Lennon gets his tactics spot on as Parkhead side steal a march on rivals
NEIL Lennon claimed before the first Old Firm game of this season that no marker would be put down by either side no matter the outcome. But his Celtic team left a huge bruise on Rangers yesterday afternoon.
An Odsonne Edouard goal, his fifth in seven outings in the derby, set up the win sealed in injury time by substitute Jonny Hayes. Overall, Celtic’s victory came down to tactics and how both teams approached the match.
Neil Lennon won a lot more than just three points – albeit that his team are now three points clear at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership table. He got one over Steven Gerrard and the frustrated home fans knew it.
Many of Celtic’s key players weren’t at their best on the ball. Nir Bitton, playing at centre-half, pulled up with a hamstring injury in the second half meaning Celtic played the last 25 minutes with Moritz Bauer making an unexpected debut at right-back.
The £7m summer signing, Christopher Jullien, was superb. Nobody had a better game.
There was a surprise in the Rangers starting team when Jermain Defoe was named in front of Alfredo Morelos, although the veteran English striker tended to play on the right. Also, there was a lack of width in the side, which had brought so much joy this season.
It was a puzzling formation to watch play out and it appeared equally confusing to Gerrard’s team.
The Rangers manager got the big decisions wrong. This was a bad, bad day for the Englishman.
It was a tepid start to the match which suited Celtic. They were happy enough for Rangers to have possession because, bar one or two brief moments, the home side weren’t a threat. Fraser Forester didn’t have a save to make in his first 45 minutes back at Ibrox.
That the game produced a goal after 32 minutes of not very much was something of a surprise. That it arrived by a mistake was par for the course going with what had gone before.
Connor Goldson will look back on his attempt at a pass from the back with dread. His woeful ball was gobbled up by Mikey Johnstone, whose threaded pass through the middle of the Rangers backline was met by Edouard, the Frenchman reading the situation expertly before he timed his run superbly and with typical coolness passed his shot past into the bottom corner.
A huge moment in the game. It remains to be seen how much say it will have in the title race with 34 Premiership matches still to play.
The Rangers players lost out too many of their 50/50s, either coughing up possession or conceding a foul. The requirement was for them to be calm. Instead, they grew narky and impatient.
Referee Bobby Madden had decided it was a day when tackling would be allowed and not every illegal challenge was worthy of more than a word. This meant Callum McGregor got off with a dreadful attempt at a challenge on Scott Arfield and, later in the half, Ryan Jack was late on Boli Bongoli but the Scotland internationalist got off unscathed.
Jack could even have seen red never mind a yellow – which didn’t materialise.
Gerrard made the expected change at the break. Sheyi Ojo replacing Glen Kamara. Rangers were better and Ojo at least got a shot on target, 11 minutes into the half, which Forster turned behind.
And then on the hour, Morelos was brought on for Defoe but still Rangers showed nothing of their early-season attacking form.
Sure, Rangers built up pressure at times but Celtic had more clear-cut chances – and this was them playing with caution, defending their lead rather than going all out to extend it.
Allan McGregor pulled off a fine save on 76 minutes from Jullien and Olivier Ntcham came close to a goal as well.
And then in injury-time, as Rangers piled everyone forward, Celtic broke, it was three against one, Hayes, at the second attempt, scored the most important goal of his career.
With seconds remaining and Ibrox mostly empty, Jordan Jones was red carded for one of those ridiculous tackles, made on Bauer, made in desperate times.