Brendan’s on the defensive for a change
BRENDAN RODGERS defended his team selection after Partick Thistle spoiled Celtic’s homecoming title party.
And the Celts boss vowed his side will be raring to go by the time they face Rangers. The
Hoops were held to a 1-1 draw after Ade Azeez cancelled out Scott Sinclair’s opener with the Celtic scorer then denied from the penalty spot by Jags keeper Tomas Cerny.
Rodgers made five changes to the side that started the 5-0 win over Hearts on Sunday and went on to clinch six in a row.
But last night they failed to win for only the third time in the Premiership this season and the Celtic gaffer admitted he had to rotate his team to ensure his treble-chasers are in peak condition for the Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final showdown on April 23.
Rodgers, who welcomed Tom Rogic back after four months out and handed a start to Eboue Kouassi, said: “After the weekend our next peak is the semi-final. So that’s what we’re building towards. This is why I needed to make the changes.
“If I didn’t make them tonight and I made them against Kilmarnock, we’re then building into the Ross County game and then the Rangers games.
“It might mean some players who are asked to play in the Rangers game, if they played tonight then were rested against Kilmarnock, would maybe have got one game in 18 days.
“You’re always trying to gauge the momentum of your team and I thought this was the game to make the changes. But over the course of the next couple of games the team will be pretty stable to give us that momentum to hopefully arrive in a peak condition for the semi-final.
“It was probably a fair result in the end after playing so well to clinch the title and making a number of changes, against the second form team in Scotland, along with Aberdeen.
“The plan beforehand was to give players game time who haven’t played so much of late. We wanted Tom Rogic to get half an hour and when we made the changes we make a mistake and Partick scored.
“We got the penalty and I haven’t seen Scotty miss a penalty since we were at Swansea and we played Manchester City when Joe Hart made a great save.
“Their keeper makes a save and we couldn’t find that final touch or goal to win the game.”
Ivorian teenager Kouassi made his first start since his £2.8million move from Krasnodar in January and looked the part after a shaky first couple of minutes.
Rodgers said: “After the first five minutes I thought we’d signed his brother. But he grew into the game and he started showing what he has been showing in training.”
Alan Archibald was delighted with his side after the Jags picked up their first Parkhead point in 23 years to take them to within one win of a first top-six finish.
He had special praise for Azeez and Cerny who was criticised for a blunder that cost his side against Killie recently. The Jags boss said: “I’m delighted but it looked a long way away in the first half. It was probably our worst performance in terms of ball retention but it was much better in the second half.
“Ade also had a chance at the end and I thought he was going to finish it.
“We were only on level terms for a minute and a half until they got a penalty but I was delighted for Tomas. Fingers were pointed at him a couple of weeks ago when he made a mistake at Rugby Park but he has saved us a number of times and I’m glad he put it to bed because it has been playing on his mind.
“We aren’t in the top six yet but it’s in our own hands and we’ve got a good game at home, a tough game against Motherwell on Saturday.”