CELTIC were very impressive against Cluj on Thursday, and it really looks as if Neil Lennon’s side is clicking into gear.

He may have watched the game with a mixture of satisfaction and a slight pang of regret that his side weren’t motoring like this the first time that the Romanians came to Glasgow, because if he had this team available and firing, we would have been talking about Champions League fixtures rather than the Europa League.

Still, that is in the past and the win over Cluj this time around has put Celtic in a great position in the group. If they can beat Lazio in the next game, you have to say that they would be the favourites to progress.

READ MORE: Griffiths still out of picture... but not out the door, insists gaffer

Lennon named the same starting 11 that got the draw in Rennes, and that says to me he has settled on his strongest team.

There is a good balance about that selection, and it is hard to argue with any of his decisions. Fraser Forster gives a greater presence than Craig Gordon, and the defence looks to have settled down into a formidable unit.

In front of them, Callum McGregor and Scott Brown gave the team a great base to build from, and there was a stark difference between how that area functioned with McGregor in there instead of at left-back, as he was in the first game against Cluj.

I thought he was magnificent on Thursday, covering every blade of grass, and he showed his quality at key moments. His pass for Boli Bolingoli to set up the first goal for Odsonne Edouard was brilliant, a real touch of class.

Brown though, in my view, was the dominant presence. He snapped into tackles, harried opponents and dictated the game. When he is in that sort of form, he sets the tone for the rest of his teammates.

Cluj couldn’t get anything like the joy they did when they scored four at Celtic Park in August, and the midfield played a big part in that. They suffocated Cluj with their energy, which is remarkable when you consider Brown is 34 now and McGregor has played such a huge volume of games.

READ MORE: James Forrest 'right away said no' to having a book published about his career

I always found as a footballer that fatigue didn’t really enter your mind when you were playing well. When you are at the top of your game, as McGregor is, you feel as if you could play every other day.

Celtic aren’t quite at that stage yet, although they aren’t far off it, but all the signs point to the players being able to handle the busy schedule. And if either of these two need a break, there is always Oliver Ntcham or Tom Rogic waiting in the wings.

Ahead of them, Ryan Christie is a bundle of energy and a real threat to any defence, while James Forrest just keeps grinding out performances on the right.

On the left, it was good to see what Mohamed Elyounoussi can do after a relatively quiet start to his Celtic career, and his contribution over and above his goal was encouraging.

Up front, as I have said before, is the only area of concern for me. Odsonne Edouard is exceptional, but he can’t play every minute. If he gets injured I am slightly concerned about the depth in that position. Vakoun Issouf Bayo is young and raw, while Leigh Griffiths is still struggling to get up to full speed.

That is a minor cloud in a clear sky for Celtic at the moment though, with the options in every other position really strong, and the team going well on both the domestic and European fronts.

The manager deserves great credit for the squad he has put together.