Neil Lennon is ready to step up his attempts to bring new faces to Celtic.
Lennon watched his side beat Partick Thistle 1-0 in another uninspiring performance that was as bleak as the weather.
Joe Ledley scored the goal that decided the Glasgow derby with Lennon looking forward to a break from domestic action after Sunday’s  trip to St Mirren.
With a month of transfer speculation ahead the Celtic boss admitted: “We lacked spark, particularly in the final third. There were some good bits of play but I and the supporters expect better.
“That’s two our of the last three games we have been flat and it looked like things are catching up with us. We need this break.
“We looked heavy-legged and mentally tired. We also need an injection of new blood. There is no question that the squad needs freshening up and we will endeavour to do that.
“It needs a jag as we are starting to look laboured in our play but it was a win, we need to take the positives from that.”
Ledley is out of contract in the summer but Lennon is hopeful that a new deal can be agreed over the next few days.
The Welshman was one of Lennon’s first signings when he joined on a Bosman deal from Cardiff in 2010 and has been at the heart of the club’s success as they head for a third successive title.
“I want Joe to stay, we had a conversation on Tuesday and he has intimated that he would like to stay,” the Celtic boss added. “We are hoping that we can speak to his representatives this week and get that finalised.
“You are never confident, but hopeful. I have spoken to Joe over a number of weeks but it certainly hasn’t affected his performances, I thought he was our best player by a considerable margin.
“You can’t have all the players leaving for big money, or bringing in players to develop for a couple of years.
“I need a spine to stay together, the likes of Scott Brown, Ledley, Kris Commons, Samaras – if we can get him – and a few others, because they have been big players for us.”
Ledley is okay, but by no means what we used to consider a “stalwart”.
The league is as good as over, blood some youngsters and bring big Tony back where he wants to be. We do not have a striker who can score goals. We need him.
Also we know we have until July before the CL qualifiers come along again. Bring in the new guys now and get them the experience they will need for those games.
Totally disagree with you mate. Joe Ledley has been one of our best buys in a long time. Does the tidying up job in the midfield excellent and chips in with goals and creative play. You can tell he has the respect of all the team because they know he is reliable and that he has an engine to match as well.
Get the pen oot Joe!
We’ve enough tidy-uppers in the team. We lack progressive, forward-moving, fast, creative types-which Ledley certainly isn’t. Fed up watching his sideways and backwards passing and movement. A package deal sale with Sami would be ideal and let’s use players who stir the blood.
Come on John bhoy, you cannot be serious to think that what Ledley does for our team would not be missed. He is calm on the ball, always gets his head up, picks a pass and can shoot as well. A top player for the hoops.
As for creativity, why the feck are we not picking up Stevie May for a song? That lad has class and would flourish with a chance at Celtic. Finger = oot = Lennon.
Hail hail
Ledley is outstanding if it was possible I would have seen Wanyama stay and seen them link up together just feel Ledley is tidying up everyone elses mess.
As for who to buy splash the cash on the Dundee United pair and Finnbogason
Finnbogason aint leaving Heerenveen till the summer. Gauld, Nakhi Wells (along with another striker), and a left back would be nice. With Bangura, Stokes, Pukki and Boerigter out.
Pukki worked his socks off against thistle.
Exactly the kind of industry we need in midfield.
Time for a change of position?
Neil says the team need a jag.The fans will need a jag to stay awake at CP.
Another sterline performance.Credit the Jags for their play.Moved the ball well,and caused us problems.Their fans created a bit of noise.Sadlly,CP is now a library for the home fans.
I would like to see Ledley and Samaras seek pastures new.When Commons isn’t creating and Forrest runs around in circles,that ‘ spark ‘ is missing.
Pukki,with Commons playing behind has got to be the worst yet from Lenny.It’s
seriously getting harder to watch this.The
alarm bells should be ringing loud and
clear in Lawwell’s ears,no entertainment
means more and more empty seats each
week.
I have seen worse Celtic teams,but through blind faith,you still buy your season ticket,27 years for me now.But
what annoys me,our club can afford to
buy 3 forward thinking quality players to
produce attractive football.
If Lawwell and the board don’t WANT to
fork out ?
Why should I pay £500 to watch sub-standard football ?
