CARL STARFELT had an inauspicious start to this Celtic career with some high profile mistakes. Since then, we’ve seen a lot of fans give up on the Swede already – unconsciously anointing the defender as this season’s whipping boy.
It’s confirmation bias at its finest.
‘Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favour, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one’s prior beliefs or values.’
Carl’s slow start means he’s facing an uphill struggle to convince the above type of Celtic fan. The Aberdeen game was an example of the player doing well but not receiving any praise for what he was doing. Instead, people focus on that misplaced pass or that one missed interception.
Celtic are not in the business of recruiting finished articles or world-class defenders – we simply can’t afford them. Most players we bring in are going to have some rough edges.
Our defenders are also going to make mistakes given the system we play, it’s inevitable. Too many fans focus on what Carl is doing wrong at points in the game but miss the 90% he does right.
I was happy to see I wasn’t alone with this assessment after the Aberdeen game. Some fans managing to think for themselves and detach Carl from earlier performances.
Starfelt has hardly put a foot wrong since a decent showing at Ibrox. Looks a wee bit awkward on the ball but has been good for a while now. Got faith him and CCV will grow into a decent partnership. Optimism eh, wits it like?
— Ikigai 🏴🍀 (@CelticFickle) October 4, 2021
Another good game from starfelt.. Feel for the defenders who have nobody in middle to take the ball of them.. McGregor was very poor today. Turnbull needs dropped for abit.
— IrishPaddyMcMaeda (@Bigirishcelt) October 3, 2021
Starfelt getting a bit of stick today, but I thought he was one of our better players. Defended well. That’s his main objective at the end of the day.
— Ross Mitchell RC (@67Rossco) October 3, 2021
starfelt immense today again btw
— . (@Ronan1888) October 3, 2021
Starfelt has really impressed last few games. He’s cut out (most of) his mistakes
— Adam Weir (@adamweir04) October 3, 2021
I already know when I post this article onto our social media feeds we will have reactive statements from some of these supporters who won’t even read this article, telling us the Swede is ‘hopeless’. That’s how some of our fans choose to operate – each to their own.
If I thought Carl was useless, I would say so. If over the season he can’t shake major mistakes then that’s a different story, right now, he’s doing well. Not amazing, but he was as much a part of that win against Aberdeen as anyone else in the Celtic team.
