Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

So far this season, we've been to.

Pittodrie
Ibrox
Tony Macaroni
Fir Park
Tynecastle
Easter Road
Dingwall

19 points put of 21.

Incredible to say the least.

 

Delighted with his rotations. May this happen often. He now has every reason to use the full 5 subs in Europe. As for the next game's preparation, it's a tactical headache. 3 at the back? The usual stuff? A 4-4-2 with Daizen and Kyogo up top?

 

Everything Brendan Rodgers had to say in his post-match interview with Sky Sports after Celtic's 3-0 victory against Ross County in Dingwall...

Thoughts on today's game?

It was a good performance. It is always a different challenge when the opposition goes down to 10 men early in the game and give credit to Ross County because they worked ever so hard and went man to man, which is always a different challenge as a team. I thought we created a lot of chances and had some goals disallowed that I would need to see again, especially the offside and even the one before that early on. You have two guys jumping for the ball and the ball lands and we finish, and it is not given as a goal. I did not see that as a good decision, but the guys kept going and persevering. The guys have that quality and David Turnbull had a wonderful strike, it is second goal outside of the box this week and then Luis Palma scored a brilliant goal and a brilliant * for the third goal. Their goalkeeper also made a lot of good saves. There is a new energy in the team and the guys off the bench gave us a lot of energy. It was a good win.

Is today the perfect example of using your squad well?

Yeah, it is just about trying to manage the game time of the players just to make sure we are as fresh as we can be. With all the changes it was a little bit slow at times I felt but in the main we had some really good combination play. You are never totally comfortable in the game till you get that second goal.

Is patience key when you are on top in a game?

I think what is very important is structure and counter pressing. You need to make sure you do not take any liberties in the game and keep both your structure and width and move the ball pick. Counter pressing denies the opponent any opportunity and I thought the players did that well.

How much are you looking forward to the game against Atletico Madrid?

Very much so as we played very well in the first game against a top-level team. The guys are just producing with all the challenges that have come their way so we will recover over the next couple days, get ready and go there excited to perform.

 

He’s * loving his name being sung again . He’s doing a great job.

 

I wish he would have highlighted all the incidents which went against us today and sneaked a wee fly comment on how other teams have had similar incidents but that the decisions have somehow went in their favour

 

I sing his song in the house so the Mrs can hear it, just to get a reaction. 'Aw you've changed your tune now eh?'

 

Brendan Rodgers brushes off Celtic Champions League 'cynics' but insists 'we are not daft' over Atletico Madrid mission
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers believes his team have earned respect in the Champions League – now they want something more tangible to show for their efforts ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Atletico Madrid.



The Hoops have collected one point from their opening three Group E games and face away matches in the Spanish and Italian capitals before closing their campaign at home to Feyenoord.

Celtic had two men sent off in their opening game in the Netherlands before losing leads against both Lazio and Atletico, but the quality of their three goals and the first-half performance in particular against Diego Simeone’s team showed they can cause major problems to their rivals.

Simeone has been effusive in his praise of the Scottish champions and the Argentinian also feels they deserve more points. Rodgers reckons their confidence levels are growing in line with their standards of performance and can lead to a big result in Madrid.




The cynics will probably tell us we only have one point but for a club and a team like ourselves it’s all about improving that level of confidence, and that will come through performance,” said Rodgers, who reported his squad was in “good health” other than long-term absentees Reo Hatate and Liel Abada.

“We maybe haven’t had quite the level of results and points on the board, especially in the last two games, that we deserve, but we are very happy with the performance levels. I think we played well in the three games. As each game has gone on, the level of performance has been better.

“We haven’t had the breaks we have probably wanted from the games but in terms of performance level, in particular the last game, we were very, very good. Hopefully in the next three games in the group we can get what we deserve from the games.

“Our level has increasingly got better, our confidence has got better, and hopefully we can turn that into points. But we are under no illusions, we understand we are coming to a fantastic stadium against a very good team but we are really excited by that challenge.”

