Neil Lennon

He speaks total sense in every interview and I find myself agreeing with everything he says. Lenny just gets it.

 

NL: “We’ve been absolutely tremendous, our consistency has been excellent. The way the players have been approaching the games and winning the games with a certain style of play is delighting me.”


NL: “Aberdeen is one of our best performances of the season, under the circumstances. I can’t criticise any facet of the team at this stage, they’re playing brilliant and got the bit between their teeth.”


NL: “I think the team can get better and there’s more to come from them. What we’ve achieved in Europe is spectacular so far and we've been fantastic in the league.”

NL: “Our priority is the league and we’re making really good strides in that aspect. I’m really proud how the players handle themselves on and off the field.


NL: "We know what areas we can improve on, we are working in the background on that. We have our recruitment team and they’re taking that weight off me and then I’ll have packages to look at to push the button on that."

NL on #STMCEL: "When we played them at Celtic Park, it was a difficult game. This is the type of the game you can fall on your sword if you’re not careful. We’ve got to fully focus on getting the result against St Mirren."


NL: "I used to love playing #Christmas time. There’s a nice atmosphere around it. We’ll be in in the morning and then give them afternoon and evening off. It’s an important time of the season, but it’s important they spend time with their loved ones."

 

I've often wondered where we would be at this moment under br , would the huns be ahead of us in the league , was the poor last season down to him chucking the toys oot the pram or is it possible the lenny appointment has brought new motivation to keep on going and win more silverware , fingers crossed this could be fate that keeps on delivering success to the club and pushes them back a few more years .

 

Going by Wikipedia, we had 42 points after 19 games last year. That would put us 5 behind the Huns having played a game more.

A year earlier we had 44, still 3 behind having played a game more.

Obviously the invincible season we were incredible and racked up 55.

Ronny's second year we were on 43, putting us 4 behind having played a game more.

Ronny's first season we were on 42, which would again leave us 5 behind after playing a game more.


Assuming the stats from Wikipedia are correct, there are 3 things I draw from that:

1) Anyone who thinks the Huns aren't genuine challengers this year is deluding themselves.

2) Except for the invincibles, every other team we've had since Lenny left the first time would be in big, big trouble right now. Both of Ronny's seasons and two of Rodgers'.

3) What a fantastic job Lenny has done. I never thought he'd be doing so well so quickly and I wanted him. And thank * as well, given we have a real race again for the first time in so long.

 

NL: It’s a great win. We could have made it a little more comfortable for ourselves, but their goalkeeper had a fantastic second half, to be fair, and some of the chances we created and some of the football was good as well."

We were a bit slow getting our shots off at times but I thought we looked dangerous all day. I would like us to put a more flattering scoreline on the board – but in terms of the performance, it was good."

"Callum was brilliant all day again today. The run he made for the goal was fantastic, he’s playing at such a high standard. I’m delighted for Jamesy as well – I said to him before the game that he was due a goal and it was a brilliant goal."

 

Great to see this stat , as it kinda proves that br jumping ship could become the thorn in the huns that they begged for at the end of last season , revenge my dear is a dish best served cold .

 

NL: "The run we are on is fantastic and the consistency levels, quality of play and will to win is very strong at the moment."


NL: "The players are a brilliant bunch and I’ve learned from them as well. I enjoy working with them, the quality of their play since August has been absolutely magnificent. They’re a delight. One more big game to go before they get their well-earned break."



NL: "We are at home and our home form is fantastic. First one we’ve played at home in a while so fans will be looking forward to it."


NL: "We keep the training sharp, intense and the players look after themselves very well. Their mentality is excellent. We’ve got great pace in the team, players that excite you."


NL: "We go for it in every game. Our philosophy won’t change on Sunday and we’ll have the bulk of support which is a big advantage."


NL: "You can never predict them. Both teams in good form and that’s not going to change in a two-day period. It has all the ingredients for a very exciting game."



NL: "Every fixture means the same, every game this month has been crucial. I’m just so happy in the way the players have negotiated the month."

 

Anyone want to know when Neil Lennon decided he was going to reshuffle the midfield to accommodate Ntcham? About half way through the first half of the League Cup Final when we were getting dominated by the huns. He rightly decided something has to change and he has carried that out in the weeks since. We are now going into this game prepared with a midfield including Ntcham that will severely unsettle the huns, they will find this a very different game than the League Cup Final. I see this as forward thinking proactive management by Neil Lennon, we struggled against them at times in the last game but measures have been taken to rectify this over the last few weeks.

 

I used to get * off at him for our pressing not working as it should , but the other side of the coin is , in a frantic midfield battle of press and counter press as an extra man in midfield , he could be the player in the eye of the storm , unruffled and able to split a defence or hit the target from outside the box regularly , he is a player that's quality and hard to leave out the team .

 

I agree entirely on points 2 and 3 random. In terms of point 1 what does "genuine challengers mean" ? They are closer, however I try to look at these things mathematically and in terms of odds percentages. The odds compilers have the percentage chance of each team winning the league as 75% Celtic and 25% DOBs and I wouldn't disagree with that. After tomorrow that will change to over 80% chance of us winning the league (imo). That is a pretty high percentage in a two horse race. It is based on one team winning 8 in a row and this having the experience and winning mentality and having played their nearest challengers twice already this season and winning both games with clean sheets.

I am assuming you would put the percentage chances of each team as being closer than that ?

I get the impression some folk on here ( not you) think there is a 55% chance of us winning the league and a 55% chance of them winning it.

 

I think wot we are seeing is that on their game there is only 1 team able to beat them and this means they have got better , taking every 1 else out the equation as the bookies are looking at it , head to head we are more likely to win the games between us .

