Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

I agree we all need to calm down. I think there's a frustration because we were so much better than them last night. We didn't come out of second gear and still looked very comfortable.

I think there's a tiredness creeping into the team both physically and mentally. It felt to me like we lacked the will to push for the win last night because we knew we didn't need it and we have a big game this weekend. I can understand that.

We will need to do a bit of work in January. Not necessarily 'upgrade' the squad's top line, but we need to get a few more players in that can contribute to the workload, especially on the wings.

 

I genuinely think it is more an opportunity cost or what could have been feeling about those last two games. We hit a level for the last hour against Leipzig that we haven’t seen Celtic in Europe hit for a long time.

Arguably we were close to that at home to Atletico last season for the first hour or close to it too but what has been produced since hasn’t lived up to that. Now what is credible though is we haven’t lost either game whereas we would have before but it is hard to shake that feeling.

In addition, the overall results have remained very good but our form has just dipped that bit of late. Our pressing hasn’t been as effective and we haven’t been as dynamic and creative. That games done and it’s the end of January before we pick back up in Europe.

We have three domestic competitors to sort out before then, starting with the first trophy of the year on Sunday. Hopefully the players rest up and are good to go and have that bit extra back about them again. It is actually a decent length of time between the games having played 6 in a little over 2 weeks there.

 

Two things can be true. We can be generally pleased with where we are in Europe this season, but also frustrated with not winning that match given the context of how it played out. Our first shot on target not coming until the 70th minute was particularly poor. Our chance creation was awful.

Given that we're playing three games a week and we're getting close to half way through the season, a little dip isn't surprising, but I still feel we could have performed a lot better last night.

 

This Sunday's Scottish League Cup final is much more than just Celtic vs Rangers...


Two fierce rivals going to battle at a packed Hampden Park is normally enough to get the juices flowing. However, this one has some extra impetus.

Both club's are on 118 trophies so somethings go to give, with Celtic having the opportunity to overtake Rangers as Scotland's most successful club. A bragging right that means a lot to many supporters.

However, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is trying to stick by his game by game principles and his sole focus is just on clinching the victory which will come with silverware attached at the national stadium.

"Not for me," he stated when asked if the record provides an added incentive to get one over Rangers. "The game is about winning another trophy and we want to win as many trophies as we can.



We don't necessarily have to tell everyone, we just want to win and win well, and then hopefully get into our next game and look to the next trophy.

"That's what I've always done and it has worked out okay for us.

"Listen, I will say it, it's not any other game, it's an iconic game. It's an amazing game for everyone to be involved in. But there becomes a point where you have to really focus in on the process because that's ultimately what allows you to win such a great game.

"So, that's really what my slant is. The game's special, the game's incredible to be involved in with the atmosphere, the tension. People want tickets from everywhere to go to the game and that's not lost on me.

"From a coaching and managerial perspective, it's them what allows you to go and perform. And what allows us to perform is to stay calm and look at a tactical idea within the game, and how we put that to the players so they can go out and play. In the main, I've a feeling we have done that pretty well.

 

We don't need to shout about our trophy haul..

 

” we don't need to shout about our trophy haul to try and continue a myth that we are the same club” would have been perfect

 

Never misses. Got them on toast

The financial bit kills them as well.....literally

 

Since he first took charge of a Celtic team against Rangers back in 2016, Brendan Rodgers has viewed the days immediately preceding such clashes as a delicate balancing act.

Acutely aware of the heightened tension within Glasgow, the Northern Irishman has never wasted his breath by claiming the derbies are just another game. To do so, he contends, would do his players no favours



He also sees a danger in over-egging the pudding. Individuals can easily become too tense about the consequences of what they do or do not do across 90 minutes. An anxious mind is rarely conducive to them performing at their optimal level.

After suffering just one defeat in 19 derbies, by some distance the best managerial record in the history of the fixture, it would be a brave man to take issue with his tried and trusted approach.

‘That’s what I’ve always done and it’s worked out okay for us,’ he said with some understatement.

‘I would say it’s not any other game. It’s an iconic game. It’s an amazing game for everyone to be involved in. But then there comes a point when you have to really focus in on the process because that’s ultimately what allows you to win such a great game.



So, that’s more what the slant is on. The game’s special. The game’s an incredible game to be involved in. The atmosphere, the tension. People want tickets from everywhere to go to the game, so that’s not lost on me.

