Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

So many times at home Celtic drift into 3 at the back, with Taylor and Calmac as holding midfield players.

I get it gives us a numerical superiority, but do feel having 2 players who both favour the same foot, slows our overall play down.

Be interesting to see Rodgers start with 3 at the back, with both Bernardo and Calmac starting both together as holders

 

Cmon mate, that's all hyperbole.

 

Waiting to see if he saw the humour in the song list tonight.

 

Thing was under Ange, when we were playing well we'd be scoring early doors and then the floodgates would open. Quick free kicks, quick corners, quick throw ins. Just faster speed of decision making all over the pitch. Had the players terrified to pass backwards and together it made for football that was just blatantly better to watch.

Aye, there were lulls as well but what i loved about the Ange era was that we'd always come back from a break firing, or if there wasn't a break coming up then we'd usually get out a slump after 3 fixtures max. The only extended run of * football i can remember was after we wrapped the league up early in his last season.

 

Brendan, what did you make of that performance tonight?

Yeah, it was a really good win for us. I thought the first half we had a lot of control in the game and got into some really good areas and maybe could have been more in front. The second half, for a little spell, we lost a little bit of our attacking connection in the game, so we weren't as fluent getting through the pitch.

Then, with a little spell, we had to defend on direct free kicks and long throw-ins into the box. We came through that spell really well and then obviously finished off getting the second goal and thoroughly deserved to win. From the first whistle, we were trying to impose ourselves in the game and get into some really good areas.

I felt we could have maybe crossed it one or two more times than what we did do, but the effort of the players and what they gave. This is a game where very few times you give little and get the rewards, so you have to give everything in. The players have done that and they got the rewards in the end, so I'm really pleased with that.



It's a freezing cold night up against a team who are sitting in quite deep. Is that a character the players need to show to make sure they get the three points?

Yes, you have to. I think, obviously, a team that's designed to sit 11 men behind the ball.

We've seen it up at Dundee United and we've seen it here. It's no criticism. That's what you have to come up against and you have to face that and you have to win, which is important.

The players showed that mentality to do that. Any time they were asked to defend, we defended it ever so well. It's a really good win amidst a really busy, busy schedule and on a freezing cold night.


It was good to get the three points.

An update on Nicolas Kuhn?

We'll see in the morning what it is.

He just felt something on top of his thigh, so he didn't feel he could risk it. We had to take him out and put Yang in.

That defensive aspect must be something that’s really pleasing? You can have so much of the ball, but even once or twice, whenever they are tested, tonight especially, they answered to everything?

Yes, I think that's been a big part of our game. It probably gets overlooked a lot, is that defensive mentality, because the game always has to be in balance.

It's no good being able to attack and do everything and then it turns into a basketball game and you're up and down the pitch. The defensive mentality of the team, which is still an attacking mindset, because you're trying to press the game and you've got to press the game to sustain the attacks. The players were doing that ever so well, very consistently.

Like I say, when they do that and they put that effort in and you see that, then it leads to so many clean sheets.


I suppose no complacency has to be the message, even though you are 16 clear in January?

Yes, but there's still such a way to go. It's 21 games, so you still get 17 games to go. I don't think there's ever complacency.

Players, I think, we always guard against that contentment. This is a club that's not complacent. It's a club that we strive to be the best that we can possibly be, to keep improving and that's the culture of how we work.

So, yes, you can win and win and win. I think it keeps that flow going and that mentality. The players are in a good flow at the moment.

It's a hot topic. Talking about patience, you got that didn’t you from the stands, even at 1-0?

Absolutely, the crowd were brilliant. Like you said, it can get a bit edgy and we are a support, bless us, we fret a wee bit, we can do that.

But I think it was there. I think that support is so important and it was fantastic tonight. It's such a cold night to come out and see the team, but the numbers turned up and gave the team a great support and that allowed us to push us over the line.

Greg Taylor seemed totally unflustered by it all as well, just his usual self?

Yes, he's absolutely fine with it. Like I say, it's probably a bigger deal made of it than what it actually was, my observation I made, but it's gone now. So, he was very good in the game, as he always is.

He was very consistent and had a really good performance.

There were a few old band favourites getting rolled out for former players from the crowd tonight. Did that bring a smile to your face, some of the songs?

The kit man, he was the only one that missed out, I think, tonight.

But, yes, it's all part of the dance here, isn't it? My job is to put the best team on the pitch and win consistently, and everyone can smile.

A good finish from Reo Hatate as well, is the challenge for him to show that more consistently?

Yes, the work, the intensity, he has quality, of course, but it's the same for every player. The minute you come off it and you're not quite there, then there's other players that can take your place.

That's what being at a big club is, having a competitive squad. The players until this point of the season, 21 games in and across the competitions, they've been very, very good, but we have to keep challenging ourselves to be better. We'll be able to analyse that game and see little errors, but Reo and the other guys, we all demand to be the best that we can.

 

Hopefully it's all put to bed now as it's only giving those feckers in the smsm ammunition to attack us with

 

Good interview, was an open goal to joke about the situation with tonights songbook and he thankfully took it.

Hopefully we can fully move on now, what a weird week

 

Brendan Rodgers laughed off chant antics from the Green Brigade as "part of the dance" after the names of former players boomed around Parkhead.

The Celtic manager chuckled when quizzed on the chants citing numerous former fan favourites following his remarks on "disrespectful" singing of Kieran Tierney's name.


Rodgers had insisted chants for Tierney in the win over St Mirren showed a lack of respect for current left-back Greg Taylor.

During the win over Dundee United, the Green Brigade responded by switching up their songbook to chant the names of Jota, Charlie Mulgrew, Henrik Larsson, Odsonne Edouard, Paddy McCourt and Artur Boruc.

Tierney's name was chanted again at full-time with the Arsenal defender linked with an emotional return to Celtic this month.

Rodgers, though, smiled as he responded to the playful chants as he said: "The kitman, he was the only one that missed out tonight!

Listen, it's all part of the dance here, isn't it?

"My job is to put the best team on the pitch and win consistently and everyone can smile."

Hailing the support for their patience and backing, Rodgers added: "They were brilliant. It can get a bit edgy and we are a support, bless us, that we can fret a wee bit.

"I think it was there, that support is so important. It was fantastic tonight."

And on Taylor - who was unaffected by the talking point at the weekend - Rodgers said: "He is absolutely fine with it.

"There was probably a bigger deal made of it than what it actually was.

"He was very good as he always is, it was a very good performance.

 

That's it. It's done. He's said he piece, the GB had a good fun and old school tunes were brought out on a freezing night. A solid win, some stand out performances. It's all good in the hood comrades. Greg's happy.

He's no leaving. We move on. Done.

 

At least he's got a sense of humour with the songs being sung, really was an odd few days news but * it. Let's focus on the football!

 

Especially that wee * Gordon Duncan on Clyde radio still going on about

 

I know he’s a Motherwell fan and works for SSB but Gordon Duncan is the most Hun name I’ve ever heard of.

 

As said before he blew the KT chant out of proportion, it took the focus away from the performance against the huns and created a narrative. We’ll look back on this in 5 years and laugh it was all the media had to print anything negative about us.

 

Maybe need to hear the interview, but the last bit about Taylor "blown out of proportion" part

Is that him admitting he did?

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He's admitted he got a wee bit over hyped about it aye

 

Just echoing what others have said about being glad that's all put to bed and how bizarre it was.
Dunno what he was playing at but we move on.

 

Glad he seen the funny side. He's obviously been * off about his teams performance and let blow over anything. Onto the next game!