Daizen Maeda

Rodgers loads the ball out to wingers and expects them to beat 2+ men on a deep defensive block and hit an attacking player so precisely they can convert an opportunity against a 6ft 4 brick shithouse CB that only gets a game in Scottish football for their ability to defend crosses and has been set for the cross for 5 minutes of slow build up play.

And people wonder why Maeda isn't working.

Maeda and Kyogo haven't suddenly become *. Rodgers doesn't know how to use them.

What's more worrying is the two wingers he has signed (the opposite type from Jota / Maeda / Abada) he doesn't seem to know how to use either, or they aren't able to play the way he intends due to lack of quality.

The simple solution here is for Rodgers to * off, because we're not signing a Messi-level player anytime soon that can beat 3 men and cut the ball back for a striker to tap in.

 

Aye it was a good cross, but again it's one out of how many?

His technical ability is *. Even players in the junior leagues are capable of leathering a ball from outside the box into the top corner every now and then. Ismaila Soro scored a worldie at Celtic Park a few years back.

Most of his goals for us have been scrappy as *, not through pure striking of the ball or clever finishing. A guy with his pace and energy should be running amok in this league. Not having fans tearing their hair out.

 

Feel like a stuck record but he’s absolutely gash. Will kill literally every attack he’s involved in. But aye let’s start him every week because he gets back now and again and hits it out of play, something Palma does plenty is tracking back but seems to go unnoticed. Palma is far superior and will be back in on Sunday.

 

That's the only decent goal he's scored for us. Most of his goals are deflected off other players first or bundled into the net as he falls over. He's been a good signing, but he's so frustrating.

 

Unless I've forgotten I can't remember another great goal he's scored for us.

 

Is this the goal in our 4-0 win there in December 2022? The fact you're having to go back 14 months sort of speaks volumes. The only other goal I can remember him scoring that was as good as that was against Livi, after he'd missed about 3 sitters prior to it.

Of course he's going to get the odd goal, and even the odd screamer...but that doesn't justify the constant * crosses, sclaffed shots, * touches etc. And neither does his running about.

 

One really good goal at Easter Road, a couple of decent finishes and a bunch of scrappy goals.

 

Ropey on the ball as he can be, i still thought he gave us something which our other wingers havnt in recent weeks which was that he offered running into the space im behind and stretched their defence, especially in the first half.

 

Did you stop counting at half time?

 

I've just watched every goal he's scored for us. The majority of them are scrappy and opportunistic. Even the one at Ibrox you've mentioned is a scrappy finish.

The issue isn't the goals he's scored either, it's the amount of attacks that break down due to his poor technique. There's several per game when he plays. Think @kenyan_bhoy counted 8 in the first half alone tonight.

 

The fact that it's a surprise when he connects cleanly with the ball, or shows composure in front of goal sort of says it all.

That goal at Ibrox was a shock because it's one of very few times he's ran at a player, got past them and then finished it.

 

True, but isn't it fair to also expect a Celtic winger to create chances for us? Sometimes his defensive work isn't worth the trade off imo.

 

Is that really what we should be judging a Celtic winger on?

That’s what Ross County and St Mirren fans praise their wingers for when they’re up against us. It’s so small time.

A Celtic winger, or a winger for any team who averages about 70% possession, should be judged on their ability to beat defenders, carve open defences, put in good crosses regularly, score goals etc.