 

We have no idea if there is a title race as it's still December.

The Huns have it all to do to prove they can keep this pace up. Starting with tomorrow.

 

NEIL LENNON took over from Brendan Rodgers and quickly got the message.

Now he exchanges weekly texts with his Parkhead predecessor.

Lennon leads his Celtic side out against Rangers today knowing a win will move them eight points clear of their only rivals in the title race.

When Lenny succeeded Rodgers, first temporarily, then on a permanent basis, there were some murmurings of discontent from fans at his return.

Double Treble winning gaffer Rodgers was always going to be a hard act to follow, yet Lennon has arguably lifted Celts to an even higher level, particularly on the European stage.

Rodgers’ star has also continued to rise after steering Leicester to second spot in the Premier League.

Now Lennon has revealed the constant communication between the Northern Irish pair this season.

He said: “I speak to Brendan Rodgers every week. We text each other every week, anyway.

He’s doing great things at Leicester, but he still keeps an eye on things here.

“We’re in touch a lot. We’ve both been complimentary to each other. I’m delighted for Brendan and I think he’s pretty pleased for me.

“You have to remember a lot of the structure was in place when I took over.

“We’ve added bits and pieces to it and tried to kick on.”

The Old Firm’s dominance in the Scottish game has returned this season, with Gers back fighting at the top of the table.

Celts won the first derby at Ibrox, but both sides have dropped just 12 points between them to other teams in the league. That means victories in the Old Firm clashes could be even more pivotal in deciding the title winners.



Today will be the ninth game of a crazy month for the Hoops, yet their only loss was the dead rubber Europa League clash in Cluj.

Celtic have not lost in the league since the shock 2-0 reverse at Livingston in early October. That run also includes their backs-to-the-wall Betfred Cup final win over Steven Gerrard’s men.

Managing such a volume of fixtures has been a skill in itself, even before the magnitude of today’s game is considered.

Lennon added: “It’s maybe a shame this game is positioned at the end of it all. Rangers have had eight games, we’ve had nine.

“The players are running on fumes sometimes, yet both teams seem to find a way to win. In the main they have won well.

“It’s rest and recovery and a bit of analytical work. It’s not like we don’t know how Rangers play or their players.

“We see them on TV and we’ve played them twice already.

“I don’t think there will be huge amounts of changes tactically. You don’t really have the time.


Every now and again either manager might spring a wee surprise, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.

“It’s really impressive consistency from both teams. They are winning games and in the main they are winning well.

“It may boil down to the games against each other.

“I can’t predict that because you never know what might happen in the second half of the season.

“We’re at home and that gives us a big advantage. Our form at Celtic Park has been spectacular this season.”

Odsonne Edouard is fit to start today after an impressive 90 minutes in the Boxing Day win over St Mirren.

The 16-goal Frenchman wasn’t 100 per cent at Hampden, but his arrival off the bench panicked Gers into conceding.

He’s shown his liking for being a big-game player in the past and already has five Old Firm goals to his name.


Lennon said: “Edouard being back is a big plus. He’s a pretty good player!

“Sometimes you are only as good as your centre-forward and he’s one of the best around.

“Over the piece, Old Firm goals are sometimes the benchmark of your Celtic career. His record is as good as anyone’s.

“He’s been in spectacular form all season, whether it’s link-up play, physicality, pace or volume of goals.

“But we’re getting goals from all over the place which pleases me.

“I’ve also got a keeper bang in form. He’s been pivotal to this run. It’s the sum of all parts.

“We’ll be a different animal from the cup final when we had to go with Lewis Morgan, who’s a winger, up front.

“Lewis did well, but we have a top of the range centre-forward starting this game which will make a huge difference to the whole team.”

Gers’ talisman Alfredo Morelos has gone 11 games without a goal against the Hoops and cut a frustrated figure after being denied by Fraser Forster at Hampden. The law of averages would say the Colombian will put that right sooner rather than later.

Lennon added: “He’s a goalscorer isn’t he? His record over the piece, particularly this season has been excellent.

“He’s a threat and one to keep an eye on.”

With the transfer window opening on Wednesday, Celts are already in the market for the likes of Andraz Sporar, Fabricio Bruno and Ismaila Soro.

Lennon said: “You always look for better, but I’m really happy with what I’ve got.

“Even if I don’t add in January I’m happy to go with what I’ve got and look for improvement. Some of them aren’t at their peak yet, they have their best years in front of them.

“There’s a bit of youth in there if you look at Kris Ajer, Jeremie Frimpong and Mikey Johnston. We’re talking about these players as if they are stalwarts of the team and Ajer is probably the eldest at 21.

“So the potential is huge. Ryan Christie is 24 and he’s been unbelievable for a year.

“He’s arguably one of Scotland’s best players now.

“Edouard is 21 but I know you wouldn’t think that. So I see development in them, I see improvement in them, whether it be physically or in football.”

 

I mean, in the context of 8 years of being 99.9% certain of winning the league...

I'd go along with 80/20 actually, that's a good figure. If Eddy stays fit, I'd say it's more like 90/10 TBH. If Eddy gets an injury that puts him out for a while and we don't buy a striker in January, it could be more like 60/40 IMHO. So overall 80/20 seems about right.

To me, that's a challenge. I preferred the processions TBH.

 

Bold * Man

 

Lenny is certainly doing a great job and the huns improved, but the issue is this year teams like Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts and Kilmarnock got much worse and dont have the ability to take points from either us or the scum. No matter how good we are, our few opportunities of opening a gap are in the games against the inbred themselves.

 

This is on him and the league will be too if we carry on like this

Shambles since the Hamilton game.