Ok guys this is my team v st mirren 4-4-2
Zaluska
Matthews
Izaguirre
Ambrose
Van dyke
Pukki
Mulgrew
Nir biton
Forrest
Balde
Atajic
Why do we have to buy buy we have young Bhoy in the under 21 give them a changes Hail Hail J M J
All good points here in all the posts but here are the facts
The league is won so why would the players that celtic have, do more than is needed to win games, we have the type of player at Celtic park who play the game to win and improve THEIR profile and not risk their shins when they dont need to, they are not going to go overboard when they don’t need to, it is unfortunatly a fact of the modern game, the days of Sean Fallon and Jimmy McGrory are long gone, until we have a league again when we need to win games because if we slip up in any small manner then we could lose it, then get used to these sort of games and performaces.
I dint mean we need the newco rangers, God forbid, but we do need competition.
Hail Hail
Apart from my above post we are unbeaten in 19 league games, quite a achievement, so maybe time to sit back and look at the bigger picture
Let’s look no further than the manager folks. He has played with one (very average) striker up front against pub teams for the last three games. We should be playing a 3-4-3 against these teams not a 4-5-1.
The midfield lack creativity, I would address that before a striker as against ICT we went 70mins without creating a chance.
Lennon bangs on about the squad needing a refresh but so does the management and we could do with someone with a bit more flamboyant dynamic style to manage the team, that will start getting the fans back.
We might be unbeaten in 19 games (Given our massive advantage hardly a surprise) but we got gubbed / embarassed in Europe, struggled with the dross of Elfsborg & Karagandy got mugged by poxy Morton. That’s before we mention too many absolutely DIRE displays against some extremely modest opposition.
I can understand some players feeling the effects such as Ambrose, Izzy but they are among our best just now…No such excuses for Brown, Ledley, Stokes, Samaras. For me it’s Brown OR Ledley not both as they don’t create openings. Lennon’s insistence on playing Commons behind the striker (We need his goals) means we lack a focal point upfront. Commons is too slow to play wide. To get the best from Pukki he needs a partner who can share the load, Commons wants to play off a similar type striker. We need a plan ‘B’ when Commons loses his current hot streak. Relying on full backs to create will leave us open to counter attacks against better sides than St.Johnstone / ICT or Thistle.
we should be dominating the midfield, yet clearly were again outworked / outfought again due to poor fitness levels / lack of sharpness. Quite why Lennon brought on 2 half hearted jersey fillers in Stokes & Samaras is beyond me (Apart from his obvious reliance on favourites) they have done hee haw to deserve such chances.
We have far & away the biggest / best squad in Scotland…so why not use them to best effect. Forrest again disappointed so get Fisher in a right back with Matthews ahead of him. Still lack balance on the left which maybe Bo can give us ? Atajic / Balde / Watt / Pukki would give us energy / desire up front…..use them don’t abuse them Lennon.
Cut the crap about poor conditions / tiredness..we have the ball opponents have to work harder. Possession means nothing if we have no final outcome, a shot, a goal, a corner..lift the tempo for 90 mins and bin this crawl to the title.
Agree Williebhoy,
No excuses for piss poor displays, especially at CP.
Rod, ” look at bigger picture and players
doing enough. ”
Sorry,if your’e easily pleased then so be it.
The picture I am watching is a scary movie, not worth the admission fee.
Players and the manager are cheating the
fans,if they are JUST doing enough to get
bye.
The board are also cheating the fans,20 M
brought in,in transfers, 9 M forked out in
return.
Of which 6 M, on pukki,balde and boe ( sick note ) look expensive flops.
The Celtic Way is attacking,attractive,stylish football.Not the
DROSS we are being served up.If the
players do not take pride in their performance,and don’t buy into the
attacking ethos of our club then show them the door.
Quality makes a difference.The money is
their.As an accountant,I have looked at our club’s finances.
Income streams are excellent ( CL money )
Costs based expenditures are TOO high.
This is mainly SALARIES to players.What
they are being paid does not equate to
their efforts on the park.
I hope when CL qualifiers come round,
we don’t ask the question,why did we not
get rid of the dead wood,and buy the 3
quality players, who would have helped us
qualify for the group stages with ease ?
Answers,on a postcard to Peter Lawwell.
We should be trying to bring players in from the teams being relegated in Spain Germany and England Sunderland have a few crackers up front