One image stood out from the pack today as Celtic shared pictures from today’s training session.
He won’t be involved at Motherwell tomorrow but knowing that Cameron Carter-Vickers is involved on the training ground again will provide most Celtic fans with a reassuring boost.
It’s not since the end of April that Celtic fans have seen CCV at his best, in the Scottish Cup semi-final he turned in an awesome performance in what was to be his final outing of the season.
Positionally he was spot on at Hampden, a step ahead of his opponents and giving 100% even though he was carrying a knee injury that would see him undergo surgery within 48 hours of sealing Celtic’s place in the Scottish Cup Final.
When Ange Postecoglou revealed that the season was over for his star defender it made the 90 plus minutes even more impressive. It was the last time that Carter-Vickers would play under Postecoglou as a Celtic player.
💪#MOTCEL | #cinchPrem | #COYBIG 🍀 pic.twitter.com/nVqsQKh2ZE
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 29, 2023
Without CCV in defence Celtic tried a variety of combinations in central defence with none offering the composure and authority that is part of the American internationalist’s DNA.
Carl Starfelt, Yuki KBkobayashi, Tomoki Iwata, Maik Nawrocki, Stephen Welsh, Liam Scales, Gus Lagerbielke and Nat Phillips have all been involved without having the same impact.
There was no lack of appreciation for Carter-Vickers before his injury, since the end of April it can’t be argued that alongside Kyogo Furuhashi he is Celtic’s most influential player.
So far this season he has played one and a half matches for Brendan Rodgers, after picking up a fresh injury in his second match back, at Aberdeen on August 13 Celtic won’t be rushing their top defender back.
There are just three matches to go before the October international break with Celtic likely to resist the urge to throw CCV in against Lazio or Kilmarnock.
Getting three solid weeks training in before a massive week against Hearts, Atletico Madrid and Hibs will do Carter-Vickers the world of good- after that it will be a case of CCV Plus One as Celtic enter a telling stage of the season.
MVP
— MB (@melbourne88) September 29, 2023
Have u heard about the big strong man?
— Kev i n (@kev_bhoy1984) September 29, 2023
— Claire 🍀 (@Clara7116) September 29, 2023
Don’t rush the big yin back. Long season ahead 💪💚🙏🍀
— Ryan Coyle (@coyleryan1983) September 29, 2023
CCV is the best signing in years a legend
— John Bhoy (@jald19) September 29, 2023
Return of the fridge!
— Cooper (@CooperBDO7) September 29, 2023
Best news all day
— OpticsBhoy (@Opticsbhoy) September 29, 2023
Great to see him back!
— GreenWhiteDream (@GreenWhiteDream) September 29, 2023