With a three-point deficit on third-placed Lazio, Rodgers knows the need for points is great.

“There is no doubt, we are not daft, we know this is a game where we want to get a positive result to take into the final two games,” he said.


Rodgers feels the team’s ability to switch from their usual 4-3-3 system to a back three in the second half against Atletico in Glasgow showed impressive flexibility that they might need in Spain.


But he added: “It doesn’t take away from our style, we always want to be a team that is aggressive and looks to play the way we want to play no matter the system.

“That adaptability is important so I was really pleased with that in the first game, but also our style in terms of looking to impose ourselves on the game. We want to do similar (on Tuesday).

“Listen, we know we are playing away from home against a very good side with top-quality players but it’s important for us to not wait in the game.

“We want to go and impose our style on the game but we also know we are going to have to defend and defend well at times against a very good side.

“For us the notion is to look to play our game, to make a fast start in the game, and when the challenges come, which they will do, then we look to defend really strongly as a team to combat that.”

 

That last bit of his interview means we won't change much from our approach in the last game. However, he has to be aware that Atletico will likely not start in the same system as last time.

 

This is so true.

 

This for me is a key point and I know there are all these xG differentials etc being talked about and I actually don’t mind the stats take on football but see this we should be 5 points worse off I can’t agree with that.

When you think of all our league fixtures this season I would happily argue we deserved to win all those games possibly with the exception of Motherwell and arguably Hibs which could have been draws.

We did get the win at Motherwell and didn’t against St Johnstone where I actually felt for the first hour we were fine and O’Riley should have had a hat trick before you consider any other chances in the game. We really should have won that one.

So I would argue we are exactly where we should be in terms of points won and lost. People will likely point to the Aberdeen game we still created enough chances that day to score 6 goals and have missed a few. First half against them at Ibrox we should have been 3-0 up and did sit in second half a bit due to being depleted but again could have killed them off on the counter and missed chances. I felt we deserved to win that game.

Other than that we

-scored 4 against Ross county it could have been 8.
- I’ve covered Aberdeen
- drew with St J should have been 3-0/1
- beat them I have covered
- beat Dundee 3-0 could be been 6 or 7
- beat Livi 3-0
- beat Motherwell 2-1 wasn’t much in that couldn’t have complained if it finished a draw
- beat Killie 3-1 again could have been double that
- beat Hearts 4-1 could have been more
- drew with Hibs could hand nicked it with Forrest, Maeda and Turnbull chances but Boyle had a good one for them.
- beat St Mirren 2-1 it should have been a lot more comfortable if not for heroics from their keeper.
- Ross county 3-0, could have been 8 on another day if not for Laidlaw in goal.

So someone really needs to explain to me where the extra 5 dropped points should have come from.

Especially when you look at the other side beaten by Killie and they failed to create a chance all game. Beaten by us and well beaten by Aberdeen. They also scraped wins by Motherwell and Hearts that should have been draws at best. So if you are arguing a team should be worse off I don’t think it is us despite what the xG differential is saying.

Not to mention the fact we have had the far tougher fixture run for the first 12 games we have been away 7 and home 5 and at all those grounds listed above.

 

Totally done by the ref tonight.

That said, thought it was weird we went 432 when it was clear they had loads and loads of width. Surely 441 was the way to go?

Either way we're getting beat there.

 

Miserable night. Got to wonder why he came back.

 

There's not much he can do when we go a man down whilst already losing, but I thought starting Bernardo was poor.

Iwata would have made sense as it means we can go more defensive. Turnbull was excellent last game and scored 2 screamers, which might have helped. I understand not starting Holm as he's still young, but I've no doubt he'd have done better than Bernardo tonight.

 

Don't think there's much he could do.

 

Probably not. They have too much quality. A narrow midfield 3 and no wingers when they were overloading the wings didn't greatly help though

 

He needs to demand the backing in January..

Domestically likes of Scales and Taylor are fine, but the squad is miles away from competing at this level..

 

Guilt. He came back to make amends. If he wins the league in May nights like tonight will be forgotten.