Erik Sviatchenko has returned to FC Midtjylland two and a half years into a four and a half year deal. Given he was sent on loan to the same club for the second half of the 2017/18 season, it is no surprise.
There will always be a soft spot for Sviatchenko at the Celtic By Numbers Research Laboratory as he is the only player ever to “like” one of my tweets. Not that I shamelessly tag players in my tweets. Self-publicity, moi?
Over 63 appearances he racked up 4895 minutes for the Hoops, the equivalent of just over 54 full matches. He managed 2 goals and 5 assists, or a Scoring Contribution of 0.129 per 90m. He won 397 challenges averaging 7.3 per 90m and lost 103 at 1.89 per 90m. For comparison this seasons most notable defender, Ajer, averages 8.81 challenges won per 90m and 1.64 lost.
A robust player, he committed 76 fouls and picked up 9 yellow cards. His Crime Count average of 1.9 per 90m is higher than any current defenders this season.
During his Celtic stint, he picked up seven different injuries missing a total of 30 matches.
Upon his arrival in January 2016, he was immediately put into Deila’s side once match fit. His arrival coincided with Simunovic picking up a bad knee injury and Boyata also suffered from injury and suspension in the run in to the 2015/16 title. After the stability and quality of Van Dijk and Denayer the 2015/16 season was one of disruption in the centre back area. So, through others’ misfortune, the Dane found himself first choice missing only 1 game to injury as he picked up his second league title in consecutive seasons with different clubs.
At the start of the 2016/17 season, with a new manager (Rodgers), the centre back position was again problematic due to injury and loss of form across the cadre. Toure was brought in to add experience and Champions League knowhow. Despite missing 4 matches after starting in both Lincoln Red Imps matches, Sviatchenko re-established himself as first choice, with Simunovic, after the defensive nightmare in Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
A run of 26 matches followed where he missed 1 through illness and was 3 times a sub, but otherwise played the full 90 minutes. The last of those was a strangely skittish and nervous performance at Ibrox in the last match before the Winter break. Despite victory, he was partly responsible for their goal, and in general looked flustered, giving the ball away with 6 passes from 21 attempts. He also cleared the ball 8 times in a game Celtic were not under particular pressure. Everything seemed to have to be rushed.
It was as if that game was his Gerard Pique moment. In 2007, a young player at Manchester United, Pique had allowed Anelka to score a winning goal at Bolton Wanderers that he feels led to Alex Ferguson losing trust in him. It’s a startling insight into the fragility of a football career as well as being faintly bonkers if true that a young player is forever castigated for one mistake. However, Sviatchenko’s Celtic career was never the same after that Ibrox win. Ironically, I had him as Bhoy of the Match the game before against Dundee. Football is indeed fickle.
He has not been particularly error prone – his defensive error rate is around the 0.5 per 90 minute mark that is “average” for central defenders at Celtic. However, as well as the mistake against The Rangers, panicked loose passes led to goals in Barcelona and at home to Manchester City in big games. It isn’t the number of errors, it is the games he makes them in.
Injured for the first game after the Winter break, he started only 9 more matches, achieving 4 starts in a row as his best run.
The opening game of the 2017/18 season saw Linfield’s long ball plan cause him surprising issues as he won 13 challenges and interceptions but was unsuccessful with 12 (5 times he lost aerial duels and committed 4 fouls). A positive contribution by helping shut up shop in the last 25 minutes in Rosenborg saw him make his final appearance in the Hoops. A serious knee injury saw 21 games missed. A couple of bench appearances and it was off back to FC Midtjylland.
Not a particularly natural passer, he averaged 39 completed passes under Deila and 66 under Rodgers which tells you something about the focus on possession and moving the ball a bit quicker under the Irishman.
A highlight for him was the exciting 5-2 win on 5th February 2017 away to St Johnstone where he won 16 challenges, losing 3. In the crucial 1-0 win at Aberdeen in October 2016 he had his best tally of 3 key defensive saves in a match where Aberdeen had many dangerous moments but no shots on target. The nearest to a goal came from Sviatchenko himself when his interception of a late free kick was brilliantly saved by Gordon.
In his Celtic career, he only had 16 shots on target but 4 of them came in the same match – the 2015/16 Scottish Cup Semi Final loss on penalties where he also scored 1 of his 2 Celtic goals. The other is also memorable for being from about 40 yards out against Ross County in December 2016.
The Dane leaves with two SPFL medals and a League Cup winners medal playing 90 minutes against Aberdeen in 2016/17. He has the full set as he came on for the last minute of the Scottish Cup Final win against the same opponents to see out the Invincible Treble.
So, Farewell Erik and all the best for the future!