‘But, from a coaching and managerial perspective, what allows you to perform and what allows us to perform is to stay calm, to look at our tactical idea within the game and how we then pitch that to the players so they can go and play. And, in the main, I feel we’ve done that pretty well.’

The 15 victories Rodgers has presided over across two spells has made a mockery of the old cliché about the form book going out of the window on such occasions.

The dominant side in Scotland this century, Celtic’s results over Rangers in one-off matches have largely been reflective of the times


Which is not to say that the Ibrox club aren’t capable of striking a blow for the underdog at Hampden. Philippe Clement’s side ran Celtic close in last season’s Scottish Cup final and have played their way back into form. Rodgers is wary of the outcome being decided by small margins.

‘There’s always something that can go against you,’ he warned. ‘So, it’s preparing and expecting that.

‘But, going into these games, it’s never so much about who we play, it’s about how we play and that’s always been a real focus. So, going in and playing how we want to, that’s always put us in a really good place.’

Rodgers was able to watch Rangers empty the tank in their draw with Tottenham from the comfort of his sofa having returned from Zagreb in the early hours of Wednesday.

With two days fewer to recover from Europe, the preparation of Clement’s team isn’t ideal, but Rodgers won’t let his players fall into the trap of believing they’ll be weary.

‘We’ve done it before ourselves,’ he said. ‘We played with very limited time to recover and played very good games. So, it doesn’t really come into it.

‘It’s one where we, of course, have had an extra couple of days. But it’s the final. Every team that arrives in the final will give everything to pick up the trophy.’

If anything, Rodgers feels the fact Rangers were annoyed at not having taken the scalp of Spurs should act as a warning. As maddeningly inconsistent as Clement’s players have been, they unquestionably have big performances in them.

There was certainly no gulf in class when the sides last met at Hampden, in the Scottish Cup final in May. Celtic’s late winner that day came through fresh legs coming off the bench — Paulo Bernardo’s run and shot leading to Adam Idah scoring.

Having taken their eye off the ball in the last 16 of this competition at Kilmarnock last season, Celtic could only watch on from afar as Clement’s side beat Aberdeen to take the cup out of their hands


If any added motivation is needed, it’s provided by the empty space in the trophy cabinet.

‘Well, we don’t have it,’ said Rodgers. ‘It is something that we didn’t take last season, and clearly, it’s the first trophy of the season.


We’ve had a brilliant season up until now, and this would be a great way to have something tangible to show for that. But you have to earn it and that’s what we’re ready for.’

Rodgers’ sides saw off Aberdeen and Motherwell in League Cup finals in his first spell in charge. Should he come out on top again, a win over Rangers would be his tenth trophy as Celtic manager.

‘I’ll look back on that once I’m finished and once I’m done,’ he stressed. ‘Going into these games, the wins at Hampden and everything else, it doesn’t really count for much, really. Just because you’ve won before doesn’t mean you can’t turn up and not prepare.


‘I know what it means to people, this game. You never get tired of them or bored of them. They’re incredible games to be involved in. It’s such an iconic fixture throughout the world


So, to have the possibility to have maybe four, five, six of them in the season is absolutely amazing. Like I said, they’re all challenges, but I think this is what we’re built for. The tougher the challenge, then that is what we relish.’

 

He must’ve been rubbing his hands with delight when that baldy * started banging on about finances last weekend. He’s got them on toast and literally never misses an opportunity to make a * of their club

 

His record at Hampden is incredibly, absolutely incredible.

The Scales sub worked wonders imo, allowed us to come out our own half so much easier, my only gripe was not bringing Idah on 5 minutes prior to their second goal, as I have a feeling they don't score that goal with him on, we'd have been able to hold the ball up at their end a lot easier.

Said at half time he had 45 minutes to show why he makes the sort of money he does, and he did, yet again.

Football has fallen off a little bit since the second half against Ross County, but let's be honest, we have 9 points in the CL, 11 points clear in the league and we've got the league cup secured after beating the vermin in the final.

Not a bad season so far at all

 

When he arrived in summer 2016 we had won 99 trophies!!!!

 

The Boss

 

That's the huns and Zagreb who have stopped us from playing our football by using similar tactics but hopefully he can spot it and rectify it by the time the ibrox game comes round, other than that we'll done gaffer.