Neil Lennon

Massive credit for making the right subs, but the majority of that performance was a real struggle to watch.

 

Well done NL. He picked the team most on here wanted, Brown out being the one folk were crying out for, then changed it when required. Credit where it is due.

 

If today shows us anything. We absolutely need to play 2 up top. Dare say Eddy needs dropped. Paddy and Griff are hungry and have points to prove. For me, it's one of them and a fit Ajeti.

Griff always gives u hope of a goal, even from nothing. Paddy is a confidence player who gives it his all. Love that attitude. Ntcham needs dropping also. Offers little at the moment.

Still worrying at how pedestrian we are at times.

 

We need to play the right two up front.
We were two up top all game. Klimala and Griffiths showed the difference in not having square pegs in round holes though.

 

Right come on Lenny it’s been handed to you on a plate today. 80 minutes of turgid, 10 minutes of two strikers up front and a huge difference. Last season wasn’t a fluke it was a run of a dozen games at least that we ripped teams apart. Keep doing it.

 

Was proactive with subs, and risked it with Griff. It paid off. However, it seems we could do with reshuffling the starting XI yet again, in favor of Griffiths/Klimala.

 

We havnt got the personal for 3-5-1-1. I think its that simple.. I think we need to go back to 4-4-2. Griff and whomever up front will have teams * it as proven today. We try to accommodate too many midfielders

 

Lenny needs to sort this the last few games been difficult to watch and the pace in the midfield is slow and no one running into space all standing still wanting the ball at their feet .
Also players passing the ball backwards too many times and that allows the opposition to get back into their positions .

 

This.

We need to accommodate three central midfielders and two strikers if we can, but not if it costs us in terms of our shape and tactics.

We desperately need a left-sided midfielder, and, probably, a left-sided centre-half for balance. This late in the transfer window, I would settle for the former.

 

Agree with this.

The reason 3-5-2 worked last year was Griff plays on the shoulder and makes runs in behind while Eddie was dropping deeper, making runs 1-2s, drifting out.

Eddie isn't playing anywhere near the level he was and Ely or Christie can't play as substitutes for Griffs role, it's instinctual.

Griff and Paddy looked a much better fit when they came on but it has to be remembered they were up against tired legs. I'm not convinced that pairing would work as a partnership from the start in most SPFL games, they have too similar a style.

Hopefully Ajeti is fit for the Huns game. I'd be playing him as our focal point in a 4-2-3-1

 

We also need to go back to the way we played 352 last season. This season we have it a flat middle 3. A RCM a CM and a LCM.

Last season it was a DM, a box to box in McGregor and an attacking midfielder.

It made it extremely difficult to track our midfield.

 

Ajeti and Griffiths would be an extremely good partnership for me however.

We know Eddy and Griff is.

Think he’s pretty much the key to getting the 352 working for us, which is frustrating because we cannot rely on him.

 

Absolutely. They two offer directness, pace and a goal threat. Get Christie back in the engine room away from the front 2 in place of Ntcham.

Barkas
Duffy Julien Ajer
Brown
Frimpong Calmac Christie Ely
Griff Ajeti​

For the Huns. Swap Ajeti for Klimala if not fit.

 

Agreed.

Lennon has to do the right thing for the team but I worry what selecting Griff ahead of Paddy will do to Paddy's confidence.

At this point he can't do much more to get a chance.

Ajeti injured, Eddie injured/unfocused, Griff summer carry-on and just now made his first competitive minutes of the season.

 

NL: It’s a thoroughly deserved win but we didn’t play with any urgency in the first half or the way we want to play. We didn’t put any quality into the box and we were lacking penetration and aggression with our play."


NL: "It’s great to see Rogic back. Griffiths was fantastic and Klimala was also fantastic with what he did. The appetite of the team to go and win the game was great and we got great three points here with another clean sheet."



NL: "It’s been a heavy block of games but I’m not going to make as many changes going forward. We have a strong core and players who can come in and out.

NL: "We kept coming, we got Brown on and when you throw Rogic, Christie and McGregor into the mix with two hungry strikers, we got what we deserved in the end and I’m thrilled with that

 

I agree. We have missed someone like Rogić to drop in between the lines. We have plenty of 'attacking' midfielders, but only one out-and-out ten. (We have been linked with a number ten from Al-Ahly today, actually.)

 

My worry, having seen the last dozen games and hearing about today's game (work commitments means I missed it) is that he will now use this as a point to prove he should stick with brown.

Which judging by some of his post match comments, he most certainly will.

Today is evidence of three things,
1. Two up top.
2. Brown should be used exactly like he was today, to come on and change things.
3. Overall there is a massive issue in the squad with general tempo, determination and attitude. We can't keep waiting till the last ten minutes before we * do something different.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

 

Not just that mate, it’s the position they take up. Ntcham was excellent at it in the 352 last season and Christie extremely dangerous. Right now they’re sitting in a flat line across the midfield, hanging out near the wings. It’s not the best way to make the most of their attributes.

 

Klimala should continue to get 15 or 20 minutes here and there, with 5 subs available. He has an excellent attitude on and off the pitch, and he is chipping in with important goals; you can't ask much more from him.