Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

We were worse squad wise then but better tactically, that better tactically i'd say we'll never see tactics like it again.

So it balanced out but once Ange did have a squad it was steamrolling football from then on. Once Rodgers has a squad it will probably be fine.

We pretty much went from last season having these as reliable top performers

Hart
Johnston CCV Starfelt Taylor
McGregor
O'Riley Mooy Hatate
Jota Abada Oh Kyogo Maeda

to

Hart
Johnston
McGregor
O'Riley
Maeda Oh Kyogo Palma

As CCV, Hatate and Abada have missed the majority of our games up to now. Then even on top Rodgers completely ignored Oh for months and now Maeda has been missing a month.

 

To be fair I actually think we've looked relatively solid in europe this season. I think it's clear to see the structure in terms of the 2 banks of 4 with front 2 (Kyogo and oriley or Hatate v Feyenoord) pressing. None of the games it's been as if we have been constantly carved open at ease and teams are running though us at will.
Obviously that's not counting the Athletico game were we were down to 10 men inside 20mins.

I'd say compared to his previous European campaigns and Anges 2 we have looked better structured this season so I'd say he has learned from his time away.

 

There's no doubt he's been shafted by the board, our summer recruits of Kwon, Yang, Phillips and Tilio wouldn't get near that Killie team, and Taylor, M Johnston and Forrest wouldn't start for them either, all of which is embarrassing.

He's not faultless though, drawing at home to St Johnstone and Motherwell is beyond unacceptable. The weekend result was terrible but those games were worse in terms of both being at home against teams woefully out of form.

Been a bit since the game, but my original point still stands. He needs to win every domestic game in December, end the month 5 points clear minimum and its a big step in the right direction. Anything less than 2 clear is beyond unacceptable.

I'm not saying we sack him if he loses/draws over the next month, far from it, but anymore dropped points will be really damaging.

 

We Have conceded at least 2 goals in every CL game we have played so far. That doesnt scream solid.

 

I wouldn’t even include Johnston in this season either. I think he has struggled. McGregor has had a poor season also.

 

I suspect that was another one of his whoppers.

 

In hindsight, aye he definitely knew he was off. But I think he handled it impeccably tbh. Knew he was going but kept his mouth shut and finished the job here. Went early too which in theory gave us more time to find and bed in a new manager.

 

FOR some, it has been a Champions League campaign that’s done more harm than good.

But boss Brendan Rodgers insists that Celtic’s European participation this season has still been worth it.

Agonising with only one point from five games? Absolutely.

Damaging to their domestic form with their Premiership performances suffering as a consequence? It certainly looks that way right now.

But ultimately Rodgers insists the clashes with Atletico Madrid, Lazio and tonight’s opponents Feyenoord have been educational for his team.

The Celts boss said: “It can be damaging, and it’s a great point. It definitely brings bumps in the road, that’s for sure.

“You can be doing well domestically, and then you come up against world-class players who you can maybe struggle with, then of course that is a challenge.

“But either way, you have to enjoy it and embrace this.

“It’s a level where you wouldn’t want to be in any other competition, of course other than if you moved on from it into the Europa League to remain in Europe.”

Having gone TEN YEARS without a group stage win at this level, though, there is a school of thought that the Champions League these days is just too rich for a club like Celtic.

But Rodgers still firmly believes Scotland’s defending Premiership champions belong in the competition.

He added: “I absolutely do, but it’s about that consistency.

“A full-strength squad, playing to the level that we did against Atletico Madrid here.

“If we could try to sustain that, then we would have every chance.

“That’s the challenge. Ten or 15 years ago football was different then.

“The game evolves, but we still have the ambition and we have the dream to be successful.

“And successful means qualifying and getting into the knockout stages.

“That will always be the ambition here, for sure.

“Winning your home games is important for that.

“But from my first time here, one of the biggest words of my first spell was consistency — and that consistency is not quite there.

