THAT’S MORE LIKE MY CELTS
hugely h heartened by aspects a of the display during d the 4-2 defeat.
Celtic were two up through t Tom Rogic and Odsonne O Edouard and had h other chances in an offensive o show that pleased p the gaffer.
But Lennon was left dismayed d at a lack of calm which w allowed Milan to level le before the interval and a then a physical weakness w in the defending that t allowed the Italians to win it.
He said: “We looked far more like a Celtic team that I know. I was delighted in a lot of aspects of our play. We looked a real threat.
“We had a chance to go 3-0 up and we were rampant at that stage. It’s a bit of quality at their first goal and a bit of naivety at their second.
“It was our free-kick, it’s 2-1. We just need to settle and we take it quickly. It’s game management really.
“We needed to take the sting out of it and slow it down a little bit but because we were in a positive frame of mind we took a quick one and lost the ball.
“The third and fourth goals from our point of view are poor.
“We’ve let ourselves down not being physical enough in the tackle.
“It’s not as if we were cut open. We’d plenty of players back to deal with it but we don’t.”
Asked if that was as much about mindset as actions he added: “It may be as they’ve conceded a lot of goals in this group.
“If that’s the case we have to work on that. Is it naivety? Maybe. We just have to be a little bit smarter in those situations.
“I thought we had probably more shots at goal and worked the ggoalkeeperp more than they did to us us.
“Even at 3 3-2 we were always in the game and Donnarumma Donnarumm made a great save from f Ryan Christie’s frefree-kick. We looked a threatthrea all night. “I’ve got to t take the positives from that.
From the way we played, the way we passed the ball, the way we created chances.
“We took the game to Milan. I wanted us to get a bit of respectability back to our performance and I felt we got that.
“We looked far more like ourselves and I didn’t think the scoreline did us justice. There is a lot to be positive now going forward.
“The players at times showed what they’re really capable of. We looked a good team. The body language was good, the attitude was good.
“I think the scoreline doesn’t do us justice but I’ve got to be happy with large parts of the game.
“We scored two really good goals and had really good chances to win.”
Keeper Vasilis Barkas was guilty of poor positioning as Milan got back into the game with a Hakan Calhanoglu free-kick.
But Lennon refused to point any fingers and said: “I’m not going to single out individuals. We’ll analyse it as a group and take it forward from there.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been involved with a team that’s gone 2-0 up in the San Siro, regardless of the circumstances.
“I’m disappointed as it’s another defeat and it’s a sore one to take.
“But I’m also very proud of their will to put on a performance.
“People may say it’s another defeat and another four goals. I get that and I understand it.
“But the quality of opposition was top class. And the performance from our team and as individuals was a very high standard.”