Celtic ratings: How players fared against Bodo/Glimt - trio did little for their cases

It says everything about the largely feckless nature of Celtic’s endeavours in Bodo that only one player in the visiting ranks could be satisfied with his contribution.

Liam Scales suffered for Celtic against Bodo/Glimt.

In goal, Joe Hart produced two superb blocks in the first period as the home side looked as if they could entirely swamp their opponents. Shivers might travel down the spine at what an embarrassing 5-1 aggregate scoreline could have become had the former England No 1 not twice thwarted Amahl Pellegrino in the half hour that followed the Norwegians storming into a 1-0 lead inside nine minutes. Hart required to exhibit instinctive reflexes to extend to his left and push away a goalbound drive from the wide man, before making himself big to deny him a second time.

Opportunities were presented to a number of Celtic players that have struggled for starts over reason months by Postecoglou’s decision to rotate his team – surely with more than an eye on Sunday’s crucial league encounter at Easter Road. Alas for such as left-back Liam Scales, centre-back Stephen Welsh and winger James Forrest all struggled to make a case for threatening the status of Greg Taylor, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liel Abada in those roles.

The dismal nature of the opening 45 minutes necessitated the Celtic manager hauling captain Callum McGregor and Abada from the bench, the pair replacing the toiling twosome Tom Rogic and Matt O’Riley. The immediate improvement in the visitors illustrated the huge importance of McGregor as both a midfield fulcrum and team leader, and how effective the Israeli youngster can prove with his forcing and foraging.

Player ratings

Celtic: Hart 7; Ralston 5, Starfelt 5, Welsh 4, Scales 4; Bitton 5; Rogic 4 (McGregor 45, 6), O’Riley 4 (Abada 45, 6); Forrest 5, Giakoumakis 5 (McCarthy 76, n/a), Maeda 6.

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