CL: 2022/23 vs 2023/24

Done a quick search because I was interested in comparing our stats, particularly for shots on goal and attempts conceded. Keep in mind I done this quickly and I'm tired so they may not be entirely accurate. But feel free to edit.

2022/2023 - Across 6 Games

Attempts: 83
Attempts on target: 30
Attempts conceded: 79
Attempts on target conceded: 32
Goals scored: 4
Goals conceded: 15

2023/2024 - Across 5 Games

Attempts: 33
Attempts on target: 15
Attempts conceded: 89
Attempts on target conceded: 31
Goals scored: 3
Goals conceded: 14

I have kept in mind our red cards, but still. The stats back up what we're seeing. We're far less dangerous going forward this year, and haven't really improved defensively despite the notion that we're more stable at the back.

In terms of missing Jota, I'm not denying that. He scored 2 out of our 3 goals, but only had 12 shots out of the 83 we attempted.

Starfelt only played 90 minutes overall - the 5-1 defeat to Real. Mooy only played 152 minutes for us in the CL, which is obviously just less than 2 full games. Not sure how much they've been missed in truth going by those stats.

So yeah, I think it's obvious where the problems lie. Our squad is not up to it (as we saw last year), but they're performing worse. Does Jota's departure really justify the disparities shown above? Personally I don't think so.

We're more efficient this year in converting our chances, but our approach has totally changed and the end result is the same, if not statistically worse.

 

To be fair to Brendan we had a far tougher group this season than last, add to that we still had Jota and most of our players fit last campaign i’d say Brendan has done ok with the hand he was dealt in the summer. The board fail us time and time again, it will never change unless us fans do something about it.

 

Disagree with your first point. Real & Leipzig > Atletico & Feyenoord. Lazio and Shakhtar are about the same though.

Abada and Hatate had 11 shots between them last year in the CL. I do think we've missed them to some extent, but bear in mind many supporters thought they were * in Europe last year.

Agree with your second point.

 

Shakhtar was as easy a pot 3 team we could have faced last season, we should have beat them in Warsaw but they were miles better than us at parkhead which was really poor.

 

Yeah I'm not denying that, we * it vs Shakhtar last season but I think Real and Leipzig are tougher opponents than Atletico and Feyenoord. Lazio were * in both of the games against us too let's be honest. We should have beat them at home, and tonight up until they scored you felt like the game was there but we had no threat.

Both groups were some of the easiest we'll ever get truth be told. But last year was slightly harder imo.

 

Rodgers is hopeless at this level. He just doesn’t get what is required.

Lenny may not have been great overall, slipping up domestically at times. But having played at that level, I always felt he understood what was required to give us a chance of getting a result. He bought players and used tactics that were more pragmatic at this level of competition.

Now we’re a soft touch, with B or C standard technical players - who while great at dominating in Spfl, are one trick pony’s with no ability to play in a different tactical system when up against much stronger opposition. (Assuming rodgers actually understood how to accomplish this - which I don’t see any evidence of)

Fans may not like it, but there is a formula for getting results at this level for teams such as ourselves. We’re so far off that blueprint/standard right now it’s honestly quite shocking though!

 

That’s not really down to Rodgers though is it.

 

This is basically Ange’s team (weaker given Jota’s departure) being played with Rodgers style. It shows a mile off, and we’re obviously weaker for it.

I do think we’re been tactically more astute under Rodgers in Europe, but we’re just incredible weak. Player for player, we’re significantly poorer than last time we played Lazio.

I faith that Rodgers has the ability to get results in Europe, but no real faith that the club have the level of ambition to do so on a regular basis.