Before I travelled to Celtic Park on Saturday, I watched the first half of the Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur game and was pleased to see Ange Postecoglou continue to prove his critics wrong as his Spurs side put on a superb showing.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Head Coach Ange Postecoglou hugs Spanish defender Pedro Porro as the team celebrates at the end of the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, on August 26, 2023. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Tottenham went on to secure the three points with a 2-0 victory, leaving them with seven points from three games played, co-incidentally exactly the same position that Brendan Rodgers finds himself in the Scottish Premiership after three games. And a stoppage time penalty for Aberdeen yesterday at St Mirren meant that after three games played every side in the league has now dropped points and Celtic remain top, ahead of St Mirren on goal difference.
Celtic v St. Johnstone – cinch Premiership – Matt O Riley shoots during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park on Saturday August 26, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh
We all know only too well the brilliant, exciting, attacking football that Ange Postecoglou likes his teams to play and he’s certainly stamped his style early doors on his Tottenham side.
Spurred on by getting a 45 minute fix of Angeball, I rocked up to Celtic Park and took my seat and was subjected to 98 minutes of the Rodgers alternative which will be served up this season, let’s call it Brendanball.
Yes, I know Ange has gone and Brendan has a different approach to tactics, but good heavens, it was a woeful painful watch on Saturday. The attacking fluency and worryingly the commitment from the players appeared to be missing, it was certainly less apparent than last season or the season before that. They struggled to even string a few passed together. It was as worrying as it was frustrating to watch.
Celtic v St. Johnstone – cinch Premiership – Celtic Park Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Picture date: Saturday August 26, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh
Of course we have to give Brendan Rodgers time and I’m sure he’ll come good, but Saturday shows how spoiled we were the last couple of seasons.
Brendanball might not reach the heights of Angeball, but hopefully it will at least end up producing the same winning results, starting on Sunday. We can only hope.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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