Because of the effect of important players’ absences on the team’s performance, Smith backed Brendan Rodgers’ claim that not much has changed tactically since Ange Postecoglou’s departure.
Smith brought up Celtic’s difficulties from the previous season, citing the team’s need to use players who didn’t live up to expectations in Bernabei, Kobayashi, and Oh.
The loss of Aaron Mooy, who was essential in the midfield prior to his injury in March, and other explosive wingers like Jota were serious setbacks to the team’s efficacy.
This season, Celtic has struggled with injuries; Hatate, Carter-Vickers, McGregor, and Maeda have all missed time.
According to Smith, there has been an exaggerated belief that Rodgers’ play style is significantly different from Postecoglou’s. Smith claims that a decline in performance at the conclusion of Postecoglou’s tenure was caused by the unavailability of important players like Cameron Carter-Vickers, which even had an impact on his strategy.
Personnel was the main area of difference. You have a lesser winger on the left side; Jota was a better winger than any of Celtic’s current wingers.
Abada was also present. Maeda was recently there, although he’s been in and out due to injuries.
That’s why you don’t have the same speed, strength, or directness as your wingers. Even though Starfelt received a lot of criticism, he was still the best center back in the lineup aside from Carter-Vickers.
Hatate is sporadic because he hasn’t played much this season, and Callum McGregor doesn’t appear to have fully recovered from any of his injuries in the middle of the park. Aaron Mooy was a revelation for Celtic last year and was with you until March. Following his injury, Celtic were never the same, but for those four months after he was healthy, he was their pivot. It was in March that he got hurt.
The play speed is overdone, in my opinion, and it’s not how Ange was. Due to the loss of important players, Ange wasn’t the same as he was in the final few months of the season. Cameron Carter-Vickers was gone, and I believe Celtic has dropped two of their previous four games.
Everything else changes when you make personnel adjustments. Smith’s remarks imply that Rodgers’ problems are more with player availability and quality than with strategy, indicating a need for additional support in the transfer market to restore the team’s high expectations.
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