Thanks to @cjs80 on Twitter for stating the opinion that stimulated this piece.
I thought I better check that out.
In 2021/22 Ange Postecoglou was still shaping the squad and in essence finished the season with a core of 17 players to win the league and League Cup. He even “sacrificed” the Europa Conference League to ensure focus on the Champions League entry title win.
Was it better this season?
Squad Utilisation
Here are the completed 90 minutes worth and the percentage of time each player was on the field compared to the total 53 possible matches played.
Unsurprisingly, Joe Hart was the most used player as teams tend not to rotate goalkeepers and they tend not to be subbed off.
After that, perennial workhorse Callum McGregor is next, but he completed a mere 76% of available minutes – relatively slack from the captain!
Some players left and joined, and this has an impact. For example, it would make sense to add together Josip Juranovic’s and Alistair Johnston’s times. Similarly, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Oh Hyeon-gyu filled the same logical role.
Allowing for that, only 11 players played in 50% or more of the available minutes (one of those being our Juranovic/Johnston conglomerate).
There is then a drop off to 43% for Liel Abada and 41% for Mooy.
Essentially, 14 players played in more than 30% of the available minutes. Chris was spot on.
That is a small core.
Given 21 of the first team squad are Postecoglou signings and seven came through the Academy, it isn’t as if he was still dealing with other managers players.
Seventeen players appeared in the equivalent of 15 or less matches. Then add in the seven senior players (Vasilias Barkas has now departed) out on loan and that is 25 players playing a minor role in the first team squad.
As Chris say’s no wonder some looked puggled by seasons end.
If Celtic are to be competitive in four major competitions next season, there is going to have to be significant churn in clearing out unwanted players and getting in more who will better support those doing most of the heavy lifting.
Or you trust your squad players more.
Jack says
Yes we need a squad ready to for europe and and spl cup and leagye games yes players were very tired at ibrox the second goal was a killer but we had the league win by then and with no supporters to lift us ut was a rerrible unfair sinaraio that only happens to cektic in sfa run games MC Clean is so biased against celtic he should have been wearing a blue shirt
John Kane says
As ever, great article Alan. I’d be intrigued to get your insight into how this will change under BR (or Plan B head coach).
celticbynumbers@btinternet.com says
Not sure John – Rodgers is notorious for his squads succumbing to lots of injury
Martin says
Id be interested to see this analysis replicated for some of the high intensity English clubs. Is it possible there’s some method behind this madness? Using as few players as possible has to be good for continuity, consistency and integration (Dundee Utd in their glory years famously managed a very small squad). Is there research out there that’s suggestive of optimal playing volume?
celticbynumbers@btinternet.com says
Hi Martin and thanks
Dundee Utd – great side – very different days – Liverpool the same in 80s – used 16 players over 42 league games
You make a fair point about learning triggers and being able to implement the pressing regime efficiently.
More prosaically, i just think Ange was one of those managers who only went with those he could trust