Two forgotten summer signings have been waiting in the wings

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The Celtic Star

·21 septembre 2024

Two forgotten summer signings have been waiting in the wings

Two forgotten summer signings have been waiting in the wings. It is time for Brendan to unleash both and tomorrow is the perfect game to do so…

Viljami Sinisalo

Finnish goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo and Spanish left-back Alex Valle have played a combined total of zero minutes since arriving through the door. It is not a criticism of the manager; it is unlikely that Sinisalo who joined as second in command to the experienced Kasper Schmeichel expected to be given first team minutes at the beginning of the season.

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Valle on the other hand may be surprised that he is yet to feature in either of theRangers, Hearts or Slovan Bratislava matches despite being on the substitutes bench in all three.

Alex Valle

Tomorrow is exactly the type of game to give Sinisalo and Valle a chance to play with their new teammates and in front of a buoyant Celtic Park crowd.

Life at Celtic for Kasper Schmeichel could not have gotten off to a better start. He is a history maker already having kept five clean sheets in his first five league games, something a Celtic goalkeeper has not done since the 1906/1907 season. However, tomorrow’s game against Falkirk is a match that he does not need to play in.

There is the distinct possibility that Sinisalo will be the future Celtic no.1. It allows the 22 year-old goalkeeper to build the trust of the manager by becoming familiar with the way Celtic play, having the confidence with the ball at his feet under pressurised circumstances. I cannot think of any negatives of not starting him.

It was clear in the summer transfer window that Celtic had to sign a left-back. The Hoops lacked any depth in the position and were a Greg Taylor injury away last season from a defensive crisis.

Taylor’s remarkable form means he has solidified himself as the starting left-back but competition for his place from the on-loan Barcelona left-back will only make his game stronger.

AC Milan’s Portuguese forward #10 Rafael Leao attempts to dribble past Barcelona’s Spanish defender #12 Alex Valle during the pre-season club friendly match between Barcelona and AC Milan at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, August 6, 2024. ( (Photo by SAMUEL CORUM/AFP via Getty Images)

The Spaniard came to Celtic Park with a respectable pedigree having been an unused substitute in Barcelona’s first two La Liga matches. Celtic fans are excited to see him play. Tomorrow is the perfect time to start him, grow his confidence which in turn will make his transition to Scottish football as comfortable as possible.

The summer signing duo are not the only players we could see start for the inaugural time. American defender Auston Trusty will most likely start. So too will Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah.

By the time November comes around, Celtic will have been the only club in Glasgow to have not played a competitive fixture at the national stadium this season. Therefore, as progression to the League Cup semi-final awaits, tomorrow’s game against in form Falkirk is the ideal opportunity for Brendan Rodgers to start our fresh recruits.

Conor Spence