CELTIC boss Ange Postecoglou must be smarter with his squad. 

That's the view of former Parkhead attacker Kris Commons.

The Hoops suffered several injury blows against Real Betis in the Europa League last Thursday. 

Star man Kyogo was the pick of the bunch, as he picked up a hamstring niggle in the meaningless match. 

James Forrest also went off injured against Motherwell yesterday, adding to an already busy treatment table with Jota, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Albian Ajeti already there.

Commons appreciated Postecoglou will pick his best players for every game possible. 

However, he has urged the Australian to perhaps review his 'risky' approach.

He wrote in his Daily Mail column: "Listen, I know Postecoglou is a competitive guy and he wants to field a team to win games. But common sense should have prevailed.

"Even accounting for the shortage of options in forward areas, Kyogo shouldn't have been anywhere near the pitch last Thursday, even as a substitute Postecoglou was complaining about Celtic's hectic fixture schedule. But it's a bit of an own goal when you risk your star player in a pointless game and he ends up getting injured.

"Kyogo should have been wrapped in cotton wool. Even if he does play against Hibernian in the League Cup final next weekend, it's hard to believe he'll be 100-per-cent fit.

"There are two types of risks you can take in football. The first is the risk-and-reward approach, when you might gamble on a player's fitness in a big game in the hope they'll make the difference for you.

"But that wasn't the case in this instance. It was just a pointless exercise in bringing Kyogo off the bench as a substitute and it was a risk that backfired.

"The squad is down to the bare bones, but Celtic supporters could probably have come up with about 10 alternative solutions to rejig the team against Betis which didn't involve risking Kyogo.

"It's absolutely vital that Celtic get through this period. If they can navigate this stretch of games and still be within striking distance of Rangers heading into the Old Firm game, it will be a huge boost.

"Postecoglou will be backed in the January transfer window, of that there is no doubt.

"He has shown enough as manager to warrant further investment in new players.

"Certainly in the forward areas, the squad is almost at breaking point just now and that's only going to be tested further over these next three weeks. They remain four points behind Rangers at the moment. Realistically, you don't want to be any worse than six points off heading into the Old Firm clash.

"Then you back yourself to go and win that match in front of your own supporters, getting the gap back down to three. From there, it would very much be game-on heading into the winter break.

"With resources being so stretched, however, Postecoglou needs to be a little bit smarter with how and when he uses his star players.

"There was no point bringing Kyogo on, it was a risk that backfired."