Celtic manager Neil Lennon has hailed the defensive duo of Jozo Simunovic and Kristoffer Ajer as a partnership.
Simunovic was suspended for the trip to Fir Park yesterday, allowing Christopher Jullien to make his domestic debut. There were pros and cons to Jullien’s debut display in the Premiership, but Lennon has hinted he may not play on Tuesday night.
Jullien didn’t start the first leg in Cluj. Instead, Lennon went with the reliable Simunovic-Ajer partnership. The big Frenchman did come on for the closing stages in Romania, but doesn’t look set to start on Tuesday.
That comes after Lennon told Celtic fans in the Telegraph to expect more of the Simunovic-Ajer pairing as we soldier on.
“Kris has played almost every minute since I have come in. I think he is an outstanding talent who will only get better and Jozo is what you would call a proper centre half. He wants to head. He is a man, really tough uncompromising. We will see more of that as we go on.
“It is a big compliment to the two to the two guys that I haven’t had to play Christopher. It is good to have that strength in what is a really important area.
“With Jozo, it is going to be difficult to play three times in the week. There is a continuity that has been carried on and a familiar one. Christopher Jullien will get up to speed as we go on. We know what we have got with him.”
Ajer-Simunovic defensive duo is clearly Lenny’s first-choice
What these comments do provide is an explanation for Jullien’s omission. Lennon does hint that he isn’t quite fully fit yet, but the main aspect seems to be that he doesn’t feel he can drop either of his current centre-backs.
Jullien didn’t produce an overwhelmingly solid display at Fir Park yesterday. He was beaten in the air by Declan Gallagher for Motherwell’s second goal, and a couple of loose passes showed a player who does seem to still be building up his fitness levels right enough.
Meanwhile, both Ajer and Simunovic impressed supremely in Romania on Thursday night. Neither produced a notable error, and have helped lay the foundations to knock Cluj out and set-up a Champions League playoff tie with Slavia Prague.
And Lennon seems keen to reward both with extended game-time for it. They now seem the heavy favourites to start on Tuesday. Lennon’s words seem to more or less confirm that, as he spoke about the continuity it provides.
Jullien, meanwhile, did cover his lack of game-time in last week’s Celtic View. He stated that he was happy to fight for his place and that he knows competition for places will be high (Volume 55, Issue 5 page 22).
But, for now, it seems as though he isn’t a part of Lennon’s first-choice partnership until he gets fully up to speed (whenever that will be).
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