Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has sent out a defiant message about Celtic’s European style of play.
The Hoops were hammered 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening, leading many to call for the boss to set up his team slightly more conservatively versus bigger sides.
Even before midweek, Rodgers had taken several drubbings in previous seasons in charge of Celtic against Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Atletico Madrid.
Nothing is changing, but Hoops fans are sick of seeing their team be embarrassed by big scorelines in Europe’s premier club competition.
Despite this, the manager tactically sets his team up for matches against elite teams as he does for regular domestic games versus SPFL cannon fodder.
Supporters want continual thrashings to become a thing of the past.
Rodgers, however, says he will implement his own game plan regardless of calls for Celtic to play more defensively.
“You can’t just turn the tap back off and say to play super defensive,” he said (Celtic FC on YouTube).
“It’s just not how we play. So what do we do, sit back and have 15 per cent of the ball and lose 3-0? 4-0?
“Or, do you play how you play, but know that the mistakes you’ve got to sharpen your teeth in and you’ve got to be brighter and make quicker movements to close space?
“I’d much rather do that and go down with my own vision than listen to someone saying that who has never coached a game in their life or played, or whatever.”
Rodgers seems set in his ways, but he needs to find the right balance to avoid continual embarrassment on the continent.
Seeing how Celtic set up against Atalanta in a few weeks should be intriguing.
The Italians deserve the utmost respect, having won the Europa League last season.
If the Hoops are as open as they were midweek, they could be in for yet another long night in Bergamo.
All this coming from a manager who’s ego exceeds his ability .
Celtic never learn their lessons under Rodgers, if they did we would stop getting hammered when we play top teams.
Come on Brendan, no more schoolboy tactics, we need to tighten up at the back… particularly away from home.
We’re sick of seeing these embarrassing defeats. No shame in losing a close 2 or 3 – 1 but 5, 6 or 7 is tactically amateur.
Atalanta will be hoping you stick with your ‘all out’ suicide tactics. Waken up.
Tactics are one thing, another is the sheer lack of ability against quality opposition.
Players like Taylor, Kyogo, Callum (“we’ll learn from our mistakes”) McGregor look good in domestic competition but aren’t capable of stepping up against quality teams and continually make basic mistakes.
Failure to sign a quality centre back in the summer was crucial, as a CCV injury was always likely, but usual lack of preparation by Celtic continues to hamper our CL efforts and nothing ever seems to be done about it