Rodgers in Europe

Mate I also understand that we wont be winning the Europa League any time soon, but that doesn’t mean we just throw it away and don’t aspire to get further into the tournament.

Look I expected Zenit to put us out. Last week gave me hope that we could go through...but last night was just a shambles from start to finish.

It’s all well and good beating Rosenborg and Astana to qualify for the CL, but really we should be beating those teams. It only feels like a miracle to some because we had Deila before. Using him as a marker is hardly fair. It’s like saying “well we didn’t crumble against Malmo, what an achievement”.

There’s a reason that there’s such anger and disappointment when we don’t qualify for the CL. And the reason is that we should qualify 9 times out of 10 when the best of opposition is Astana.

 

I would have told the players this:

1. You're free to boot the ball under pressure. None of the ˝composed on the ball˝ requirement any more. Safety of the goal comes first.
2. Defend deep, and only use pressing sparingly. If we're deep, it forces Zenit to cross the ball...against Ajer's impressive stature.
3. Backpasses to the keeper are a no-go. Punt it upward, rather than being passive on attack. Dembele can fight for the ball.
4. Go down the wings whenever possible, and cross like mad. That will put their defense under stress, and they haven't got a monster like Ajer.
5. Fouls are OK, especially far away from goal.

 

But we've improved since deila, which was my point.

If you compare this season to last then yeah, it's not anywhere near the same level of performance and results but we set an exceptionally high bar for ourselves in that season - which we should give BR and the players credit for.

Yes - performances could have been better.
Yes - recruitment in summer and January could have been better.
Yes - individual errors cost us yet again.

I disagree that we're 'going backwards' or underachieving in any way. Our budget is miniscule compared to the vast majority of teams we face at that level, and our squad is young, with a manager with 3 European campaigns under his belt, one of those at another club who hadn't been there for a while.

I don't see the need for panic as others do, it was a disappointing way to lose last night, as it was in Paris and at home to those qatari * but overall we are improving in the right areas as a club and team, we are lacking confidence in European games badly though.

 

His job is to keep qualifying for the Cl he has not let us down yet on that front the big nights are back..wich with domestic trophies and old firm games hasnt lost one yet..if we got a favourable draw in the cl instead of 4 big hitters we might get out the groups on occassion too with a bit more money spent still a lot of players under deila like lustig mcgregor simunovic etc that wont cut it at the top table.

 

3 Individual mistakes cost us three goals, Brendan called the players out on all three. He is well aware of the errors in our squad.
Do we want to sack Brendan? really? I don't think we've been at the top of our game this season for various reasons, NONE of these are to do with Brendan Rogers or his perceived arrogance. While I understand we are all hurting and It's human reaction to point the finger, ff's do we want to drive this guy out. Last season everyone of us on here would have had his children if possible, it's the Celtic way to rally round in times of adversity, get behind him and the team.

 

None of it has to do with Rodgers, really?

He has failed to address our defensive and goal keeper problems in two transfer windows.

He clearly stated that he got all he asked for in the last window and I'm sure that was the same in the summer.

To me that means he is at fault does it not? I mean he signed a cup tied player in an area we despratly need adding to.

Heap praise on him when he is doing well we all did but because he done so well last season does not give him a free pass for when he got things wrong.

Teams in Scotland have changed tactics to cause us problems this season and we can all see it, we had the excuse of knackered and wait till the break. It's

Come and gone and we are still playing the same and yet we are still using the same tactics and it's Clearly not working.

Fans will turn up and we will all support him but it does not mean he can't be criticised for his mistakes. Rodgers needs to learn and adapt to make sure we have a good run in with the league and cup win.

 

It’s funny because the way Zenit set up in the second half is exactly the type of team we are used to in Scotland.

We should be well versed against teams sitting on their 18 yard line by now. However, this season we have been poor domestically in these type of games also.

 

Theres a difference between trying to break down an 100m team than spl fodder they were more streetwise with ivanovic etc sure weve came a cropper in a few spl games than last season but will still win the league with a bit to spare and we must concentrate on the cup.

