THE case of Neil Lennon is a curious one. Here we have a manager who was parachuted in midway through the season to steady the ship after Brendan Rodgers’ Parkhead exit with one simple brief; wrap up the Premiership, and secure the Scottish Cup for the third year in a row. As it stands, an eighth consecutive league title is all but in the bag and a Cup final against an out-of-form Hearts beckons.

Things should be positively rosy around Celtic Park, but this isn’t the case in reality. Celtic have stumbled across the Premiership finishing line under Lennon’s guidance, and there is a widespread reluctance amongst the club’s supporters for the Northern Irishman to given the job on a permanent basis. But why is this the case? And moreover, is this feeling of discontent even justified?

Performances have noticeably dipped under Lennon and the champions-in-waiting have often struggled going forward since the ex-Hibernian boss returned to the Parkhead dugout. But for all that, Lennon’s record since his return is difficult to argue against. Celtic have played eight games since Lennon returned, winning five and drawing three.

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As the graphic above demonstrates, Lennon has been gaining 2.25 points-per-game in the league since he was appointed back in February. That’s only marginally lower than the 2.33 Brendan Rodgers was averaging this season, and it’s more than Rodgers’ 2.12 points-per-game last season. There were few complaints about Rodgers’ points tally last season, so one could argue that the criticism directed towards Lennon in this regard is a little unfair.

Celtic have only conceded two goals since Lennon took charge of the team, and are yet to even trail a game with the 47-year-old at the helm. With four games to go, including the Scottish Cup final, it is hardly inconceivable that this could remain the case when the season draws to a close. We could well be in a position where Lennon wins both the league and the Cup - without trailing a single minute of any match - and yet, it won’t be enough for Lennon to land the job permanently.

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Much of this comes down to Celtic’s struggle in front of goal of late. Under Rodgers this season, Celtic were banging in 2.37 goals-per-game but this figure has plummeted to a paltry 1 under Lennon. Eight league goals in as many games might well have been enough to secure the points required to virtually seal the Premiership title, but it is a stark departure to what Celtic fans have grown accustomed to over the last three seasons.

It’s this toothlessness in the final third that will ultimately rule Lennon out of the running to be Celtic manager next season. To say Celtic’s attacking play under Lennon has been turgid would be an understatement; the free-flowing, progressive football that Rodgers introduced has disappeared at a frankly alarming rate and has been replaced by predictable and ineffective forward play.

With the exception of Jozo Simunovic’s winning goal against Kilmarnock at the weekend, the heavy emphasis that Lennon has placed on crossing the ball into the opponent’s box is yet to reap tangible rewards. The goals that Celtic have scored in this time, generally speaking, have been excellent individual efforts as opposed to well-worked team goals. And this lies at the heart of the problem: Lennon simply hasn’t worked out how to get the best out of his attackers.

It’s a similar problem that Lennon faced at Hibernian, and the upturn in form since Paul Heckingbottom has arrived in Leith has not done the Celtic interim manager any favours in this regard. As we’ve previously covered, one of the reasons it went wrong for Lennon at Hibernian was because he was determined to shoehorn players into a system that didn’t make the most of their talents. Heckingbottom hasn’t, and results have improved.

The Herald:

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The same story is now repeating itself in Glasgow’s east end. Celtic swing cross after cross into the box with little-to-no impact, because their players aren’t suited to it. The main quality that separates Celtic from the rest of the teams in the league is the players’ technical ability on the ball, particularly in tight spaces. For years, Celtic have won games by playing intricate passes in and around the box which ultimately lead to clear-cut opportunities. It is the greatest advantage that having the best squad in the league brings, and Lennon continually ignores it.

Before Rodgers’ arrival in Glasgow, all that was required as Celtic manager is that they won games and trophies. But the goal posts have moved since then. The legacy that the Leicester City boss has left behind at Celtic is that the club must win, and do so playing progressive, attacking football. Three or four years ago, Lennon’s win rate would have been sufficient to see him land the manager’s job on a permanent basis but it simply isn’t enough anymore. The next manager of Celtic will have to meet the demands that Rodgers’ side created and as Lennon has shown he is incapable of doing so, he cannot be considered a serious contender for the role. Points are no longer enough, and Lennon has not offered much else.