Former Celtic star and respected defender Richard Foster has raised concerns about Liam Scales’ struggles in dealing with the physicality of the Aberdeen attack during the Scottish Cup semi-final over the weekend.

In a thrilling encounter that ended 3-3, Celtic eventually secured their spot in the finals via a penalty shootout. The defensive line, however, found it challenging to contain the threats posed by Aberdeen forwards Bojan Miovski and Ester Sokler. Foster particularly emphasized Scales’ unease and vulnerability throughout the match.

According to Foster, Scales repeatedly found himself outmatched in physical duels, especially when faced with the likes of Sokler, who caused him considerable difficulty upon entering the attack. This, Foster believes, may have exposed a weak spot in Celtic’s defense, particularly when defending against crosses inside their penalty area.

Foster shared his observations with BBC Radio Scotland, stating, “I thought Scales struggled. He seemed to have difficulty with the physicality, especially against Miovski. The defensive structure behind the ball often appeared disjointed, with Scales and Carter-Vickers failing to coordinate effectively to handle Miovski’s threat.”

He continued, “Sokler’s introduction added another dimension of trouble for them. Scales was ineffective in aerial challenges against Sokler and was at fault for the second and third goals conceded, where he appeared to lose track of his markers.”

Despite leading the Scottish Premiership by three points, Celtic will need to address their defensive vulnerabilities to maintain their position in the final stretch of the season. Manager Brendan Rodgers will be keen to shore up the defense to ensure a strong finish in the remaining games.