Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

We were excellent the last 30mins or so of the first half, although possibly you could say maybe the last 10mins of the 1st half whilst we still commanded the game and bossed the midfield etc, we tried to showboat and walk the ball into the net and didn't kill the game off when we could/should have.

The first 20odd mins of the second half we were a disgrace. The highline we played with and Scales who turns slower than a diesel tanker was shown up yet again - killer ball through from McGrath and Sokler takes advantage of it. The second goal, not aggressive enough in closing Aberdeen down when they had a few good interchanging passes and moved into our area, another dirty massive deflection off Trusty (some might say it's complete luck, others might say well that's two goals that have deflected off him now cause he shat himself in the block and turn away like a big *).

3rd goal they scored (chopped off) happened when they had all the momentum, terrible defending from a set piece corner, not aggressive enough, Schmeichel not commanding the area (will need to go and look at the flash point again to see if we had anycunt on the posts).

Only upped the tempo when the subs came on and chasing a goal to win the game, when really we should have been behind (or at least deserved to be, other than the Duck handballed it).

Aberdeen sat back and parked the bus that last 15-20mins after that, and to our credit we tried like * to make something happen. Forrest's end product yesterday was pretty *, but he got into good positions and at least was trying to make something happen. I'd probably say we were unlucky with the Scales/Trusty/Idah headers from the late corners (although I'd imagine a CB with some proper aggression would have burst the net with those chances).

Not even getting into the Duck's handball at the last second. Cause it wiz.

 

He was a Duck's hand away...

 

I've watched the replay a few times and honestly can't tell if it hits his hand or not.

 

It's very difficult to tell. Be good if they had actual camera angles that showed the incident. Im swaying more towards it does but it it's too difficult to tell so don't think the can give it.

 

Just going back over the highlights the now, not even at that flashpoint yet.

Going back over Aberdeen's second goal here, and looked at their first.

1st goal - high line and Scales' recovery speed totally outdone by that pass. Good strong run from Sokler, Schmeichel waddles out very slow and doesn't even make an attempt at the a-typical "Schmeichel-eque" block.

2nd goal - defence all over the place from an Aberdeen break run down our left hand side. Scales tries to cover wide left because Valle is further up the park, back 3 basically of Scales, Trusty covering in centre, Aj tucking in to cover Duck wider left, Callum is in front covering CDM area, Engles tracks back just behind of McGrath, but leaves him to go and try to make a weak as * tackle and misses, ball gets played in and touched back out to Shinnie who has all the space in the world because Engles has left him, AJ runs out to try and block Shinnie but actually runs out WIDE to him, Trusty moves forward to block the shot but turns like a big * shitebag shielding himself and it's deflected in.

Another thing to note about this, before the ball got to Shinnie's foot, it was 5 celtic men against 4 of Aberdeen's, by the time the ball left Shinnie's foot there were 7 Celtic players in the defensive area to Aberdeen's 3 in the box - Maeda comes back to cover with Valle and both trudge into the central section offering absolutely nothing, and Hatate lightly jogs back with ANOTHER aberdeen man in front of him making zero effort to get involved (actually stops to make a movement anticipating the ball breaking upwards offering zero defensive shielding whatsoever).

3rd "goal" is a complete and utter tactical disaster.

Aberdeen take the free kick from our RB area. Think it's Kuhn who's 10 yards away. Behind him, you have Callum out zonal marking the corner of the goalie area - not an Aberdeen player anywhere near him. BEHIND Callum is Kyogo also zonal marking with not a player near him. Forrest is on the edge of the area in the middle. Bernardo and Valle are man marking the 3 tallest Aberdeen players in the box all huddled together, Scales is behind them zonal marking, AJ is in the centre man marking Duck, Engels is behind him I think tracking one of the Aberdeen players who makes the movement and drags Engels away from Trusty (because he has absolutely zero defensive brain whatsoever and leaves his position because he's seen the man making the run) ball comes into Trusty furthest at the back who's man marking the aberdeen player, but is totally outmuscled, doesnt even make an attempt to jump with the sheep player, sheep * gets the rise and his head onto it to knock it back across the face of the goal and it bounces off of Duck's back because he's managed to outmanoeuvre AJ who is left in no man's land again.

Honestly, watching these flashpoints back in slow motion is even worse. Whoever the * is responsible for the defensive tactics from set pieces genuinely needs sacked and replaced with someone who knows how to set up properly. Like, now.

 

Did you enjoy that?

Do you feel better now?

 

Knew this would happen at one point in the season. We’ve been flying since preseason and its hard to stay at that level, especially having key players like CCV out.

Not one bit concerned, our form will be up and down at various parts of the season. The sheep’s managers defo on the up as well, he’ll no be there long.

 

To be fair, he's not being paid 2 million a year (or whatever it is) to be in charge of spelling on TC.

