Brendan Rodgers says one Celtic player was ‘outstanding’ in loss vs Hearts

Add as preferred source on Google

This is a comment that really raised my eyebrows yesterday from Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers.

After watching Celtic struggle against Hearts and the team fail to muster up any kind of a fight, Rodgers found the time to praise one player in the defeat to Steven Naismith’s side.

With over 76% possession, 22 shots of goal with five on target [Sky Sports], the stats make it look like Celtic fought and scratched to try and get back into the match, but the reality for anyone who watched the game was completely different.

But the Celtic manager still thought that Hoops skipper, Callum McGregor, was outstanding in the game.

Rodgers said [BBC Sportsound], “Callum was outstanding in the game trying to drive his team on, as a captain should. He was brilliant.

“But he was having to play a couple of positions to inspire the team.

“But overall, a disappointing result and I have to take responsibility for that.”

The stats don’t back up Brendan Rodgers’ claim about the Celtic captain

I found what Brendan Rodgers said extremely strange and decided to have a look at Callum McGregor’s match stats against Hearts yesterday. And they were not good.

Rated an unusual 6.57 by WhoScored, McGregor, like the rest of the Celtic team, clearly struggled to contain and break down the capital club yesterday.

Defensively, the Celtic captain failed to get into his stride as he made just one successful tackle and one clearance.

The Hoops skipper didn’t make any interceptions or blocks as Hearts managed to break through the Celtic defence twice.

Offensively, McGregor made just two key passes and two successful dribbles but also made three unforced errors.

However, as per usual, the 30-year-old’s passing was on point with a 91% success rate in a performance that the Celtic fans are not used to seeing from their skipper.

In terms of what Rodgers said about McGregor trying to drive his team on, then yeah, that should be a given for any Celtic captain.

But to call his performance outstanding when the stats say otherwise, the Celtic manager must have been watching a different game to me and the rest of the Hoops support.

In other news, ‘All season’… Chris Sutton delivers his verdict on Brendan Rodgers as Celtic lose to Hearts