Frustrated Brendan Rodgers labelled his table-topping Celtic “soft” as they had to scramble a 93rd minute point at Dundee.
The Celtic boss didn’t miss his team defensively as they twice went ahead but then had to rely on Arne Engels’s stoppage time penalty to claim a 3-3 draw. Rodgers was also unhappy with Auston Trusty and admitted he should have been stronger but he got roughed up by Aaron Donnelly when he put the Dark Blues ahead. The Celtic boss said: “You’ve got to deal with that better. You’ve got to stay on your feet, it’s as simple as that. You’re 6ft 4in, you have to deal with that better but he knows and understands that. Across certain areas we went a bit soft.”
Celtic went ahead 2-1 in the second half and Rodgers accepted after that his team were off it. Rodgers accepted: “We were very passive, especially second half. The game should have been out of sight in the first half. We made a great start then we lost concentration at a set piece and our organisation allowed them to break.
“The young boy (Adewumi) finished well and that gave them a lift before half-time. We got in front then I expected us to click through the gears, especially in that little slope going down towards our own supporters but we defended really poorly.
“The second goal, we need to deal with that much better and quicker then from a corner we go soft. It’s basic stuff. It’s a game we let get away from us when there was no need. Sometimes when you have dominance and when you’re creating it can make you a bit passive. We don’t normally do that but we certainly did tonight.
“So it’s not what we expect when we consider how well we’ve defended and the aggression we’ve had but we fight till the end. A point isn’t what we want but we have to take it and move on.”
It was another game where Adam Idah failed to score. Rodgers, however, claimed that his issues were more at the other side of the pitch as they left Tayside. Idah headed right up the tunnel when he was subbed but soon returned.
Rodgers acknowledged: “We had good chances. We were switching the game well against their shape and had some good opportunities.
“We get the second goal then it can be a really good place in the game. We didn’t do that and we get punished. My main worry is from a defensive perspective. It’s always difficult if you’re a striker but if they’re pressing and running hopefully others will contribute. He went to get something warmer then he came back.”
The Celtic boss gave all the credit to Dundee. It was two points dropped but they are now 16 points ahead at the top of the table. He said: “You’ve got to give all the credit to Dundee and Tony. We were in a good place until their goal, they fought, they were there second half and they deserved what they got.
“We gave them that before half-time – when they got that goal they had something to fight for. We weren’t just there in the duels and defensive work then it’s difficult to get that rhythm and speed when you have the ball. We weren’t great after the 40th minute but we kept fighting and working and if you can’t win then don’t lose it.”
The positive for Celtic were the goals and Yang getting on the scoresheet. Rodgers joked: “Yeah bless him he gave everything in the game. He’s done a hundred hours shooting in training and he scores with a header. He gives his all.”