Looking back now, it’s clear Brendan Rodgers made a big mistake in the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen this afternoon. Kasper Schmeichel started in goal ahead of Viljami Sinisalo, and it cost Celtic dearly. Hindsight might be a luxury, but in this case, the warning signs were there for all to see.
Schmeichel, who had picked up a shoulder injury during the international break, didn’t look yet back to his best. Despite that, Rodgers trusted the experienced keeper for the final. But it was a move that didn’t work.
Schmeichel made a massive mistake during normal time, allowing Aberdeen to equalise and send the game into extra time. When the game went to penalties, he failed to save any of the spot-kicks.
On the other hand, Sinisalo had been in top form. While Schmeichel was injured, the young Finn stepped up. He played well during his run in the team, including an impressive performance at Ibrox against Rangers. That run of form made it all the more surprising when he was dropped for the final.
In total, Sinisalo has played eight games this season and kept four clean sheets. That’s a solid return for a young goalkeeper still making his way. He showed confidence, sharpness, and good handling during those games—something Schmeichel lacked in the final.
Cup finals are often decided by small moments. In this one, Celtic’s choice of goalkeeper played a major role in the final result. Sinisalo deserved the chance to stay in the team. Rodgers took a risk, and it backfired.
It’s a moment that will be hard to forget. For Schmeichel, it’s an afternoon he’ll want to move on from quickly. For Sinisalo, it’s a missed chance to shine in a cup final. And for Rodgers, it’s a decision that will be talked about for a long time, with supporters set to call for Sinisalo to be given more starts next season.
Sinisalo also looks far more comfortable with the ball at his feet.
Schlupp had a poor game away v St Johnstone but he wasnt the only one and Taylor has been preferred ever since even though he’s not at Schlupp’s level.
Nawrocki comes in after months out, performs well and is back in the wilderness again.
I have total faith in Brendan but its only fair to highlight instances when I feel he is too loyal to certain players and unfair to others.
Today was a massive shock to us all and will hurt for years.
It was incredibly frustrating today, to see the team continually pass, pass ,pass when it was acheiving nothing.
Whoever’s written this piece is a clown Schmeichel’s been brilliant for us all season and saved us at least ten points this season, so for the author to claim the manager made the wrong decision is laughable. Sinisalo has been good too but how does this guy know that he wouldn’t have made the same mistake. It’s so easy to have hindsight after the event and if you ask 99.9% of Celtic supporters who they wanted in goal today they’d have picked the Dane. Look I’m not saying Schmeichel wasn’t at fault, he was, and I was disappointed he made such a big error but the fact remains, Celtic supporters, as the song says, are faithful through and through and to blame a guy who’s been a class act on and off the field since his arrival is for me a very cheap shot.
The manager was not raging , he was disappointed as we all were . Stop writing shite headlines.
No one player or St Brendan’s bench take blame for being beat today
They all should.
Onwards and upwards though. The treble would have been nice
Two ootta threes good. Three cup’s were won, none of them by the blu paupers.
Next year the 69r’s can be fuc&ed on awe directions, again.
See how well that sheep do balancing domestic cups, european and survival in tha bottom six.
Ha ha x 40.
Schmeichel is the the first team keeper end off
Don’t give him grief just because the players in front off him had a bad day If he wasn’t fit to play I’m sure he would have told the manager
What a load.
Terrible performance by the whole team.
Has been the story since Xmas.
This team is built for half a season.
The constant pasing and back passing is so boring and losing to this team and letting the Huns make us look ordinary is getting tedious.
Yang when he came on put on one of the worst performances I’ve seen from a Celt since Ntcham vs Sevco the first time the newco beat us.
These truly feel like the last days of our empire. The team is stagnating with a defence that is not built for anything more than the SPFL, no enforcer, total lack of a creative player and no one that wins anything in the air. All wrapped up with a manager that not only has no plans B, his plan A is so outdated and predictable.
We have super fast and slick wingers but never use them effectively.
If these issues aren’t fixed this coming season and the Hun get 49ers money coming through, the Celtic quarter century of dominance will be over within 3 years.