Brendan Rodgers Discussion Thread

The only weakness in the team since we played Bayern is Khun. KT is an upgrade on Taylor and Engles was available. The board have dragged their heels getting players in and it's frustrating but that shouldn't deflect from the fact we should be performing much better with the players available and that performance last night was unacceptable.

 

We havent had a plan b in going back a lot longer than last night though if we are honest.

Our midfield are pretty under utilised and their movement on and off the ball is below what you would expect from those players.

We are dogmatic in trying to get the ball out wide even when its not on. Theres no variety to change approach. Its do the same thing over again.

Yes better players are needed. Thats a given. But a manager of rodgers calibre should be able to try something different as well.

 

The players didn't respond well to a quiet and flat Celtic Park, really gave us nothing to get going..

We looked really nervy.

Rodgers needs to get them up for Sat and then Tuesday.

Flat Thursday Europa League nights isn't something I'm looking forward to it.

 

We should still be capable of beating kairat yes.

If we cant get past them its a collective failure from all involved. Board, players and manager.

 

Ignoring the lack of quality we don't have, his use of the squad he does have is bizarre. McCowan doesn't get a look in last night despite winning us the game against St Mirren and playing well against Falkirk. Yamada get barely any time domestically but then gets thrown on when we need a goal for the qualifier, Kenny not fancied despite being publicly backed and started against Falkirk. Johnston plays every minute and Ralston not used until absolutely required when AJ's hammy tears.

I don't get him at times.

 

You're forgetting Jota as well. We're down two first choice wingers

 

6 months ago we took Bayern all the way in the knockouts.

Last night we had Forrest and Yang on the wings, A carthorse up front, Ralston RB, Scales LB.

I struggle to put any blame on Rodgers when it's clear as day he has wanted reinforcements for months now

 

In Rodgers last season at the club in 2018/19, he signed Scott Bain, Emilio Izaguiree 2nd spell, Arzani, Mulumbu, Oko Flex, Oli Burke loan, Timo Weah loan, Bayo, Shved, Gutman, Perez, Toljan loan, and made Eduoard permanent.

Maybe the Board just don't trust Rodgers to spend money.

Who's decision was it to spend 8.5m on Idah, 6m Trusty and Engelds for 11m? If Idah drops out the team this weekend that will be 25m sitting on the bench.

We signed 12 players last season including Palma, Tillio, Holm, Nawrocki and Lagerbiekle.

We've signed 7 this summer and Tierney and Nyrgen are the only ones to get near the team.

 

Its simple. If the board don't trust the recruitment process (which i suspect Rodgers is only a small part of) then replace it! You cant just stop recruiting first team players. Again this summer like many others we have prioritised quantity over quality and looking for the cheap option. Sure some big money signings haven't and wont work out that's the nature of football and most of that money will actually be recouped when the players eventually move on. The club have to live in the hear and now. And the bottom line is we need quality additions or you do massive damage to the club. Saving money on transfers to sacrifice CL football is the mother of all false economies!

 

Even if that were to be true then it still falls on the board surely ? Why are we then plodding on with a manager they don't trust surely they would get rid of him or is the plan just to coast through this season until the end of his contract.

 

The worry for me is about what happens in the future.

As many have said in here. Brendan Rodgers is the most successful manager we have had since Jock Stein. He's probably our best ever manager, aside from Stein. He's also probably the most high profile manager we could possibly get, in terms of name and stature in the game. He's loved by Desmond (or so it seems) and has his total backing.

If we are willing to sell our best players without properly replacing them when he is our manager, running into £40m games with a chronically underperforming front line when we have Brendan * Rodgers, does it matter who the next manager is? The same * is going to be happening every single time. It's beyond belief that walked into a Champions League qualifier that is worth £40m with a spend of £3m and sales totaling £21m, not including the sell-on percentages we have received and probably will receive as the window progresses. Getting to 2025 and playing James Forrest on the right wing, Liam Scales at LB from the 75th minute onwards. Staggering levels of negligence.

I hope he does walk. He deserves to leave with a full backing of fans.

 

Jota was on the bench the last game against Bayern. We started with Maeda on the left, Idah up front and Khun on the right.

 

I think we have had numerous poor to average games since then. An awful rangers side had our number for most of last season for example. We squandered the cup final too.

We definately need players in. But i also think theres been signs for a while that the teams approach has become quite one paced and predictable.

 

100% he does which is why you need a strong recruitment team in the background. We dont have that. The stadium is falling apart, the team on the pitch is sub standard for the money we have spent, the manager isn't being backed, training facilities need updating. This is a systemic issue of which Rodgers is a small part. But he did have £20 million worth of talent on the bench last night.

 

Brendan’s post match conference

 

It's clear to me he's failing to get the best out of the squad. Obvious caveat is we're short up front and on the wings, but since the turn of the year there's been a drastic drop off in performance by the team as a collective.