Well, yesterday wasn’t a good day. There’s no way to dress it up as one. But it doesn’t have to be an utter disaster. The thing about a day like that is, if you’re capable of learning from it, you can turn it into something else. You can turn it into a launchpad for future success.
If you’re capable of learning.
One of our biggest concerns over the last few months has been Rodgers’ inability to learn some of those lessons, and our club’s inability to learn some of those lessons. You can’t help but wonder what would have happened yesterday had we had someone like Kyogo on the bench, able to come on and strengthen the team.
We’ve not learned lessons about our limitations—safe to say we’ve been served some reminders about them instead.
Yesterday, Rodgers pointed the finger at the players. I point the finger right back at him. He talked about how this season we’ve played many, many times against a 5-3-2 formation. He’s correct. We have.
And every single time, we’ve gone up against it with exactly the same team shape, exactly the same system. If there are days when we haven’t been able to break it down, it’s because those teams have proved capable of adopting a game plan to counter us and we’ve refused to adapt ours.
That’s on the manager. When you come up against teams playing the same way, designed specifically to contain your system, it might not be the worst idea in the world to change that system ahead of those games.
To have a Plan B. And not to resort simply to like-for-like substitutions.
There’s nothing more frustrating in football as a supporter than watching a floundering performance where the manager thinks the best card to play is bringing off a right-sided midfielder to put on another right-sided midfielder, or a left-sided one for another of the same. On a day like that, the problem is the system. It’s the system that needs tweaking, not the 11 on the pitch.
If he’s going to go about his business that way—refusing to alter the approach or the plan—Rodgers deserves every bit as much stick as the footballers do.
But I’ll tell you right now, that doesn’t mean the players should be immune from criticism or get to dodge their share of it.
Because that absolutely should not happen. There were too many people in that team yesterday who simply no longer belong in a Celtic shirt. We have to be relentless and ruthless about rooting them out.
One newspaper was talking rubbish about a “fire sale.” It’s not a fire sale if all five players are already clearly not in the manager’s plans. And all five players named in that idiotic report are not in his plans. The fact they’ve been told they’ll be allowed to leave the club should neither shock nor concern any of us,
I wonder if we shouldn’t think about making Schmeichel the number two keeper. It’s not so much that he blew it for the equaliser—it’s that he didn’t get close to any of the penalties either. And it makes you wonder if he’s maybe lost that little bit of quality. That’s what happens when you get older in football. I don’t think we should have a young kid like Sinisalo rotting on the vine for another year.
Already, I’m worried about Paulo Bernardo. He hasn’t shown anything in recent months to suggest he’s going to develop into the kind of player who’ll be a star here. It’s not for nothing that he is largely left on the bench instead of playing. One of the things that’s notable is that our team minus Hatate and Jota looks a much less dangerous force. And we clearly don’t have a player like Reo in the squad if he gets injured. That’s another problem we’ll have to reckon with.
The necessity of adding another central defender is absolutely crystal clear, because I think we’ve all had just about enough of watching Liam Scales make defensive errors and somehow get away with it because he’s willing to run with and pass the ball forward. Although the ability to pass the ball forward shouldn’t be underestimated in this squad, or at this time.
Maybe we’ve looked at some of these players and accepted their limitations for far too long instead of confronting, challenging, and dealing with them. No doubt the January transfer window now looks like a complete fiasco to almost everyone; amazing that so many were denying that’s what it was at the time.
Throughout January and the weeks preceding the closure of the window, all I heard was a litany of people saying we had enough in the squad already. Which presumably is why we had a raw rookie up front yesterday and a left back playing in central midfield while chasing a treble.
Nobody could have anticipated the injury to Jota. Aberdeen were very clever in making sure that Reo Hatate wasn’t fit for the final. But at the end of the day, a lot of our problems are caused in our own house—by our own board and by our failure to adapt and change to stop things getting stale.
Already, there’s talk in the media about how, by the end of the game, we had taken off our two most expensive signings of the summer, while the third most expensive spent the whole match on the bench. Obviously, when you win, these things don’t matter. But when you lose, questions are going to be asked—and perhaps they deserve to be.
