Daizen Maeda

He'd genuinely be one of the first names on the team sheet for me in Europe or against Rangers. He's often quite bad against poor opposition though. Hibs at Easter road is not poor opposition, however, and it's a game he can play better in, though. I thought he had an off game TBH; but I still didn't think he was one of our worst players today.

At the end of the day, he just flew back across 4 and a half thousand miles and 3 timezones to play his first game with this team for a month. . I don't think it's fair to expect peak performance from him.

 

Painful viewing again from him, same with Abada. In fact I don't know how he managed it but Abada looked worse. So being positive.... he was only the 2nd worst Celtic player on show tonight.

 

100% agree his technical ability isn't there, or is at least quite inconsistent. I think it's overblown at times to be honest and exacerbated by the sheer amount of responsibility he takes. It's typical of us - we criticise players for passing sideways safely and not taking a man on, but when they do and inevitably fail more we absolutely crucify them.

His inconsistent technical ability is a negative, the same way Kyogo lacks height, Nakamura lacked pace, McGeady couldn't finish. The point is they all bring something else to the table that, if used properly, makes up for their shortcoming.

Maeda for me is quite a unique player and should be used as part of a squad, not a rigidly selected starting 11 where you are shamed if you 'lose your place'. He gets into a decent Japanese team, has great numbers and a terrific attitude. He won't work as a 'beat your man from nothing' winger because that's not his position. Maeda does what he does.

Sure, but wingers like that are difficult to find and even the best will struggle in many many games. Maeda's game is different.

We had both last season with Jota and Maeda, two great and very different options. We won a treble.

Jota being sold doesn't mean Maeda should be told to do what Jota did. Rodgers must use the players better or sign players he can use. He's two windows in now, if he's still relying on Maeda then he needs to alter his tactics.

 

Over the last season and a half he's averaging 1 assist every 7 matches and 1 goal every 5 matches. Those numbers are far from impressive. In fact Palma has 3 fewer assists for Celtic than Maeda does, in about a third of the matches.

Ange played a system that covered those deficiencies the best it could. Rodgers may not be a stupid guy, but what he's asking Maeda to do is stupid because he's asking Maeda to get the ball and beat a full back, then deliver a perfect cross into the box. He'll maybe deliver once in every 8 attempts.

The fact he's brilliant at neutralising Livi's right back isn't enough.

 

Like having him as a squad option for certain types of games but think we need more technical ability in most games domestically.

 

I'm able to see with my own eyes what he's asking the wingers to do, because that's the style of football we're playing. We're not sucking teams in, with the wingers making darting runs in behind and squaring it to one another for a tap in, or playing it over the top for Maeda to run on to.

He's getting the ball and having to square up against a player and 90% of the time he either loses the ball, or has to chop back and pass. So either that's Rodgers' game plan, or we're completely failing to do what's being asked.

It's like playing with 12 men off the ball. We know this because we've watched him for 2 years. Unfortunately for Maeda, most of the time we're on the ball and asking him to produce.

 

He's a * footballer with next to no good decision making or technical ability If you love the fact he runs about alot and neutralises fullbacks then I don't know what to say. How can you watch him and not be completely frustrated by his lack of basic footballing ability?

Do you genuinely watch him and think he'd be one of the first names on your team sheet?

 

He's just no very good. He was incredibly frustrating under Ange but he prob maximised his abilities but he's been terrible under Rodgers. I've not watched him for Japan but they got humped out a trophy they were prob joint favourites for, won't pick Kyogo who is quite clearly a superior football player and obviously value his headless chicken routine. You'll never convince me this guy is a capable footballer but each to their own.

 

You could say the exact same thing about Abada who you've (quite rightly) crucified in another thread.

 

No & didn't watch them in this tournament either. Either way from my own eye test, he's a grafter but a * footballer. I'm genuinely dumbfounded how anyone can watch him and not see how * he is. The fact someone is saying the opposite makes me think I'm going mental. Maybe I am. Worrying times.

 

I agree that Abada is *, I also think this version of Maeda is a regression on what he was under Ange though.

 

Absolutely horrendous..

Watching him trying to take on a man and running it out of play summed him up..

Got some stick from the away stand for it..

 

The guy is utter *.