ANOTHER BIG WEEK

Neil Lennon was delighted with Saturday’s goals but is now preparing for another important week in Europe and at home

- JOE DONNELLY

CAST your eye over Celtic’s first -team squad in its entirety. In every position on the pitch, there is at least one, maybe two and sometimes three or more bodies who can fill that role… players who can not only step in, but who can perform the job at the highest level, who can help the Hoops win matches and, as we’ve seen time and time again in recent years, win trophies.

Behind first-choice goalkeeper, Vasilis Barkas, for example, is the Treble Treble-winning stopper Scott Bain. We’ve seen Shane Duffy, Kris Ajer, Christopher Jullien, Hatem Elhamed and Nir Bitton all slot in at centre-half this season so far.

James Forrest is comfortable on both flanks, Jeremie Frimpong is as much a winger as he is full-back, and Patryk Klimala, Odsonne Edouard and Albian Ajeti have hit 11 in nine competitive outings between them since the start of the 2020/21 trail.

With five goals under his belt to date, Ryan Christie is likewise as adept in front of goal as he is picking passes and throwing himself into tackles in our middle and defensive thirds.

Having a wealth of capable, starting XI-ready players is, of course, a good problem to have, which last week allowed Neil Lennon to field three different line-ups, score 12 goals and secure nine points in the Scottish Premiership – a feat which sees them sit just one point off the top of the table and with a game in hand. Not bad going for a team, to paraphrase the Hoops boss, still clicking together in the early stages of the current campaign.

“To make that switch, that click, we need to just keep playing games, regular games, and getting more of an understanding of each other,” said the Irishman.