Neil Lennon

You don't win a League in spite of a manager.

 

He can escape a revolt for the moment because we are scraping wins and are sitting top of the league. The league position is however a fig leaf that is not covering up a host of problems that most fans are able to see for themselves.

He is walking a tightrope at the moment and I wonder if he even realises it. A poor performance and a defeat against Sevco will see the ceasefire end and the frustration that has been building ever since Ferencvaros will be unleashed.

I don't care what the league table says. The team isn't playing smoothly, it needs continuity to achieve that smoothness, and for the love of * Scott Brown needs dropped.

Get it sorted, Neil.

 

Think he's spot on with the over the top criticism of the squad.

 

Maybe Duff was as instrumental as what player's said..

He was key in a lot of set piece and attacking play in training..

Is Gavin Strachan a level below? Who knows yet and it could be nothing as he's only just in the door but we don't look as fluid at the minute..

Deffo need to stick to a formation and a majority of personnel just for now to build some proper momentum in performance..

 

Not necessarily true at all. It can happen and has done in the past. Take Juventus last year for example - there’s a reason Sarri lost his job, but his squad was far better than any other in the league and the players dragged them to another title despite some awful tactics that clearly didn’t work for long periods.

As I said, I love Lennon, but he can be his own worst enemy at times with how stubborn he is.

 

We played well in spells, I agree. However I’d put that down to individuals having a good game rather than a great tactical plan by the manager. There just seems to be a real lack of fluidity in the system at the moment and we’re far too reliant on individual moments.

 

Missed the game, so do not want to be too harsh, but from what I have read and considering how the scoreline unfolded, it seems Lennon is dead set on doing the opposite of what he has already proven to be the way forward - 3-5-*-2

Why we start so defensively is anyone * guess these days. Why we go out and win 5-0 one week and prove 352 works after the shambles of the no striker nonsense, he then goes on to play 5 defenders and a DM in Brown, who practically plays CB most the game, it's a mystery at times.

Barkas
Ajer, Duffy, Julien
Frimpong........Ely
Ntcham, McGregor, Turnbull
Edouard, Ajeti.

Not that * hard!
Frimpong for Forrest when he bothers to show the * back up as well.


Still seeing the usual sort defending Lennon, which is fine, we all have opinions, but the writing is on the * wall here, we are scrapping wins at an alarming rate and not learning from previous games it seems.

Why was the squad changed today?

 

Fair enough. There are clearly some issues, but I don't think we're devoid of a tactical plan. Three games in a week means it makes sense to have some squad rotation and despite our flaws it worked with three wins out of three, but I do think he rotated the wrong players at times. By that, I mean Brown featured too much. I just don't think he offers enough.

 

I’m not saying we’re completely devoid of a tactical plan, it’s just not one that’s working and Lenny appears to be too stubborn to admit that and make the necessary changes. He’s trying to put square pegs in round holes by playing a formation that we don’t have the players for.

We don’t have a LWB, albeit Taylor did well with his assist today. We need to get one in if Lenny wants to continue with that system.

Brown doesn’t have the legs anymore to play on his own at the base of a midfield triangle, but similarly we don’t need two players (ie McGregor alongside him) sitting and not getting into dangerous areas, especially at home to teams like Livingston. Either give McGregor the reigns as the holding player with two of Christie, Ntcham and Turnbull in front of him or put a player in with the legs (Soro or Connell perhaps) to play that holding role and let McGregor get forward. Brown just simply isn’t needed in these games.

I completely understand your point that we need to rotate due to the volume of games and I agree entirely, however as you said Lennon is making the wrong rotations. Surely resting your 35 year old captain at home to Livingston in favour of a more forward thinking player isn’t unthinkable, especially with three centre backs and two defensive wingbacks in the side.

 

If you're suggesting that you can win the SPFL in spite of the manager ie. they're a hindrance more than a help then aren't you by extension discrediting the worth of the competition?

I don't watch too much Italian Football so I can't comment much on Sarri but I'd guess it's more a case of their club having bigger ambitions than just winning the League, similar to us with Deila.

They were put out of the Champions League by a Lyon team with far less resources than them.

I think you can win a game in spite of a manager's decisions, maybe a small succession of games....but a 38 game League? Nah.

 

I’m going to go with the thinking that Lenny is doing all this strange selection/formation/tactics guff as a bit of a ‘confuser’ for when the ‘derby’ comes round...

His setup and tactics (where there were any) in last seasons ‘meetings’ were too easy to read and it showed big style.

Maybe he’s got the perfect 3-5-2 lineup at the ready for October and will unleash it to devastating effect. Yes.. that’s it!

Yes.... I’m going with that ... otherwise my frustration at his decisions will bug me until the next match.

 

every year for the last 3 years mate

 

You are overthinking it mate

 

Juventus-Sarri, Bayern-Kovac, Emery-PSG. Even us with Deila.

A team absolutely can win the league in spite of who their manager is.

 

Whether some of you like it or not we are actually top of the league whilst arguably under performing and we will get better and improve whether you like it or not.

Ten in a row is coming so ram your Lennon/Christie/Ajer/Forrest/Kennedy (delete as appropriate) is * comments.

Every trophy the last 4 seasons minus the scottish cup from last year but still some like to complain.
I never thought it would be possible to see such success in my lifetime

 

Its a weird situation to be in where we have 19 points put of 21 and people are saying he needs to go/had enough etc. I have doubts myself.

Its all due to the importance of this season though coupled with the strong start the huns have made. Just need to back Lennon.

 

Not just that but we've won 26 out of our last 29 League games (2 draws 1 loss) probably the best run of results in Europe or 2nd best to Bayern.

Yet the way people are talking you'd think 1 slip up would cause meltdown.

Even if you go back to our last 38 League games, so like a full season. We've won 33 drew 3 and lost 2. Equivalent of a 102 point season is the League run we are on.

 

We are 100% underperforming... It looks like we don't have a clue at times. Lennon's team selection, subs and tactics (or lack of) are questionable in pretty much every game. 10 in a row is not as much of a given as you think if we continued like this.

We should be able to steam roll spfl teams in most games we play given the squad we have, yet we struggle for large parts and concede stupid poor goals for fun now..
Lennon IS the problem. He refuses to give new guys a chance, his use of subs is at time baffling and his refusal to drop his chosen few is madness...

I hope this is just a blip and we come out and show everyone just that but I'm not convinced that's going to happen any time soon.

 

Just naming managers who didn't live up to their clubs expectations doesn't prove your point.

All the clubs listed demand and expect more than just winning the League. That doesn't mean they won their Leagues in spite of them.