Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is known for his attacking and progressive tactical approach. However, he has often been criticized for his team’s failures in European competition, especially when facing more experienced and tougher opponents.
The statement “Brendan Rodgers’ naive side falls into familiar European trap” suggests that there is a pattern that repeats itself when his Celtic teams play on the European stage, where they fall into the same mistakes and often struggle to adapt to the intensity and tactical intelligence of the continent’s bigger teams. In this analysis, we will take a deeper look at why Rodgers and Celtic are often considered “naive” in European matches and why this continues to happen.
Brendan Rodgers’ Naive Approach and Tactical Philosophy
Brendan Rodgers is a manager renowned for his possession-based playing philosophy. This philosophy is rooted in developing attacks from the back, with short passes and a reliance on controlling the game. In the Scottish Premiership, this style has often brought success as Celtic have the upper hand in terms of player quality and financial strength compared to most of their domestic opponents. However, when competing at European level, particularly in the Champions League or Europa League, the challenges are much greater. Teams such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have far stronger squads and the experience and tactical acumen that allow them to exploit the weaknesses of an overly open attacking approach.
Often, Rodgers’ overly optimistic approach to defending – trying to keep possession even in dangerous areas – has left his team exposed to high pressure from the opposition. On many occasions, Celtic have failed to adapt to the tempo and intensity of the game on the European stage. This is where the term “naive” comes in, because while Rodgers may have noble intentions of playing beautiful, progressive football, his lack of pragmatism when facing stronger opponents has often led to his teams suffering heavy defeats.
In a word, Celtic were soft. Many of the goals had their origins in players losing the plot in possession. Daizen Maeda did it; Alastair Johnston did it; Auston Trusty did it. Three different Celtic players did it within seconds of each other in the lead-up to the seventh goal.
The “acid test” Rodgers called this. “For us, it’s looking to bring our game to the next level,” he said on the eve of the match.
Of course, he didn’t say which direction he was thinking of when talking about the next level. Up or down?
Dortmund might have noted Rodgers’ fighting talk about how great a place the team was in (he didn’t mean Dortmund) and how he knew that they had the mentality to “hurt teams.”
Based on weekly routings of clubs with a tiny percentage of their budget. Flimsy evidence that they chose to interpret as compelling. Again.
This was a monumental humiliation for Celtic, a team that once again fell into the trap of believing that just because you can play freewheeling football against St Johnstone in Perth on a Saturday means that you can try to do the same against Borussia in Dortmund on a Tuesday.
Pragmatism? Closing the space? Staying in the fight? Keeping it tight and compact in the face of Dortmund’s obvious pace and danger? No, no. They set up like they set up against St Johnstone and Falkirk and Hibs and Rangers.
They felt they could go toe-to-toe with Dortmund because that’s what they do in Scotland and opponents fall at their dancing feet. They were pretty bullish about their readiness to transfer domestic superiority into the unforgiving fields of Europe. They’re nowhere near.
Until Rodgers introduces some overdue realism when playing some of Europe’s best, then this is likely to continue. They’ll be another shellacking down the line if he doesn’t change course.
Repeating Patterns in Europe
One thing that has been consistent in Celtic’s history in Europe under Brendan Rodgers has been their inability to play solidly against the big teams. There are specific examples of how Rodgers’ teams have fallen into the same traps. One was the 7-1 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. In that game, Celtic tried to play an open and attacking game but were punished by PSG’s rapid counter-attacks that exploited gaps in Celtic’s backline.
Similarly, in the game against Barcelona, which Celtic lost 7-0 in 2016, a less cautious and overly optimistic approach to attack left them easily exploited by a team with far superior technical ability. In this situation, the pattern that emerges is Rodgers’ inability to adapt to a more pragmatic and defensive style of play when facing much stronger opponents. In European competition, success is often determined by tactical flexibility and the ability to balance attack and defence, something Rodgers has sometimes failed to achieve.
Defensive Defence and Team Structure Deficiencies
One of the most criticised aspects of Celtic’s game under Rodgers is their defensive structure. When facing opponents who are technically and physically superior, Celtic’s defence has often looked shaky. Domestically, they may have been able to overcome opponents with possession dominance and quick attacks, but in Europe, this has become a problem when opponents are able to press high and force mistakes from Celtic’s defenders.
Rodgers has often relied on centre-backs who are good at moving the ball, but in high-pressure situations, they have often made mistakes. This defensive fragility has been one of the reasons why Celtic have often failed to hold on to results in important matches. Furthermore, an overly possession-based approach has also left the team too exposed, making it difficult for them to defend when they lose the ball.
Lack of European Experience
Experience in European competition is crucial, especially when it comes to the Champions League. The big teams in Europe are not only technically gifted but also have better tactical intelligence and game management. Brendan Rodgers, despite his domestic success with Celtic, has yet to prove himself as a manager capable of competing consistently on the European stage.
This lack of experience is often evident in Rodgers’ decision-making in crucial situations. Rather than adapting to tougher opposition and adopting a more defensive and pragmatic strategy, Rodgers often sticks to his attacking approach, which ultimately costs his team. This can be considered as one of the fundamental weaknesses of his managerial career in Europe.
The Psychological Trap of Facing Big Teams
There is also a psychological element to consider. Celtic, as one of the biggest clubs in Scotland, usually play with a lot of confidence in their domestic leagues. However, when they come up against the bigger teams in Europe, there is a shift in mentality that often makes them appear nervous or hesitant. This may be due to the vast difference in quality of players as well as the reputation of the opponents.
This trap is one that teams from smaller leagues often fall into when they play in European competition. While Celtic have historically had a strong reputation in Europe, they have not been able to replicate the same success in the modern era. There is a certain psychological pressure to prove themselves against a bigger opponent, but at the same time, the lack of quality in some areas, especially in defence, makes them vulnerable to quick counter-attacks and individual mistakes.
Conclusion
Brendan Rodgers and Celtic, despite their domestic dominance, have often fallen into the same trap when playing in European competition. Rodgers’ approach to attacking, possession football has looked naive when faced with bigger, more experienced sides who have been able to exploit gaps in their defences. A lack of tactical adaptability, particularly at the back, and a lack of European experience, has seen Celtic fall into the same traps over and over again.
To address this issue, Rodgers needs to develop a more pragmatic approach in European competition. He needs to adapt to match situations, play more defensively at times, and ensure that his team’s defensive structure is solid before looking to attack. Only with such changes can Celtic hope to avoid falling into the same traps and compete more effectively on the European stage.