Celtic v Athletic Club analysis as Nawrocki makes debut in win

In what was Brendan Rodgers' first home game since his return to the club as Celtic manager, it was the away side who struck first, with Unai Gomez firing home following a misplaced pass from Reo Hatate.

He would atone for his error, however, as the midfielder slotted the ball past Unai Simon in the Athletic goal. Poor defending from the kick-off allowed Iker Muniain to restore the visitors' lead before half-time, with Tomoki Iwata the main culprit this time.

A much-changed side entered the field of play for the second half, and Celtic took the lead following two quickfire goals from Alexandro Bernabei and David Turnbull, respectively, with these goals proving the deciders in a closely-contested match.

Here are the key points of discussion from tonight's game.

Carter-Vickers' welcome return

Despite only featuring for 45 minutes, it was a very welcome return for Cameron Carter-Vickers in the starting line-up following on from his injury. The American defender has been recovering away from the team, following on from a knee operation which left him sidelined for the conclusion of last season. On his return, he was not afraid to get stuck into tackles and interceptions alongside debutant Maik Nawrocki. It will be important for these two to build a good relationship, especially if Rodgers does see the Pole as one of his first picks in the defensive line-up going forward. Carter-Vickers will be disappointed that the team conceded two goals on his return, but he can rest easy, knowing that neither of them were down to his own actions directly. Hopefully, the imposing central defender got through the game without any hitches or niggles, and he'll be able to start the game against Ross County alongside whoever Rodgers picks as his defensive partner. Overall, a solid showing from the defender, despite he and his fellow defenders conceding two soft goals by Celtic's standards through sloppy possession.

READ MORE: Celtic's James Forrest praises supporters after testimonial

Reo Hatate's mixed fortunes

It was a so-so evening for Celtic's number 41, in which you seen both the worst and best of what he brings to the club. One thing that sticks out about the midfielder's game is that Hatate will always go for the risky pass or commence a play that can potentially get the team into danger if executed poorly. You saw both sides of that this evening, as Hatate was the main negative culprit of Athletic's first goal. He tried a first-time pass that was easily intercepted by the visitors' player, who slotted the ball into the back of the net from distance. Not letting the mistake bring him down or affect his contributions to the team, he kept playing and was rewarded for his hard work, expertly finishing a fine solo goal which left Simon no chance in the opposition's goal to level the scoring at 1-1. You have got to take the rough with the smooth with regard to Hatate, as he will never play safe or within himself when deployed in Celtic's midfield. Hopefully, he can cut some of the misplaced passes out of his game when the real tests begin, both domestically and on the European stage.

Maik Nawrocki makes his debut

The 22-year-old made his first appearance for Celtic, and it was a comfortable, if unremarkable, performance. He played just 45 minutes as Rodgers changed the entire team at half-time. Nawrocki was part of a back four that conceded twice but was not at fault for either goal. His passing and positioning were relatively crisp during his time on the pitch. There were a couple of occasions when he attempted to advance the ball before reverting to a sideways pass. The manager will be hoping that as the defender becomes more comfortable that he is able to get the ball forward more efficiently. While it is a small sample to analyse, he appeared to have a good understanding with Carter-Vickers. The American could be seen at times making sure the former Legia Warsaw man was in the right position and holding his line properly. These are all minor tweaks that will hopefully come in time for the Pole. Given he has not played football since the end of last season and suffered a recent ankle injury which prevented him from taking part in the friendly against Wolves, it was a solid enough showing from the centre-back on his debut.

Attacking threat 

While there were a few mistakes at the back during the match, Celtic continued to be slick up top. Effective pressing allowed the hosts to peg in Athletic Club at times. Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda were, of course, important parts of this during the first half they were on the field. However, props must be given to Oh Hyeon-gyu, Yang Hyun-jun and Liel Abada for continuing this pressure for a portion of the second 45 minutes. The two-touch passing and quick movements were slightly off at the beginning of the game but the Scottish champions went on to play some entertaining stuff at the top end of the park. Alexandro Bernabei’s equaliser was a particular highlight as a lovely interchange between David Turnbull and Matt O’Riley was finished well by the Argentinian. The winning goal was also well worked as Oh showed great awareness to play in Turnbull, who took his chance clinically. The pieces seem to be falling into place from an attacking perspective for Celtic, which will please the manager greatly ahead of the Scottish Premiership starting on Saturday.

READ MORE: An ode to James Forrest: A modern-day Celtic great

A celebration for Forrest

In what was an important night for Celtic’s preparation for the upcoming season, it was also poignant as Forrest’s 13 years at the club were poignantly celebrated by his teammates and the support. It is clear that the player is in the twilight of his career at Celtic, so it was nice to see the club celebrate his achievements in this way through a testimonial. A combined 200 goals and assists – coupled with lots of unforgettable moments – cement the winger as a modern-day Celtic great. He was taken off in the 49th minute – a nice touch considering he has worn this number his whole career – to rapturous applause from the supporters who made the effort to support him on his big night. It remains to be seen just how much of an impact the winger will make in the season ahead, but his importance off of the pitch cannot be questioned, judging by how much his fellow players admire and appreciate him. A well-deserved tribute for a player who has given his all for the club throughout his long career in the green and white. History will be extremely kind to Forrest in the years ahead.