Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers discussed Hoops midfielder Reo Hatate’s performance against RB Leipzig.
Hatate dominated the game from midfield, finishing with a goal. In one of his best games for the green and white Hoops, he appeared to be everywhere on the pitch.
Brendan Rodgers made some fascinating comments about his performance.
He told BBC Sport, “I felt he (Reo Hatate) was outstanding, I have to say. He was aggressive. “When Reo pushes and presses like this, his football comes alive.
“I thought he was exceptional.”
Hatate can be aggravating at times, but when he’s on point, as he was tonight, he’s unplayable. He is the type of midfielder that every team requires: he is willing to take the ball in risky situations, to take risks in order to win the game, and to never let a mistake influence his next decision on the ball.
The Celtic midfielder demonstrated his capacity to perform like tonight when he joined the club in 2022, but the key difference is Rodgers’ ability to coach him to counter-press well.
Hatate’s effort rate under Rodgers has increased significantly, as evidenced by his determination to win the ball back tonight.
It is the only facet of his game that has been questioned; when midfielders do not press, they are typically perceived as lazy.
But for Rodgers, counter-pressing is more than just a cliché; it’s the cornerstone of this Celtic team.
Their aggressive ball-winning creates opportunities and makes them appear even more dangerous than they did under Ange Postecoglou, which says a lot given the standards the Australian had the Hoops playing at during his two seasons in command.
Celtic have added to their desire to reach new heights, with this season’s goal of progressing to the Champions League knockout phase.
Given how difficult this has proven over the last decade, the ruthlessness under Rodgers has enabled the Hoops to push even Europe’s greatest teams into submission.
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