Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Rodgers first 2 seasons were marked with controlled, possession football. This brought out teams that were compact and allowed us to find gaps through, or get the ball out wide and in behind because we'd created space to exploit. By the 3rd season teams had started to work that out.

Whilst we attempt to play possession football, I don't think it's controlled enough to be effective. Even when its more controlled It rarely stretches teams, they just stay compact to close out space now, which again lessens the controlled play we have.

Rodgers first spell was exciting and entertaining (bar 3rd season) because his tactics worked and were different. Similar to Ange, who was also starting to get worked out by the end.

Rodgers if he's to stay and do well needs to adapt. Rinse and repeat just isn't good enough. Pretty much every other team in the league has been able to adapt their tactics to increase their chances, Rodgers needs to do similar.

 

No offence mate but it’s absolute * bollocks. * like this just grows arms and legs.

A Celtic manager that would rather keep the ball needlessly than attack and score goals and win games and trophies. Sound. I’m not going to change your mind.

Numerous * on here quoting Abada getting to bylines last season when he couldn’t even get a game for us, and when he got on he was getting service from Jota and Mooy that he’s not getting now, with Juranovic overlapping and Giakoumakis holding it up for the first half of the season.

I honestly question whether or not * actually watch the games, or if they just regurgitate pish that they hear from Hugh Keevins. Utter drivel man.

 

We regularly got in behind by better link up play before Rodgers. Abada and Ralston particularly springs to mind, but others did it too. I think a lot of that worked as we moved the ball much quicker and created space to exploit. That's gone from our game now.

Granted we've lost Jota who could actually beat a man too

 

Abada and Ralston didn’t get a game for us mate.

 

I was more talking about the season previous when they did it plenty. Actually thought Ange weakened us last season not continuing it and using a more passive RB like Johnston.

 

Only the coaching staff and the players know the precise details, but it's definitely a possession-based system, similar to Guardiola's approach. We build from the back, we work the ball through various channels and we methodically create our chances. Ange favours a pressing-based system, similar to Klopp's gegenpressing. We were pressing opposing teams high up the pitch trying to win the ball as close to opposition box as possible. Instead of creating our own chances, we were forcing our opponents to make mistakes in critical areas and we were trying to capitalize on those mistakes.

Both managers play 4-3-3, but their philosophy is totally different. They need different type of players as well. Personally, I don't think it's realistic to expect from BR to change his approach. It would be as if hiring Mourinho/Simeone at Man City and expecting them to play tiki-taka. It will never happen. Each manager has his personal approach/philosophy about the game. It's on the board to find someone who suits our squad. In a vacuum, BR is a talented manager. I just don't think he's the right one to maximize the potential of our current squad.

 

Did you see us at any point try to get to the byline when we were totally dominant in the first half against Aberdeen - we looked like we might do it then passed it back.
He's risk averse. You have to risk losing the ball to score goals and he's not willing to have his players risk losing the ball so we're struggling to score goals. We don't get the ball forward quick enough either as playing an early long pass risks losing the ball but it's another way of scoring.
It's quite straightforward and obvious if you watch how we're playing.

 

Exactly

 

We didn’t try and get to the byeline because we have no * that can do it.

Are you suggesting that Rodgers is actively instructing the players to refrain from attacking the final third and instead pass it back the way even if a goalscoring opportunity is available?

Even with a poor side we should’ve been 3 or 4 up in the first half yesterday against a *, managerless team. Were the players disobeying Rodgers by getting the ball forward?

You’re making stuff up.

 

I think the difference then was quick energetic players who ran and could carry a ball, like Armstrong, McGregor, Tierney and Forrest then two good goalscorers Dembele and Sinclair. Then he had Rogic, Rogic was basically the Palma of this team even though now Palma is like the main guy who needs to create things or do something as nobody else really does a lot but with old Rogers Rogic was more of the guy who came on to add something different and not the main guy every week.

We don't have that now with Taylor, Bernardo/O'Riley, Palma and even Maeda is fast but he doesn't carry a ball out of them only Palma can really beat men but he's not fast, he a lot of the time needs to beat the same guy twice just to make space.

