Former top flight defender Richard Foster has insisted that Celtic star Liam Scales struggled to handle the physicality of the Aberdeen attack in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Celtic managed to reach the finals through a penalty shootout after the game with Aberdeen finished 3-3 on Saturday.
The Celtic defenders struggled to contain Aberdeen attackers Bojan Miovski and Ester Sokler and Foster stressed that Scales was the player who looked uncomfortable throughout the game.
He pointed out that the Celtic centre-back regularly came second when it comes to physical duels and Sokler really made him look laboured once he was introduced into the attack.
The former defender believes opposition teams will now know that Celtic’s defence are suspect when crosses are delivered inside their penalty box and it is an area that could be exploited.
Foster said to BBC Radio Scotland: “I thought Scales struggled.
“He even struggled with the physical element of even Miovski; when he plays on that last line, they never really seemed to get the structure right behind the ball.
“So many times, Scales and [Cameron] Carter-Vickers were square and Miovski was running between them instead of having one picking up and one screening in front of him.
“They just never seemed to handle him and then when Sokler came on he gave them a world of trouble.
“I don’t think he won a single header against him.
“Balls into the box, for me, the second and the third goal are both Liam Scales.
“He just watches the ball and lets’ the striker, Sokler and then the defender, MacDonald drift off the back of him.”
Celtic are leading the Scottish Premiership table by three points and Brendan Rodgers will be hoping that his side manage to keep their defensive frailties at bay for the final games of the season.
