaign?
Rodgers is no stranger to tactical flexibility. During his tenure at Liverpool, he deployed a 3-4-3 formation that saw the Reds play some of their most exciting football. The system allowed for defensive solidity while also providing width and attacking threat. Could a similar approach be on the cards at Celtic Park?
With Johnston’s injury, Celtic are currently short of options at right-back. This could potentially force Rodgers to rethink his defensive setup. Enter Maik Nawrocki. The 22-year-old Polish defender, recently signed from Legia Warsaw, could slot into a back three alongside Celtic’s existing central defenders Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers, who is set to make his injury return son.
A back three could also provide a platform for Celtic’s attacking players to shine. The wing-backs in a 3-4-3 formation have the freedom to push forward, providing width and creating overloads in attacking areas.
However, a change in formation would require the players to adapt quickly. The 3-4-3 system demands a lot from the players, both defensively and offensively, and requires the central midfielders to cover a lot of ground. It also requires the front three to be fluid and interchangeable. And given that Rodgers has stuck with his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation in pre-season so far, it would be a massive and swift adjustment from the players.
Rodgers has shown in the past that he is not afraid to switch things up tactically, and his players have generally responded well to his methods. The potential switch to a back three could be a masterstroke, providing a solution to the current right-back issue and adding a new attacking dimension to the team.
Of course, this is all a suggestion from someone with no coaching experience. Only Rodgers knows how he plans to set up his Celtic side for the start of the season.