Then Ange basically outlawed high crosses into the box, under Rodgers we mostly play them over low ones. He used to have Dembele now he has Kyogo. Yesterday I mind Palma, Abada, Kugn even O'Riley, Ralston etc putting high crosses in which we never really score from ever as we've not got the players who attack balls in the air or are even good. Summed up really by the few we did get on I remember Ralston and Bernardo trying to chest the ball down inside the box, nobody is actively looking to run in and score a header.

Rodgers last spell also we maybe forget but it was this bad and it was Ryan Christie who came in out the blue and turned us again by adding energy and a bit of pace to our play. His 3rd season we started woeful all the way to that semi at Murrayfield where I think Christie came off the bench turned the game then went on a mental run where he got like 20 goals and assists in the next 20 games and carried the team. Nobody looks like doing that this season, Kuhn maybe but he's played an hour of football or not even that so who knows but other guys we have in the squad Yang, Forrest, Holm, Idah, Oh they're not going to do it.

 

Do folk shouting for Rodgers to go think that we're going to replace him with a manager as good as Ange?

We won't even replace him with a manager as good as Brendan. We'll end up with Scott Brown as our manager.

 

Sooooo... outspent in both windows hey .. They're definitely not interested in winning the £50m are they? Or even interested in winning.

Once we lose though then they'll spend...tarts.

 

That all helped certainly.

However, the mark of Rodgers football I remember most is the playing it out to feet at the back no matter what and the ball getting moved through the backline from side to side constantly to pull teams about and create space. Which would then get exploited as you describe.

Teams rarely fall for that now. Both Aberdeen and St Johnstone played more open football than most teams, but when in either of those 2 games did our system create any actual space? Am I wrong in that being a big part of Rodgers tactics previously?

 

You're living in an alternative universe if you think we don't have players who can get to the by line.
We have pace and players who can pass the ball and that's all you need.
I think they're being told to cut inside and pass inside because that's what they continually do. Use your eyes.

 

I think a lot of the frustration with Rodgers is that he isn't changing anything. If he did maybe you'd not see the same call for change.

 

Definitely Yang.

Early days, but it seems like Kuhn likes having the ball at his feet and dribbling at his opponents.

Palma is very crafty with the ball, but lacks the necessary explosiveness to consistently beat his opponents at the wings.

Seems like Vata is a skilful player. I have high hopes for him. Would love us to give him extensive minutes either at the wings or at CAM. Wouldn't even be against starting him tbh. Clubs like Barcelona, Ajax, Benfica rely regularly on their prospects. Why can't we do it as well?

 

You’re another one that underestimates the loss of a player like Jota.

Not only can he commit defenders, he can go both sides, and forces the oppostion to double up and therefore create space for others to exploit.

Don’t let your personal vendetta of Rodgers get in the way of analysing a game objectively. Regardless of what you’d like to believe, he’s not shouting at the players for attempting to create chances.

 

Regardless of style and tactics, the bottom line is that in BR's first 1-2 years we had very, very good players throughout

• Dembele, Roberts, Tierney, Sinclair, Armstrong, Ajer, Broon, Edouard, McGregor, Lustig, Gordon, Rogic, prime Forrest and Griffiths etc

Who was driving recruitment back then? Bring them back!!!

Today - the only quality players we have that could get close to getting in that team are

• MoR, Kyogo, Hattate, CCV and maybe McGregor

It's actually a feckin miracle what Ange achieved with his squad, hugely papered over fundamental cracks at our club

 

It honestly feels like the only team he knows how to play against is Rangers.

Both games against them has seen our best football of the season, controlled, fast paced and even some decent defensive displays.

Yet any other team and that goes out the window. Even teams that attack us like Hearts and Aberdeen we seemingly can't counter.

If he drops any more points before the Ibrox game, I think it's best for all parties he leaves. Who we would bring in, I've no idea, but it's been nothing short of shameful when it comes to our performances this season.