Neil Lennon's Celtic flounder; Steven Gerrard's Rangers fly | Analysis of the Old Firm's contrasting seasons
On each of the last two Sunday evenings, angry Celtic fans have gathered outside Celtic Park.
This is a club that has grown accustomed to glorious scenes over the last decade, particularly the last four years which have seen the Hoops win every domestic trophy going. The Scottish Cup final against Hearts later this month presents Celtic with the chance to clinch an unprecedented Quadruple Treble.
Not all is well at Celtic, though. Neil Lennon’s side are currently on a run of just two wins from their last 12 games in all competitions. They have fallen 13 points off the pace at the top of the Scottish Premiership. It’s over two months since Celtic last won a home league game and yet the club continues to publicly back Lennon in the face of criticism from the fanbase.
In this sort of form, however, it’s difficult to envisage Lennon continuing in his role. The Northern Irishman has struggled to find a suitable system for the current group of players he has, with the switch to a back three a ‘square pegs in round holes’ solution. A third centre back has done little to mask Celtic’s defensive vulnerability.
This season was all about clinching the historic 10th league title in succession. Indeed, the quest for ’10-in-a-row’ has guided Celtic for the last few years, but all the short-term measures taken to safeguard that quest have in fact compromised their chance of getting over the line this season. The appointment of Lennon as Brendan Rodgers’ replacement was the starkest manifestation of the club’s short-term attitude.
It’s not just at the back where Celtic are suffering. They are toiling in the attacking third too, finding the net just twice in their last three home games against Sparta Prague, Ross County and St Johnstone. Just like in defence, Lennon has struggled to find a system and shape to get the best out of his forwards. Last season, Odsonne Edouard scored 21 times in 27 league games. This season, he has scored just twice since the opening day of the season.
The problems being suffered by the Hoops have been accentuated by what is happening in the blue half of Glasgow. Rangers have won 14 of 16 league games this season, dropping points only to Hibernian and Livingston. It’s not just domestically that Steven Gerrard’s side have impressed, with Rangers securing passage to the last 32 of the Europa League with a game to spare. The Ibrox side haven’t lost a game since February.
Gerrard’s team are getting better and better. They have won their last eight Scottish Premiership matches on the spin and haven’t conceded a goal since the 5-1 win over Motherwell at the end of September. Since then they have kept clean sheets against Ross County (twice), Celtic, Livingston, Kilmarnock, Hamilton and Aberdeen, scoring an average of three goals a game and conceding just three times in 16 league fixtures.
Opposition teams are having a tough enough time merely scoring against Rangers right now, never mind beating them. In this form and with this momentum behind them, it’s difficult to imagine anyone in the Scottish Premiership taking three points against the league leaders. An unbeaten league season is very much on the cards at 6/1.
Next permanent Celtic manager odds
- Eddie Howe - 6/4
- Martin O'Neill - 6/4
- Jack Ross - 4/1
- Gordon Strachan - 8/1
Click here for the full current Sky Bet market
Even at their peak under Rodgers, Celtic would have a challenge on their hands against this Rangers side. For many, Celtic still have the better players, but the biggest difference between the two sides has been in the men who occupy the dugout, with Gerrard’s team improving season-on-season, game-on-game.
Complacency saw Celtic squander their financial and cultural advantage over Rangers. Money has been spent in the transfer market, but not with any great plan in mind. While Rangers hired a director of football and built a structure around Gerrard to support him, Lennon has been left brutally exposed.
A new manager bounce might push Celtic back into the title race, but there are fundamental issues at the club that must be addressed. Another short-term fix, as Lennon’s appointment was following Rodgers’ exit, would only kick the can further down the road. For Lennon, though, the end of the road is surely approaching.
Odds correct at 1500 GMT (08/12/20)
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