Celtic secured a 2-0 win over bitter rivals Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday, proving they are still the biggest team in Scotland by a mile, and Light Blues boss Steven Gerrard has a lot of tactical planning to do all campaign if his side are to have a chance of stopping the Hoops from making it nine league titles in a row this term.
Bhoys manager Neil Lennon proved to be a tactical genius, and he made sure Celtic didn’t make the mistake they made the last time they came to Ibrox.
The Parkhead outfit didn’t get out of their own half after kick-off the last time both sides met at Rangers home and they found themselves a goal down after two minutes.
Odsonne Edouard caught Rangers by surprise on Sunday, booting the ball from kick-off straight into the far corner of their half, and that immediately put the Hoops deep into enemy territory.
Lennon believes it was Scott Brown’s idea, and the tactic ensured the Gers didn’t start the Old Firm clash on the front foot.
“That came from the players. Before we went out we emphasised to them that we hadn’t got out of our own half the last time we were at Ibrox and we’d gone a goal down after two minutes,” the Celtic boss told The Scottish Sun.
“I said, ‘We’re a front-foot team — let’s go out there on the front foot’, and they did that perfectly.
“We had spoken about that kick-off before, but it surprised me a little. I’m assuming Broony decided to do that.”
Brown proved crucial to Celtic’s victory, putting in a massive performance in the middle of the park despite recent criticisms that he is past his prime.
The brilliant tactic to catch Rangers by surprise definitely worked out, and the Hoops legend keeps proving why he is loved by the Celtic faithful.