CELTIC sent out an ominous warning to Linfield ahead of Friday's Champions League qualifier in Belfast as they ran riot at the Tallaght Stadium on Saturday.
Stuart Armstrong and Scott Sinclair helped themselves to doubles, while new signing Johnny Hayes, Mikael Lustig, Moussa Dembele, James Forrest and Tom Rogic also found the net in a 9-0 victory.
And Rodgers was delighted to see his team in such ruthless form: "It's the identity of trademark of the team which we have created," he said.
"They never relaxed and kept working. I thought defensively, fundamentally, we were very good in terms of our pressing. These are the games where you are building up that element of fitness to go and press and get on the ball and then, from that, our quality came through.
"We were very good in some of our play and some of the goals we scored. It was very pleasing. It was only our fourth game [of pre-season], but I can see the development in how the team is building up."
Linfield has a somewhat less successful warm-up game on Saturday, as they lost 4-1 to Hearts at Windsor Park. Although Jamie Mulgrew put the hosts ahead, the Jambos rallied to go in 2-1 up at the break, thanks to goals from Harry Cochrane and Jamie Walker. Second-half strikes from Isma and Cole Stockton rounded off an impressive showing from the SPL side in what was the final game of their pre-season tour of Ireland.
Despite a bright start by Hearts, it was the hosts who took the lead on 11 minutes. Blues skipper Mulgrew carried the ball to the edge of the box before hitting a sweet strike beyond the despairing Jack Hamilton.
The Jambos got back on level terms after 25 minutes. Some patient build up play down the right saw Michael Smith cut the ball inside to Cochrane, who drilled low past Roy Carroll and into the back of the net from 20-yards out, albeit with the help of a slight deflection.
Walker linked up with Don Cowie to create and score Hearts’ second goal. Cowie’s quick corner was floated into the six-yard box and Walker popped up to flick a header past Carroll.
It was 3-1 after 66 minutes. Prince Buaben threaded through Isma, who turned his man to put the ball in the bottom corner of the net. The Jambos rounded off a successful afternoon with a fourth in the 84th minute. Malaury Martin’s free-kick found its way to Stockton, who drilled low from inside the box to make it 4-1.
Celts boss Rodgers, meanwhile, reckons the Bhoys got a taste of things to come from Jonny Hayes after watching the Dubliner open his Hoops account in Saturday’s friendly.
The £1.3million capture from Aberdeen netted his first goal for his new club during the 9-0 romp over Rovers, and Rodgers reckons the Dubliner showed plenty to be excited about on his return to his home city: "When you're an attacking player and come to your new club, it's important to get off the mark early,” he said.
"He has settled in very well off the field. He is a good guy, a mature guy and he has mixed in really well over the last couple of weeks. We don't need to rush him, but he's going to make a big contribution to the squad and you saw that today in the half hour he was on, when he showed his pace and his crossing ability.
“He has an eye for a goal. He got his goal and that will make him happy and he can continue to build on that throughout the season.”
