Livingston manager Gary Holt says Neil Lennon's Celtic are "world class"

By David Walton

November 24, 2019

Livingston manager Gary Holt has held his hands up and admitted that Celtic are simply a “world class” team.

The Tony Macaroni Arena side were pummeled 4-0 by the Champions at Celtic Park yesterday. Goals from Odsonne Edouard, Scott Brown, and a James Forrest double ensured that there would be no repeat of the 2-0 loss we suffered at Livi back in October.

However, the stats paint a serious picture of dominance outside of the goals too. Celtic managed 73% possession, and managed an incredible 24 shots to Livingston’s two. 12 of ours were on target, whilst Livi managed only one (BBC).

Celtic were too good for Livingston yesterday (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Holt wasn’t happy with his side’s defending during the game either. But when commenting on it overall to the BBC, he gave a glowing review of the Hoops.

“Celtic are a world class team, they really are, and they’ve got a lot of pace and movement.

“But we nullified them at times. The goals are horrible. There’s not one you can say is a great bit of play. It’s wee individual mistakes we need to look at and we need to eradicate.”

Holt entitled to see things from the Livingston perspective

It’s perhaps a bit harsh for Holt to say that not one of the goals was a great bit of play. After all, Edouard’s chip for the first goal and Forrest’s volley were moments of real quality.

Gary Holt watched his Livingston team take a bruising yesterday (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Then again, you have to look at it from Livingston’s side too. Ricki Lamie should’ve cut out Tom Rogic’s through ball for Edouard’s goal. They were then caught in possession deep in their own half for Forrest’s second. Brown’s goal, meanwhile, took a wicked deflection that Holt will rue.

Yet, despite the mistakes Livingston made, they were forced into them. This was simply down to the fact that Celtic managed to dominate possession to such an extent. They were never troubled by Holt’s men, and that’s a problem for the Livingston gaffer.

From our perspective, however, that’s now our eighth consecutive win. Livingston were the last team to actually beat us, and Celtic have an aggregate score of 18-0 in the league since that game.

Neil Lennon’s Celtic continue to fly (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Our European exploits have perhaps helped Holt’s verdict of us being world class. Whilst that may be a stretch for now, there’s no doubt that class oozes out of this Celtic side at the moment.

You would fancy us to give anyone in world football a decent enough game. Considering where we were in Europe under Brendan Rodgers last season, that’s a massive improvement. Holt’s comments are just further proof that Lennon is continuing to get things right in Glasgow.