Brendan Rodgers returned with a clear target of making progress in the Champions League.
Bergamo provided key signals for the future as well as the firm steps in the right direction. Rodgers had every right to be satisfied with his work. He’d had to listen to some utter garbage in the wake of Dortmund about his coaching, that it was one-dimensional and that he couldn’t adapt.
Rodgers had already proven it when taking a Leicester team to the Etihad and beating Manchester City 5-2 with a counter-punching performance. Following the Borussia beating, he had to put up with that rate of flak and I said clearly in this column that it wasn’t deserved because he had every right to go into that game with confidence because of the way his side were playing at the time.
The scoreline was embarrassing, but the approach could only be classed a crime if he repeated exactly the same mistakes. We could all see in Italy, he didn’t do that. That’s all you can ask for. Lessons to be learned and progression to be made. Now it’s all about taking that forward again and there’s no reason to suggest Rodgers won’t flip and match for the upcoming ties.
For example, do you take aspects from Bergamo into a home tie against RB Leipzig? I’d say it’s genuinely worth consideration. Just as I wasn’t hammering Celtic after Dortmund, I wasn’t hanging up bunting after Italy because there are areas to improve. If being picky, be cleaner in possession, but there’s no doubt it was a huge moment for the boss and his players.
With four points from three games, Celtic are probably one under-par in golfing parlance and they need to keep hitting the right shots. The adaptation was obvious. You only need to look at the selection of Adam Idah up front to see that. Just as in Dortmund, the question for Rodgers was the same as it is in any big European game. Is our build-up play better than the opposition’s press?
By picking Idah, I’d suggest he didn’t, unlike Germany, think Celtic could always pass their way out against that man-for-man Atalanta push, so he adapted it to suit.
Kasper Schmeichel’s ability to go over bodies and straight into the Irishman gave Celtic an option they just don’t have with Kyogo Furuhashi. It was tweaked in a number of other areas, albeit subtle,
I can’t think of the last game I saw Alistair Johnston defend with such caution, in terms of his positioning. The Canadian rarely made his breaking runs and was quite right to stay in station, in touch with his centre-backs. Same for Alex Valle, who stayed tight and close to Liam Scales on his side. The Irishman and Auston Trusty were superb at centre-back and I have to say that the American’s performance was a pleasant surprise.
The pair displayed a defensive desire which I just didn’t see in Dortmund and the midfield boys were more disciplined. Callum McGregor, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate stayed mainly flat, narrow and compact, with Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan also excellent coming on to add even more energy to the resistance.
Schmeichel just oozes calm and, although it didn’t look flashy, the save with his legs from Mario Pasalic was top class and so was the positioning to deny Mateo Retegui. Of course it’s fine margins. Everything Dortmund hit went in the net, whereas Atalanta’s best chances either struck the bar, went straight in Schmeichel’s direction or were off target.
But you need a bit of luck and Celtic earned it. Arsenal were lauded for going to Bergamo and digging deep to get a goalless draw. Mikel Areta’s side set out to contain and had only two shots on target during the game, whilst also needing keeper David Raya to make a brilliant double-save at a penalty to get them their point.
It was saluted as a terrific away-day performance and, when a team which came within two points of toppling Manchester City for the English Premier League crown set about it that way and get patted on the back for pulling it off, Celtic deserve huge credit for doing the same.
It’s about mixing and matching to suit and, I’ll be honest, there are aspects from Bergamo you would have to consider for the next tie against RB Leipzig.
Don’t be fooled by the fact the Germans have no points. They still possess top talent and caused Liverpool all sorts of problems in the early stages of their match in midweek with their own aggressive press. Arne Slot’s team were caught on occasions and got away with not being punished. Rodgers will look closely at that. Of course, there is more onus to go for it at home, but, while expansive and excellent against Slovan Bratislava, it may need dialled-down for Leipzig.
Then you could take more risk again against Brugge and Young Boys at home, while altering similarly for Zagreb and Aston Villa away. It’s about adaptation, constantly. Celtic will have that again tomorrow when they are back onto the normal routine against Motherwell.
I’d be shocked if Rodgers didn’t freshen it up at Fir Park. Paulo Bernardo, Kyogo and Luke McCowan could all start in Lanarkshire, more changes again for Dundee in midweek ahead of a semi-final with Aberdeen and then Leipzig.
Top coaches can switch and alter to suit. You don’t get to that level without being able to do so. Being positive and frontfoot doesn’t just mean being gung-ho. You can do it with subtle alterations and that’s where the progress was made in Bergamo.
Now it’s about taking that forward and making such welcome Champions League results a more-regular occurrence. That is, after all, was one of the major targets upon Rodgers’ return.