Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

He got it pretty much spot on tonight. We all would have liked us to have a bit more control in the first half but that’s not a tactical issue, that comes down to the difference in quality.

If we had a competent left back and didn’t go to * sleep at a corner then we would probably be still well in this tie.

It’s going to be too much of an ask in Munich, but the last 20 minutes did give me belief we can hurt them. Just need to stay in the tie for as long as possible.

 

Great post and regarding this above, I think the second part will depend on the first to some extent.

 

Look we had to perfect tonight and hope they had an off night as well as getting the rub of the green with decisions...

It didn't happen..

No matter what happens next week it's been an excellent campaign, back him properly and build on it.

 

I will say though we were too passive at times, only the last 20 did Bayern know they were in a game.. we needed to be more aggressive.

 

Definitely mate. If the club show a bit of ambition and he genuinely believes those above him have a similar vision for the club that he has I think he could be convinced, if the summer window is a failure then no chance. He’ll work his ticket, do what he has to and walk into another job down the road or abroad.

 

Its hard to judge him on these games when the team is heavily outgunned. On the balance of the game though, it felt like whatever tactics / approach we wanted to play were almost completely dictated by Bayern. They hemmed us in and we couldnt get out. Im not sure that was Rodgers intention. I think he wanted us on the ball far more and to carry much more of a threat. But Bayern knew exactly how we liked to play and how to stop it. We barely strung three passes together 1st half. Bayern got their second and noticeably dropped off in their intensity and gave us more room to play. We took advantage of that and gave ourselves a lifeline. We played some decent stuff. But it felt mostly because Bayern were no longer looking to suffocate us as intently feeling that 2 nil up away was probably job done for them.

 

The Celts fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat tonight at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, however, despite the disappointment of losing to the Bundesliga giants, tonight’s result means that it’s still all to play for in next week’s second leg in Munich.

The Hoops thought that they had the lead within the first minute when Nicolas Kühn buried his shot from outside the box, but the goal was ruled out for an offside decision on Adam Idah.

Bayern took the lead just before half time after a sensational strike from Michael Olise and they doubled that advantage early in the second half through Harry Kane.

The Celts kept battling to find a way back in to the game, and the lifeline came from the in-form Daizen Maeda whose headed finish gave the Celtic Park faithful a boost with 10 minutes to go.

There was to be no late drama, however, and Vincent Kompany’s side managed to see the game out despite a wave of late pressure from Celtic.

And, speaking to Celtic TV after the match, Brendan Rodgers praised his side for how they responded to being 2-0 down.

“There’s a tinge of disappointment,” he said. “We were too passive. We looked like we got off to the start we want within the first minute with a fantastic goal.

“If that counts, it gives you the confidence and the boost to kick on in the game.

“And then we get done just before half time with a brilliant goal, and we’re disappointed with the second goal.

'But our reaction to their second goal was great. We started to get in contention.'

"We shifted the game to get more pressure at the top end of the field, and in the last 20 minutes we looked like a real threat in the game.”



The Celts will now look ahead to next week’s match at the Allianz Arena with a belief that the tie is not beyond them thanks to the late consolation goal, and that is a belief that is shared by the Hoops’ boss, who was keen to stress to his side that it’s still all to play for in next week’s second leg.

Brendan added: “I just said to the players that we’re in the tie, and that was important.

“We wanted to be alive in the tie. It’s going to be a difficult challenge for us over there, however, we take confidence from the last 25 minutes of the game.

“Once you have that aggression and mentality, then you show that you can cause them problems.

“It’s still in the balance. We know it’s going to be tough over there, but we know if we play with confidence then we can certainly get something.

 

If we'd played the whole 1st half like last 30 mins of 2nd we'd probably have been on a Dortmund level scudding... Could we have done better, of course. Could we have done much, much worse? Absolutely!

I think he did all he could with the relatively weaker team/squads. When they got tired and took their foot off the gas we went for it, after weathering a storm. But for a wonder goal at the death of the 1st, a brain fart for Kane's, a disallowed goal and minimal penalty call we might have actually won this despite being massively outgunned and overrun... Hard to fault what our intent was really, just always up against it!

 

Something he could have the team rehearse is going 2 up top with Jota left in case the tie is still alive by the 60th minute or so.

 

Most important contract to extend at the club is Brendans.

A performence like yesterday would see us win if we got a little bit lucky with the draw. I dont think many teams would beat us yesterday. Bayern is a machine in this competition.

Skickat från min SM-F926B via Tapatalk

 

The tactics and team selection were decent last night. The execution could have been a bit better first half though.

The first goal was exceptional and perhaps Taylor could have shown him wide instead of inside. I’ll probably reiterate this point but there is a gulf in individual quality Olise vs Taylor.

The second goal was criminal. Not much else needs to be said there.

The first half could have been managed better by the players. There was too much desire to rush the ball back into play, rather than take the pace and urgency away from Bayern. They were on the ascendancy and we lacked the quality to keep the ball.
Yes there were opportunities to multi-ball whilst they were short at the back but we needed possession and a breather, not risky attacks to see it come right back at us.

Overall the tactics were fine, absorb pressure first half to frustrate and then open up late game.
If that second goal was better managed, we could have been looking at a draw or with better luck a 2-1 win.

Herculean defending, goal-keeping and luck up front is the only way we win against teams with superior players. Sadly we fell a little short last night.

Another lesson for the Bhoys though. Yes, they still make mistakes that make life tough, those can be improved on. However, the second half response was the shining light that they do have what it takes to go toe to toe with Bayern. Let’s hope they remember that for the return and give themselves a solid account.

 

Just on a wider point, does anyone else get the vibe lately that Rodgers seems more content? I dunno how to explain it. Maybe with Jota coming home something clicked in Brendan's mind but he's been giving me this feeling that hes where he wants to be, that he's almost appreciative of it

 

First half i don't think calmac was getting much help in midfield. Second half was better for engels ans hatate but hatate in particular first half wasn't showing for the ball and lost concentration a bit. Not a dig glad he grew into the game.
We did step off a little too much but we defended really well barring the 2 goals.

 

I loved it when we sandwiched Kane and let him know he was in a game.. Trusty was physical in the 2nd half too we needed a bit more of that....

Even coming out at HT, the Bayern players were blocking the tunnel and Callum just waited until they were ready, he should have led the team right through the *..

 

I felt about as positive as it is possible to feel after losing last night. The number of people thinking Rogers got it wrong or so many players didn't turn up is baffling to me. Maybe my expectations were too low going in, but I thought our set up and application was good. We just lost to a team that is better than us in every single position.

 

It's the same all the time in Europe when we face a team like this. Before it all the talk is we have no chance we'll get beat blah blah and then when we do get beat they act like it's some sort of shock and we are *. I genuinely don't know what people were expecting last night. Bayern are a cracking team.

 

That’s what we need for the away leg, Maeda up top putting them under pressure and forcing them into positions they aren’t comfortable in. It’s not over by a long shot.

 

Elite manager.

 

I really pray he signs a new deal. We’re extremely lucky to have a manager of his calibre.