Lennon impressed by Lassad

Neil Lennon saw enough from new boy Lassad Nouioui in the 2-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Dundee to suggest he will be a good addition to his squad.

The 26-year-old Tunisia forward was given his first start for the Hoops since signing a two-year contract following his departure from Deportivo La Coruna in the summer.

After strikes from Gary Hooper and Victor Wanyama had given the home side an unassailable lead against the SPL’s bottom side at Parkhead, Lassad was denied his first Celtic goal by former Hoops goalkeeper Robert Douglas. He saved the striker’s close-range header, having earlier kept out Scott Brown’s penalty after Lassad was tripped by Dundee defender Kyle Benedictus.

Lassad was replaced by Tony Watt in the 65th minute, by which time Lennon had been encouraged by what he had seen from his new striker.

“He hadn’t played for three or four months and we always worried that fitness would be an issue,” said Lennon.

“He came off with a slight groin problem but we are hoping that it is just a mild problem.

“His link-up play was good, he won us the penalty, he had a really good header tipped over the bar so we were pleased in general with his play and we know there is more to come from him.”

The champions’ superiority could have translated into more goals had it not been for some wayward shooting and a fine performance by Douglas.

Brown’s penalty was well struck but the 40-year-old Dees number one got a hand to the ball to tip it over.

Celtic have struggled from the spot under Lennon and the Northern Irishman admits there might be a change in taker for the next one they are awarded.

Lennon said: “Scott has been the designated taker for quite a while and this was the first penalty of the season.

“So there might be a bit of a queue lining up to take the next one.”

Dundee remain bottom of the table with four points from seven games and it looks like being a long season for the Taysiders.

As runners-up to Ross County in the Irn-Bru First Division last season, Barry Smith’s men were invited into the SPL at late notice following the demise of Rangers, who were relaunched in the Third Division following their descent into administration.

Smith tried to put a sheen on what had been a comfortable win for the home side. The former Celtic defender said: “The positives were that we created chances against Celtic and for the majority of the game we defended well against a good Celtic team.

“So we have to remain positive. We have a good set of boys in that dressing room and we just need a wee bit more belief at times.

“I think we started the game very well and created a few chances.

“We lost two goals at bad times, just before half-time and just after so it was a real uphill struggle to get back in the game.

“It is easy at Parkhead to buckle at 2-0 and so I am pleased that the boys stuck at it, they refused to lie down and kept working hard.”