11 big Brendan Rodgers Celtic presser takeaways as he names star performer from Atalanta draw

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Brendan Rodgers met the press this afternoon to preview Celtic’s coming clash with Motherwell.

The Hoops head to Fir Park on Sunday in confident mood having the feelgood factor around the camp following their 0-0 draw with Atalanta in midweek.

Add to that fact that the club are out in front of rivals Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership on 22 points – alongside the steady Aberdeen – while the Light Blues are six back on 16.

The Steelmen under Stuart Kettlewell often provide stern competition on their own patch and games between the two sides usually bring goals which is just what the visiting support will be looking for.

Rodgers previewed the action while also providing an injury update on the likes of Greg Taylor and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

• READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers provides Celtic injury update on Greg Taylor and Cameron Carter-Vickers

And he also paid tribute to a Celtic great who sadly passed away today in Tommy Callaghan.

Here, 67 Hail Hail looks at the manager’s big takeaways from his conference.

Celtic squad update

“We’ve got Cam (Carter-Vickers) back training with the squad, which is good news. Greg Taylor as well. So we’ve got one more day to go and then we’ll see how they are, but they hopefully will be involved in the game.”

No rush to bring either back into fold?

“Yes, well, we like them to be available. I think that’s what’s important. So it gives us options, which is what you want as a coach. But yes, I think obviously the team defensively was outstanding the other night, but to have those two guys back, who are very important players for us, will be good.”

Motherwell challenge

“Yes, I think it’s always been a tough place to go. I always really enjoy going there. It’s always a really good atmosphere. We bring a great support behind the goals. So, yes, they’re always tough games. Stuart (Kettlewell) has his team set up well. They go between, obviously a back five and then whether they play two strikers up front and three midfield or a sort of 3-4-3 structure. It can just depend.

“The last few weeks, it’s been more 5-3-2. So, we’ll expect a team that will be well organised. Stuart organises his teams very, very well, very organised, very committed. They’ll be disappointed with the last result. So, they want to bounce back from that. And for us, we know what we need after a Champions League game. It’s a big energy, a big attitude and continue with a great start to the season for us.”

What pleased Rodgers about Atalanta stalemate

“I think that we’re a team that normally, obviously domestically and a lot of times we play, and especially at home, we’ll want to take the game by the scruff of the neck and impose our way of working in the game. But you know when you come up against superior teams away from home and that you’re going to have to be in difficult situations where you’re not going to have the running of the game and in that there, you need a high level of concentration.

“That was probably the biggest part that really pleased me, is that concentration level right to the very end against, like I said, a team from a superior league and a top, top team. We showed that we could defend well and be compact and tight and all the things that we spoke about before. But we showed a great physicality in the game as well to match their physicality and right to the very end, right to the 94th minute. So, there were so many pleasing things.

“I think that it’s great, it was a game where the players can take huge confidence, knowing that we can play some brilliant football, some fast football, score many goals, but to keep a clean sheet and play how we did out there, not only does it galvanise the players and their confidence and when those moments come, because they’ll come again, especially in the Champions League. It will happen in the league sometimes as well, but certainly in the Champions League, you’re going to have to go through spells like that.

“We now know that we can do that. It’s also great for the supporters. You know, the supporters, as much as the football is great and intense and everything and blah, blah, blah, they also need to know that your team can have a bit of dig, a bit of grit and determination and I think we’ve seen that the other night against a top team.”

You’ll take four points from three?

“Yes, very much so. I think people say to you, you’ve got a home game against Bratislava and then away Borussia Dortmund and away to Atalanta to have four points out of that. You would be very, very pleased.”

Recovery for squad vital?

“Yes, I just think it’s the intensity level of that. It’s why we try to play at the level we do every week, so there’s not so much a big change. Our game domestically is to impose ourselves right from the very beginning, to play as fast as we can and directly as we can, and then take that intent to the next level.

“But it is a step up, so, of course, after games like that, physically and mentally, there’s a recovery needed, of course. But the players are in a really good place today. They feel like footballers today, which is great.

