Compare and contrast managerial approaches. As Neil Lennon discussed a perceived overreaction to a sloppy defensive performance against Ross County, he asked fans for a little more patience and understanding when Celtic cough up possession and chances from time to time.
“It was possibly a reaction to the County game, but the thing is teams are allowed to create chances against you! This is what our fans need to understand at times. Sometimes teams will get in, sometimes teams will score a goal,” Lenny said to the Media, as reported by Scottish Sun.
“It’s about the reaction and every time we’ve conceded this season, our reaction has been good. They don’t panic, there’s no anxiety, they just get on with it.
“We don’t throw anyone under a bus, we stay together, we get back in the game and go and win it.”
You have to love Lenny’s choice of words in the last sentence…“we don’t throw anyone under the bus”…
Was that perhaps a wee dig at the new club across the city and in particular Steven Gerrard?
As ‘the’ Rangers blinked again in yesterday’s goalless draw at Ibrox against a defensively sound Aberdeen side Steven Gerrard followed up by doing just-that throwing his star striker under the bus.
— Tam sellics son III (@TamsellicsonIII) February 1, 2020
Speaking to ‘Rangers’ TV Gerrard said;
“We’ve created three or four big moments in the game. The biggest two were obviously one in the first half when Alfredo should have put Ryan Kent in on goal. The second he should have taken the chance that was presented to him, fantastic ball by Conor. The result could have been different if we had taken those two big moments.
“The reality is, me big players, me talented players in the final third never delivered today.”
He has form for that. Following their last blink in the title race the 2-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle he was a little less specific but just as ruthless. Is it any wonder confidence is taking a hit on the south side of the city?
Speaking to the press post match Gerrard had this to say, as reported by Daily Record.
“Hearts deserved the win, they’ve rushed us off the pitch, they’ve rattled us,” said Gerrard. You can lose a football match but when you don’t recognise your players it’s a bit of a shock.”
“Today, I could pick eight players that I didn’t recognise – who were passengers. In 100 games, I’ve never sat here and said that.”
There always seemed to be an unwritten rule in football that you may call your players out in the sanctity and privacy of the changing room but you don’t take the criticism into the public sphere, where friends and families of the players get to see the vilification.
Gerrard is pushing his luck if he’s hoping his dressing room will stay united through a poor run of form since the winter break with public criticism like that. His players will not be happy.
When Celtic lost on 29 December 2-1 at Celtic Park the performance levels were poor.
Lennon could well have criticised many members of that squad. He certainly would have done so in the dressing room or in post-match analysis of the defeat but it remained in-house.
He told Sky Sports: “I’m obviously very disappointed with that. I didn’t think we deserved to lose it.
“I don’t think we deserved to win it either but the goal from the set piece was really poor from our point of view, a free header from a set play.
“We were a little bit tepid a times and physically off it and a bit fatigued and leggy.
“But overall just really disappointing to end this run in the manner we did.
“We couldn’t get our wingers into the game so that’s why I changed it a little bit. Missed the penalty as well, these are the big moments of the game.
“But overall we’ve had a great run so we’ll reset and go again. They’re a good side. We’ve got good character, we’ll bounce back from it.
“We have to take that one, look at it and improve on it. There’s nothing to panic about, it’s just disappointing to lose our home record and to lose the last game of the year we have been playing. Sometimes these things happen and it’s not your day.
“We had two off the line, missed a penalty. On another day we could have had three or four ourselves.”
No individual blamed and a collective responsibility for the defeat. The Celtic players would have respected him for that approach.
Given the magnitude of that defeat at the time it would have been all too easy to throw some of those players to the Lions. Lennon didn’t do that. When you compare the two approaches there is indeed a contrast in styles. I’m sure most professional footballers would appreciate Lennon’s approach to that of Steven Gerrard.
— Tam sellics son III (@TamsellicsonIII) February 1, 2020
Lennon takes Celtic to Hamilton at lunchtime today. Following ‘the’ Rangers dropping five out of their last six points and without a convincing display to their name since returning from their own Dubai break. Celtic and Lennon have the chance to turn the screw and go seven points ahead of their nearest challengers.
So far the Hoops manager has overseen a team that has dropped only eight points all season and now sit with a four point advantage at the top of the league.
From the 69 points up for grabs Celtic have 61. Not bad at all and a massive improvement on this time last season. The first domestic silverware of the season lies in the Parkhead trophy room again as that winning habit continues unabated.
The European form following the Champions League disappointment has been excellent. Home and away wins against Lazio saw the Hoops qualify with only four out of six games played and win the group with a game to spare.
Neil Lennon has his players playing for him. If this form keeps up Steven Gerrard will need all of his players doing the same. If that’s what he needs he has a funny way of going about it. When confidence is low that last thing you want to hear is your manager absolve himself of all responsibility whilst picking a scapegoat or two to deflect the blame.
When you compare and contrast the two, is it any wonder Celtic have daylight at the top of the league?
Niall J
“I’ve got my reasons for no liking Steven Gerrard and I’ll no say it on air” pic.twitter.com/S5RMGp7gKb
— Tam sellics son III (@TamsellicsonIII) February 1, 2020
ALSO ON THE CELTIC STAR…
‘Short memories,’ says Lenny, ‘Forrest is entitled to a bad couple of days’…see HERE.
‘Short memories,’ says Lenny, ‘Forrest is entitled to a bad couple of days’…see HERE.
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