“I thought the players were excellent, and we are getting better every game,” Robert Rodgers.

After yesterday’s 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Celtic Park, Brendan Rodgers spoke to Celtic View editor Paul Cuddihy on Celtic TV. What was said is as follows:

Celtic TV: The outcome doesn’t exactly reflect the performance as a whole, but was that the most fluid play your team has put on display in the attacking third so far this year?

 

Yes, Brendan Rodgers said. I think the players were outstanding, and we are growing better every game. The final score did not reflect the caliber of play we had in the final third. We were really inventive, and we accelerated our play at the appropriate times, which made me very happy. I was extremely delighted overall, but it could have been one or two more goals thanks to that tiny finishing touch and some outstanding saves from their goalkeeper.

Celtic TV: As a manager, you can observe the results of training-field activity on that display and observe players like Reo Hatate coming into their own. What grade would you give his work?

Reo required a performance like that, said Brendan Rodgers. It all comes down to intensity and work rate with him. When he puts in that kind of effort, he excels as a player. He lacks the same dynamic when he is slow and presses slowly. He had a wonderful goal tonight and was outstanding, but he should have had at least two more. He was outstanding because he had excellent pressing, quality, and creativity.

 

No, says Brendan Rodgers. I believe Kilmarnock’s objective is obvious when you see it. Since he didn’t quite notice it and had turned to face the play by the time he swiveled around on it, I believe the referee needs some assistance. He has a fourth official and someone watching that on VAR. The man is in contact with Greg when he moves all the way up till he throws him to the ground. It is obviously a free kick. He is out of position as the play continues and moves into that region. With that choice, we were let down.

Celtic TV: How happy were you with the team’s attitude after suffering a painful loss in the previous week but being so impressive in their response?

Brendan Rodgers: “The team has excellent mental toughness. We’ve played a string of challenging games, including two Champions League contests, and have demonstrated that we’re almost a truly good team at that level and competitive there. Even though the players were excellent, you still need to bounce back from your disappointment and display your spirit of competition. Although there are some things we can do better, like making better judgments in the last third where we need to see the passes, overall it was a really strong performance.