This article is part of Football FanCast’s Monthly Review series, which analyses what managers can learn from the previous month and what the coming month could have in store.

We’ve reached the first international break of the season and the dust has settled on the month of August, so how exactly did Celtic turn things around under Neil Lennon in the last four weeks?

Doom and gloom would be an understatement for the way Celtic fans felt after their Champions League exit at the hands of Cluj.

The club sold fan favourite Kieran Tierney, were showing little sign of fixing their ailing defence, had players wanting to leave and then finally allowed a team few in Glasgow had heard of to rock up to Parkhead and score four in the Hoops’ own backyard.

After last weekend’s Old Firm triumph though, things are looking up, so how exactly did Neil Lennon steady the ship last month?

Defensive solidity

Unsurprisingly, the Bhoys’ change in fortunes has coincided with a massive improvement at the back.

Lennon’s side looked dazed and confused as Cluj’s forwards romped around in acres of space in the Champions League qualifier, but fast forward a few weeks and suddenly things are looking rosy.

Boli Bolingoli is becoming a new fan favourite at left-back, Christopher Jullien played his part in stifling Rangers and some fans have even gone so far as to suggest Hatem Elhamed is better than Paolo Maldini.

So, the new signings are settling in well, and the stats show a clear upgrade over the last few games as well. The Hoops have conceded just twice in their last four, and one of those was a late consolation for Hearts with the game already wrapped up while the other was a penalty for AIK in a 4-1 Hoops win.

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Olivier Ntcham

The second crucial thing Lennon has done in the last month is bring out the old Olivier Ntcham.

After talking the Frenchman out of his desire to depart Glasgow this summer, the manager has slowly but surely bedded him back in, and the midfielder has rewarded his boss by getting back to his best.

With Scott Brown set to turn 35 at the end of this season, getting Ntcham fit, focused and firing is crucial to the club’s success, and once again they have Lennon to thank.

It’s been a pretty good few weeks for the manager.

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