Source: FOOTYMAD
Results are all that matters
Sometime the drive to entertain has to be held back to secure the required result Neil Lennon would have no qualms about copying the tactics employed by Rangers counterpart Walter Smith if the game demanded it. The Rangers boss was heavily criticised for the 5-4-1 formation he utilised when holding Manchester United to a goalless draw in their Champions League Group C opener at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. Smith does not want a repeat of last season's Champions League campaign where they only picked up two points and finished bottom of their group. Asked if he would have any problems about "parking the bus" in similar style, the Celtic boss replied: "No. If it meant getting a result I might have to do that every now and again. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea and I'm sure Walter wouldn't want to play that way the majority of the time but he felt it was the way to go and he's been justified in that. It was a great point and it would be interesting to see how many teams go to Old Trafford this season and come away with a 0-0 draw I don't know if Walter is going to adopt that approach every game. It might just be for specific games where he feels they are going to be under pressure a lot and I think that you can be going to Old Trafford. He gets this sort of reputation as being a negative manager but if you look at the players he has brought in this season, Weiss, Jelavic and Beattie, they are attacking players who will create more than destroy. Listen, first things first, it's results. If you can win with a bit of style then even better. But there will be days when I might have to grind out results, even at home. If we play poorly and win I will be happy with that." Smith had complained that the financial structure of Champions League weighs heavily in the favour of the European superpowers but Lennon claims it has always been like that. He said: "It seems to be the bigger clubs benefit from the way the Champions League is set up but you know that before you go in to the competition and you can say that about a lot of sports. For instance, Wimbledon is set up for the top seeds. Overall, everyone wants to see the big performers play at the highest level, at the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The beauty of sport is that every now and again sport throws up the underdog who goes on to surprise everyone and you get a clubs who defy the odds, like Porto and Monaco. But I can understand why UEFA would do it, to make money."
