A substitution made by Neil Lennon during Celtic’s 5-0 win over Nomme Kalju may set the tone for the season ahead and the style of football Lennon wants to introduce to the club.
When Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo went off in the first-half, Lennon could have replaced the player with Jonny Hayes. A player who can play in both defence and attack.
Celtic went for the jugular
However, Lennon decided to go for the jugular in the game, and he brought on Mikey Johnston. The move paid off, as the Hoops went on to record an emphatic victory.
Could this substitution be an indication for the kind of football Lennon wants to play? It’s a bit early to say. However, he does seem far more committed to attacking football than he did when he was caretaker manager last season.
Willingness to play two strikers
Another indication of that is his willingness to play two strikers. Last season Lennon rigidly stuck to one striker. There has been a change after only three competitive matches this season, with Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths the strike duo used against Nomme Kalju.
Celtic cannot play all out attack in every game that they will face this season. Obviously some games will require the Hoops to play more defensively.
However, the vast majority of games should see the Hoops firmly on the front foot. It looks as if Lennon is planning for that to be the case.
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