A penny for the thoughts of Celtic boss Neil Lennon after that one.
It’s possible he’ll be feeling enormous relief. What had been a really dull game became a 4-0 rout. All the meandering forward play of the first 70 minutes was abandoned, as Ryan Christie came on to amazing affect. The Celtic manager has stumbled onto a winning formula against a side who caused major problems only days ago [Sky Sports].
Tactically, it’s impossible to know what it means. Over the last few games, we’ve seen so many versions of Celtic that it’s impossible to know if there’s a coherent strategy in place.
With the 4-4-2 diamond, Celtic have largely been successful. At the very least, the Bhoys were comfortable in this match, but it’s probably a result that flatters us. For almost 70 minutes, Celtic created next to nothing of any substance, save for Rogic’s goal, which was more of an act of individual quality.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon abandons pressing game
On a very cold night in Paisley, Celtic decided not to press St Mirren with the intensity shown against Motherwell. That makes some sense, with McGrath and Durmus catching the Bhoys out on the break in 2-1 loss just past. However, it did mean that there was more standoffishness, with Lennon’s side more patient out of possession.
Meanwhile, the desire for less width, especially against a stodgy midfield, was a curious call to make. Taylor and Kenny were reined in here, and make no mistake. There was a sense of caution about their play in this match, not using the channels to progress play. Often, they cut inside and followed the flow of the game rather than dictating terms.
I’m not moaning, really I’m not. After a 4-0 win, I have little to complain about. However, it’s concerning that Neil Lennon’s tactics seem to be formed by circumstance rather than design. You could ask 10 different Celtic supporters what kind of manager Lennon is, and they would all give you different answers. Under Rodgers, this team had an identity.
What next for Celtic manager?
If you don’t have hope, there’s no point in watching. So let’s focus on what Neil Lennon can do next in terms of tactics.
Keep the diamond
James Forrest’s return will cause an interesting dilemma for Neil Lennon, but he shouldn’t force the winger into the team.
More often than not, this shape has worked. It’s adaptable, as was proven tonight. Lennon changed the structure at 1-0, and it ended 4-0.
With 4 midfielders on the park and two strikers, it’s easier to tinker in-game from that formation than a 4-2-3-1.
Find a preferred XI
Celtic boss Neil Lennon has slowly been inching towards picking his best team. We’re in February.
Now, to be fair, Lennon has had to deal with a raft of absences. Some self-inflicted, others the natural circumstance we see in an average season.
However, it didn’t feel like he really knew the depth of his squad. Turnbull and Soro are classic examples; they were thrown in far too late.
The Brown v Soro debate will likely rage on, as will Rogic v Christie in the number 10 role. Still, it’s encouraging that, with plenty matches still to play, that our manager has finally realised the actual quality in the squad, in terms of depth of position and in-game options.
What we learned as Celtic beat the Buddies 4-0.
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