Daizen Maeda

We can't afford to have a winger who can't score.

 

Given how bad we are in Europe in terms of defending, we have no choice. It would be worse without his work rate.

 

I get the argument for Maeda’s defensive contribution in big games like last night but see when you think about CL games, you get few attacking situations in the game and I think we need to ask a different question of Maeda.

That is in these games where we get few attacking moments, do we want them to fall to Maeda? Are we confident he will take them and be clinical? Sadly the answer to that is no.

The above is something that should have been addressed in the summer. If we still had Jota, most of us wanted a winger for the other wing and now we have lost Jota and as yet Yang, Palma, Abada and Maeda are not capable of filling Jota’s void.

 

If Jota played on the left last night, Taylor would have been exposed just as much. We needed Maeda left, IMO. Yang was the closest to that on paper.

We suck. Unfamiliar back line who can't pass well enough for the demanded style, and make poor calls under pressure, a static midfield, and wingers who indeed can't create chances. The one exceptional player we have, in terms of stamina, work rate and pace offers us an option we otherwise won't have: neutralize an opposition winger, guaranteed.

 

we are * out of luck ,we have half a dozen of them

 

Our team needs him, I would say. Until we have a better standard in most other positions anyway. He helps the team out a lot with his work rate, tracking back and pressing. He was also a threat getting in behind, which probably helps our full team as well, as it stops them committing certain players forward.

 

All the pace in the world but sadly doesn't have the brain to know how to use it.

The number of times he gets the ball on half way line and knocks it back to the full back and then just stands there watching it. Should be constantly playing give and goes and looking for the ball over the top into the space.

Brainless!!

 

If you ranked the problems we have against European competition, Maeda would be nowhere near the top of that list.

We all know his limitations, but he still effects the game in a number of positive ways.

Abada was a big loss, while Jota leaving was a monumental one. Given our current options, I'd have Maeda starting along with probably Palma.

Yang doesn't look ready. Hopefully Tilio can make more of an impact.

 

why is maeda even playing on the wings , was rodgers not sayin he sees him as a striker and has yet to play him there after how good he was pre season .he looks every bit the guy playing out of position but hes putting in a shift every time he plays . as ange pointed out if he hasnt got the players for the positions he needs he hasnt done his job letting the board know about it

 

Said this last night. The type of player who'll only get fully respected when we don't have him anymore

 

If Maeda is absolutely crucial to the team then we are *.

 

I think it's purely down to injuries tbh. If Abada was still fit I think we'd be seeing Maeda through the middle a lot more.

Well, that and the board not properly recruiting this summer.

 

id say you are right about the recruitment ,if abada was fit maeda would be on the left

 

He's got 1 goal in his last 17 games - at Livingston when the game was already won. I don't think 13 assists in 81 games is particularly great either.

We'll never score enough goals in Europe as long as he starts, he's just way too wasteful.

 

Daizen definitely lacks in areas but honestly think his qualities balance that right out. Very unorthodox granted but I think he is a great player to have overall. Also think he was one of the better performancers last night. A few balls pinged to him that he brought down well.

Granted, he has no end product which is infuriating. If Brendan can coach an end product into him, he would be unreal

 

Thats a question for the scouts