The “Covid 5” learn their fate this week and, with them all likely to receive lengthy bans, Steven Gerrard faces a conundrum when it comes to rotating his squad.
With a major championships on the horizon, the Gers gaffer would love to have rested Borna Barisic for a couple of weeks before he heads off with Croatia or Glen Kamara before he does likewise with Finland, this unfortunately is the price you pay for having a better quality squad – more of them spend time away with their respective international sides.
The issue at left-back is that even Glenn Middleton, who would have been considered to deputise, is no longer available having moved to St Johnstone at the end of the transfer window, scoring the goal that secured them a place in the top six in the process.
James Maxwell is still on loan at Queen of the South and, if we could get him back, then it is the option I’d like us to take, it would do him the world of good to get a few games for us to add to his outstanding first season playing senior football.
Gerrard has known for sometime that he was likely to have do without them so you would like to think that steps have been taken in training to provide a possible solution, Jack Simpson, as a naturally left-footed defender the most likely option, even if it does seriously affect our attacking options, putting Joe Aribo in there instead would be an interesting choice though.
The right-hand side is a little easier to call if James Tavernier still isn’t fit after the international break with Leon Balogun showing that he can do a job there, yes, he has had a few moments, but it has to be remembered that he has been playing there without the protection that Ryan Jack normally gives the skipper.
With the league won, it would have been the perfect opportunity for Calvin Bassey, Nathan Patterson and Bongani Zungu to truly show what they are capable of, it’s been an expensive pizza and game of Monopoly – in more ways than one.