Jonjoe Kenny made it all look so simple. Cross after cross arrived from the right with a frequency and competence we have not seen all season. Stephen Welsh was no slouch either. The 21-year-old central defender stuck to task, allowing the rest of the defence to concentrate on their own jobs.
The captain delivered a vintage performance for his return to the team. Scott Brown’s form is well off his peak, but rested, he is capable of reliving former heights. The legs may have gone but last night’s performance was a demonstration of leadership. He could also coach a few taller players in the team above movement and attacking the ball at corner kicks.
The penalty decision was ridiculous. Alan Power clearly took the legs from Odsonne Edouard without going anywhere near the ball. The decision was so clear-cut, referee Kevin Clancy must have had difficulty believing his eyes that such a blatant foul happened. Fortunately it did not affect the result.
Post-match we got an insight into some of the deeper layers of Neil Lennon’s season. Scoring on a rare start, Albian Ajeti’s “Work ethic hasn’t been good enough. He knows that and he’s changed that now.” Which is good.
The manager also said Olivier Ntcham “Was a bit fed up and indifferent about the Scottish game and I think he wanted a new challenge, like a few of them have maintained since the start of the season. It’s a difficult thing to claw them back in.”
Work ethic and indifference, the traumas of being young and wealthy in a global crisis. Hmmm.
It was only Kilmarnock, who were mostly awful, but we have deservedly lost to worse teams this season. I expect to receive fewer “will not finish second” texts, for a few days, anyway. You know who you are!
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Finishing a distant second, how distant yet to be seen, or even have to think about it, in a season where we were going for an all time historic 10 in a row, illustrates how the wheels have came off this season under Neil Lennon. Fact is his record over the last 25 games is marginally better than Killies, and they are looking for a new manager as we speak. Good result no question, but the fact is Ajeti scored his first goal since September, was it, after months as a bit part player. Lenny says he is not getting carried away no he is carrying on, and that despite seeing us knocked out of four tournaments before the Christmas tree came down.
No epiphany there.
So basically, the season would have gone well if:
the right back had put in better crosses
Ntcham had have been happy (and someone else?)
Ajeti had of worked harder
What about the awful defence, the lack of tactics, the poor use of subs, the absence of a plan B, the ignoring of certain players until forced to play them and the failure to strengthen in weak areas?
SCULLYBHOY
Everyone elses fault, bar his
Big Wavy
I think it’s an opportunity for doing something completely new – blank sheet of paper stuff. The kind of opportunity that doesn’t usually come up.
Do something really bold and develop an exciting new, progressive, high-risk/high-reward style across the club. We’re not going to get anything like that from the likes of Hughes.
ST TAMS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 1:33 PM
SCULLYBHOY
Everyone elses fault, bar his
##
Board’s fault.
Board appointed him without backup staff.
Board to appoint his replacement.
Board’s priority to ensure survival of huns.
Scullybhoy – You are of course right, the blame falls squarely on the managerial team.
Individual spoilt brat players have to take some responsibility but ultimately its the management team who fall on their sword.
D :)
Bgfc- a real lack of motivation all round, symptomatic of what we’ve been watching.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 1:36 PM
I’m with you on that one. If this season gives us some meaning it will be to finally start acting like a european club using every resource available to punch our weight.
Coaches, systems, facilities, pitches, diet, analytics, science, professionalism, recruitment, proposition, values, etc etc
Here’s hoping.
HH
Who’s responsible for an individual players fitness?
Who’s accountable for the fitness and match readiness of the playing squad?
SKY- I don’t have it. Hun tv and I doubt they have ever done a tribute to Celtic in winning the league or their second 9. I suspect they will act like the huns they are this May though.
But again, I don’t even have a tv licence.
What I do have is superfast b/band , unlimited mobile data and a firestick and I watch anything I like whenever or wherever I like on mobile devices.
will it be possible to get Ajeti to a level of fitness and mobility that we need up front?
maybe how he is now is just his natural physiology and theres not really much can be done to improve it
The email will have been sent to the MIBs,re the huns having zero penalties against them,so give 1 before the season’s out,all about fairness, and things evening themselves out…..right?