Rodgers has already hinted that it’ll be a summer of change—in ways we didn’t expect. Now, it pretty much has to be.
And he’s going to have to rethink his approach. He’s going to have to reinvent it to some degree. Because it’s impossible to ignore the simple fact that all Aberdeen did to counter us was make a very simple formation switch. And we were not prepared for it. We didn’t have an adequate plan. Maybe that’s a weakness in the squad.
All I know is that some of these guys are at the end of their time here—or in a better football environment, they would be. I don’t see any need to keep Scales hanging around. I don’t see any need to keep Taylor hanging around. I don’t know that Schmeichel should be starting as our number one next season. I’m a little worried about Paulo Bernardo. And I’m very concerned that if Reo Hatate gets injured, we don’t have a replacement—and we’re going to regret that.
Rodgers is supposed to be the genius of succession planning. He’s also supposed to be a genius of a Plan B. We needed a Plan B yesterday and didn’t get one. So he needs to come up with one fast—and with the players who can execute it.
One defeat doesn’t make a season a disaster. Not even a cup final defeat. But it fits into a pattern. And that’s a concern. You break the pattern by throwing out all the parts that don’t quite fit and bringing in ones that do.
So the summer got a little bit harder. The job a little more complicated. But yesterday didn’t really teach us anything we didn’t already know.
We’re clinging to players who are simply not up to the standard required to improve this team. And if some of those guys are still in the starting eleven next season, then I’ll be worried right out the gate and if we’re still starting with a 4-2-3-1 and trying to break down packed defences with sideways passing the manager is going to find himself having to field some pretty sharp questions of his own.
It was less than two weeks ago we tore them apart with two wide men forest and yang taking defenders on getting to the bye line cutting the ball back . Kuhn is for too predictable inside across the park taking it back towards the man whi past it to him in the first place yang is more direct just my opinion
He might be more direct but he’s still pish. James I note you didn’t mention Engels and Idah. Two awful signings who offer next to nothing. Rodgers is blinkered when playing them because of the fees involved. I don’t see the fees I just see two very average players.
Agreed,McCowan and Schmeichel were the only Rodgers signings that finished that game
Sorry James, so what is it? Not so long ago you were telling us all that Rodgers had got the players to play a particular system and to ask them to change was unrealistic as they had their passing patterns, movements and so on ingrained on the training ground. We have suffered from not preparing our players to be more flexible and to adapt to what they face. We have better players than Aberdeen yet yesterday their players were able to adapt and change their system as the game progressed. We did none of that – and that sits squarely with the manager and our captain. Our elite manager was not very elite yesterday. And why McGregor didn’t give Kühn a shake and tell him to mix it up rather than always cutting inside, no idea.
Well Scales is deservedly in the team ahead of the £6m Trusty. So why is it Scales that has to pack his bags? We keep being told that Rodgers’ signings are value for money, but Kuhn, Engels, Idah and Trusty either didn’t start or end the game. If an “elite” manager cannot alter his mid-game plan, can he be trusted to spend another £30m this summer? The main players in this team pre-date Rodgers, who has now had 2 seasons to make credible improvements to the team. So far there is little evidence of this materialising and there is a need for improvement in that regard this summer or else it will be time to drop the highly debatable “elite” manager tag.
That performance yesterday was down to the manager and coaching staff, Aberdeen had a tactical plan and new formation, we carried on from last week, even started with the same team that had played rotten against St Mirren for over an hour. Forrest, McCowan and Yang came on and changed that game. Their reward was another place on the bench yesterday, Kuhn has been off the boil since January, Bernardo hasn’t played well since coming back from injury, Sinisalo should have kept his place, he has done nothing wrong since coming in.
I don’t blame any particular Celtic player, our recent problems are not just down to the players, our results this year aren’t good enough, two defeats and a draw against an ordinary Ibrox club and defeat against Aberdeen in a Cup Final, with a couple of other disappointing results thrown in, doesn’t look good. The Ibrox mob’s domestic form has has covered up a lot of our deficiencies.
What promised to be a great season has finished as just a good season, but with worrying problems that have to be addressed before next season.