“After Dortmund, it was a tough, tough one, but they’ve also shown great courage and they’ve shown that they can then go on, because that was a big ask, going out to Atalanta on the back end of your last away game, to produce that performance really shows the togetherness of the team and the mentality of the squad.

How impressive was Auston Trusty?

“Yeah, I thought it was immense in the game. I thought him and Scales both were. But Scales I’ve seen now for a long time, one of his great superpowers is defending the box. He’s great at defending, and when it comes in, he puts his head on it. For Auston, yeah, big admiration, especially since he’s come in. He’s a player that’s been playing on the wrong side, virtually all his time, but he’s just got on with it and coped with it.

“But then you see one of the big reasons why we did bring him in, his ability to leap and defend in the box, he’s really powerful with his head. But also his speed, there were a couple of recovery runs in behind, he’s super quick and he got there on a couple of occasions. So, I was so, so pleased for him.

“Because sometimes you need a big performance like that at the big clubs to really show your value. But, yeah, he’s settled in really, really well and I’m really pleased for him.”

Competition for CCV

“Yeah, I think every player has shown that they can play at a really high level, and that’s what you want. You’re not going to go through the whole season just with 11 players. I think the role players are very, very important and we’ve seen that the other night, players coming off the bench.

“I think the centre-half position is a position where I always say it’s about the two rather than just one. It’s always about the balance of the two centre-halves. But both those guys, Scalesy and Auston, have been great, and none more so than the other night. But it’s good to have good players back available.”

Still assessing CCV

“Yes, certainly whilst we were away, it was the best he’d felt. So, he’s obviously done some training back here. We’re just being careful and listening to him, really, to not want to force it, really, if it’s not right. But he looked very good today, and he’s been that throughout this week. So, fingers crossed, he comes through tomorrow okay, and then he can be involved in the squad.”

Surprised about social media reaction to Arne Engels’ form?

“It doesn’t surprise me, no. It doesn’t, it really doesn’t. But it doesn’t really matter. I think everyone, there are critics in the game and people have an opinion. You have to respect that. For me, we brought a young player in who’s nowhere near the finished article. I think sometimes there’s pressure around him and that might feel that you’re buying someone who’s the finished article. He’s not.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	CelticCeltic	8	7	1	0	24	3	21	22
2	AberdeenAberdeen	8	7	1	0	17	8	9	22
3	RangersRangers	8	5	1	2	12	5	7	16
4	Dundee UtdDundee Utd	8	4	3	1	13	9	4	15
5	MotherwellMotherwell	8	4	1	3	11	9	2	13
6	DundeeDundee	8	2	3	3	13	14	-1	9
7	KilmarnockKilmarnock	8	2	3	3	10	17	-7	9
8	ST MirrenST Mirren	9	2	2	5	11	18	-7	8
9	ST JohnstoneST Johnstone	9	2	1	6	11	19	-8	7
10	Ross CountyRoss County	9	1	4	4	8	17	-9	7
11	Heart Of MidlothianHeart Of Midlothian	9	1	2	6	10	15	-5	5
12	HibernianHibernian	8	1	2	5	8	14	-6	5

“He came in here as a 20-year-old player who’s got great potential and it’s my job here and I’m with the staff to develop that. He’s coming from, I said to him, you’re coming from playing one game a week, where that’s a holiday in my book, to come and play in a big club with big pressure and big expectations and you’ll feel it. And sometimes you’ll play and you’ll be playing a lot of games and sometimes you come out to recover. So, it’s all natural. We had the same with Nicholas Kuhn. We’ve had probably the same with Callum McGregor over many years.

“So, it’s football. And listen, I understand that people make a judgment and an opinion, but I’m so, so happy he chose to come here. He’s shown more than enough in this short period of time that he’s going to be a fantastic player for us.

Tommy Callaghan

“Yes, I had a message this morning from young Tommy, the son, to say his dad had passed away. So, I think all our thoughts and condolences are with Tommy. I think any player that’s been signed twice by Jock Steen tells you how good a player he was. And it’s always sad. I bumped into Tommy a few weeks only back and yeah, sad day, but a real legend of the club. And all our thoughts are with his family.”