New Manager. Same Problems.

The stats don’t lie. Whilst Celtic have enjoyed a free-scoring start to the season, there is one concern for Brendan Rodgers – his defensive back-line. The problem, which hasn’t been resolved in years, continues to be an issue for the Hoops as they aim to fight for a domestic treble and compete with Europe’s elite.

In the 13 matches Rodgers has managed this season, the Hoops have conceded 21 goals. If you take out the seven goals against Barcelona, it’s 14 goals in 12 matches and only two clean sheets.

A common theme crops up upon the majority of goals. Crossing. It’s an issue which has been exposed by many sides this season and it ranges from Astana’s goal in Kazakhstan, to Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s second goal in Israel or Rangers’ consolation goal in the Glasgow derby.

In total, Celtic have conceded 11 goals from crossing scenarios this season. This is a problem which started to occur during Ronny Deila’s tenure as Celtic manager and even during Neil Lennon’s tenure seems to have continued already into this season.

The inability to defend from set pieces or crosses has cost the Hoops on many occasions, and another big issue is the mistakes the side make. With the likes of Kolo Toure, Mikael Lustig, Kieran Tierney & Erik Sviatchenko, the Hoops have no shortage of good defenders. As individuals, the Celtic defence looks good but as a unit, they are all over the place at times. Teams draw out the Celtic backline and expose them as a group, making it all too easy for the opposition.

The goalkeeping scenario may be another issue Rodgers has to look at. Whilst Dorus de Vries is good with distributing the ball with his feet, his performances so far have shown that fans aren’t too keen on the Dutchman to be Celtic’s goalkeeper. Craig Gordon, on the other hand, is a good shot-stopper but isn’t too good with his distribution. It’s whether Rodgers would prefer someone who is wanting to start attacks as opposed to someone who is better saving them at the back.

So how does Brendan Rodgers solve the defensive issue?

Whilst teams are always going to concede, there are simply ways to resolve this problem. Consistency at the back, along with a settled defence, goes a long way to moulding together a good unit at the back.

As well as this, doing the basics on the training ground is sometimes the best way to gel together a cohesive back-line. We’ve all seen goals conceded when the Hoops have been faced with the simplest of tasks this season.

The other issue could be John Kennedy’s position at the club. Kennedy who is currently Celtic’s first-team coach and handles the defensive side of the team, could be better suited to a role within the youth academy helping the Hoops next generation. This would then clear the pathway to allow a defensive coach into the Celtic backroom. Someone like Johan Mjallby, who could offer more grit and experience, allowing the players to play as a defensive unit while they’re under pressure.

Brendan Rodgers, who prides himself on good attacking football has to find the right balance between attack and defence. It’s all good when you can outscore the opposition but when your attacking strike force are not firing on all cylinders, or when you’re facing better opposition, it’s then the job of the defence to keep you in the game.