Rodgers: Is this a big statement? Not really, Celtic are only starting

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers refused to hold up their 3-0 win over Rangers as major statement as he praised the growth in his team a year on from its “flat” start when he returned to the club last summer.
Rodgers purred over his players’ form and readiness for the months ahead as Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor scored and Celtic won a sixth home league derby in a row for the first time since 1980. They are now unbeaten in the last six Old Firm fixtures and have lost only one of the last 13. New signings Arne Engels and Luke McCowan were given second-half debuts as the champions coasted to the top of the SPFL Premiership.
“I think it’s good when you see growth,” said Rodgers. “If we compare it to this time last season, it was a wee bit flat. And I think you sensed, just before the game started, there’s a great energy in the crowd and that’s what you want your team to bring. I think they’re enjoying watching the team.”
When asked if winning the first derby of the campaign was a big statement, Rodgers said: “Not really. I think we’re only starting. It was a fantastic performance. I thought we were electric going forward.
“I think when you’ve got a group of young players mixed with the senior players who are here, then naturally that [growth] will come. I go back to pre-season because it’s such an important period for us to establish a lot of principles and build on them. The players have just continued to work really well and now they’re into the competitive phase they’ve continued with that. So, it’s an exciting team, working well.”
Celtic spent just over £30million on summer fees to land eight players, all of whom started or were on the bench against Rangers. Rodgers was pleased with his window. “A manager will always want a little bit more but I can’t complain. We’ve done some great business, great work over the course of the window with the players we’ve brought in, going right back to Kasper [Schmeichel] and all the guys. So, that’s been really, really good.”
Rangers manager Philippe Clement is still looking for his first win over Celtic after five attempts and criticised his players’ reaction to conceding the first goal. He claimed there was no gulf between the teams, pointing to statistics which showed a comparable number of chances, but accepted Celtic’s finishing was far superior.
“We need to be more clinical in those moments. At the end Celtic had 14 shots, we had 13. They had four on target, we had four on target. But you lose 3-0. That’s really a clear result, and a difference in efficiency.
“If they come 1-0 in front and 2-0 in front, it’s always easier to play. But ball possession was also equal today, 47-53, between the two teams. I was not happy with the reaction after 1-0. It was not good enough. In the second half there was a better reaction but you have to become more open as a team because you need to chase two goals and take more risks. That also creates chances for them. On the other side, we also had 100 per cent chances but they need to be put against them.
“But the momentum shifts with the 1-0 and for sure with the 2-0. Then Celtic are on the sofa [ie comfortable], they have only to keep the ball and to wait for the moment you step out to use the space. So that creates a lot.
“If you look back at the first ten minutes, the way we played, we were good on the ball, we were brave on the ball. It was not a kick and rush and hoping for something. There was good football there, creating good chances, even in the first minute. There’s still 34 games to go. We know at this moment we need to improve a lot of things and we need to gel people together and get this automatism [understanding] between players.
“The faster the game goes, the higher the level is, the faster you have to make decisions. In the next weeks, the next months, we also need to create this connection between players. It’s a normal thing. You saw also the moment that Celtic brought on a lot of players that they paid a lot of money for.”
Rangers will await an update on Rabbi Matondo’s hamstring injury after he came off in the first half.