Rodgers experiment fails: Three things learned about Celtic in draw v Kilmarnock
COMMENT
Celtic and Kilmarnock played out a dull goalless draw at Celtic Park on Wednesday night.
The match was predictably low-key, as it was relatively meaningless for both teams, and Brendan Rodgers took the chance to make plenty of changes from the team which defeated Hearts on Sunday.
The likes of Patrick Roberts, Jozo Simunovic and Calvin Miller were given rare starts, with Roberts playing in an experimental 'false nine' role.
The most interesting moment of the first-half came when a Simunovic header was ruled out of offside, because fellow defender Kristoffer Ajer interfered with play.
The second-half brought an early chance for Stuart Armstrong, who should have done much better, then Jack Hendry missed a great chance with a free header which he somehow out wide of the post.
That was the last good chance of the match though as the game petered out into a goalless draw.
Here, Football Insider looks at three things we learned in Celtic v Kilmarnock
Click 'reveal' below to read about a player who didn't impress in his big chance...
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MILLER IS NOT A LEFT-BACK
Calvin Miller was given a rare first-team start for the Hoops and didn't look comfortable at all playing in the left-back role in place of Kieran Tierney.
He looked bereft of confidence when on the ball, and quite frankly he looks like a player who used to be a striker and is now playing in a defensive role.
If he wants to make it with the Hoops then he will have to revert back to a more forward-thinking role, as at this moment in time he just doesn't look suited to be playing as a left-back.
Click 'next page' to read about an experiment that didn't work...
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RODGERS EXPERIMENT ON ROBERTS FAILS
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers made the decision to leave his only fit striker Moussa Dembele out of the starting line-up against Kilmarnock, which makes sense with the Scottish Cup Final only a week away.
This meant that Patrick Roberts, in only his second start of the year, played in a 'false nine' role. which he wasn't used to and didn't look comfortable in at all.
It is unfortunate in what might be one of his last appearances for the Hoops that the player he was stuck in a position which didn't play to his strengths, but the Hoops boss was completely right not to take any risks with any over his strikers.
Click 'next page' to read about the performance overall...
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NO SURPRISE AT THE POOR HOOPS PERFORMANCE
It is not surprising at all that the Hoops turned in a below-par performance against Kilmarnock, as Brendan Rodgers made plenty of changes in what was a relatively meaningless game.
It was a chance for the likes of Jozo Simunovic and Stuart Armstrong to get some game time, but no one who was selected looked like they would force their way into the first-team.
The first-team will have more of a normal look against Aberdeen on Sunday, but with the Scottish Cup Final on the horizon, the Hoops boss did the right thing in making so many changes.
In other Celtic news, this fringe player must take his chance v Kilmarnock