NEIL Lennon believes defending champions Celtic laid down a marker for the new season with a “perfect performance” in their record 7-0 triumph over St Johnstone at Parkhead this afternoon.
A Ryan Christie hat-trick and goals from Mikey Johnston, Olivier Ntcham, Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths saw Lennon’s side get their 2018/19 Ladbrokes Premiership campaign underway in style.
Lennon brushed aside suggestions that his men had sent a message to their Glasgow rivals Rangers that they are determined to win their ninth consecutive Scottish title this term.
However, the Northern Irishman, whose team now take on Cluj in the third round of Champions League qualifying in Romania on Wednesday night, admitted he had been delighted with Celtic’s impressive display and expressed hope they would improve in the months ahead.
“That was the perfect performance in every aspect of our play,” he said. “The clean sheet, two very good attacking full backs, two centre halves who were strong, great midfield and we just played with great attacking intent the whole game.
“There was a relentlessness about them which pleased me. It is always difficult to come in at half time with a good lead and then try and pick up where you left off but we got better as the game went on. The substitutes were fantastic as well. They made a great contribution."
Lennon added: “We are not getting carried away, but that is a good marker obviously. Is there more to come? You would like to think so as we get stronger, fitter and better, but I couldn’t ask any more really.
"We have beaten a very good, rugged St Johnstone team, in fact we have taken them apart at times and that pleases me."
Sheyi Ojo, the Liverpool winger who joined Rangers on loan this summer, last weekend claimed that the Ibrox club were the best in Scotland.
Lennon stressed that his players, who finished nine points ahead of Steven Gerrard’s team in the Premiership last season, wouldn’t be making any bold declarations of intent.
“We don’t send messages out, we don’t need to,” he said. “There are three trophies sitting out there at the front of the pitch. I think that’s enough. We have done our talking on the pitch again. As Browny said the other day, that’s the way we like to do it. It is a brilliant start. If it sends out a message then so be it.
“The players do the talking. We have been quite calm, we have had our intense period with the Champions League games and this is the start of another league campaign.
“We are going into a big European game on Wednesday and this should give them a lot of confidence. The game will be different, we know that but, for an opening game of the season, seven goals. Wow, just wow.”
Tommy Wright, the St Johnstone manager, felt the heavy defeat highlighted the need to bring in another striker and expressed hope that Stevie May, whose move to Perth appeared to fall through last week, could still join the McDiarmid Park club.
“I've got experience to deal with it and I will,” he said. “It's evident that we need a striker and probably need more than that. Hopefully that will happen. Believe it or not, I'm in pretty good fettle.
“Are people expecting me to be a magician with no tools? Nothing's changed. I'm still a magician with no tools. I'm at a great club with a good chairman. But we can only spend what we can spend. That's it."
Wright added: “I'm hoping to have a striker next week, but after the week I had with the Stevie May deal, I wouldn't hold my breath.
“That proved that anything can happen in football. He'd done his medical and Stevie was away with his two polo shirts and tracksuits. I'll need to ring him, actually, to get them back. He was in my team to play against Brechin so that's how close it was.
“I can't say for definite I'll have someone in next week. Because I'll never say that again after what happened there. But hopefully we'll have at least one in.
“Can we resurrect the May deal? You'd have to ask Stevie, his advisors and my chairman. Do I want to resurrect it? The answer's simple, yes. But we have to wait and see.”
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