Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Hatate should actually be relishing it tbh. The chance to get beyond Kyogo and score more goals as well as helping control the midfield.

Soon as Hatate understands what Rodgers wants I think he'll be fine assuming he's still here.

 

Aye fair enough lads, I do agree the full backs are killing us right now. For what it's worth I quite like that we are looking to play it in behind a fair bit now, just not as much and as aimlessly as it was at points today.

I'm sure it'll come good but am interested to see what "good" looks like exactly. Next few weeks are crucial.

 

Good point this, there should never have been any sort of debate on whether Hatate should be starting, it was his own lack of drive that's caused it.

If he's hungry and committed he's first name on the teamsheet nearly, the fact he's not is what makes me think his head's not in it. Can't afford any * who's not all in, no matter how talented they are.

 

aye hes been class,he was class in his first season too and last year when he stayed in the box he scored a shitload more goals .if we had a more dominant midfield he wouldnt need to be there at all .i have an awful feeling kyogo is gonna get emptied making thoes runs

 

I think it's about time we moved on from this frail wee Kyogo pish. He's as tough as they come.

I'm more concerned about him leading the celebrations after every game with his shoulder the way it is.

He is going to be more involved this season and will be a far superior player for it.

 

He's a * mad keen swimmer too won't be helping it

 

The midfield is struggling to adapt to not having the extra options of a pass to the FBs when they used to come inside.

Thought our right hand side looked pretty decent between O'Riley, Abada and Ralston going forward.

 

BRENDAN RODGERS acknowledged that his Celtic side still have significant room for improvement despite maintaining their perfect start to the season with a win at Pittodrie.

After edging ahead through Liel Abada’s VAR-awarded goal, the champions were pegged back when Bojan Miovski scored - only for a Nicky Devlin error to let Kyogo Furuhashi restore their advantage.

Aberdeen were in with a chance of taking something from the game until Matt O’Riley netted with six minutes remaining.

Although delighted to have picked up a second straight Premiership win, manager Rodgers conceded that there is much work still to be done.

Asked if there were still areas for improvement, he said: ‘There are so many, I would be here all day if I spoke to you about them.

‘From throw-ins for and against, build-up play ... it’s just time, it’s working with players, how we want to work, the different phases of the game. That’s just time.

‘Obviously the supporters are waiting to see how it all works - me coming back, lots of new players, can we sustain the winning mentality...

‘So, to come here, Aberdeen away, it was all promoted as going to be a real challenge for us.

‘The players handled it really well and, as I said, I know they are only going to get better and better as the season goes on. It was a very important three points.’

The only downside of the day from Rodgers’ perspective were injuries to defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and midfielder Reo Hatate.

The American international was replaced by Stephen Welsh at the interval, with the Japanese only lasting 25 minutes after coming on for David Turnbull at the break.

‘They look like fresh injuries, they never had those problems before,’ said Rodgers.

‘Cam just felt his hamstring towards the end of the half. We will assess that and hopefully it will not be too bad.

‘And Reo came into the game and just felt something in his calf.

‘It is better for precaution’s sake to get them off and we will assess it from there. We will see in the next couple of days how they are.’

Rodgers was delighted by the contribution of Welsh, however, with the 23-year-old defender making his first appearance since last October.

‘I thought he was excellent when he came in,’ added the Northern Irishman.

‘I like Stephen. I took him with me one pre-season as a young player because I really liked him but, for whatever reason, he maybe hasn’t played the games.

‘He is a Celtic boy, he wants to be at the club, I want him to be at the club.

‘I said to him: “I can’t guarantee how many games you are going to play”. He may play 40 games in the season, but I know he is always ready.

‘He trains really hard every day. He came into the game and played with composure. He’s aggressive.’

Gustaf Lagerbielke, another central defender, is poised to join the club in a £3million move from Elfsborg this week and won’t be the last new face this month.

‘We’re looking to obviously reinforce with Carl (Starfelt) going, so hopefully we can do that in the coming days,’ said Rodgers.

‘We need a few more, that’s for sure. I don’t want to put a number on it, really, but we’ve got a bit of time to strengthen the squad and hopefully we will do that.’

Speaking after a 1-0 defeat to Hammarby yesterday, in which he played the full game, Lagerbielk confirmed he’s likely to have played his last game for Elfsborg.