Sill people are so blinkered they cant admit that Brown had a good game.
Bizarre, he is a legendary Celtic captain, hes not Mo Johnsoon, its ok to say he done good
Amazing the amount of supporters that don’t watch us on sky tv, yet comment about every aspect of the game.
We need a Celtic minded virtual James Sanderson.
HH.
We got more refereeing breaks yesterday than all of this season’s games combined. I guess the referees think the league is over. Can we now expect sevco to concede a penalty?
Below is a quote from our manager.
“ THERE’S NO WAY THIS CLUB AND THIS TEAM HAVE GONE FROM BEING 13 POINTS AHEAD AT THE LOCKDOWN TO WHAT WE’RE GOING THROUGH THIS SEASON WITHOUT PROBLEMS BEHIND THE SCENES.
“SOMETIMES IT’S A DIFFICULT THING TO MANAGE BECAUSE THIS SEASON HAS NOT BEEN NORMAL BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.”
Neil what problems? Did he not tell us everything was fine behind the scenes?
D :)
GREENPINATA on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 2:09 PM
Amazing the amount of supporters that don’t watch us on sky tv, yet comment about every aspect of the game.
###
Hesgoal is a bit of a lucky dip so far as which broadcaster you get.
If it’s Sky it’s better with the sound muted.
GUYFAWKESAFOREVERHERO on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 1:09 PM
AIPPLE on 3rd February 2021 12:17PM
Sub zero temperatures
Your post brings to mind one of my favourite FACTS about USA. Chilly, windy Chicago sits at the same latitude, 41°N, as Barcelona and Rome. I had to look up Kentucky. Louisville at 38°N partners Sicily on this side of the Atlantic.
Different weather, same hours of daylight every day of the year for those places who share a Parallel.
——————————————
Thanks for that, quite a world eh, I had no idea. As a Glasgow man I am pretty sure we share the same line of latitude as Moscow, yes?
WESTCRAIGS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 2:09 PM
We got more refereeing breaks yesterday than all of this season’s games combined.’
###
Apart from the stonewall penalty, and free kick on the edge of the box, which were both denied.
NotTheBus
Agreed 100%.
Also the incident last night was nothing, unfortunate coming off the back of the stupidity of the Livi game.
And why cant we try Broonie and Soro at some point ?
The other midfielders didnt exactly shine (again).
Aipple on 3rd February 2021 2:13 pm
yes indeed you are correct, the Gulf Stream does us a big favour.
Good to get back to winning ways ,some good sharp passing movements.
I thought our captain played well ,young Welsh should improve with more games and have the confidence to express himself more.John joe came on to a solid game in the second half ,I think he will be an asset.
Why can’t Ajer win a ball in the air ,it really baffles me .Bain I am still not sure of we could’ve been a goal behind because he didn’t leave his line.and to be honest Kilmarnock could’ve scored a couple.
All things considered a good night tempered by the fact that Kilmarnock are a really bad team .
NOTTHEBUS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 2:06 PM
I’ll happily agree with you that Broony had a good game . More importantly , an influential game . He might not have Soro’s young legs , but he has the leadership qualities no one else in the team seems to have .
The only thing I thought a wee bit odd was his demeanour after he scored and his interaction (or rather the lack of it) with Lennon when he went off .
SPIKEYSAULDMAN
They both play in the same position
1) Disrupt opposition play before reaching our defence
2) Receive ball from defence and forward pass to player(s) in best position to mount attack
If both played 1 would stand watching while the other does the work both can do
I take no comfort in last night’s win – other than I always enjoy Celtic winning
But I have long since held the view that we have the best pool of players in Scotland by a long way
So any little dig by NL or Paul67 or anyone else about it being the players fault are a little naive (IMHO)
A manager has various responsibilities
One of them is the ability to motivate and create a desire to play at maximum capacity
Another is being able to coach players to improve
I do not believe NL has delivered on either of those responsibilities this season
We have no collective team spirit
That is why we will finish second
Team spirit does not come back in a new season
A manager brings team spirit
67ECW
TIMMY7_NOTED on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 2:28 PM
Aipple on 3rd February 2021 2:13 pm
yes indeed you are correct, the Gulf Stream does us a big favour.
