Brendan Fraudgers!

:brendy::brendy::brendy:

 

That Inverness result gets more irritating by the week

 

just count it as a win.

 

Drives me mental seeing that draw in between all the wins

 

You know? I imagine it * oor Brendan right off as well and that's a good thing.

 

BR: "I thought it was a very good performance. We dominated the first-half of the game but not clinical enough at times

BR: "It was a very good result. Not perfect but we played incredibly in parts of the game."


BR on @Tom_Rogic: "We'll assess tomorrow at training."


BR on Winter break: "It's massive. It will help recover the body and mind going into the second half of the season."

BR on unbeaten run: "Our main goal is to win the next game."

BR on Scott Brown: "If we won 5-0 we would have missed him. He's an exceptional player and an exceptional leader to the team."


BR on @StuArmstrong16: "He epitomises really how I work. If they adapt to my system then they can fly. Stu has been a great symbol of that."


THE end result may have been closer than anyone at Celtic Park would have wished for, and there were a couple of nervy moments late in the game, but the 2-1 victory over Dundee was thoroughly merited, while the performance throughout the 90 minutes contained many positives.

Goals from Leigh Griffiths and Nir Bitton ultimately proved enough to maintain Celtic’s unbeaten domestic run and put the Hoops 11 points clear at the top of the Premiership.

And having made five changes to the starting line-up for the game, with a number of players getting a rare start, Brendan Rodgers was pleased with the way his team performed.

With five games down and four to go in an extremely busy December schedule, the Celtic manager praised his team's efforts, particularly when having to break down another very defensive opponent at Celtic Park.

Speaking after the game, he said: “I thought it was a very good performance. We dominated the first-half of the game – it’s never easy when a team comes and it shows the respect teams are having for how the players are performing.

“A 5-4-1 formation with the goalkeeper is 11 players behind the ball in half a pitch. That’s difficult to break down, but I thought the players in the first-half were very good. We just missed that final action to make the goal.

“I was just making notes on telling them that – that the only thing we were missing was a goal – when Leigh scored a great free-kick. So we came in at half-time very happy and there were a couple of items we needed to look at it in terms of details to be better, and we started the second-half well.

“Our problem came when we go the second goal. We got a wee bit excited and started to come out of our positions, so we then couldn’t press the game. For large parts of the game, whenever we lost possession, we had great counter-press on the ball, which forced Dundee to kick it long. You can only do that when you’re in good positions.

“And then once we got a bit excited and ran out of positions, we couldn’t press it, so then it became a little bit like a game of basketball – they were on the attack, we were on the attack because we didn’t have control, and then they got the goal to make it 2-1. So then you have to retain your composure. We created some chances and they had a big chance as well, but it was all of our own making.

“But overall, with five changes and players coming in who hadn’t played for a long time, and without our skipper, who’s exceptional – and Dundee had a full week to prepare while we had a game in midweek – I thought it was a very good result. It wasn’t perfect but parts of the game were very good.”

And the manager, while admitting that making five changes to the team from Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over Hamilton Accies carried an element of risk to it, also praised the contribution of the players who slotted into the team today.

“It’s where you then really have to trust your squad,” he said. “What you have to do is ensure that there’s still stability and I have to trust the players. I see them work – they work very, very well and they’ve shown me every time, every day that they learn, they get better and then they come into the game.

“Some of those players haven’t played for a long time – like Nir Bitton, who got tired a little bit towards the end but, in the main, he was very good. Young Ryan Christie coming into the game and getting the full 90 minutes was very good, Gary Mackay-Steven, Cristian Gamboa, Emilio Izaguirre.

“Leigh Griffiths hasn’t played so much up until the last few games, but it’s credit to them how well they’re working, and I also think it’s the spirit of the team – they really show they want to come together and really fight to perform well and get the result.”

 

It's incredible the effect a change in management can have in a team. We are playing with pretty much the same squad as which Deila had, yet I'd have good ol' BR's team hammering RD's if they were to play one another.

The attitude he has instilled in the team is amazing, can see that the players beleive in him. Every player has been fighting for every ball, and even more so when they lose possession. Seen it a few times yesterday with Biton, GMS, and Christie. The football he has us playing, is the best in a long long time, long may it continue! All hail oor Brendan!

 

I hope Brendan has somewhere he can store all these hearts he's being given. A big shed or something.

 

He's got some balls our Brendan. I wouldn't have the guts to make those 5 changes, I was bottling it before half time. But he kept the faith and sure enough Bitton scored in the second half. We did lose our shape a bit as he said but that's understandable when players have been out for so long. The foul on Rogic didn't help matters in midfield but we still got the 3 points.

