Neil Lennon has stated that he remains surprised by Jozo Simunovic’s skill on Sunday against Aberdeen.
The Bosnian put in the type of performance against the Dons that Celtic needed him to. With Dedryck Boyata and Filip Benkovic not contracted to be at Parkhead next season, Simunovic could really do with some impressive outings over the next few weeks.
Impressively, he showed a lot more than just dominance at the back. Out of nowhere, he showed some flashy footwork too. Simunovic oozed confidence in stepping out with the ball consistently on Sunday. He also came close to scoring on three occasions, with one being a bombing run and another being a bicycle kick.
Lennon has subsequently taken the time to once again praise Simunovic for the display. Speaking in the Celtic View (Volume 54, Issue 38, Page 7), the Northern Irishman again spoke about how surprised he was at the defender’s technical ability.
“Jozo surprised me on Sunday. He was very, very good technically on the ball, and I thought he had a fantastic game defensively. I should have given him a rollicking for not scoring!
“No, seriously, his acrobatics at the end deserved better, and I’m delighted for him. He’s come through a period of multiple injuries with a great attitude and a great desire to play. I thought he handled Sam Cosgrove very, very well.
“I think that attacking-mindedness of the players was evident all over the game. With balls into the box in between the goalkeeper and the defenders, you’ve got to ask the question at times.”
Consistency the key for Jozo
What Simunovic now needs is consistency. Nothing less than a consistent run of performances will hopefully be enough to convince any new manager that he can do a job.
The season, much like his Celtic career as a whole, has been full of ups and downs. But he has a golden opportunity to really make the most of the defensive situation at Parkhead.
Lennon may have commented on his forward play, but it’s Simunovic’s defending that needs to remain sharp. Like the interim boss says, he was superb against Sam Cosgrove. Simunovic won the aerial duels early on, and this subsequently frustrated the Aberdeen man. Cosgrove soon resorted to diving all over the place in the hope of winning cheap fouls.
That’s the kind of performance Simunovic is capable of. Too often, however, he’s struggled trying to play out from the back and doing the simple things. Encouragingly, he looked a lot more composed against the Dons than he had done in the past.
But, at the end of the day, it was only one game. Simunovic still has plenty to prove between now and the end of the season. Given the difficulty of fixtures remaining too, he will certainly be tested.
The baton is now with him. Lennon has praised him, and he’s now holding a first-team slot. Let’s see if he can run with it.
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