There are ways for the Celtic manager to play both veterans. It keeps them happy but the team loses its balance in the reshuffle. And I don’t think that is Strachan’s style, so I think this is where he sends out a message by putting the team first. It should be a straight choice and it’s a simple one, too. Lennon has been a very good player, Keane has been a great one.
Either side of his transfer from Nottingham Forest to Manchester United, Keane was the best box-to-box midfielder in Britain. At Old Trafford he became a more dominant, complete player, but the defensive role he has learned towards the end of his career is not his natural game. His instinct to drive forward gives his game a dimension that Lennon just doesn’t have. Lennon cleans up in front of the defence and does it very well, but Keane could do that job all day in Scotland. Against Falkirk in midweek he also got the breakthrough goal. Lennon’s goals per game ratio is a little under one in 100.
The big difference is the competitive edge that has defined Keane’s career. Lennon is a vital player for Celtic when things are going well, but when they are not he gets dragged down with the team. Keane is capable of changing a game, of dragging his team out of the jaws of defeat, through his leadership or through a tackle, a 30-yard run or a goal. He has sat on the bench watching players who could not have laced his boots when he was in his prime struggle through games such as the 3-3 draw against Dundee United or the CIS Cup win over Motherwell. He came here to play and there is no game he will want to play in more than this.
Someone will get hurt. That’s how it works and I’ve been there. You are upset and embarrassed when you get dropped for the big ones. It’s almost as tough for the managers, they struggle to get the words out. It won’t be easy for Strachan but this is a test of his strength of management, something I believe he has plenty of. If the title was on the line then this would be an even bigger deal for him, but whatever team Strachan goes with, he will be making a statement.
The only statement either Old Firm defence seems capable of making is an admission of guilt. This derby, despite an 18-point gap between the teams, could still go either way for that reason. Whichever defence gets its act together wins.
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It’s more critical for Rangers as they can’t rely on their forwards to get them out of trouble. Their biggest problem is Marvin Andrews, a defender who gets caught in the same position over and over. The goal Ivan Sproule scored for Hibs in the Scottish Cup last week flagged this up. A simple long ball was flicked on by Garry O’Connor against Sotirios Kyrgiakos. Andrews was caught on his heels with no idea what was going on around him.and didn’t see Sproule darting round him to make it 2-0.
It was almost a mirror image of Chris Sutton’s goal in Celtic’s 2-1 Scottish Cup win at Parkhead last season. Then it was John Hartson against Zura Khizanishvili in the air and Andrews failed to react to Sutton’s run, enabling the striker to move in for the finish. Andrews doesn’t have this game awareness, and against quality attackers with pace he struggles.
Celtic can exploit this weakness by going direct to Hartson. The Welshman will win his fair share of flick-ons and then the second Rangers centre-back has to cope with the runs of Stilian Petrov, Shaun Maloney and Maciej Zurawski.
If Andrews is attacking the ball with Hartson, Rangers have a chance. That is what he is very good at. But if Andrews has to track the runs of fast, intelligent forwards Celtic will get chances. It’s a great option to have if their passing game is not working.
If Rangers get it right at the back they know they will get chances of their own. The problem is getting the right combination up front to make the most of them. Thomas Buffel and Peter Lovenkrands clicked as a partnership as Rangers recovered in December and January. Buffel dropped off the front, defenders followed him and Barry Ferguson or Buffel himself could release the ball into the space created for Lovenkrands to run on to. Kris Boyd is a different kind of forward, he’s not going anywhere until the ball is in the box and that space is not there higher up the pitch. Boyd will get you goals but he needs service from out wide.
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Rangers’ best hope is Chris Burke, their in-form winger. He can exploit Celtic’s week left-back area and give Boyd a chance against a central defence that is every bit as vulnerable as his own. A prediction? Don’t bet on 0-0.