Tactical tutorial- Rodgers takes newspaper reporters through demo of his Angeball

Brendan Rodgers put on a 30 minute demonstration for newspaper reporters to back up his claim that his Celtic side is playing very similarly to last season’s treble winners under Ange Postecoglou.

Both the topic and the audience seem strange.

It appears that criticism from supporters about the style of play, specifically the post winter break run in the SPFL against Ross County, Aberdeen, Hibs, Kilmarnock and Motherwell during which four points were dropped has got through to the Celtic boss.

Rather than discuss and illustrate the issue on in-house media either Rodgers or the club’s Communications Manager has decided that the message is best taken to fans through daily newspapers.

The ‘seminar’ took place on Tuesday afternoon after Rodgers had completed his normal media duties ahead of the home match with Dundee.

Covering Tuesday’s activities in the Daily Record Jackson explains:

First he had to deal with the whole sexism sideshow. The awkward aftermath of a post-match interview gone wrong at Fir Park.

But, as soon as he had got that toe curler out of the way on Tuesday afternoon, Brendan Rodgers rolled out a huge 78in touch screen TV and ran through a tactical tutorial for the benefit of a small band of written press.

For half an hour or so, Rodgers replayed clips of various Celtic goals scored over the past two seasons. Four under Ange Postecoglou. Another four from this season, all scored on his watch. And the similarities, it must be said, were really quite striking.

Inverted full-backs creating space for wingers to get down the side, crossing the ball for three runners – one attacking the front post, one at the back and one in the middle. The point the manager was attempting to ram home was that, despite the common consensus, Celtic’s attacking strategy has not changed all that much since Postecoglou took his Angeball with him to Tottenham. If it has changed at all.

A year ago Celtic won the League Cup with a midfield of Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Aaron Moy with that trio pushing Matt O’Riley onto the bench.

In attack Jota and Daizen Maeda were providing Kyogo Furuhashi with a regular supply of chances with Liel Abada coming off the bench to offer another option.

Both in terms of results and stats last season looked very different, just as the team sheet did.

Key to the success of Postecoglou’s side was the play of the wingers, supplying goals and assists.

After trying a variety of winger combinations it appears that the introduction of Adam Idah as striker has given Celtic a new shape under Rodgers. In the last match and a half 10 goals have been scored with the main supply coming from full-backs Greg Taylor and Alistair Johnston rather than the wingers.