'Overall, The Performance Level Was Very Good And Slick At This Period In The Season'

BRENDAN Rodgers radiated satisfaction when he addressed the media after Saturday’s swashbuckling victory over Standard Liege. His mood hadn’t changed on Monday when he sat down with the Celtic View in his office at Lennoxtown.

- Mark Henderson

The 4-1 friendly victory over the Belgian Cup winners, a team of stature and with some excellent individual talents, was further confirmation that the Hoops, despite the competitive campaign only days old, are already clicking into top gear.

Going forward, the Scottish champions looked a constant threat, carving a route through the Standard backline with some slick, high-tempo attacking football. They scored some wonderful goals, notably Odsonne Edouard’s stunner and a first goal in Paradise for teenager Mikey Johnston.

Defensively, the Bhoys were diligent, disciplined and pressed at the right moments to deny the visitors momentum and win back possession in dangerous areas. Even when a new team took the field for the second half, consisting principally of home-grown young players, the high standards were maintained, showing that Celtic also have strength in depth to fight on several fronts over the next 11 months.

Speaking exclusively to the View, the manager said: “For the first-half team, I was really pleased with the defensive organisation, firstly in terms of how they pressed the game, not only how they pressed it but at the times when they couldn’t press, how they came together and were nice and tight, compact and aggressive. That was good.

“Obviously when we had the ball, we were playing a different shape and I was very pleased with the fluidity of that. The speed at which they played and the creativity within it was excellent.