Brendan Rodgers shares what he told his Celtic players after Liam Scales and Auston Trusty call

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Celtic are in the Scottish League Cup final and it was a walk in the park.

Given how Aberdeen have started the season and the fact that they recorded a 2-2 draw at Parkhead last time out.

Then many Celtic fans, and even probably Brendan Rodgers himself, expected a much tougher evening under the smoke of Hampden.

Kick-off was delayed between Celtic and Aberdeen, but it only delayed the champions hitting the second-best team in Scotland for six.

One of the big calls Rodgers made pre-match was starting summer signing Auston Trusty over Liam Scales.

Scales started Celtic’s 2-2 draw against Aberdeen last time out, and despite his strong performances in the green and white colours this season, he found himself on the bench.

Instead, Trusty started alongside the ever-reliable Cameron Carter-Vickers at the heart of the defence – CCV opened the scoring – and they didn’t even break a sweat.

Brendan Rodgers wanted Celtic to press from the front against Aberdeen

Rodgers admitted himself that Scales has ‘done nothing’ wrong to be benched, it’s just a case of horses for courses.

There is serious competition building for places in the Celtic side, from the number nine position to Greg Taylor and Alex Valle at left-back.

But Rodgers picked Trusty because he is quicker than Scales and shared that he told his players that they have to ‘get your press right’ and stop Aberdeen at the source, as he told Premier Sports. 

“I think we have seen that with Aberdeen,” responded Rodgers on the opposition’s threat in behind and over the top.

“If there is no pressure on the ball in front of that then the strikers and wingers can run in behind. They can penetrate really, really well. Initially, it was ahead of the back four. Get your press right to stop those through balls for one and two it’s why we put Trusty in the team because he is super quick. The striker makes good runs for Aberdeen. We were hoping he could control that. The pressure was in front of the ball to stop the source really.

“Scales has been brilliant since he has gone in the team and he is a really valued player in the team. He has played as much as anyone during my time here. It was just each game, I felt that Auston, with those through balls, he is super quick and if you are going to play a high line. The runs and penetration that Aberdeen make, that pace is important. Scales has done nothing wrong. He is very valued. You just sometimes have to make these decisions.”

Celtic’s upcoming fixtures

Carter-Vickers played an hour against Aberdeen as he continued to build up his fitness.

Given Carter-Vickers’ injury worries of the past, the hectic schedule is ample chance for Rodgers to rotate his squad and those centre-backs.

You sense there are enough highly pressured games to go around to give everyone enough starts, it’s just a case of not overdoing it and making the right calls.

Celtic are in Champions League action against RB Leipzig on Tuesday, as well as facing Club Brugge at the end of the month in the middle of several Premiership matches.