We’re OK with fanless football
● Celtic boss praises players for coping with new environment after latest win
Celtic manager Neil Lennon praised his players “adaptation” to fanless football games following last night’s 2-1 victory over St Mirren.
He admitted that the emp - ty stadiums necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic have altered the dynamics of performances, but believes the win in Paisley will provide its own motivation at the weekend in giving the Scottish champions the chance to go top of the table when hosting Livingston.
“It’s difficult because there are no supporters ,” Lennon said after a success secured by a second goal in two games from Shane Duffy and a stunning header from James Forrest, that followed St Mirren taking the lead three minute sin through Lee Er win. “I think it’s really difficult for them, especially at a big club like ours. But they are adapting to the environment as well as anyone.
“You get a head of steam up in a game and normally you get the atmosphere crackling. It gives the players a lift and there is none of that at the minute. If the goalkeeper makes a great save, the crowd get up. You win a corner and it’s an important facet of the game. We are missing all that at the minute. So there is a bit of adaptation, no question. Sub consciously that is a big miss for them.
It’s not an excuse but we are adapting as best we can and as well as anyone. “[The chance to go top of the league] is one we are looking forward to, they are working hard. We have set them some targets now for this block of games before we break up for the internationals. We had a great win at the weekend, we won 5-0, but we were ragged. There was none of that tonight. Our intensity off the ball was very very good and that gave us good control of the game, albeit that we didn’t get five goals tonight. In terms of the shape and the attitude of the players it was a lot better tonight.’
On an evening when Odsonne Edouardh ad a penalty saved by the impressive on-loan Hearts keeper Bobby Zlamal, St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin was left despairing over John Beaton rejecting an appeal over a Duffy handball in the box. It reaffirmed his belief that VAR is a must for Scottish football.
“I am disappointed that we didn’t get a penalty ,” he said. “I am not for one minute suggesting Shane Duffy deliberately handled the ball, but he definitely did handball it and stopped the ball going through to Richard Ta it who would have had an opp or tunit y to put the ball in the net. Maybe the conversation we should be having is ‘where are we going to find the money to get VAR’.”
It is only a matter of weeks since the threat of falling 11 points behind Rangers was being presented as a very real one for Celtic in this 10 -in-arow chasing season. The 2-1 win they were required to digout against an obdurate St Mirren last night now means that, if Neil Lennon’s men beat Livingston at home on Saturday, they will go top of the Premiership table – for at least 24 hours.
That will be the hot takeaway from a match in which the Scottish champions were largely tepid. Lennon will be relieved his team were able to recover from the loss of a goal in the opening minutes. He will take hearts from a second goal in as many games from Shane Duffy putting them on their way, before a rare, ripper of a header from James Forrest allowed them to seal the points.
Yet, there was no disguising that Celtic were far from impressive, even if they would have won more comfortably but for on-loan Hearts man Bobby Z lam al–them an St Mirren sent out the SOS call to in the midst of their Covid -19 keeper crisis–hadn’ t saved a penalty from Odsonne Edouard, and made several other fine blocks.
The trust that Lennon has been expressing in the depth of his squad was reflected in some surprise changes to his starting line -up in Paisley. The volume of games ahead for the Scottish champions rather than early glitches in the performance that garnered a 5-0 win against Ross County were no doubt at play.
Still, it was unexpected to see
Patr yck Klimala replace the goal-ever y-30 -minutes Albian Ajeti. Similarly with Hatem Elhamed being drafted into a three-man central defence .
The Celtic manager might quickly have been wondering about the wisdom of his re casting–which also included Greg Taylor and Ryan Christie earning starts – while his counterpart Jim Goodwin pat ted himself on the back over his notable selection.
Lee Er win must have been chuffed at earning a first start for his new club in the stead of the club’s main goal source, Jonathan Obika. Within three minutes, he justified his selecti on with the assistance of slapdash defending from the visitors. Both Duff yandKri stoffer Aj er seemed tom istime their jumps as a Jamie Mcgrath corner from the left was flicked on by Joe Shaughnessy. It dropped to Er win at the back post but, despite the striker struggling to get a good contact on the ball, he still had time to bundle it past Vasilis Barkas.
Celtic looked rattled by that shambolic moment, with Duffy left vigorously shaking his head over his part in it. It proved a different shake of that bonce that altered the complexion of an encounter following a period wherein the Scottish champions struggled to turn their nine-tenths possession into penetration. Their movement of the ball from side -to-side was matched by their opponents’ shape-shfiting to prevent Lennon’s side playing through them.
Good win will curse then then that their good work was
undone by a set piece. Yet, it wasn’t any old set-piece. The whip and dip that Christie applied to his free -kick from wide on the right meant that Duffy was only required to stoop to guide it into the far corner of the net.
Gary Be en’ s claim that the Republic of Ireland captain had put his international career under threat by leaving Brighton for the backwater of Scottish football might have been unfair, but the former Irish midfielder might have been on to something when suggesting the loanee could reach double figures for goals.
Across his first two, sc oring, displays the understandably rust y 28-year- old has impressed more in that department than in his primary role, it must be said.
St Mirren rarely tested the Celtic backline following the 21st -minute equalier and there was an inevitability about the visitors adding a second. If not the circumstances. Christie’s delivery was again central with a ball worked to him on the left resulting in him curling in a cross with pace. James Forrest contorted his body to meet it and sent a monstrous header flying high past the helpless Zlamal.
The period ended with St Mirr en going berserk over penalty appeals for a handball. There was an expectation the second half would see Celtic going to town, but St Mirren were able to hang in as Lennon’s side never quite got into their stride.
Never was that truer than when they were awarded a spot-kick 17 minutes frm normal time when Mcgrath needlessly shoved Christie over at the byline. Odsonne Edouard’s stuttering run-up might have worked for him on Saturday but he seemed more distracted by the slo-mo approach than the man he had to beat, Zlamal guessing right to push away down to his right.
In ensuring Celtic retained only a one-goal advantage, the stop allowed St Mirren to give Celtic a few nervous moments in the closing stages, but that proved all.