Celtic manager wants more consistency from his players
Brendan Rodgers was not satisfied with Celtic’s performance in their 1-0 victory over St Johnstone on Saturday. The Hoops secured their 20th consecutive domestic win thanks to a late goal from James Forrest, but Rodgers felt they lacked intensity and creativity in the final third.
He said he expects more from his team, especially after their impressive display in the 4-0 win over Hearts in midweek. He also praised St Johnstone for their defensive resilience and organisation, but admitted Celtic should have done better to break them down.
Rodgers said: “We didn’t play well today. We were too slow in our passing and movement, and we didn’t create enough chances. We have to give credit to St Johnstone, they defended very well and made it difficult for us. But we have to demand more from ourselves, we have to be more consistent in our level of performance.”
Celtic extend their lead at the top of the table
Despite their lacklustre display, Celtic managed to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 18 points over second-placed Rangers, who drew 1-1 with Aberdeen on Sunday. Celtic also have a game in hand over their rivals, and are on course to win their eighth consecutive league title.
Rodgers said he was pleased with the result, but not with the manner of it. He said: “The most important thing today was to get the three points, and we did that. But we have to play better than that, we have to show more quality and more hunger. We have set high standards for ourselves, and we have to maintain them.”
He added: “We have a big lead in the table, but we can’t take anything for granted. We have to keep working hard and keep improving. We have a lot of games to play, and we have to be ready for every challenge.”
Forrest scores his 16th goal of the season
The only bright spot for Celtic was the performance of James Forrest, who scored his 16th goal of the season in all competitions. The winger has been in superb form this campaign, and has been one of Celtic’s most consistent and influential players.
Rodgers hailed Forrest as a match-winner, and said he was delighted with his contribution. He said: “James is a fantastic player, he has been brilliant for me since I came here. He has a great attitude, he works hard, and he has a lot of quality. He can score goals, he can create goals, and he can make a difference in any game.”
He added: “He showed that again today, he was the one who made the breakthrough for us. He took his goal very well, he showed great composure and finish. He is a very important player for us, and I’m very happy for him.”
