On Saturday afternoon Brendan Rodgers stated that the draw against Aberdeen felt like a defeat. Last night was another draw but this time it felt like a victory as Celtic bolted the back door in Bergamo…
Penny has dropped for Brendan in Bergamo…
“It’s not how we play. What do we do? Sit back, have 15% of the ball and probably lose 3-0, 4-0?” That was a quote from Brendan Rodgers three days after Celtic were humiliated in Dortmund.
Last night, in true catenaccio style, Celtic remained dogged defensively, displaying severe grit and determination. Something we have not been able to label a Brendan Rodgers team away from home in the Champions League.
“It continues a really good start to the season for us”
Brendan Rodgers is happy with Celtic’s campaign so far 👏
🎙: Connie McLaughlin pic.twitter.com/zrDEPsW3JD
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 23, 2024
Not only as a shape did we stay disciplined, we also had to rely on the exceptional Kasper Schmeichel to make some terrific saves. Yes, you have to ride your luck, and at times hang in the game and embrace the pressure such as at the end of the first-half, but you expect that facing the current Europa League holders.
Ironically, despite having majority of the possession, as the clock slowly ticked down, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team ran out of ideas.
Celtic must play this way against better opposition in the Champions League. Brendan Rodgers’ sides stalemate in Italy means that it’s the first time Celtic have picked up points on the road in Europe’s elite club competition since a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in Poland two years ago.
The goalless draw also ends a run of 85 consecutive matches in European competition without a 0-0 for Celtic. The last was the opening fixture of the famous 2012/2013 Champions League campaign versus Benfica.
When the going gets tough, Celtic have exemplified in Bergamo that having a principled, defensive structure can lead to a positive outcome, and for Rodgers, a psychologically transformational result.
Conor Spence
READ THIS…A stellar performance from Celtic’s summer signing Auston Trusty
This was a dogged performance defensively, largely enforced on us by our opponents; when we could attack, we did. If you saw last night as catenaccio, you don’t remember the original.
Well said mate , Hail hail
Last night wasn’t really about Rodgers.
If he decided to stick with front foot attacking approach like in dortmund, and we got badly undone again, then the criticism that he would have received, if it went badly wrong yet again, would have been massive?
Now our squad has been set up to play the majority of our games, playing front foot attacking football?
This was never going to be the case last night, when it was to be expected, to be playing the majority of the game upon the back foot?
Totally different approach for ourselves to be taking, and personally didn’t believe that we could actually deliver such a performance in the manner that we did?
Great credit goes to the players, for been able to deliver such a performance, which requires huge concentration and discipline throughout the full 90 minutes?
So defensively we were superb in that aspect of our game last night, none moreso than Trusty, who had massive boots to fill in CCV, and done fantastically well, possibly to the degree that CCV would have struggled to produce better imo?
Regardless of how well we done defensively upon the back foot, we still didn’t produce our counter attacking game, as well as we could have done either imo?
We still didn’t keep the ball well enough at times, especially with some better choice of passing, might have given ourselves more opportunities to actually win games like last night?
So a massive step in the right direction last night, and the confidence gained could be huge for ourselves going forward?
Still wasn’t perfect by any means, and still plenty to work upon in such away CL matches all the same?
But as we actually play so few matches over the course of the season in such a manner as last night, we will possibly remain as a team, as a work in progress in that regards?
But the massive factor was proved that we CAN when a game warrants in doing so?
And huge credit to the players for showing that side to themselves and proving many wrong?
Including myself as I didn’t think we actually did have a back to the walls performance within ourselves?