1) Even though hours have past (including an extra hour) staring into the abyss without any obvious answer for us simple folk to shout out loud doesn’t half make you feel useless. A bit like how our team looked for 90 minutes.
2) This picture sums it up quite nicely.
3) Why are we inconsistent? Injuries are a big part in this (maybe a new workout programme is needed), a manager going through a crisis of confidence is another reason but could the major fact be this below?
4) Celtic never had a corner in a game that was must win.
5) I was hard on Hibs after the Diddy Cup game. I must say that Osbourne and Agogo were superb on Saturday and the whole team showed commitment and effort that we could only dream about. They seemed to want to play for their manager.
Is that a new thing?
I spent a good deal of that match saying “who’s their number 24? He’s everywhere” or “he’s got Ki in his pocket” or “no that 24 again, why the f**k is that?!”
Osbourne.
He was immense. The tag team in the middle for Hibs reminded me of Gomes and Bauben at Dunt under Levein.
It may only be an excuse but I do think that the young age of the team does contribute to inconsistency.
nb. I have never ever thought that having players in the 30 age range was a problem.:-)
I said on a previous post that this team needs a Robson or a Caldwell.
and i have said for 2 years lenny is not a manager
Ki’s game plan is run around a wee bit until he gets the chance to have a long shot or free-kick. Kayal acts like a primary 7 kid sometimes crying cause his lip got cut (serious injury i know). Yes theres been injuries to our top players. the Brown hatters might moan about his lack of ability but atleast he drives the team forward. A team that give up too easy. Ledley has got to play in the middle! Hopper has went AWOL i think he’s on holiday somewhere & a lookalike has took his place. How many can look in the mirror at the end of the game & truely say i gave it everything?
On Saturday the answer was none.
Im getting really sick of hearing NL going on about how the players have let him down. Even if he thinks it’s true, it’s really unprofessional to keep slagging the players off in the press.
What makes it even worse though is that I’m far from convinced that our problems are down to the players. Last year when we lost at ITC, NL was straight in the papers blaming the players. If you ask me, however, his tactics were to blame for our problems that night, and I’m sure that they’re to blame for our problems now.
Take responsibility for your mistakes Lenny. Admit when you make them- and learn from them. (for example, ditch the “half-zonal defence”- how long is it going to take for you to admit it’s not working) It’s the only chance you’ve got of becoming a good manager.
Covering up your mistakes by running to the press everytime we get beat smacks of someone who’s losing his grip, someone who’s only interested in guarding his own back. It’s no wonder you’ve lost the dressing room. The players know who’s to blame. And I dont expect a lot of them are very happy, constantly getting the blame when you mess up.
Lennon is begining to sound like a broken man. He sounds like the rest of us. Scunnered and unable to put his figure on why it’s not working. For us that is fine. For a man that is meant to have the skills to turn it round that is worrying.
Though, tell me how he messed up on Saturday? The players were wholly to blame for that and if they arn’t playing for the manage and want him gone then they can follow him out the door. Actually, their behaviour is worse than any hapless incumbent as coach.
He lost the drssing room a wile before saturday- Commons, etc.
I think the whole ‘he’s lost the dressing room’ talk is a lot of **** to be honest bud. Players not playing good enough/crazy tactics/subs and a bad spell of injuries = Celtic this season…
I think we have a winner.
You could be right Nickybhoy but maybe the crazy tactics and subs have demoralised the players.
spot on mate
Lennon is sounding like a frustrated football manager.
What I could never understand is why the fans had so much faith in him? I honestly have never been able to find any managerial qualities in Neil Lennon and his trial period should have been over after Ross County. If the board thought he needed a mentor, then that speaks volumes. What are we waiting for? Our manager and his rookie coaching staff are way over their heads.
A lot of people with huge egos(DD, PL, etc) need to admit that they’ve made another monumental mistake- and that could take some time.
That is something I have pondered and are still pondering. I thought after Ross County he had had it. That game he was talking to John Park and taking his instructions. Park is our scout and used to manage a pub team in Kirkie. FFS.
I wanted a mentor for him, I really did but I didn’t want us not to give him a shot. Why? I see Lambert now, rising star already too big to come back to us and feared that not giving Lennon his shot lcould be a massive mistake.
BTW – good article – yes I think the fact we have young inexperienced players and a lack of leadership qualities on the field as well as off it doesn’t help.