 

I think his achievements does give him a free pass. Last season will NEVER be repeated. He's been unlucky wi injuries this season and you are correct in saying that the opposition have upped their game. A back to back treble is very much on the cards, if we collapse in the league and get knocked out of the Scottish by Morton then perhaps you can have a go, we can always bag him and get Tony Mowbray back.

I repeat Brendan called the players errors out last night, I am sure he would have love to have signed a 30 million CB but he has to work within our budget. Isn't that obvious!!

 

He broke the record in 2 different leagues with goals scored...weve been struggling with putting 3 4s and 5s this term past teams..lack of creativity to feed the forwards.

 

No He does not get a free pass at all, no one does.

Why would we get Mogga back? Absolutely pointless statement that.

If we did lose the league and got knocked out the cup then something would need doing. Would I mean the sack? That' not up to me but, it would be his own fault if it did happen.

Like I've said on here I think we will win the league but we habe made it hard work.

We had the excuse of the team is knckared, that's not the case.

We never addressed the areas we needed to improve on and it' showed massively, Rodgers came out and said he got everything he asked for in the last window, did he? A centre half who Can't play in Europe who is the wrong side of 30, a 22 year old centre half who is miles behind Ajer at 19 and Scott Bain.

Plus the Fact he thought DDV is good enough to fill in.

Who has asked for a 30 million centre half? I can't recall that on this thread or any others.

What we should have had is a better class of a centre half signed last summer in the 3-5 million mark at least.

Plenty of good young players out there at that price who would come to Celtic, if you don't think there is then we may as well just give up the games a bogey.

Let's just keep that 30 million in the bank cause if we spend any of it we will end up like them........

 

Brendan Rodgers is top drawer no question. Cant understand why so many on here a ready to right him off. If Simunovic was to be sold tomorrow he would be in the 5 to 7 million bracket, could we get better for 3 million, doubt it. We are what we are, a good honest club that will occasionally punch above our weight, Brendan Rodgers is the best Manager we could hope to have. Trust him!

 

It's almost got to the point where i'd rather see us in the europa league than the champions league. Another season of pumpings will probably make it easier in where i'd prefer us to be.

 

We have 30m in the bank and we have made c.25m this year. That doesnt allow us to sign a 30 million pound CB. It does allow us to sign at least one if not several players materially better than what we have. We made a deliberate choice to save and rode our luck rather improve key areas.

Which I actually get the logic of doing. But just dont then come out and bemoan the lack of experience in your team when your big money signing in january was a 23 year old kid from dundee. Or claim you are delighted with the squad filler you signed in january. I do understand the reasons for not spending to compete beyond scotland and champions league qualification but I wish we wouldnt bullshit the fans by pretending otherwise.

 

Absolutely mate.....it's galling! Some might fall for that same old same old tripe but they're treating those of us with half a cell in our head with contempt!!


ps- i think we will continue to dominate domestically for the foreseeable, i really do but that's all folks!! Don't expect anything else!

 

Players move for money. You think neymars away to france because the leagues good. Pay the money and they will come. Stop with these excuses.

 

Possibly lack of interest in putting in the effort to get 3/4 and 5 as well. Last year probably shocked a lot of our players at how many games they had to play and the constant traveling when doing the Treble and playing in Europe - espcially as they had to keep the unbeaten run going so couldnt take the foot off the gas all season. So they'll have lost a lot of enthusiasm for going full tilt again in future knowing they are going to be * as this is what they might have to do every season now.

I think we take it much easier now as the players know with 60 games, trips to Dubai, International games plus friendlies they are flying to probably a dozen+ different countries and playing near 70 games a season and if they aren't then it probably means they are injured so they are working even harder in the gym.

 

You don’t need to park the bus to be tough to beat, even in Europe. In fact I think if we tried to park the bus we would probably lose by even more embarrassing margins.

Parking the bus is something I would associate with teams that are solid defensively, well organised and don’t concede cheap goals, in other words playing to their strengths. We aren’t good at doing any of them.

 

whats wrong with the team at elite level is theres not enough MEN in the team..we have a young squad but only Brown has the leadership qualities...we should have signed a couple of older experienced heads to go right into the team..such as a skrtel at the back and another experienced midfielder to play at that level who can put it about and are streetwise..instead we got hendry from dundee for CB and another young "prospect" in musonda.