Neil Lennon commented, “He has done well,” in the FT interview following Celtic’s loss to Feyenoord.
Neil Lennon offered differing views on the two red cards dishes out to Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Holm during Celtic’s 2-0 defeat to Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Celtic legend was clear that the call to award the home side a penalty was ‘shocking’ and he felt ‘aggrieved’ for Gustaf Lagerbielke because he didn’t think he deserved a second yellow card.
But that tackle by Odin Holm, which was pretty high upon contact, drew no complaints from Lennon.
As a result, the ex-Bhoys manager thinks that the home games now need to be ‘bang on it’ because this wasn’t the start Brendan Rodgers wanted, as he told Soccer Special on Sky Sports News (19/09/23 at 10:00 pm).
Lazio will visit Celtic Park on October 4 after they recorded a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid – goalkeeper, Ivan Provedel, remarkably scored in the last kick of the game to seal a point for his side.
That result was highlighted by Lennon and how it doesn’t help matters because he preferred one team to ‘run away with it’.
Lennon’s verdict on Celtic red cards and defeat to Feyenoord
On first sending off: “Lagerbielke has got his arm across the forward Paixao, who has made a complete dive, for me,” said Lennon.
“For me, it’s not a penalty. It’s an awful decision from the referee – it’s shocking. It’s never a penalty. It’s a shocking decision. I feel so aggrieved for Celtic here and that young lad. He has done well, to be fair to him.
On second red: “Down to nine. Young sub, Holm, who has come on. He has gone through, a straight leg, Wieffer. He is high. I don’t think there are many complaints, as much as I disagreed with the penalty decision and second yellow for Lagerbielke. I don’t think Holm has got any argument there.”
Verdict after FT: “Started off alight, then the game got ragged for both teams. Then, just before half-time, we conceded a really poor goal from a free-kick. Always in the game until the penalty decision and red card. And I thought it was an awful call. Joe saved the penalty and still in at 1-0. Then, the Holm sending off. Down to 9 men. Game over and it was very, very comfortable for Feyenoord, in the end.
“What I would say is that there is still hope for Celtic in the group. The home games have got to be bang on it. I don’t think Feyenoord were great. Draw between Lazio and Atletico. I don’t think that’s a great result. You want one team to run away with it and the other three teams to fight it out.”
Joe Hart debate
Thierry Henry and Micah Richards argued over Joe Hart allowing Calvin Stengs to score a pretty poor free-kick from distance just before the half-time break.
Yes, Kyogo doesn’t help matters by jumping out of the way. But, at the end of the day, as a keeper, you are responsible and in charge of the wall.
Either way, it’s just another bitterly disappointing and deflating defeat on the road in Europe. That first home game against Lazio is going to be very, very crucial in how the group stages pan out.
Win that, and then the defeat in Rotterdam will all be forgotten about pretty quickly!