###
It’s not just the gulf stream though. It’s the maritime effect of being surrounded by water rather than landmass. Water warms and cools more slowly than land so therefore has a moderating effect.
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 2:31 PM
He can’t be happy that this, probably his last season, which had promised so much, has turned to dust for reasons beyond his control.
Why is Kris Boyd selected as Sky pundit on what seems all our games this season?
I don’t want to listen to a biased Rangers / Sevco ‘legned’ when I sit down to watch Celtic.
He has plenty of crass comments to make too about us too. That Duffy stunt live on air before Hibs game re: team bubble being one recent such example.
I refuse to watch his pre, HT and FT time analysis myself – but why should I have to, just to avoid that cabbage during Celtic games?
It really pi*ses me off, so much so that I am the cusp of cancelling Sky Sports.
GLENDALYSTONSILS
I loved the reaction to both. A hint of anger at where we are.
No matter what this is a proud guy , a captain , who has been dropped from the first team . I would have found it strange if he was all smiles.
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 2:32 PM
You missed one . He and his coaching staff are responsible for ensuring that players reach and maintain peak fitness . Griffiths? Ajeti?
I thought Scott was MOTM yesterday.Covered a lot of ground and scored a great goal.
I thought a part of the problem for us was Scott covering lot of ground and leaving us a bit open at times at the back. That’s what you got with him. Not terribly disciplined but thankfully they were pretty passive.
I think we should have weaned ourselves off Scott Brown by now and an answer isn’t about playing him and Soro, it’s about finding him a role to flourish at his age.I like how Klopp uses an aging Milner as a template.
When the quality of oppostion gets higher the risk rises in playing Scott. He should not play against the better teams. They are too quick, too skilful and too good.
Scott’s a legend but his legacy in the last few years has been badly managed. Not his fault but merely only 1 of the countless failings of Neil Lennon.
HH
ERNIE
It looked more like a disconnect between player and manager . Contrast with the image of Martin O’Neill holding Lennon’s arm aloft in defiance at the end of that Rangers game .
Not the bus
You could be right , I just thought there would be more interaction between NL and SB when he left the field .
On another note
Like most on here, I am flummoxed as to why NL is still our manager
But i did read a theory on here (apologies I cannot remember by who)
The theory was that NL is on a bonus for winning the league (I think the figure quoted was £1.6m)
And if we sack him when the probability still exists to win the league (mathematically) then NL can claim the £1.6m
Now I have no idea if right or wrong
But i like the attempt at applying some sort of reasoning as to why NL is still with us
(I would have welcomed an analysis by Paul67 on why NL is still with us)
Even if a load of nonsense I take the view that there will be some sort of contractual or legal reason that Celtic have not acted
Well I hope there is, because if there is not, it would lead you to believe that our Board still believe NL is the answer
I am simply not intelligent enough to understand how we have gotten into this predicament
Hey Ho
67ECW
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 3RD FEBRUARY 2021 2:40 PM
Yep we have struggled all season
67ECW
Talk about Boyd all you like but he is getting fed the questions by Barbour and she isnt sleekit,she is in your face biased, disgraceful slanted coverage from her , and dont give me she is told what to ask, I have seen her in action in other sports golf for example and she is not like this, guess green and white hoops upset her.
With a little bit of
imagination
one can get to watch most games with having to revert to Sly, an’ thur sleekit,
scoddish, patter……………
;0
:))))))))))))))))
HH.
67ECW,
I shared the NL 10iar bonus on Monday nights blog – was doing the rounds on other forum’s and on twitter.
Just passing on what is posted elsewhere.
I can think of 3 scenario’s why NL is still in a job:
1) DD/PL genuinely had no succession plan from Oct/Nov and are playing catch-up now.
2) DD is doing this in arrogance to spite the fans to show he will not bow to fan pressure. Extremely naive if accurate.
3) There are some financial clauses in NL’s contract that are influencing the club’s decision to remove him.
I suspect it is a combination of #1 & #3.
…..out…….
:)