‘I don’t want to say anything before something I signed, but it may very well have been my last game,’ he said. ‘A fun challenge has arrived to go to a big club in Europe, play in the Champions League and hopefully win titles.’

The manager insisted he has no issue with Alexandro Bernabei after the full-back slept in for a team meeting last weekend.

The Argentinian remained on the bench at Aberdeen but Rodgers confirmed there is no problem with him.

‘His alarm is working now,’ he smiled.

‘He has been brilliant in pre-season in terms of mentality and attitude, and I felt for him. The very morning of the first game of the season, whatever happened, the alarm did not go off. I don’t have time to wait.

‘If you start late in the game and you are not quite ready, then the game could be dead. It’s gone. We draw a line under it. He’s a good guy. You got to learn and you’ve got to be ready.

‘His professionalism is fantastic and there is no worry. When you come into a club, the standard of your performance on and off the pitch is vital. We all make mistakes, but you learn from them and you’ll be better for it.’

Rodgers showered praise on the lightning-fast instincts of Furuhashi for making the most of the chance Devlin presented to him.

‘He’s an elite striker,’ he said. ‘I’ve been lucky enough to work with some really top strikers with his movement.

‘I’ve just tried to give him some variety, especially when teams are man-marking him. So he’s always on the last line. He can run in behind - we can see that - but it’s just about finding those little spaces in front, create space for other players.

‘His link-up play is good and, in the last line, he is exceptional. His finish was clever, it’s cunning. The top strikers, they play offside, it was a great finish.’

Celtic have a free midweek before travelling to face Kilmarnock in the last 16 of the League Cup on Sunday.

Asked if he might rest anyone carrying an injury on the Rugby Park plastic pitch, Rodgers said: ‘I think, whatever team I play, it’s to win for Celtic. We’ll see how they are and put out the best team to win.

‘We’re fighting on all fronts so I want to make sure that we have the strongest team. We’ll assess where they are at - and we will see how they are in next couple of days.’

 

Would like to see this..

New GK
Lagerbielke CCV Nawrocki
Johnston Hatate McGregor New L/WB
Abada Kyogo Maeda/New LW
​

 

The 2 centre halves we've brought in are proper ball playing types as well so it won't hamper us..

Lagerbielke on the left and Nawrocki on the right. Lagerbielke is the most comfortable right footed, left centre half I've watched for a while how he sprays it about from the videos..

Even a 10 type to play behind a Kyogo/Maeda or Oh..

A dynamic left back with power and quality will really bring that system to fruition. Nailed on we try it..

 

If we sign Mbuyamba, I think this is exactly how we're going to play.

It's why the links to that Merlin guy make sense. Him as a LWB supporting our new LW? Teams wouldn't know how to deal with us.

 

And that’s why I didn’t want him back.

Turgid, side to side pish lacking in imagination or ideas. Players unwilling to play the risky, game breaking pass. Exactly as it was in the season before he * off down south.

A mistake getting him back I think, but hopefully he can do something to fix it. Needs a lot of work in the transfer window, because I don’t think he’s as capable of making a squad work to a system as Ange was.

 

Looked absolutely clueless..

How a manager can sit and watch our left wingers performance and think aye, keep him on and stick him over the other side where he's even worse is alarming as *..

We look terrible in midfield and ropey at the back..

Our fullbacks can't play his system. The wingers aren't comfortable really or who you'd hang your hat on..

The midfield is wide open and has been in every game..

Brutal..

 

Aye his systems chronic and leads to way too many games like this, we scored 9 goals at rugby park last year and we’re back to it being the hardest place in the planet to go to. Kyogo also been totally killed in this system

 

Already regressing, I know managers like their own style but it was clear this squad suited Ange’s style with the inverted full backs. Don’t fix something that isn’t broke.

We looked slow, disjointed and not ready to get stuck in for 2nd balls. It’s a worrying sign this early, if we can’t play without CCV and Hatate then we’re *.

 

Same. But i'm willing to write off the cups if he can win the league.

 

Absolutely atrocious football, players standing still, uninterested, look unfit tbh.

A million miles from what we were building.

 

Sack him tonight.

Been hoaching pre season and the first 3 games.

Moley is * but this * worse!

They will take a right few off us on 3rd September we have a team of spinless * who aren't up for the fight when the going gets tough.

 

He

He won't fix it because he can't admit he has broke it, he is a narcissist, it is always someone else's fault. Which is exactly why I didn't want him back!!!!