What price Thomas Rogne?
The 21-year-old started just his fourth game of the season and breezed through the 90 minutes with the composure of a veteran.
Given the task of marking Nikita Jelavic, who was watched by Roy Hodgson and Davie Moyes, the value of the Croatian plummeted over the course of 90 minutes as Rogne and Charlie Mulgrew won every battle.
Anyone watching to see what all the fuss is about the £5m rated striker would surely have noted the disciplined performance of the young Norwegian.
Like all of his team-mates Rogne didn’t have the best of days during last season’s League Cup final defeat from Rangers but that was no basis for writing him off.
When Celtic started the new year at Ibrox it was Rogne and Daniel Majstorovic that shut out Kenny Miller as Georgios Samaras notched a double.
Injuries rather than ability have been Rogne’s biggest obstacle since joining Celtic two years ago but last night’s display vindicated Lennon’s belief in the young defender.
“The main concern was the back four, it was a big call going with Matthews over Cha and bringing in Rogne,” the hoops boss explained.
“We needed someone dominant at the back, I thought that their two centre-forwards got the better of us at Ibrox.
“Rogne has a good temprement, he’s composed. In all the hurly burly tonight I could see his head coming up and heading the ball out. That’s what you need to do against Rangers.
“They whip the ball in well from the wide areas, I thought Rogne and Mulgrew dovetailed superbly. Jelavic and Lafferty are a handful for any team.”
Lennon added: “It wasn’t a brilliant performance but it was a good controlled team performance. We sacrificed a little bit by leaving Ki out, these games are physical but with Wanyama, Brown and Kayal in there we needed a platform in the game.
“We always felt that we’d be dangerous with Forrest, Hooper and Samaras and I’m delighted with the way that it all worked out.”
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