Former Celtic midfielder-turned-pundit Peter Grant has made an encouraging observation about defender Stephen Welsh and his performance in the Hoops’ 3-1 victory over St. Johnstone at the weekend.
Welsh, who has now started and played 90 minutes in the previous two matches, does receive some criticism from the supporters. He wasn’t his best against Livingston in the Scottish Cup last Sunday, with many blaming him for the Lions’ first-half equaliser.
On Saturday, however, he did look more assured and in terms of his passing and the way he moved the ball, Grant noticed vast improvements.
Indeed, he believes that Welsh’s change from the right side of centre-half to the left in Liam Scales’ absence benefitted him massively: “What I liked about him on the left-hand side, I felt he passed the ball more progressively and quicker forward”, he said (Go Radio Football Show).
“Sometimes on the right-hand side, he should trust himself more. It’s quite bizarre because he’s on his right-hand side.
“On Saturday his progressive passing into the middle of the pitch, I thought that’s what helped Celtic.”
When he has come into the team alongside Scales, Welsh has had to play on the right. Playing on the left side of centre-back, though, seems to benefit the academy graduate.
He did look better than he had previously at the weekend, but one wonders whether that was down to Carter-Vickers’ return to the side and the stability he brings, or Grant’s theory about a slight positional change.
