BRENDAN RODGERS has held all the cards since he arrived at Celtic and when he delivered a full house last season his hand got even stronger.

Now he wants a seat at the biggest table of all once again. So, does he stick or twist?

Does he go with what he has got and put his faith in the tried and trusted to do the job once again? Or does he see what is out there is an increasingly over-priced transfer market and hope that a new recruit can hit the ground running in the Champions League?

Rodgers admitted after the win over Partick Thistle on Friday night that he could look to reinforce his squad once again and that moves have been in the pipeline for a couple of weeks.

Whatever he does, whether he goes all in and splashes the cash or whether he folds and waits for the next hand, Rodgers is taking a £30million gamble.

Losing one of Dedryck Boyata or Erik Sviatchenko or one of Moussa Dembele or Leigh Griffiths would have been bad enough for Celtic as they prepare for their make-or-break Champions League clash with Astana.

But the injuries to all four have left the Hoops short and Rodgers in a quandary over who to sign or who to pick.

This is a nightmare scenario but it is a surprise that Rodgers has left himself open to the possibility, especially when you consider the pot of gold on the other side of the European rainbow.

The Northern Irishman is spoilt for choice in the middle of the park but at either end of the field he is now trying to fit square pegs in round holes.

He got away with it against Rosenborg as James Forrest became as the Hoops hero, and at Firhill as Nir Bitton emerged unscathed, mainly thanks to a controversial call from whistler Andrew Dallas.

And there won’t be a fan in green and white at Parkhead on Wednesday evening that will doubt their boss when Astana come to town.

But Rodgers could have avoided being in this position if he had moved earlier in the window to further bolster the areas of his squad that needed a body to add strength in depth.

He has already explained his reasoning behind not having a third choice striker on the books. If Dembele is fit, he plays. If not and Griffiths is, he plays.

But there are players out there that would walk the length of London Road to pick up a few grand a week in the hope of getting a handful of games and goals in green and white, especially when the Champions League carrot is dangled in front of them.

Similarly, Celtic will be attractive to a centre-half that understands the game and knows the score. They are there to do a job, but only when called upon.

In truth, there is probably no right or wrong call for Rodgers. Whatever one he makes, he will stand by, and the fans will back him on it.

The Champions League odds are in Celtic’s favour. Now Rodgers has his sights set on the jackpot.

AND ANOTHER THING

Timing is everything in football, and Stuart Armstrong will know that as well as anyone at Parkhead. The arrival of Rodgers came not a moment too soon to seemingly save his Celtic career and the midfielder made the most of his chance to shine last season.

But, a few weeks into the new campaign, Armstrong has yet to sign a new long-term deal to keep him in Glasgow for the foreseeable future.

Rodgers wants him to stay and, according to the Northern Irishman, Armstrong is happy to commit his future to the club. Only they know what the hold-up is but if the 25-year-old wants to remain a key part of Rodgers’ plans then surely he should put pen-to-paper sooner rather than later.

Rodgers isn’t short of midfield options right now and Olivier Ntcham staked his claim for a start against Astana with the winner at Firhill.

Armstrong can’t allow the situation to drag on much longer or he risks seeing others move ahead of him in the Parkhead pecking order.