Start As You Mean To Go On

Neil Lennon hails the high standards his squad have set themselves and the flying start they’ve had to domestic football

- Joe Donnelly

TWO of Celtic’s most consistent players so far this season have been Nir Bitton at centre-half and Kris Ajer at right-back. So good have the adaptable Hoops stars been, that outsiders may struggle to believe the former’s preferred position lies in midfield, and the latter is most comfortable in the heart of defence.

This, of course, speaks volumes of both players’ versatility and their unwavering commitment to Hoops manager Neil Lennon’s game-plan, as he and his team continue to negotiate a swell of tough competitive fixtures at such an early juncture of the season.

Domestically, the Scottish champions have started with a bang, scoring 12 goals in just two games – one, an impressive seven-goal display on Flag Day at Paradise against St Johnstone, and the other, a well-contested 5-2 win at Fir Park against Motherwell last Saturday.

Better still, Celtic’s goals have come from all areas of the pitch. Better still again, Ajer has already netted twice in all competitions. Which is certainly not bad going for a centre-half-meets-right-sided full-back.

“Kris has been outstanding at right-back during the games we’ve played him there,” said Neil Lennon in an exclusive interview with the Celtic View. “And Nir brings that calmness to the backline, that control, that level-headedness – all on top of everything else he brings to the game. He’s obviously got height on his side as well, and that’s always something which is good to have at centre-half.

“He reads the game very well, which is a great trait to have when playing in that area, and it’s also the quality that they bring to those areas. That’s true versatility. It’s not just an ordinary player going in there, filling in a position, they’re also weighing in with a very important contribution.