Dilemmas front and back for Celtic ahead of Man City game

There was the migraine in the Nou Camp a few weeks ago, but this week he has the kind of dilemma that all managers claim to crave as he blots a game plan to take into Wednesday night against Manchester City.

Two selection problems, one at the front and a more pressing one at the back.

Domestically there will be no-one who will live with Celtic on form like this as they blew Kilmarnock away on Saturday afternoon. But for all that the Parkhead side are fluid from middle to front, there remains an issue with the goalkeeping situation.

Read more: Leigh Griffiths eyeing up first UEFA Champions League start

Dorus de Vries has been unconvincing since deposing of Craig Gordon. Had there not been question marks over him then he may well have been forgiven the concession of Souleymane Coulibaly’s 35 yard effort – a beautiful strike nonetheless – but in the eyes of a support yet to fully buy into his ability to stay as number one it was another black mark.

By getting up and botting his post he gave a clear indication of what he thought about it himself.

Read more: Leigh Griffiths eyeing up first UEFA Champions League start

A muscular injury was the reason given for Craig Gordon’s appearance after the break but injury issues aside, it may afford the Celtic manager an opportunity to make a change. De Vries has yet to show the form in Glasgow that Rodgers has enthused about from his days at Swansea.

“He strained his chest when he landed,” said Rodgers after the game. “He could have maybe played on but we had Craig there fit and capable and I didn’t want to take any risks. We’ll see how Dorus is over the next couple of days.”

Leigh Griffiths’ situation too offers food for thought. He played half an hour on Saturday, his first game time in a month, but required minutes to find the route to goal. He has netted eight this season, just two behind the in-form Moussa Dembele.

The latter, a coltish figure, has a clinical look about him in the box. He finishes well and his confidence his high but whether Rodgers decides that Griffiths’ overall play in and around the box might be better served as Celtic try to take something from the game against the Barclays Premier League side remains to be seen.

Certainly, though, what Saturday’s display did was underline again the menace Celtic carry when they put their minds to going forward.

“We don't want to get carried away," said Rodgers. "We still have a lot of work to do with this team. The ball can move quicker and the standard can go up a lot more.

"Last season Kilmarnock got a 0-0 draw here so it shows our ability and hunger and intensity less than a year on to score six goals.

"We played very well and, as a team, they are improving but there is still a way to go."

Against Kilmarnock everything they touched came off against the beleaguered Ayrshire side who would have longed for the sound of the whistle long before it sounded.

Yet, there was a chastening wake-up call about the gulf in standard between the weekly league outings and the challenge of European football only a matter of weeks ago for this Hoops side when they sloped out of Barcelona.

With one foot firmly on the dock of domestic dry land and one foot on the European boat, this is a two-pronged assault this season with the aim of avoiding the possibility of slipping into sobering icy waters.

As impressive as Celtic were as the ball hit the back of the net over and over again on Saturday afternoon, no-one needs to dwell overly on the difference in standard they can expect on Wednesday.

Whether Kevin de Bruyne is fit or not will matter little – Manchester City have a wealth of riches that will ensure Celtic need to lift their game significantly against the Barclays Premier League side.

Realistically they will look to push for that third spot that would parachute them into the Europa league after Christmas but even that will be a tough ask given the quality of their group.

What will stand them in good stead, though, is the cohesion that runs through the spine of the side just now.

It is now just the fluidity of which they are passing the ball, especially from middle to front, but the cheerleading going on from the sidelines. It was not so long ago that Celtic were involved in embarrassing skirmishes over the ball when it came to deciding who was taking responsibility for taking penalty kicks.

Read more: Leigh Griffiths eyeing up first UEFA Champions League start

On Saturday afternoon Griffiths, clearly itching to catch up with Dembele’s goal tally, was upended in the box and with, one goal already to his name, he broke into a sprint to chase the wayward ball.

He collected, bolted to the spot and then promptly sought out Scott Sinclair. The midfielder duly converted for his sixth league goal in as many game – reports of usurping Jimmy McGrory from the record books are premature though as the club’s leading goalscorer netted in his opening 8 league games – but it afforded an intriguing insight into the sense of camaraderie that clearly exists in the dressing room.

In itself it may not be enough up against teams not just of genuine quality like Manchester City and Barcelona but it is adds a certain amount of character that may be required in the remaining five Champions League group games that Celtic have.