Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

Yes mate they are, unfortunately the squad has far too many projects that’ll never be good enough.

 

Poor choice of substitutes when the game was crying out for players with energy.

 

We don’t have any good enough. OH is a Hibs level player, MJ * knows and as for the rest of the bench gid help us.

 

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admitted his side lacked tempo in their play until he made some substitutions in a goalless draw with Hibernian.

Rodgers picked the same team that played the majority of Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid but Celtic struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half, although David Marshall saved brilliantly from Daizen Maeda.

Martin Boyle missed an excellent chance for Hibs just after the break when he volleyed over from Jordan Obita’s cross and Rodgers brought on four attacking substitutes either side of the hour mark.

Of those, James Forrest hit the bar, Oh Hyeon-gyu had a header saved and Mikey Johnston was denied by Marshall with an impressive save from a long-range strike, while David Turnbull was also heavily involved in the play.

Rodgers said: “I didn’t think we played with the tempo and speed that we wanted to until the last 20 minutes.

“We dominated the game for long spells but the first 60 minutes was too slow from our perspective, we didn’t get them running quick enough.

We played too many longer passes, we wanted to really be playing shorter, quicker passes which are a bit more difficult to defend.

“We made the changes and the last 25 minutes the tempo increased which pushed them back and we connected the game a lot better.

“We had about 20 attempts at goal. Jamesy hit the crossbar and they had some really good blocks but we weren’t able to make the breakthrough.”

When asked if Wednesday’s exertions had an impact, the manager said: “It could well be but I never want to use that as an excuse. The players had a massive effort in midweek but we have to be able to go again.”

When quizzed over whether some changes to his team might have helped, Rodgers added: “Listen, we are all captains of hindsight afterwards, aren’t we?

“It would have been ideal if we had an extra day maybe to recover and play later. But I think the boys are fit and strong. We had the ball, it was just the speed of it, we didn’t move it quick enough.”

On winger Johnston’s first appearance for Celtic since March 2022, Rodgers said: “A wee bit hit and miss, a bit loose and sloppy and then did some good things. But he has been out for a while.

“Jamesy came in and has that quality to look after the ball. He probably will feel he can score.

“But the guys coming in, it’s what we asked from them. I asked them to bring an energy to the game and I think they did that.”

 

Rodgers is excellent for Europe, but domestically it's no secret he has a number of these games in him. We were used to Ange who utterly annihilated everything domestically - but that's not the norm. Away games at tough grounds after Europe midweek have always been difficult historically, it was an anomaly under Ange that he had us swatting teams aside whenever wherever we went in Scotland.

No crisis - we'll get back on it and still have a healthy lead.

 

Have we still not got more points domestically than ange managed by this point in the season? Ange just gets remembered differently.

 

No. After 10 games last season we had dropped 3 points via the loss to St mirren. After 10 this season we have dropped 4 via the two 0 - 0s.

 

Also 12 more goals scored.

I think Rodgers has had a good start though

 

Looking forward to the day he inevitably leads us to fecking them for 3+ to 0 at that two-bit Minecraft-looking matchbox of a stadium of theirs.

 

I wasn't using that as a stick to beat Rodgers with, just to emphasise how normal these kinds of results are. I think Rodgers is doing very well so far.

Although if you're talking revisionism @honda, just comparing points between last year and this year so far is obviously ignoring the gulf in performances. This is normal! Ange's second season etc. but let's not suggest (positive) revisionism over Ange's tenure while doing the very same (negative) ourselves.

 

It's silly to compare peak Ange with Rodgers' first few months IMO. 3 games in 6 days is always challenging and Tynecastle, Atletico Madrid and Easter Road is ridiculous. Ange had a squad were he could bring on subs to freshen it up on days like Saturday. Rodgers doesn't have that kind of bench.

And even if we do compare them, it's only a 1 point difference after going to Ibrox, Easter Road, Tynecastle, Pittodrie and that awful pitch at Livingston. I think that really underlines what a good job Rodgers has done.

 

You've also to remember after a team wins a treble, they always have slow start. Its hard to pick up players who think they've done it all etc. The wrong appointment after a treble can always be very hard to follow. So far it's been great. Hopefully the board go buy some qaulity and not just projects.

 

BRENDAN RODGERS has begged Scottish football chiefs to help our clubs in Europe.

Celtic travel to Spain to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next Tuesday.

Before that they host St Mirren on Wednesday night, then travel to Dingwall for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off with Ross County.

Atletico have had their game with Las Palmas brought forward to Friday to give them extra time to prepare for Celts’ visit.

Hoops manager Rodgers said: “The one thing I would always ask is if there’s ever a possibility to help the clubs.

"It always seems to be a challenge in British football when it comes to federations actually helping the teams.

“We played here last Wednesday. We played on the Sunday before that, and Atletico Madrid played on the Saturday.

“So 24 hours is absolutely massive for recovery. It’s not rocket science to know in the last 15 minutes you might be fatiguing a wee bit due to that day less recovery.

“If you look at the next time we play Atletico, they traditionally play on a Sunday, but they are playing on a Friday night.

“We have got Dingwall on the Saturday, then we are out there on the Tuesday.

“If they can help in any way, can they help? That’s what I would say, to give their teams a chance at the very highest level.

“We are travelling away to a top team, and straight away you go with a big disadvantage in terms of physicality.

“It would be great if any of the teams in Europe here can get support.

“That would be very helpful in aspects like the coefficient. It gives everyone a chance.

“It’s in the best interests of all the clubs.

“If you are doing well everyone gets a share of the money, so any help from the federation would be nice.”

Rodgers last week hit out after SPFL bosses brought their festive league clash at Dundee forward from December 27 to Boxing Day.

The latest run of matches are part of a relentless spell, which will see the Hoops play seven games in 22 days ahead of the international break later this month.

They have faced away games at Hearts and Hibs, as well as this weekend’s trip to the Highlands.

Yet champs Celtic sit five points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Rodgers added: “The first year I was up here we had a run of games, but they weren’t as demanding as this.

“I remember we were away at Hearts in the first game and we’d Aberdeen in there as well. We had some tough games.

“Everyone has to play each other, but there’s no doubt people have looked at it and seen the games.

“But for me they are games to go and show your quality, and we just have to accept it.

“Yes they are intense games. Our next match after Feyenoord away was Livingston and we went down to ten men, but we came through that well.

“It’s a huge testament to the players and their mentality, the training they do, and all the details that go into the preparation and how they approach the games.

“It’s been a very good start, but we know there’s still a long way to go in the season.”

 

He might actually have a smooth brain

 

He needs to wise up. We're scraping by just now but it shouldn't be as difficult as it has been at times.

Needs to select better starting XI's and rotate more sensibly. The likes of Holm, Yang, Oh and Iwata need to be playing much more than they have been. Holm especially, the kid is ready to start games. His quality has been obvious in every game bar the moment of madness against Feyenoord.

 

Got his subs spot on tonight

 

Aye they worked a treat..

 

I thought taking Palma off when he did and then later O'Riley was weird.

I was hoping Turnbull (who wasn't bad at all) and Forrest were going off for Yang and Maeda.

Turned out well after Oh and Holm came on though!