Brendan Rodgers would have been relieved to see Celtic get a 1-1 draw against the Rangers at Ibrox to bring an end to their short yet frustrating losing streak in the Glasgow Derby. Things had not started well for the Hoops once again and they went into the break a goal down. But then Adam Idah secured a point in the 57th minute.
There were a lot of Celtic players who failed to impress on the day though. The first one to be taken off was Arne Engels, as he was replaced by Paulo Bernardo.
The Celtic record signing has put in good performances here and there through the course of his debut campaign with the Hoops. But overall, he has left a lot to be desired when it comes to his Glasgow Derby displays.
During the match, Rodgers appeared frustrated with Engels at times. As reported by CeltsAreHere, Scott Arfield said on commentary duty:
"We have a lucky point of view here where we can see the two managers.
“I am watching Brendan Rodgers for the last 10 minutes. I was talking about Barry Ferguson being on Jefte, I am watching Rodgers and he is on Arne Engels, like a couple of the players are."
Brendan Rodgers unhappy with one Celtic player during Glasgow Derby
Engels has struggled to impose himself in the games against the Rangers. As a result, the Celtic midfield has often come up second-best on derby day and as we all know, a number of these tight games are won and lost in the middle of the park. So, it should not come as a surprise that the Hoops are winless in three and only won the Scottish League Cup final on penalties.
It is also important to remember though that Engels is still 21 years old. He should be given the time that he needs to develop his game.
Even Matt O'Riley took a year-and-a-half before he was able to establish himself as Celtic's most important player. Hopefully, Engels will be given that same level of opportunity to reach that level before people start questioning his quality and the transfer fee that was paid to sign him from FC Augsburg.