 

Just pointing out how ridiculous it is that you spew about our manager’s competence when the reality is that he’s the one in the job, and you’re some guy on a forum (as we all are) - and the irony is you couldn’t even get typing your post right. I wasn’t so much aiming for an insult as a point that we can question BR all we like, but at the end of the day, he’s the one with a clue and we’re not.

 

The one thing that really annoyed me was McCowan should have come on when Idah did. That way we could have still made a 5th sub but the way we did it that ruled that out.

Not that he has much end product but those final 10 minutes when we were knocking on the door Yang could have come on for Valle or even Palma as Trusty was playing wide left.

 

Your post obviously targeted my atrocious spelling. I've not seen you have a go at anyone else who passes comment about Rodgers so I can only conclude that your intent was to mock my orthographic shortcomings.

I was on the bevvy, but bad spelling could be caused by numerous conditions such as brain injury, dyslexia, cognitive impairment etc.. Perhaps you might like to consider these things before belittling people.

Anyway, back to the point...

Do you disagree that Rodgers was out manoeuvred by Thelin? The subs Aberdeen brought on turned the game around I thought.

Do you have opinion?

 

Maybe if you stopped whining, taking things personally, and took the point I’ve already made, my opinion would be abundantly clear on this, but since you seem incapable of that presence of mind:

No, I think your view that Rodgers was outdone by Thelin is laughable, hence why I had a go about the spelling, because to me it just came across as ironic and made your point all the sillier. Half my family is dyslexic, so save your lecture for someone else. It was a ‘you can’t even spell manager’ type of remark that highlights that none of us - in this case you - knows better than our manager. If you want to * and moan about that, go ahead - you’re just proving the ridiculousness of the whole situation. You’re showing yourself up, if you’re even still being serious.

Obviously BR made mistakes, but let’s not kid ourselves on that Thelin is some football genius, and he or we know better than BR what it takes to win a game of football, fs.

I’m not biting any more. Another one for the ignore list…

 

Thank f#ck.

 

Aye he is that’s where the gold member money goes

 

Brendan Rodgers admits the Borussia Dortmund bashing dented his spirit – but it hasn’t shaken his attacking DNA.

The Celtic boss was bruised by the Champions League gubbing in Germany three weeks ago and wants an instant reaction against Atalanta in Italy. But Rodgers is NOT going to abandon his coaching principles and park the bus against the reigning Europa League champions. The Hoops boss – who suffered a blow with Cameron Carter-Vickers ruled out – said: “We're looking forward to the experience again. We've played two games now, the first one (the 5-1 Slovan Bratislava win) you come off and you feel absolutely amazing. It's a great feeling.

Then you come off after the second game and it feels like an assault on your spirit. But that’s life at this level. We're really looking forward to the challenge playing against a really good team. I started coaching many, many years ago, over 25 years ago, and from the very beginning, my coaching has always been aggressive. And until the day I finish, it will be aggressive. That's how I work.


But I'm also respectful that you play against teams at a certain level and certain opponents, where you have to really look at their strengths. But I don't tell them not to do that in every game, because I do, no matter what team I'm playing, whether it's in Scotland or in the Champions League


It's the level at which you can get punished. So I think it's one where you have to have the balance in your game. I think if you look at this club here in Atalanta, it's a great example. Obviously, they have totally different resources – they are way above us in terms of that.

“But if you look at the actual principle of it, they came through and arrived at this level. I'm sure the manager will tell you that they had some really harsh learning experiences in terms of the games that they played, especially against the top Premier League teams. It was a real, real challenge and the scorelines were difficult for them.


But then they come away and they learn from that, I'm pretty sure, and stick with the philosophy, but still look at certain areas where they can be better and improve. And of course then you become better with that.


So, if you’re talking about a pragmatic coach, it's a different coach, I'm a different person. And that's not to say that we go into the game and just be all out at attack, all out front foot. That's not how it is.

“But if a coach's DNA is to sit back and be that, then that's not me. And it won't be. It won't be. It's as simple as that.

“My idea is to have an attacking philosophy, which is about defending and defending well. Defending when you haven't got the ball, being really aggressive and really strong in closing spaces. And then when you have the ball, look to create opportunities. But that's not to say I don't respect the different levels in the game, because I absolutely do. But I'll always be mindful of having a balance in both attack and defence.”


Rodgers took a battering from some quarters for the Dortmund defeat – with many English pundits putting the boot into Celtic and Scottish football. The Hoops boss reckons his side are harshly judged at this level at times – but he’s determined to make the critics eat their words.

 

Charge not change from the sound of it!

 

Well, hopefully he's lying to catch them out; but I'm not sure I'm going to watch this if he's telling the truth. I'll obviously watch the first 5 minutes to see how we set up; but if he we try to go toe to toe again, I might switch off TBH.

Yes, I'm aware that I ought to watch it regardless and that I'm not as good a fan as those who do.