IT’S CELTIC AT THE DOUBLE
Lennon fields two front men and Griffiths makes it count
IT’S become terribly old-fashioned for a manager to deploy two strikers but by doubling up in attack, Neil Lennon was rewarded with cup progress.
Under both Lennon and his predecessor Brendan Rodgers, Celtic have almost exclusively operated with a lone frontman. The signing of £3.5million Polish Under-21 cap Patryk Klimala had hinted at a change in approach from Lennon but it was Leigh Griffiths who benefited from a chance to partner the club’s undisputed star turn Odsonne Edouard.
Griffiths endured a frustrating 2019 as he struggled to reboot his career after time out for personal reasons — but he kicked off the new decade with a poacher’s finish that was the highlight of a performance which offered some hope that he may yet have a meaningful part to play as the quest for this term’s trophies intensifies.
After losing to Rangers on the eve of the winter break, Celtic had three weeks to stew and this, the club’s 32nd consecutive win in a domestic cup tie, was a firm if unspectacular response.
The task was made difficult by Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall’s own tactical diversion of fielding five at the back.
With Tom Rogic at the tip of Celtic’s diamond-shaped midfield, the onus was on full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Greg Taylor to provide width but the Championship side did not let the result become a formality.
McCall had a fresh forward of his own to show off, new signing Zak Rudden pitched straight in after completing his transfer from Rangers.
There to guide Rudden through the game was the veteran Kenny Miller, 21 years his senior and still capable of giving a Celtic defence a fright.
The Thistle rearguard held firm for 12 minutes. Edouard found a gap through which to thread a pass to Rogic and, although Thistle full-back James Penrice was able to extend a leg and nick the ball from the Australian’s toes, his tackle served as an assist for Griffiths.
The finish was firm, simple and the prelude to a defiant celebration in front of the Celtic fans occupying the Jackie Husband Stand.
By the time the goal went in, Celtic had been forced into a change, Nir Bitton limping off with what looked like a muscle pull. In his place came Jozo Simunovic, on for his first appearance since a knee problem sidelined him in August.
Thistle were squeezing the space but, with Rogic, Edouard and Olivier Ntcham prominent, Celtic were working angles and getting their shots away.
Penrice worked hard to block a net-bound Edouard effort, while Christopher Jullien headed narrowly over the crossbar.
An Edouard free-kick brushed the side-netting and then Thistle caught sight of the target for the first time.
A long ball grazed the head of Callum McGregor in midfield and caught Simunovic on his heels.
Ever-alert, Miller was on to it in a flash but, with his 40-year-old legs unable to eat up the ground quickly enough, he attempted an early lob of a shot that was held comfortably enough by Fraser Forster.
A couple of minutes before half-time, Celtic were denied a penalty when Frimpong skipped past Penrice and felt the defender’s hand on his back. The push was enough to alter the full-back’s balance but as he tumbled, referee Alan Muir signalled instead for a goal kick.
‘It’s a push in the back,’ said Lennon afterwards. ‘Jerry’s gone past him at full pace. He has not dived.’
It was not to be Frimpong’s last controversy of the evening but Thistle almost took full advantage of the let-off.
With Kristoffer Ajer missing through injury, necessity had driven Lennon to name a clearly under-cooked Simunovic as a substitute. The Croatian’s lack of sharpness was evident and another poor decision saw him charge out to the left flank towards a ball his captain Scott Brown looked to be taking care of.
Having dragged himself out of position, there was space for Rudden to exploit and he rattled a low ball across goal that Miller did well to meet, only to see his effort crash back off the post.
The Celtic inquest continued as the players went off for their half-time break.
The tournament holders exerted control over the second half, with McGregor firing a snap-shot wide and Rogic taking the opportunity to remind everyone that, when on form, he brings a unique dimension to Celtic’s play.
Another to have endured a patchy 12 months, the 27-year-old used his bespoke blend of brawn and mesmerising footwork to keep Thistle on their toes.
Edouard came close when he pulled down a quickly-taken free-kick from Griffiths and cracked a shot off the bar.
Then McGregor put the result beyond doubt with a 20 yard left-foot shot that took a big deflection on its way past Scott Fox.
The celebrations were the cue for Klimala to take his bow and Griffiths to make way.
Thistle pulled one back in disputed circumstances with the last kick of the ball. Given a clear run on goal, substitute Dario Zanatta skipped round Forster but, under pressure from Frimpong, skewed his shot wide.
Muir pointed to the spot, booked the disbelieving full-back and Thistle midfielder Stuart Bannigan drilled home the penalty.
Again Lennon backed his player, saying: ‘There was an inference that his (Zanatta’s) heels were clipped but you could see that Jeremie got his body across. His recovery was terrific and he didn’t deserve that.’
Good enough to take care of a team next to bottom of Scottish football’s second tier, it remains to be seen if Lennon’s two-striker tactic will sustain him through the tougher assignments that await in pursuit of a fourth consecutive Treble.