Neil Lennon

NL: We thoroughly deserved it. We’ve still to hit our peak form but we’re winning games and winning them well.


NL:@shaneduffy
: "He has a fantastic ability to head the ball in both boxes. I’m delighted for him and it’s a great start to his Celtic career. Long may it continue."


NL: You're trying to keep them motivated and fresh. It was important to rotate. We have another big game at the weekend and if we win we go top of the league so a good incentive for us. It was a good night's work."

 

Mate, I agree with the four questions you ask; I'm screaming them at the screen most games myself.

Where you are absolutely bang out and need to have a word is in calling NL - a Celtic legend and a proven decent (albeit clearly not amazing) manager - 'dreadful'.

'Not great' - fair enough.
'Feeling the pressure' - fair enough.
'Getting a few things wrong at just the wrong season to do so' - bang on.

'Dreadful'? Fecking have a word!

EDIT: Oh, and also, I'll add, I don't need to 'tell' you anything: you're the one making the big claim; burden of proof lies with you, not me.

 

Funny seeing the complaints at times.

Sometimes Lennon is far too rigid and sticks to his favourites. Other times he’s far too flexible and changes the team too much

 

They’re both true, to an extent.

He has a knack of making loads of changes, but still manages to keep his favourites (or favourite - Brown) in the team.

 

Calling him a dreadful manager is uncalled for and completely inaccurate. Like every manager he makes questionable decisions and mistakes. Unlike every manager he has brought our club alot of success. This man has given us some of our best European results over the last decade. If memory serves me right he has won more titles as Celtic manager than anyone since stein. He might even be the first Celtic manager to lift the the clubs10th convective title. On top of all that he loves the club as much as the rest of us, calling him dreadful is poor form.

As for lucky results their is no such thing. You are happy to blame him when it goes wrong. If luck come into then you could put the ferenvarcos result down to luck. We take responsibility for our performances, win lose or draw

 

Happy enough with him rotating the team a bit with so many games coming up. Hard to complain when we got the 3 points. Done well to turn around the result. Brown is still the weak link. Neil needs to realise that.

 

We just need to see a few good performances strung together.

It’s our 8th competitive game this season. Draw against Killie, bit of a slog at Dundee United, got beat at home off Ferencvaros, and now this tonight.

It’s far too inconsistent. We’ve had a few convincing wins, followed by a turgid performance. Not expecting us to win 5-0 every game, but we look unrecognisable week to week.

 

It’s difficult playing against a team that’s determined to get football stopped, by playing everyone behind the ball. Also, when your 2 wide players will not take anyone on and stop any momentum we have, so infuriating. Taylor is too slow and not good enough, Forrest, well who knows what’s going on with him since the season started.

 

Celtic manager Neil Lennon insists he was "absolutely delighted" with his team's performance as they overcame St Mirren in Paisley.


The champions fell behind early on, but Shane Duffy's equaliser and a James Forrest header saw them move to within three points of the summit.


Despite the narrow margin of victory the Celtic manager heaped praise on his team's performance after the final whistle.

Lennon told BBC Scotland: "We reacted very well to a poor start, conceding from a set play is always very disappointing.


"But our reaction was excellent and we played with real intensity in the first half and fully deserved to go in in front at half time.



Two really good goals, and then second half we dominated albeit St Mirren defended really, really low.

We worked the ball, we tried to probe, our attitude toward scoring was great.


We got the penalty to go 3-1 up (and that) would have put a more fair reflection on the scoreline from my point of view.


So I'm absolutely delighted, we have used the game in hand to win and it and now we've closed the gap on the teams above us.

"We got into Saturday now looking forward to another good performance."

Both goals came from headers, with Duffy heading in on a free-kick before Forrest converted a Ryan Christie cross.

Lennon said: "Shane is obviously a big threat, the delivery was fantastic and he goes and makes it happen.



He was disappointed with his role in the goal we conceded and his reaction to that was fantastic.

"Then the second goal is something we work on, those sort of balls in from the angle.

"And for James Forrest to control that header with so much pace on the cross for a totally emphatic finish - really, really pleased with that.


In the main I'm pleased with the performance, I thought we deserved more out of the game but we didn't get that.

"I do feel, from my point of view, the lack of atmosphere can subconsciously have a detrimental effect but we're adapting as well as anybody.

"When you're piling on the pressure, when you win a corner or a free-kick, when you create opportunities you get this intensity and roar from the crowd which is what we're all missing at the minute.


