Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has reacted to the Hoops’ controversial 2-1 defeat at Easter Road. With Celtic 2-0 down at halftime, the Irishman made a number of changes after the break
Rodgers did question the VAR decision to rule out Daizen Maeda’s equaliser late in the second half.
However, he also stressed his disappointment with Celtic’s performance in the first half. The Celtic boss acknowledged that the Hoops’ first half display was far from their best, and that they had allowed themselves to fall behind by two goals before the break.
While Rodgers voiced his frustrations with the controversial VAR call, he made it clear that the focus should also be on improving the overall performance in future matches.
He said: (Premier Sports), “But I also have to be honest as well. We made an awful start to the game, going down early. In the first half, our level was not good enough.
“This team doesn’t have many days like that, but certainly, we were like that in the first half.
“Two really poor goals. Second half, we were much, much more like ourselves. And like I say, we get that goal, and it brings a great finish to the game for us.”
Celtic were below par in the first half, with Hibs allowed to take the initiative and attack the Hoops high up the pitch. Rodgers made three changes from midweek’s dramatic draw against Bayern Munich, with Greg Taylor, Luke McCowan, and Adam Idah all coming into the team.
The trip to Easter Road proved challenging, and with Celtic struggling to find their rhythm, the substitutions at halftime were made in an effort to turn the game around.
Reo Hatate, Jota, and Jefferson Schlupp were expected to make a positive impact off the bench, but with referees intervening, Celtic were unable to secure a draw or push for a win in the dying minutes.
The team’s drop-off from the midweek Munich game was noticeable, partly due to mental fatigue and the numerous changes made to the starting XI.