It's almost like we're at a stage where we can be confident that whatever names are on the team sheet we'll still win the game. The guy is amazing.

 

AP McCoy on Brendan speaking to the Celtic View

Are you pleased to see a fellow countryman and County Antrim native in charge of the club?
I’ve met Brendan plenty of times. We actually got an honorary doctorate degree on the same day in Coleraine two years ago. He’s doing a great job and in some ways Celtic were lucky to get him as I felt his Liverpool time was cut short after nearly winning the league. You get quickly pushed to the side in football and I thought it was quite harsh the way his Liverpool reign ended. He’s very personable and a very nice man. He’s very approachable and he’s easy to talk to and I think he appreciates his position in life, a bit like myself and other sports people - you realise how lucky you are to live your life through your sport.

 

BRENDAN Rodgers made five changes to the starting XI for the game at the weekend against Dundee. It was a match that Celtic largely dominated, and thoroughly deserved to win despite the narrow final scoreline of 2-1.

Next up for the Hoops is a Glasgow derby against Partick Thistle on Tuesday night and the Celtic manager may opt to change his team again. Captain Scott Brown returns to the squad after serving a one-game suspension at the weekend, while Tom Rogic could miss out after having to come off at half-time with an injury.

And with Scott Sinclair proving a festive boost with his return to action after an injury lay-off, there are plenty of options available to the Hoops boss, who also hinted that he may look to the club’s Youth Academy to include some of the promising young players coming through the ranks at the club in his matchday squad.

“When you’re playing over 60-odd games in a season you need to have a good squad and this is where the squad is coming to the fore,” the manager said ahead of Tuesday night’s derby at Celtic Park.

“The players have been phenomenal in their work, their concentration and we’re focusing on one game at a time and putting everything into it, and they’re performing very well.

“Scott Sinclair’s been back in training since Thursday, and he’s an exceptional player. He just picks up the dynamic of the team and it’s very important in how I work that I have speed in the team and intensity, and he’s obviously a player who brings that to the game.

“For me, I’ll have a look at my squad – are there any younger players that I can bring in? My vision coming here, fundamentally, was to win trophies, play attacking football the Celtic way and to bring young players through. So we’ll see if there are any young players we can look at over the next few games.

“This is what building a club is about – creating the hope for the youth players, because if they don’t think they can play then why should you have an Academy? We have to develop players here.

“That is how I’ve always worked – putting young players in, but they have to be ready – not totally ready, of course, but they have to show the ingredients that they can come in and play in the first-team, and that’s very important to a big club.”

It’s the second meeting in just 10 days between Celtic and Partick Thistle, with the Hoops winning 4-1 at Firhill courtesy of goals from Leigh Griffiths, Callum McGregor and a double from Stuart Armstrong.

And the Celtic manager is expecting another tough test from Thistle on Tuesday night.

“Alan’s done a very good job there and I think he’ll be looking to set them up and maybe try to work out how we’ll play, and what’s going to be the best strategy for coming here,” Brendan Rodgers said.

“It’s good because you’re trying to anticipate what they might do, will they change their strategy? They played with a five before but Alan might have looked at our last two games here and think whether to go with a five and frustrate, or go for it and go 4-5-1.”

 

Brendan Pre Match
https://streamable.com/70mnq

 

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League goals this season: Celtic – 47 Barcelona – 41 Real Madrid – 40 Rangers – 25

 

BR: "It was a very good win for us. I thought in parts of game it was good, other parts not so great."

BR: "We had a lot of the ball but weren't compact enough as a team. We were much more aggressive in the second-half

BR: "Disappointing not scoring more. Huge amount of credit to the players for staying calm towards the end and keeping the clean sheet."

BR on @calvin_miller7: "I was delighted with him. For an 18-year-old, who has just moved position, he did very well. Big positive for us."


BR: "I was pleased with how the team gelled together after making a number of changes this evening."


BR on @Tom_Rogic: "He should be fine. He's got a knock to the ankle but we are hopeful he'll back for Ross County."

 

Disappointed in him ditching Ryan Christie tonight.

 

Was thinking the same but played his first 90 mins on Saturday for * knows how long and first time he's really been involved, expect him to be back in for the Hamilton game and in attacking mid hopefully.

 

The thing is though, Christie will have plenty of football in his legs. He's barely started a game this season so if anything he actually needs games not rest. I also think it won't have done much for Christie's confidence to have a pretty good game at the weekend then be dropped again three days later. Unless Christie has picked up an injury, I think it was a poor piece of management by Brendan Rodgers.

Plus Callum McGregor is pish. But that's another story.