So you have to understand that from the players' point of view.

"But like I said it's great win, great three points and we've made the most of the extra game."

The result means Celtic can go top of the table against Livingston on Saturday, with Rangers not in action until the following day.

Lennon acknowledged: "It's a game we're very much looking forward to.


So you have to understand that from the players' point of view.

"But like I said it's great win, great three points and we've made the most of the extra game."

The result means Celtic can go top of the table against Livingston on Saturday, with Rangers not in action until the following day.

Lennon acknowledged: "It's a game we're very much looking forward to.

"But we know Livingston have caused us problems in the past, so we'll have a couple of day's recovery and we'll focus on the game at the weekend."

The scoreline could have been more comfortable, but Odsonne Edouard missed the first penalty of his professional career.


After the match Lennon was asked if there will be a debate among his players over who should hit the next one.

He laughed: "It's not started yet but I imagine it'll rumble on for a week or two!

"To be fair to Odsonne it's the first one he's missed and I thought Zlamal had a fine game tonight considering he's only been here a week or so.

"It was a great penalty save, but we'll discuss that as we go along."


After the match Lennon was asked if there will be a debate among his players over who should hit the next one.

He laughed: "It's not started yet but I imagine it'll rumble on for a week or two!

"To be fair to Odsonne it's the first one he's missed and I thought Zlamal had a fine game tonight considering he's only been here a week or so.

"It was a great penalty save, but we'll discuss that as we go along."


Lennon stated before the match he'd be happy if no more business is done in this window, and he was asked whether fans should expect any more arrivals.

He responded: "I don't know, is the answer.


I'll speak to Nick (Hammond, sporting director) and Peter (Lawwell, chief executive) over the next couple of days.

"But like I said but if we don't do any more business I'm delighted with the squad we've got."

 

He made 4 changes to the team tonight and the oldest player in our squad played a needless 90 mins again where it passed him by again. That's the issue he makes changes just not the required ones

 

Someone needs to wake Neil up and tell him Callum deserves to be our captain going forward and change the dynamics of the midfield accordingly. Scott is priceless in my opinion but he plays in the most dangerous part of the pitch (one that, for years, Neil was fantastic for us in), CDM. If Brown is rested/phased out of the team then there is no excuse as to why we shouldn't hit teams like a speed train.

Start experimenting with a post-Brown team/formation/strategy before the next Old Firm or else Neil will potentially, single-handedly, cost us games/points.

It is THAT simple.

HH.

 

If we win big or put in a good performance he seems to think he can be a smart * and play a different team/formation in the following match. It * me off.

Our form has been inconsistent up to now. If the team wins 0-5, stick with that team. Try to get some continuity going.

 

Mental the praise he gives Christie post match. Absolutely baffling. No wonder the wee * thinks he’s better than he is.

 

We have a new centre half and a new striker and these new players need to play with their fellow players to get a understanding going and that's only going to happen if they are playing mostly together for a good few games .
Lennon needed only to make one or two changes from Saturday but he changed the defence and the forward line tonight when it wasn't needed and he's making basic mistakes like that which is worrying .

 

Two assists and won a penalty. Not too bad.

 

This place!

'FFS change the formation Lenny'... 'FFS why are you changing the formation Lenny'

'FFS rotate the squad Lenny'... 'FFS why are you changing a winning team Lenny'.

There's a right hoorin' amount o' whiny miserable * on the go just now! Rippin' ma knittin 'aw a yee's!

This season was always going to be a frustrating war o' attrition as every match without the fans is pretty much a glorified training session! Never never underestimate the effects o' the 12th man on a fitba team - and oor 12th man is a *' legend!

Better get used to it an 'aw cos the C-19 doesn't look like it'll be * off anytime soon, and Wee Nic has a right pair o' stones on here!

HAIL HAIL

 

Put Eddy through on goal as well, one he’d usually put away.

 

To call him the shining light though. Overall his performance was poor, again.

We’ve barely got by St Mirren, we will have games like this where we have to grind them out but they are becoming more common and I don’t think it’s hard to see where we struggle.

Christie’s possession play lets him down as does his defensive work. His set pieces need to be more consistent and his final product overall. His decision making is honking, I was just glad not to see as many 30 yarders from him.

I understand he’s capable of that one moment that can change a game, as is Forrest. But they both have to be more consistent. Turnbull and Frimpong should be getting chances.

 

Yeah I’ve said elsewhere that Christie’s performances haven’t been at the same level they were.