Daizen Maeda

Is it time for Maeda to sit on the bench a couple of games?

 

Keeping him will be like a new signing.

 

I think so.

He's struggling right now, he's been flogged for 3 years now, his energy levels don't look quite the same, his confidence levels are at a low. With Balikwisha and Tounekti in we have wide options now. I'd like to keep him on the bench until he looks a little bit more like his old self and when the team start creating more, once that happens he goes straight back in.

Yamada will hopefully get his chance to see if he's up to it after the international break.

 

I would go Tounekti-Yamada-Balikwisha for a couple of games. That would probably spark a fire in Maedas *

 

That's the one for me too. I'd maybe start Tounekti off the bench at Rugby Park just on the basis of him having trained little and being on international duty but I'd be starting him after that. Tounekti has to play off the left for me, let Balikwisha see how he can perform on the right for now.

It's more about trying to rebuild that confidence in Maeda, if we can get the team creating chances and getting that attacking fluidity back, we will thrive with his speed, movement and energy.

 

Who’s the drama queen now eh? Exactly what the board wants is fans to be fighting amongst themselves.

The enemy has never been other fans, it’s always been those at the top, never willing to do any more than what’s the minimum.

You’ll be right.

 

Need to hope he or Yamada hit a purple patch up top, which am sure both will it’s just how long they need to get going.

 

Cant afford to now.

 

I think he might get go the way of kyogo and leave for circa 12-15mil in jan.

If he doesnt sign a new contract and his form doesnt pick up i can see us moving him on.

 

For me I would try the two as a pair up top or Maeda left and Yamada down the middle.

See despite the Maeda hype for through the middle a lot of his goals came with him wide left ghosting in back post last year still.

The issue is we have now bought another two left wingers in Balikwisha and The boy from Hammarby.

The one thing Yamada impressed me with when he came on at the weekend was his strength and ability to back in and tie up their centre backs. His low centre of gravity and build helped him take the ball in and shield it, to me our biggest problem is getting the ball from the back to that point. I actually think it is madness us punting Inamura as I think there would be ways to use him and his on ball ability either playing left side of a back 3 or even putting him in a double pivot in centre midfield.

We need to try something different as everyone expects this 4-3-3 and we don’t even have the players to do it well.

 

This is true but I fear Rodgers will stick Maeda on the right. Plus Maeda only seems to suit certain games up top or left, hopefully can figure that one out.

He really needs a break as well I feel, he’s away with Japan again so little chance of it unfortunately.

 

For me as an absolute minimum we need to go to a 4-2-3-1 in terms of shape.

McGregor cannot play single pivot in Europe or when we play better teams in the league.

I also think Nygren, Balikwisha, or Hatate could all play as a 10 in behind the striker the way Rogic done under Rodgers the first time.

Right winger is an issue still in that you could put Balikwisha out there.

I would like Donovan to get a run out at right back I think he offers more going forward than Ralston, if nothing else he is a big athlete that can go to the byline. It’s how Tierney got his start in a poor side under Delia when Izzy got injured.

Middle of the park play either Bernardo or Engels deeper beside McGregor.

Tierney is also a worry he looks spent as an attacking left back, I genuinely don’t know what to do with him.

If JSP is actually good on the ball at playing out from the back he has to come in.

On Maeda I can see him being kept as our centre forward.

 

Hopefully he's able to recapture his form.

 

Maeda anywhere up top only works if we have actual creative ability alongside him. Don’t think either winger we signed is the answer.

we won’t see Maeda of last season purely because of that. Hes a player to finish the attacks not start them

 

We need him too badly now. He is our 9 now at least until January. Hopefully the 2 new wingers can hit the ground running and get Maeda some good supply and the goals start to flow again.

 

We are at risk of running him into the ground, if the others don't contribute. Hopefully Yamada steps up.

 

I really don't want to see Maeda as striker again. He's missed so many critical one on one's now ( five ? ) its unreal. And with this league shaping up to be a 4 horse race, we can't afford a Maeda firing blanks again. Much rather we see Shin there as No.1, and rotated with Kenny, Osmand and Iheanacho if signed. We have an overload of left wingers now, and Jota also due back in the New Year. Either play Maeda on the right, or maybe move him on in January.

 

He was called up for Japan, yeah?

 

Aye Japan have 2 games in America


First one being Mexico on Sunday then USA on Wednesday

 

Yes, and he should come back from that on fire. He always seems to either go to internationals on fire and come back *, or go there in * form and come back on fire. It's like he has a less talented twin and they swap places every international break.