Glad you said that Rodgers is “supposed” to have a Plan ‘B’ James as he certainly doesn’t fuckin well ‘certainly’ have one for sure !!!
Good comments as per and as much as I always back BR and the claim that he is elite, he has to take his share of the criticism for y’days defeat !
Football is a dynamic sport and it has evolved year on year ! Footballers nowadays, rely more on athleticism than individualism and why we see such predictability in so many games. It has become so boring.
We yearn to see players with talent, that can take a man on and create openings ! Especially against a formation, like the Dons used y’day!
When we were flying earlier in the season, it was a joy to watch and we were fast, dynamic and clinical. A big part of that was Kuhn and Maeda’s wing play and the movement from midfield.
Kuhn has disappeared since January and tbh, I wouldn’t be overly disappointed if he was sold in the summer. Forrest has been excellent last few games and should have started, and it was no surprise that when he went off injured, our last bit of creativity went with him !
That we missed Jota and Hatate is a severe understatement, and also a worry that that we couldn’t step up without them.
A good overhaul is required this summer but maybe not as drastic as some fans may believe !
Why we don’t play Nawrocki more should be explained to all Celtic fans !
LB cover for Tierney is required if Taylor is offski!
Add into that a quality CB ( if Nawrocki is being discarded) a DCM, two quality wide men and a striker !
Not a lot to ask really is it ?
Depends on who our board decides to sell first, to fund this! That has been their modus operandi thus far and it would be naive to think that anything will change in this window !!!
Time will most certainly tell !!! HH
I do not know why he never changed to 2 strikers when he seen we were playing against a rigid back 5,not wing backs,full backs who never crossed the half way line,we just played in front of them and they let us have the ball,it was laboured side to side possession,the stats don’t lie
Idah,Engels and Bernardo,all hooked IN A CUP FINAL,I may add,26 million not up to it in A FINAL
Rodgers is not an elite manager, end of! A fairly good manager has a plan B and C. A fairly good manager would see Nawrocki is a talent. A fairly good manager with the best squad in the country would not have been schooled by the ex manager of Kelty Hearts. A fairly good manager would not pick favourites. A fairly good manager would not coach the talent out of Luke McCowan. A fairly good manager would explain to wingers where the touchline is, a fairly good manager would not drop a goalkeeper playing very well to bring back in his pal, a fairly good manager would organise a defence within two seasons and not have the centre backs having panic attacks at crossed balls, a fairly good manager would not play walking football. A fairly good manager would win most trophies in a one horse race. A fairly good manager would manage to explain to his players how to take a corner. Elite or not even fairly good?
Spot on Dan , and also how many corners are wasted constantly with crossing into the box , don’t they practice set pieces at all , how many goals scored out of a hundred corners have we scored, very few , it’s a scandalous waste of an opportunity
Sorry,forgot Kuhn and Trusty as well,so that’s nearer 35 million,how many of Rodgers signings finished that CUP FINAL ??
Succession planning? Genius? WTF, where did that mantle suddenly appear from? Who’s been dishing that award to him?
He’s inherited lots of players when he’s been installed at a variety of clubs and when they need replacing or adding to he has a history of not doing well at it.
He has his strengths but succession planning? That is not one of them.
We’ve been spoiled over the last few years but mainly because other teams are poor.
If Ange’s signings Hatate and Daizen move on at some point in the near future we’ll be exposed massively. I agree some changes are required but do I have confidence we’ll succeed in that succession? I hope KT’s reintroduction will be a catalyst and brings with it a change in BR
I can’t understand why we don’t switch to a 424, when was the last time we played with 2 out and out strikers at the same time? Aberdeen had no interest in attacking us on Saturday. Maeda and Idah up front would have given us the option to have Idah dropping into space and Maeda running in behind with 2 wingers holding width to stretch the back line. Engels and McGregor can both play as 8s. Brendan has shown he can be flexible in his approach, Europe proves that. Also what has happened to the incredible football we played in preseason? The direct style of play we demonstrated against City and Chelsea would overwhelm teams In Scotland.