“That is something that needs to improve. A lot. That also comes with players and the level we want to get to.”

But when it comes to that decade-long record without a home win?

Rodgers said: “I don’t think about it and I have told the players not to think too much about it.

“They don’t need to. The burden is not all on them.

“You can only attack the game and do the very best you can in it.

“They can only think of now and show that they can perform, and play with that passion and technical ability.

“If they do that over the course of the game we can get a result for sure.”

Rodgers makes no secret of the fact that one of the main reasons he agreed to return to Celts last summer was to try and make the club more of a force in Europe.

But since then he’s lost top players like Jota and Carl Starfelt plus injuries to key men Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Liel Abada.

He added: “I was excited to come in with the squad we hoped was going to be here, and then add to that squad.

“But as what happened, and sometimes does, you lose some of your best players.

“Then I think what has probably hurt us more is the injuries to the other key players after that.

“But I don’t want to go on about that, it happens, you are going to get injuries, and I just think over the course of time here that the squad will get stronger.”

Nat Phillips looks set to keep his place tonight, despite the centre-back being one of the worst offenders in last Sunday’s damaging 2-1 defeat away to Kilmarnock.

Rodgers added: “It is a collective here.

“It can never be pointed at one player.

“I thought in the first half at Killie we played very well. We played with good speed and should have scored more than one goal.

“But from the very outset of the second half we didn’t play.

“If there is anyone to blame for the result, blame me.

“It is down to the manager to pick the team and it was a disappointing result.

“This is what we were able to highlight with them — we lost our poise right from the off in the second half for no reason. We started to go direct instead of just making the extra pass to play through pressure, which we have done many times.

“The pitch? I would say it was probably in the best condition of any time we have been there.

“When it is raining it is great, the ball can move quicker.

“But we didn’t make the connecting passes, which can bring you through into space like we did in the first half. But we have to move on. Now we have got a great chance in the Champions League to get a win and do that.

“Then we can move on to the weekend’s game.”

But you can forget about the idea that there is nothing riding on this game for Celts, given their Euro fate is already sealed.

Shaking his head, Rodgers said: “Whether it’s a pre-season match or a game like this one, there are no friendlies for Celtic and no games that you just dismiss. This is a competition that the players have worked very hard to get into.

“It’s been challenging this season, there have been some really good moments and some really tough ones.

“But that’s the level and it’s where you want to be.

“Hopefully we can finish off on a real high and then be in it again next season.”

 

finish off on a real high ? is he for * real ,nobody gives a * if he wins this dead rubber or not the european campain has been a * shambles

 

Think he's come across well there.

Only quibble is when taking responsibility for the Killie game where it wasn't working he didn't acknowledge he wasn't able to make any effective changes.

He says he taking tonight seriously so will be interesting to see if the team tonight reflects that.

 

I'll still celebrate if we win. I'll also rub it in that winning in the champions league isn't for everyone. I'd prefer leaving with a win so the players know its possible for next season. Especially when we play 2 pot 4 teams similiar to us. This games bigger than you think for the mental aspect.

 

Yeah, he was impeccable. I often defend Rodgers as a coach I rate in the same bracket as Ange; but there's no doubt who I admire more as a person.

 

You think?

 

I don't see how sneaking behind everyone's backs and then effing off when we all thought he was staying to build someting special as being impeccable...I call it snidey..but that's just me.

 

I agree but * it, they both * off for pastures greener. Not gonna dwell on * that's happened that can't be changed tho.

 

Yeah I agree but it's when the Jesus complex comes out I feel the need to mention this one thing lol - Anyhoo..onwards and downwards!

 

The way I see it is that one part of being a manager is being good with public relations. As manager you want the fans onside for as long as you’re in the job, it can only help the results especially with a support as special as ours.

 

Nice line up, *.

 

Tbf to Rodgers here, what line up would you have?

 

Lagerbielke over Welsh easy. Literally any * over Mikey Johnston, he's been finished for years