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Hi guys,
today as requested by someone of you, I replicated Brendan Rodgers's Celtic Glasgow tactic,
it is a 4-3-3 possession based style, strong in attack but solid in defense. There are some important difference between Rodgers's 4-3-3 and last year Ange Postecoglou's 4-3-3. The main difference is that with Rodgers, players do not press so high (we all remember the 8 players in the midfield in the match Tottenham vs Chelsea this season). With Rodgers, in defense, Celtic is more compat, with a mid-block structure even if the defensive line is higher. Another difference is in the roles of the two full-backs. Last year, Postecoglou wanted his full-backs to play inverted to overload spaces in the centre and help the midfield (you can see the same structure in Tottenham with Pedro Porro and Udogie inverting and acting as additional midfielders near Bissouma, please see my video about Postecoglou's tactic at Tottenham here in my channel), while this year, Rodgers wants his full-backs to play in a traditional way, as wing-backs who stay wider and overlap on the flanks creating space in the middle for the midfielders and the wingers who cut inside. Another difference with last year is that the two wing-backs do not push so higher as last year, they are a bit more conservative but this does not mean they give up attacking and pressing, their role in helping the team attacking is crucial.
Brendan Rodgers has been influenced by Barcelona and other teams and in his tactic we can see some traits of Barcelona possession style.
Brendan Rodgers was deeply influenced by Barcelona's training philosophy, which emphasized a clear way of playing, maintaining possession, and quick ball recovery.
Barcelona's approach involved a consistent process and purpose across all age groups, from the youth academy to the first team, instilling a unified belief among coaches.
The Ajax model similarly impacted Rodgers, reinforcing the importance of a structured, long-term developmental strategy.
Rodgers' coaching methodology became a fusion of British mentality—focusing on aggression, strength, and power—with the intricate, progressive models of Barcelona and Ajax.
These influences shaped Rodgers' development as a coach and his approach to overseeing coaching programs, blending different football philosophies into his practice.
In defense, Rodgers has Celtic set up in what can be called a mid-block. That is, holding a pattern of defensive alignment between their own defensive third of the pitch, and the middle third.
Other tweaks made by Rodgers are the following:
Defensive Metrics: Brendan Rodgers' Celtic shows significantly better defensive performance in the Champions League (CL) compared to the Scottish Premier Football League (SPFL), with the team conceding only 0.68 expected goals (xG) per game in the CL versus 1.14 xG in the SPFL, despite facing tougher opposition and playing with nine men at times.
Opposition Shot Quality: The average quality of opposition shots in the CL is lower (0.06 xG per shot) than in the SPFL (0.12 xG per shot). However, Celtic faces more set-piece xG, counter-attacks, and clear shots in the domestic league.
Defensive Positioning: In the CL, Celtic's defensive line is positioned higher on the pitch (51.09 meters) compared to the SPFL (46.83 meters). This higher line contrasts with the previous season under Ange Postecoglou.
Pressing Intensity: Celtic’s pressing intensity is reduced but more strategic in the CL, allowing the opposition an average of 15.06 passes before a defensive action, compared to 7.19 passes in the SPFL.
Tactical Adjustments: Rodgers employs a mid-block 4-4-2 formation in the CL, with Reo Hatate joining Kyogo Furuhashi upfront. The full-backs are less advanced, and the midfield, particularly Matt O’Riley, is more compact and central. This approach emphasizes maintaining a disciplined shape over aggressive pressing when the opposition has possession near the halfway line.
Comparison with Postecoglou: The team’s shape under Rodgers is more compact compared to Postecoglou's tenure, with less aggressive pressing and a more solid midfield alignment. This has led to better defensive metrics, though individual errors have resulted in crucial goals conceded.
In this video you will see how I emulated Brendan Rodgers's tactic in Football Manager 2024 achieving great results both in Scotland and Europe.
I won Scottish Premier League going unbeaten, scoring 126 goals and conceding only 9, won Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup, while in Europe I got knocked out at the group stage in Champions league (finished 3rd in a group with Bayern and Real) and won the Europa League.
I hope this tactic works for you too, if you like my video please smash the like button and subscribe, thank you very much for watching!
Tactic Link: https://sub4unlock.io/0gWJ4
Skin used:Narigon
