In a phrase, Celtic have been mushy.
Lots of the objectives had their origins in gamers dropping the plot in possession. Daizen Maeda did it; Alastair Johnston did it; Auston Trusty did it. Three completely different Celtic gamers did it inside seconds of one another within the lead-up to the seventh aim.
The “acid take a look at” Rodgers known as this. “For us, it’s seeking to carry our sport to the subsequent stage,” he stated on the eve of the match.
After all, he didn’t say which route he was considering of when speaking in regards to the subsequent stage. Up or down?
Dortmund may need famous Rodgers’ preventing speak about how nice a spot the workforce was in (he didn’t imply Dortmund) and the way he knew that they’d the mentality to “harm groups.”
Primarily based on weekly routings of golf equipment with a tiny share of their finances. Flimsy proof that they selected to interpret as compelling. Once more.
This was a monumental humiliation for Celtic, a workforce that after once more fell into the lure of believing that simply because you possibly can play freewheeling soccer towards St Johnstone in Perth on a Saturday means you could attempt to do the identical towards Borussia in Dortmund on a Tuesday.
Pragmatism? Closing the house? Staying within the battle? Retaining it tight and compact within the face of Dortmund’s apparent tempo and hazard? No, no. They arrange like they arrange towards St Johnstone and Falkirk and Hibs and Rangers.
They felt they may go toe-to-toe with Dortmund as a result of that’s what they do in Scotland and opponents fall at their dancing toes. They have been fairly bullish about their readiness to switch home superiority into the unforgiving fields of Europe. They’re nowhere close to.
Till Rodgers introduces some overdue realism when taking part in a few of Europe’s greatest, then that is prone to proceed. They’ll be one other shellacking down the road if he doesn’t change course.