We’re all dissapointed but also need to try and keep it in perspective and show hummilty in defeat. There are issue there for sure and if we won it would have plastered over the cracks. I know Bernardo was poor but I do think it’s a lack of game time. I know he was injured too but the league was effectively over in Jan and folk like him McCowen Ralston should defo have got much more game time as they need a run and the main guys more rest. Defo too predictable at the Mo and possibly fatigue came into that cause the build up was painfully slow. So it could be a blessing in disguise to a point. However overall we must remember it’s a league and cup doubly with the best run the CL in a very long time. The fact some folk are throwing everyone under the bus acting like a soiled brat baying for blood is pathetic. We constantly criticise the scum for being entited. We have any right to a treble or any trophy. Let’s accept it show a bit more class about it and look forward to next season where hopefully we will see 4/5 new players with either a tweak to our approach or a whole new system. Either way we will all be there to the end.
Good post Mark.
No one is ever pleased to lose any match, let alone a cup final, and a possible treble, but there has always got to be a sense of perspective and realism, when it does happen.
We can point the finger at our manager, certain players, the board or whoever, but it is a collective effort when we are successful, and subsequently, the same applies when we lose.
It’s been a long, hard season and important that some of the glaring issues, that we can all see, are addressed, worked on and corrected.
Systems of play, when preferred system is clearly not working…
squad rotation and usage of players, when certain players are clearly off form…
recruitment, ie spotting and bring in quality early, to bed players in for CL qualifiers and giving our best academy prospects clear opportunities to impress & emerge…young McArdle being a case in point.
Hopefully, despite the disappointment of missing out on the treble, that the realisation of winning a double and making progress in Europe, can be the catalyst for a strong pre season and in readiness for another tough season ahead.
Despite the criticism of our manager and some players post final, it is hugely important that our board continues to support squad improvement to see where it can take us in season 2025/26.
To be successful, takes hard work and plenty of effort and our club has shown that in abundance for many years now.
We are not entitled to win anything, but the fact that we have won the majority of trophies in recent times, can make it look too easy and always be expected by some. Players are only human, not machines, and are allowed to have off days !
In my opinion, Saturday was a blip, and although it was a painful watch, we did not suddenly become a dreadful team with a clueless manager and talentless players !
A sense of perspective is always required !
Let us see where BR’s third season takes us…HH
The substitutions we made were thoughtless, Forrest should probably have started so bringing him on for Kuhn was fair enough but taking off Idah and Engels was nothing short of crazy. You could argue they weren’t playing well but we were 1-0 up at the time and it’s a cup final! Why buy them if you don’t trust them in that situation? Bernardo was clearly not playing well so if you are going to change the midfield, it had to be him to go off.
It does put doubt about Rodgers ability to sign the right players this summer.
Hello James. First-time poster who very much enjoys your writing on here (may I dare say that compared to the other Tic blogs, it’s simply the best….?) but can I politely ask that you take your own advice about learning lessons. In the run-up to every Sevco game according to you it’s a foregone conclusion and only a matter of how many we’ll scud them by. In the run-up to the Cup Final, you wrote often of us having won the treble. A little humility would do you (and the reader) some good come next season as you often sound like the kind of arrogant Sevconian you lambast on here regularly and correctly. Otherwise, keep up the good work
I was on holiday and couldnt get to a TV with the game on. Seen all the pens last night. As James says it would appear they parked the bus and looked for a pen shoot out. Was clear from there spot kicks they had clearly been working on what they thought was Schmeichel’s weakness ie top right corner. He never looked like getting near any of them. Havent seen his error for there goal but that’s maybe for the best??
Frank
He tried to one arm punch it…mistimed it and it hit the inside of forearm and into back of the net !
Why he didn’t just use two hands and get it away from goal, only he knows ! The big man has had a great season but he’ll be gutted at that error !
The Dons player got the cross in, it was speculative but got the desired result ! The rest is history and best forgotten!
BR style reminds me of General Haig’s tactics in Blackadder Goes Forth, as describe by General Melchett, in that you confound the enemy by using the same failing strategy every time because it is the last thing they think you will do.
Yes he has won much but look at the opposition and the turgid frustrating style of play so failing in the sense of “not the Celtic way”.