Brendan Rodgers criticizes Celtic’s performance in a goalless draw against Rangers, stating it was ‘not the Celtic way.’ The match lacked clear chances and attacking threat from both sides. A disallowed goal and a save were the highlights as Rodgers seeks to restore Celtic’s attacking flair, while Rangers’ manager Russell Martin aims to build on the draw despite their winless streak.
Brendan Rodgers has expressed his disappointment following Celtic's goalless draw against Rangers in the 'Old Firm' derby at Ibrox Stadium. The stalemate, which marked the first time Celtic dropped points this season, has prompted Rodgers to admit that his team's performance was far from the standards he expects. He stated bluntly that the display was "not the Celtic way."
The highly anticipated clash between the Glasgow rivals failed to ignite, with clear-cut chances proving elusive for both sides. A disallowed goal for Rangers' John Souttar, ruled out for offside after a VAR review, was among the few moments of excitement in a tightly contested affair.
Celtic's Kieran Tierney produced an acrobatic attempt that was comfortably saved by Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland, but beyond that, clear opportunities were scarce. The lack of attacking threat from both teams was reflected in the expected goals (xG) statistic, with Rangers registering a mere 0.15 and Celtic slightly better at 0.17, totaling a paltry 0.32 for the entire match.
The draw also meant that Celtic has failed to win the opening league match against Rangers for only the third time in the last 10 seasons, a statistic that clearly frustrated Rodgers. Reflecting on the game, Rodgers said, "I didn’t think it was a good game at all. Positive for us, we’ve defended well in the main at the start of the season, been very resolute."
He added, "We didn’t have any shots on goal against us. But our offensive game is nowhere near the level I’d like it to be at. It was a game that lacked quality. We’ve lost players that connected the game for us. When you go through a spell of games you’re not scoring, it can affect the other guys, and they don’t quite make the forward pass, and they make the safe pass."
Rodgers highlighted the absence of creativity in the team, saying, "That creativity has come out the team, and we need to find those connections again. I’m very confident we will improve. We have to. That’s not the Celtic way of playing." His comments underscore the high expectations he has for his team and his determination to address their attacking shortcomings.
The whistle blows, all square at Ibrox.#RANCEL | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/nsmIPLTs4X
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 31, 2025
Meanwhile, Rangers' own struggles continue, as they have now opened a Premiership campaign with four winless matches for only the fourth time in their history. This unfortunate record has been mirrored in 1964-65, 1978-79, and 1983-84 seasons. They have also failed to win five successive top-flight games for the first time since December 2005, heaping pressure on their new manager, Russell Martin.
Despite the underwhelming result, Martin chose to focus on the positives, suggesting that the draw could serve as a foundation for future improvement. He stated, "I’m disappointed we didn’t win because I felt we were good for large parts. I’m really proud of the players’ level of fight, desire, aggression, all things we questioned inside and outside of the building. That was a big focus today to really fight and show some togetherness and spirit and aggression – and there was so much of that. We couldn’t find the composure at times."
Martin also emphasized the importance of the clean sheet and the point gained, saying, "It’s an important clean sheet, an important point. We’re six points off top, which is frustrating for us, but it gives us something to hunt. I was really proud with the response, especially the guys who haven’t played much recently. Maybe we’ve placed too much importance on certain things and taken for granted that level of intensity and desire every week. We need to show that level of togetherness all the time. We’ve got something to build on."
Ultimately, both managers are looking to build momentum from this game, albeit from very different perspectives. Rodgers seeks to rediscover Celtic's attacking flair, while Martin hopes to instill consistency and fight within his Rangers squad.