Brendan Fraudgers!

That was a vintage European night that we've just witnessed. Late winner against a team of a far higher quality than us, and our Celtic supporting manager sprinting down the touchline. Thought i'd never get to see these days again.

 

That gave me goosebumps reading this turned back the clock tonight classic european night he got his tactics spot on still elated we have him when he speaks i listen hes one of us aswell

 

Got it absolutely spot on tonight

 

Got the tactics perfect tonight, kouassi and ntcham on either side closing down the fullbacks and driving us forward, McGregor was class as well, more of the same next week and we will go through

 

Tactics were spot on, they couldn't handle our press and energy. The formation was strange but worked brilliantly, it got the best out of everyone on the pitch and dominated the midfield.

 

I wonder does he believe he’s capable of leading us to winning the Europa League as our manager.

When he was saying the other day that Zenit are favourites, we’d be doing well to beat them etc all I could think to myself was “you don’t really think that Brendan.”

 

He’s a smart man. I think he does it to challenge the squad. Big heads amd over inflated egos ain’t gonna help us. He’s keeping them in check. We can win it and he knows it

 

Yes he does believe that, because it’s true.

But Zenit aren’t as good as the media made them out to be. Brendan knew we could get a result I’m sure, but what he said is still correct.

 

BRENDAN Rodgers last night compared Celtic match winner Callum McGregor to Frank Lampard and hailed the stunning performance against Zenit St Petersburg as good as any his side have produced in Europe since he took over.

McGregor netted a spectacular late goal for the Scottish champions in the first leg of the Europa League last 32 fixture Parkhead on Thursday evening to ensure that his side triumphed 1-0.

The 24-year-old, who was an ever-present in the Celtic first team as they went undefeated and won a fourth domestic treble, had suffered from indifferent form this season and been left on the bench before the game against Zenit.

But Rodgers believes the rest has helped to recharge the batteries of a player who made his Scotland debut back in November and is expecting far more from him during the final weeks of the 2017/18 campaign.

He felt the midfielder’s effort, which came after some impressive build-up play from substitute Charly Musonda and Moussa Dembele, was redolent of England great Lampard in his prime.

“His goal reminds me of a goal Frank Lampard scored at Stamford Bridge against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in 2005,” he said. “The ball came over and he had to swivel on his left-hand side to finish it from a really difficult angle. That was like Callum’s goal because he had to go up and swivel on his right foot and then finish.

“He was absolutely outstanding. He can play in a number of positions and he plays them all to a very high level. On Thursday, we played him off the front to support, but also in the midfield so we had four v three.

“Callum finds space very, very well and he is a goal threat. I remember looking at the team before I came in and Callum was a young player who scored big goals in big games.

“Sometimes it might not have been enough to go through or to qualify, but he has always had the ability to score big goals and he has shown that throughout my time here as well. He is an outstanding young player.”

Rodgers added: “What is important is the squad. We have really talented players, but we have a lot of games to play. We need a big squad because you can’t play in every single game.

“Callum has played in a lot of big games. I took him out the team for a wee bit because he was playing a lot because of the injuries to the players who are similar to him, Tom Rogic and Stuart Armstrong and these guys.

“Callum wasn’t getting a rest and so we took him out to get him fit and fresh, so we could slowly introduce him again. On Thursday he was absolutely brilliant.”

McGregor isn’t the only Celtic footballer who has struggled to scale the heights of last term. Scott Sinclair, who was named Player of the Year, remained on the bench during the Zenit game.

However, Rodgers is confident that his team, who will take on Zenit in the second leg of the Europa League last 32 tie in the Krestovsky Stadium in Russia next Thursday evening, will be able to maintain the standard they set in their 1-0 win.

He feels that bringing in Musonda on an 18 month loan deal from Chelsea as well as Stuart Armstrong, Patrick Roberts and Tom Rogic returning from injury will help their cause.

“The players are not robots,” he said. “They will have games where they are not at their best. “We had a review after the Partick game, as we always do. I wasn’t happy with our concentration in that game.

“We conceded goals and I know people will say we aren’t tested the same in domestic football, but, for me, it is very important our concentration is there for every single game. When we are concentrated and when it comes to the big games we don’t tend to lose too many.

“We are now starting to get one or two back to fitness, the likes of Patrick (Roberts) and Tom (Rogic), and in a few weeks time that will give us a real strength and depth and quality going forward for the rest of the season.

“Moussa was right back on it tonight. The touch, quality, strength, power and everything was there. He was absolutely brilliant and occupied the back four on his own. We went through a harsh period there with a lot of players out and we became a bit more functional. Our team is about speed, power and that penetrative side.”

Asked if the display was as good as his team had produced in Europe, as good as the wins over Astana and Anderlecht or the draws with Borussia Moenchendgladbach and Manchester City, he said: “Yes, I said that to the players.

“There have been some outstanding performances in my time here. But Thursday was absolutely brilliant because I have seen growth from when I first came in. I have always talked about personality and to play with the bravery and a good tactical understanding of the game defensively.

“The crowd were also amazing and gave us that edge, but they also stayed very calm when we had the ball. There is a real cohesion between the stands and the pitch and that is very, very important.”

Rodgers was also delighted that Eboue Kouassi, who has struggled to establish himself since joining in the January transfer window last year, acquitted himself so well after being handed a rare start.

“He has been very unfortunate and it is purely the way I have set the team up,” he said. “I don’t really go with two holding midfield players because I tend to go and attack. It normally just leaves Scott as the controlling player so he has missed out in a number of games, but he is going to be a big player for the future of this club.

“He has got some games recently and he is a very good player. He is very refined in how he plays. He presses the game and the ball and I was actually surprised he had a shot on Thursday night. He has only scored one goal and that was from pressing the opposition. He is hungry for the ball and that is what we want.”

 

BRENDAN Rodgers last night compared Celtic match winner Callum McGregor to Frank Lampard




Naw he didny

 

Looks like he’s about to burst out laughing when the Russian * are talking

 

Almost as bad as the press here.

 

Second season syndrome.

 

Got us into last 32 Europe, 9 point lead in league, already got a cup in bag, played CL football, home game in QF of Scottish cup.

Aye no bad for a 2nd season but the team performances have dropped that’s a given.

 

Yeah the performances have dropped over time just like his Liverpool team got worse and worse. Hopefully he addresses the problem but and we pick back up.

Last 32 of Europa yeah but we got there by winning one game out of 6 in Champs league so its hardly a huge success when you think of it. Good few pumpings as well which was horrible to watch.