Early term centre back issues for Celtic are as regular as the seasons themselves, but nothing has prepared us for the current plight. Forced to play an 18-year-old and 21-year-old in Champions League qualification eclipses even the Hendry-Simunovic axis as a head-behind-hands moment for Celtic fans.
Into that context was thrown Carl Starfelt, 26, a big money signing from Rubin Kazan. Tynecastle, versus a big physical Hearts side was a tough baptism for a centre back with barely one training session together with new team mates. Partnered with Bitton, in whom there are considerable doubts as to his suitability for a centre back role despite being 3 years into his positional transformation, how did the Swede perform? And what have the subsequent two wins told us?
Early Woe
Celtic’s most revered Swede, Larsson, famously gifted Hibernian a goal on debut with a loose pass back. Things improved a wee bit from that point forward.
Typical of Celtic’s performance and fortune over the last year, the new structure of the defence was stressed very early against Hearts.
8 minutes in, a Celtic counter press is disorganised, and Hearts play one ball down the right channel forcing Starfelt to cover the advanced full back Taylor. Starfelt misses his tackle allowing Ginnelly to progress into the box. Celtic then win two tackles but the resulting loose ball falls perfectly for Mackay-Steven to tap in unopposed at the back post.
Starfelt’s missed tackle precipitated the start of the final act of the goal, but the issues were systemic.

As Celtic lose the ball, McGregor presses, and all the forward players latch onto their opponents. As the counter press is played through, Ralston, Bitton and Starfelt are left to deal with four attackers. Hearts have overloaded their left side where the goal is eventually scored.

As the goal is scored, there are now six Hearts players ahead of all but the aforementioned three Celtic defenders. Soro, Turnbull and Taylor are now in shot, but none of them recovered to affect the play.
Celtic’s failure to recover leaving the defence 3v4 then 3v6 is a failure to implement the manager’s counter press effectively and the put in the basic recovery runs needed. These are all normal teething problems with implementing such systems. However, the perception by many that Starfelt is vulnerable is seeded 8 minutes into his debut.
Patience is needed.
Star Bumps
So, a poor start which at least gave the Sky team an opportunity to pile the pressure on the new man. And he had his wobbles.
Some loose passing from he and Edouard on 34 minutes resulted in a collision in midfield which could have led to a yellow card for the Swede.
On 45m, he misjudged a long high punt but Bitton read it well to cover Boyce and avert danger.
In the second half, there was an awkward pass back towards Bain that cause some alarm.
He was an equal partner in the systemic failure to defend the last-minute Hearts’ free kick winner. None of the Celtic players get pass marks here as three opponents are allowed a central run at a long wide free kick, all unmarked.
“Angeball” Comes to Life
First night nerves for sure.
What followed are two wins, and loads of goals, as the first shoots of “Angeball” come to fruition. Starfelt was paired with Bitton in Jablonec and Welsh vs Dundee. And ahead of another goalkeeper – Hart.
The Jablonec victory came with many defensive teething issues. On 17m the whole defensive structure is again put under stress starting with hesitant passing out from the back, then crumbles with a simple high ball. Starfelt is left isolated as Bitton hesitates and fails to track Pilar who is left with an embarrassingly easy finish.
Jablonec’s second goal resulted from another simply long pass forward, this time into a vacant right back spot left by Ralston. Again, Starfelt is made to look inept due to Bitton initially freezing and not responding to the run, then him having to cover both Bitton and Ralston’s right side before being skilled by Malinsky for the chip.
The whole defence can look like mugs if disorganised or through their weakest link, in this case Bitton whose danger radar is often wonky.
Dundee were very poor and rarely threated but some were exercised by another wobbly moment under a high ball misjudged, and several shaky passing actions.
Starfelt has an awkward gait with the ball on occasions. He seems to have exaggerated and seemingly unnecessary body movements that transmit a certain jitteriness and unease. And as always, many pounce on one or two eyesores to create a full formed opinion.
Starfelt Performance Numbers
So, (finally!) what does the data say?
My main defensive action indicators show Defensive Action Success Rate (DASR) at 78% and Possession Won from Defensive Actions at 94%. Both metrics are in line with what I’d hope for in a starting Celtic centre back. For context last season:

In his first two games with Bitton, he was by far the most dominant defender. He was 10/3 on challenges vs Hearts (winning 4 more than any other Celt) and 12/2 vs Jablonec (3 more than any other Hoop).
In terms of errors, the Hearts opener yes, and some wobbles, but his errors have mainly been in shaky passing and not in defensive decision making or actions, including positioning. To me, he looks the senior partner trying to keep the loose confederation together. He leads all defenders averaging 12.33 Recoveries per 90m.
Distribution is crucial to a Postecoglou side. He is the left sided centre back but right footed which infuriates some but left footed centre backs are not common and two footed ones practically extinct.
Starfelt has a remarkable 98% pass completion rate from 296 completed passes and 6 incomplete (everyone remembers the 6). I can only recall Boyata having such a high percent. Counter intuitively, the reason Boyata’s passing was so accurate was because he was such a poor passer of the ball. That is, his instructions were to keep it very simple and only deliver short, low-risk passes.
Starfelt, similarly, doesn’t seem to possess the deep passing range that Jullien can deliver and Bitton certainly has. This may be a poor fit for “Angeball” but it depends whom he is finally paired with.
What adds additional context is the fact he averages 11 Pack Passes per 90m (forward passes that take opponents out the game). This is second only to Bitton in the squad so far.
The reason for this is he is adept at breaking the first press. His passing doesn’t cut through the opponent’s midfield to forwards, but rather bypasses the strikers / wingers of the opponent. Of his 33 Pack Passes, 12 have been to left back Taylor. Whilst he is not the reincarnation of Glenn Hoddle passing wise, Starfelt very efficiently progresses AND retains the ball.
Conclusion
Just as many wrote off Larsson all those years ago, so others’ cognitive bias was hard wired after 8 minutes against Hearts regarding Starfelt. We have to appreciate he is likely the line of continuity in what will be a fast evolving and changing back lie as Postecoglou plays the market. A defence is only as strong as its weakest link and Starfelt has been dealt a rough hand in that regard.
His defensive numbers are decent given that context balanced against the opposition. His distribution may expand but for starters is safe and functional. He may not look elegant at all times, but I posit his start is way more solid that some would have you believe.