Daizen Maeda

What surprised me most when I lived in Japan was how family friendly it is. It's much more welcoming to kids than the UK is. I rocked up thinking everyone is a work slave but wow kids are really encouraged to be kids there by everyone.

 

Yeah when I visited it was nice to see kids still acting like kids and in no hurry to grow up unlike alot of the wee fan dans here .

 

Yeh, certainly the impression I get from the Japanese players. Something we could learn from.

 

So no balaclavas and bottles a Bucky?

 

Buzzing to see him in the CL this year

 

* I love him. The anti-Samaras.

 

His pressing is ridiculous...

 

I understand the system in play and get why they play on 'opposite' sides (been same since McGeady/Nakamura etc creating space for full backs) but the amount of times we utilise DMs & others' pace in behind means we don't get the best quality crosses from him!

He can invert from the right and still protect the ball to play passes. At least twice on Sun if he was on his stronger foot it's a lay across front for Kyogo ‍♂️

 

But canny cross wi his left...twice on Sunday he fluffed easy passes across box for Kyogo after getting in behind

 

Should be no surprise to anyone by now he has poor technique.

 

Not while remaining goal-side.

If you fully appreciated the system, you wouldn’t be so preoccupied with crossing. Crossing in Rodgers’ system is more primarily a full-back job, but can be played by anyone, of course.

Nullifying the inside-forward style effect of having Daizen on his opposite side would hold us back and prevent him getting as many opportunities to shoot or play a through ball. The few extra chances he’d get to play an out-swinging cross wouldn’t be worth it, particularly because it would be stealing field position from Johnston, who then wouldn’t get as many crosses in, ironically.

He’s not a “true”, old-fashioned winger (outside forward), but on the other hand, he’s not bound to stay inside, as he doesn’t have anyone outside of him positionally (albeit the full-backs operate like wing-backs and overlap into that space).

He’s more of a roaming, wide forward, whose primary job is to cut in, but can also stay wide, press and chase second balls, etc. He might sometimes cross, but then so might McGregor from CM if he drifts into a position for it.

 

There’s no other player like him, what a guy.

 

He played right wing last season and he was pretty poor. His form only picked up when playing off the left and, crucially, with hair.

 

If Idah were playing his crossing might be a real issue, but when our current other front 2 have an average height of about 3 feet 4 inches it's not like they'd be getting on the end of most crosses anyway. Cutting the ball back into the box is more where our play is at the moment. Plus what he brings to the team far outweighs the deficiencies in his game, so unless we have someone of the level of Jota to challenge for the spot he's a definite starter for me every game.

 

Yeah thats true. He is impossible to replace. Never seen someone work that hard.

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The thing is, he is improving his technique, Maeda of the last 6 months is far ahead of Maeda under Ange.

He'll never be a Jota like winger, but if he was alongside his current traits he'd be playing for the likes of Dortmund or Inter. He's another player that's went up a level under Rodgers.

To finish, I think there's a very good chance he stays with us into his twilight years, don't see him leaving us anytime soon.