Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has hinted that he may make a tactical switch in the coming weeks as he seeks to address his side’s poor form. The Irishman is in an uncharacteristic blip as he struggles to get the team up to his free scoring side from the first half of last season.
Speaking after the 2-0 defeat at Dens Park, Rodgers made a soundbite about being given ‘the keys to a Honda Civic’; however, it may have been missed given the bizarre nature of that comment that the manager hinted at a formation change.
“Listen, it’s not all linear and all smooth right the way through the season. That’s for sure.
“I think the challenge from the summer, now leading into here, where we lost a lot of firepower, a lot of goals out on the team.
“And there’s no way you’ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, ‘I want you to drive it like a Ferrari’. It’s not going to happen.
“So until something changes, I have to find the solutions. Because like I said, goals, speed, everything has come out of the team and we need to find a way to be better.
“It was clear in the summer, but it’s really the past now. There’s nothing we can do about it.
“We had the opportunities to do what we needed to do. It didn’t happen, so now it’s finding ways, whether it’s 4-3-3, whether it’s 3-4-3, whether it’s 3-5-2. We’re trying to look at all these different permutations within the team.”
The 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 would certainly be a change of approach for Celtic and it would be welcome given the struggles at present. Neil Lennon felt fit to make the change to a back three during his second tenure, which resulted in Celtic playing some really brilliant football before COVID-19 caused the league to be called early.
It will be interesting to see how Celtic shape up on Thursday night as Austrian side Sturm Graz arrive in Glasgow’s East End for the UEFA Europa League.
There is a toxicity around Celtic at present, which has stemmed through the summer and into the middle of October. The club failed to adequately prepare for the transfer window, which resulted in the exit from the UEFA Champions League and subsequent subpar domestic displays. The atmosphere around the club requires to be resolved and direction and realism is required from the support in how to drive change. Engaging effectively with the club and attempting to create dialogue with a view to influencing strategy.
So it takes all these toothless performances to realize its not working. A top manager would have changed it sooner without having to reference to cars.
He inherited a treble winning side that had goals in it from almost every position and he has turned into it to what we watched today.
We simply do not have the squad for a back 3, or 2 up top.
Shoe horning Tierney into a back 3 is absolutely not the answer. What would that lead to, Alistair Johnson on the right wing?
Johnny Kenny, nowhere near it, Shin? Fuck knows where he is. We need to make the most of the middle of the park. Player for player that is where we have the most quality, albeit no quality has been on displayed this season.
What is happening with the youth academy, that there is not a single young player that would be able to be promoted when we have no real option on the right wing or up front
If only he had spent his Ferrari money wisely last summer instead of buying two shit Ladas in Engels and Idah. Sick listening to the man, absolute fraud, even when he takes the blame he blames someone else. An “elite” manager, outfoxed by Steven Pressley.
Rodgers has been spouting the same old shite for months. Let’s face ot he is no tactician and most certainly not elite and what the fuck do Kennedy and Strachan get paid for. Sod all as far as I can see. Wage thieves as are some of the players. The problem here is that the focus on the board could be lost.
Get Ange in asap as this is COVID 2 unfurling every weak and throwing squad under a bus continually not building morale and another example of poor man management that has sickened Kyogo and now Maeda – what must Bernardo think watching from bench … Donovan being dropped another terrible decision preventing only bright spot of season from flourishing … will pay his fare to Nottingham – even if Ange not turn it round if decision made too late by Board to catch Hearts at least we will be more entertained than 82 per cent possession football that loses to relegation candidates in turgid display yet again …