There are undoubtedly anxious Celtics fans out there who are afraid to voice their true fears about Brendan Rodgers’ squad in the Champions League. the persistent, unspoken fear that one night, someone, somewhere, would stick two figures past Celtic in a humiliating incident that will go down in history. In Germany, against Borussia Dortmund, which was seven going on the unimaginable, it could have occurred. On Wednesday night, it’s Atalanta, the Europa League winners from the previous season. And Rodgers has to come up with a way to play that makes a thrashing in Bergamo impossible.
The kind of strategy Steve Clarke used to salvage a draw from the ruins of a crushing defeat at the hands of Portugal in last Tuesday’s Nations League match at Hampden. Scotland hadn’t been pulling up any trees in the competition before that match. More accurately, it was like they were pushing up the daisies. a fatal defeat.
Clarke was annihilated because he preferred to make sure his side didn’t lose games than trying to win them. The last straw for Clarke’s critics was Scotland’s surrender versus Hungary in their final Euro 24 game in Germany.
Ironically, being ultra defensive and getting a single point on the Nations League board by stonewalling the opposition has now won the manager a temporary reprieve. Facts and figures are football’s bread and butter.
They separate the league title winner from the runner-up. The cup winner from the losing finalist. The survivor from the demoted in a relegation dog-fight.
The enjoyment of Celtic’s 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava was heightened by the number of goals scored. The embarrassment created by the loss to Dortmund was increased by the number of goals conceded. Facts and figures.
No-one in their right mind thinks Celtic will go to Italy in midweek and win. It is what they do to protect their reputation that’s vital in the eyes of the fans. Away from home in the Champions League over Rodgers’ two spells in charge have shown Celtic are just not suspect at the back.
They have been tried, found guilty and convicted by a unanimous verdict. The team’s vulnerability at the highest level is an open and shut case.
Scotland haven’t won a competitive match for over a calendar year but the result against Portugal put a veneer of respectability on the Nations League campaign. For some, if not for all.
It was a live to fight another day moment for Clarke and his players – and that’s what Celtic should be looking to do against Atalanta. Qualification for the latter stages of the Champions League will be determined by what Rodgers’ side do at home.
Foreign travel, on this occasion, should not be about broadening the mind. It should be about narrowing the margin of defeat. Rodgers’ response to the criticism after the loss of seven goals in a single game for the third time in Europe as Celtic manager was succinct.
The manager pointed out he has been in control of clubs at the highest level in England and Scotland and knew what he was doing, thanks very much. Brendan, like Clarke, isn’t interested in having his work judged by non-professionals
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