Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

The squad really isn't as good as it should be or as some think it is.

If we're serious about European progression our bench needs to be transformed imo.

 

We can't make the changes we thought we could and just stroll to 3 points. Warning signs were there against Falkirk.

Squad needs bolstered in January and fully expect results and performances like these to be used as evidence as to why.

There's no reason whatsoever in 2024 that we should have Ralston or Welsh in a Celtic starting XI.

 

Not even a sickness bug that affected a large percentage of the regular defenders?

 

Exactly 1-12 we are by far the best team in Scotland 13 to 22 we aren’t

 

My point being your backup should be better than that.

It takes one injury for Ralston to generally be in there.

 

Would love to see Idah AND Kyogo get a run together.
The link up for the Kyogo sitter was actually great and if he scores, we are waxing lyric about it.
I think they would partner brilliantly together as Kyogo is super intelligent on the ball and having a strike partner would give him.more opportunity to get on the ball.

We can't keep playing mediocre/crap wingers to fit the system whilst Idah, Engels and Bernardo can't get on the pitch
Our slow, negative midfield really aren't helping the wide players or strikers either to be fair.

Brendan needs to show a bit more imagination in formation and team selection, especially against low block SPL dross.

 

Bigger issue than crappy wingers and missing sitters - it's the midfield thats really worrying me
Since Leipzig we have been lacking confidence, been incredibly negative, passive and continually passing the buck to others (and back again!)
We appear weak mentally - almost scared at times.
It's impacting the forwards players too, walking pace play is so easy to play against.

We so desperately need a strong #6 with a big personality built in.

 

Missing some bite and urgency today. We dont have the quality in depth we need but we are a few bodies away from it. We have a chance in Jan to put ourselves out of sight in the league but also Europe, we can take it as a one off.

 

Not sure we'd keep a backup better than Ralston as happy as Ralston is to be at Celtic. Plus on top he's homegrown/club trained which we need in Europe. It's just unfortunate we've been forced to play so many fringe players in one go today and it's disrupted our play.

 

Celtic boss, Brendan Rodgers has already dubbed the congested fixture list an 'ultramarathon'.


It is largely why the Irishman admitted that he'd have loved a winter break in Scottish football this season.

The men in green and white face the daunting prospect of playing 24 games in 83 days assuming they advance to the play-off round of the Champions League and are successful in the next two rounds of the Scottish Cup It's a gruelling schedule for Rodgers and his men


Rodgers said: "There is no winter break this year and it is what I love about Scottish football! It used to be amazing to have that break. It still is amazing here but we don’t have that rest period now.

"March is the next break for the players and we just need to keep grinding away. We need to stay focused and the boys have been brilliant in that sense. We would all love to play 90 minutes of high-intensity football in 60 games a season but that’s not humanly possible.

"Sometimes you just have to grind out the wins and more often than not, this team have done that. We didn’t manage to do it on Sunday against Dundee United but we took our point and now we move on to Motherwell.

“It’s a busy period in the football calendar and we have to recover quickly between games now.

"Cameron Carter Vickers and Auston Trusty should be back. They did some work on the bike on Sunday and all being well they should be available.

We have so many games and we will need everyone available.”


After Sunday's 0-0 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice Rodgers's side will entertain Motherwell at Parkhead.

It's the first time that Celtic have been at home in the traditional festive fixture after Christmas Day for 14 years!

The Irishman can't wait to hopefully bring some festive cheer to the Celtic fans by gaining three Premiership points.

Rodgers said: "It’s been a long time since Celtic played at home on Boxing Day and that’s great for the support and the players. It’s also good for the families as we tend to be travelling away to a hotel on Christmas Day and that won't be the case this year. We will still train in the morning but the players will be able to go home after that.

"We have to prepare well and do our analysis. A lot of work goes into getting ready for all the games but we are used to it now.

"That is life at a big club when you are a player and manager but look, we will enjoy it. I am looking forward to being at home on Boxing Day. Celtic Park is a great place for us to play and we want to send the supporters home happy.

"I am expecting a similar game against Motherwell to the one we have just faced against Dundee United on Sunday. Motherwell be tight, they will stay compact and it’s up to us to go and break them down. That’s the area we need to improve on from the weekend.

 

Has he said anything regarding Johnston?

 

Given an extra rest today

 

He's doing a great job. It's not been said enough.

 

Our goal difference is ridiculous after 17 games. He'll be backed in January and we'll push on in the 2nd half of the season, even further.

Cut the deadwood and recruit well and who knows where we could end up.

 

It seems reports of a Celtic ‘blip’ following their goalless draw at Tannadice just before Christmas were greatly exaggerated. Though talk of remaining calm and resisting the urge to panic among the support did rather amuse manager Brendan Rodgers.

As a hugely successful year for Celtic draws to a close with St Johnstone’s visit to Glasgow’s east end tomorrow, it is a natural juncture for Rodgers to reflect on where his side have come from to sit where they are now, comfortably back on top of the Premiership and indeed, the Scottish game.

Celtic have only lost twice so far in 2024, once away to Hearts in March, and then to Borussia Dortmund in this season’s Champions League, and you would get long odds on the league’s bottom side adding to that tally of defeats for the champions.

“This time last year we'd lost a couple of games and drawn maybe three,” Rodgers said.

“I can't have too many complaints really.

“I heard someone say the other day there's no need to panic. That was an interesting one! Some of the supporters were saying there's no need to panic because we drew a game.

“My idea is the long game. I've got to look after the whole campaign and get us through game after game when it's so busy. And until this point and this year, the players have been absolutely fantastic, having only lost two games [in 2024]. It's been absolutely superb


One of them away with 10 men and then one against the Champions League finalists. Apart from that, the players' mentality and their focus and their drive has been relentless.

“We want to finish off 2024, in a really good way and the players have been superb.”

Celtic rediscovered their scoring touch against Motherwell on Boxing Day after that Tannadice stalemate, but what has perhaps gone under the radar a little has been their excellent defensive record at the other end, conceding just four goals so far in 17 league matches this season.



While known for his ability to set up attacking teams, Celtic’s solidity has also been satisfying for Rodgers


It's always the balance in identity,” he said.

“I think that's been a really pleasing aspect for me as a team. I like a team that's adaptable and can play in all the phases of the game.

“This is a team that, as you've seen, can press, can be aggressive, can be relentless within that. There's also times when they can play on the counter-attack. There's also times whenever they can defend that wee bit deeper and be resolute. And then there are games where we can really dominate and create.

“So, I think that's been a pleasing aspect over 2024, the adaptability in the team to play in different phases of the game.


Our intent is always to create goals and score goals. But that also is through your defensive tightness and organisation and pressing. As a team, the balance has been really good.”

On the face of it, a home game against St Johnstone may usually be expected to pose a similar challenge to the one Celtic faced from Dundee United and Motherwell over their last two matches, with the opposition setting up in a low block and hoping to frustrate his team.


Under Simo Valakari’s stewardship though, the Saints have been more expansive in style, despite their rather desperate situation in the table, and Rodgers is unsure what to expect as a result.


“It’s interesting,” he said.

“Because I think since the new manager has come in, he's started off with a diamond whereas recently I've seen him more with a 4-4-2. But I think his ethos is to play football, to take the ball, to pass the ball and create opportunities.

“It's a quick turnaround from [Thursday]. So, it might be a similar game, maybe a different set-up in terms of the system. But maybe a similar game, similar set-up: be compact and rely on players breaking out.

“The onus is on us. We want to impose our way and we'll prepare now and get ready for that. Bring that freshness and finish the year really well.”

 

'Lost 2 games in 2024'. * incredible really.