Today’s game cannot come quick enough for us all. After that devastating defeat to the gormless Steven Naismith and his Hearts team at home, off the back of losing again to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, the desire to put things right again and confirm that we won’t have another repeat of the Covid season scenario is playing on the mind of just about every Celtic supporter.
To have a re-run of that wholly unacceptable and abhorrent year the fanbase had to endure would be unthinkable. We’ve stumbled and in the process let our main rivals back in the door, despite them not being any great shakes either. They’ve found a competent manager just like Van Bronkhorst was, but they are talking about him as if he’s the next Jock Stein or Alex Ferguson. We know how quickly they turned on Gio and Beale too; that’s worth remembering.
There’s going to be times when you falter in the marathon of a footballing season but it’s how one recovers from these setbacks that decides who is going to be Champions when all is said and done. Man City haven’t been great and are lagging behind this year after missing some very important players and losing some matches they should have in fact won but refused to see the game out or defended poorly within. But would you be surprised if they came back in the second half of the season and romped to the Premier League?
Celtic have been clearly lacking intensity lately and it is no coincidence that it has coincided with the absence of Daizen Maeda on that left-wing. The Japanese international has been phenomenal since he came to the club and those that are disparaging of his undoubted ability and skillset must see the folly of their argument now. What lacks in Dazien’s final ball he more than makes up for with his industry off of it. That isn’t easily replaced in any team. It’s apparent that this has been a key component in the drop off in intensity recently, particularly at the start of matches.
Today Daizen will be in from the word go and you will notice a marked improvement in the conviction with which we press from the front of the team. It will be a much needed and vital adrenaline rush to a team that needs a spark and has been going through the motions for several matches now. That can change this afternoon when we can exorcise the ghosts of Rugby Park and the insipid performance against the Jambos. It’s not been good enough for a Celtic team this recent run of form and we can correct that and steady the ship when Livi come into town.
Daizen Maeda will be key.
Paul Gillespie
What are you taking about? What age are you? Have you even kicked a ball in your life? Very doubtful! You think watching a lot of football means you know what you’re talking about? No, it doesn’t! Obviously nit in thus case. Jock Stein will be turnin in his grave when “players” as awful as Maeda are called “phenomenal” by some myopic fans. So, just running around & tracking back (cos he’s given the ball away himself in the first place) is enough to be described as “phenomenal” these days? Don’t talk absolute garbage! Maeda is worse than Mikey Johnston, but he tracks back faster .. WOWEEE!!! “Phenomenal” .. gie’s peace!!! His touch is awful. I seen it best described on twitter, where someone said he has a “touch like a kerb!” He can’t cross. He’s no composure. His shooting is abysmal .. but, hey .. he tracks back very quickly!! smfh
HT update .. been as “phenomenal” as I expected. He hides in plain sight! He doesn’t show for the ball cos he doesn’t actually want the ball. He has zero confidence in his own ability, nae wonder! I wish I was wrong, seriously! I don’t want us tae have sh*t players. I want us tae be great & slap teams 5-0 with a Maeda hat-trick every week, I’d love that .. but, I have eyes .. & a gid fitbaw brain & I know a real player when I see one .. & he is isn’t, wasn’t & never will be, sadly. Oh, how we’ve fallen when p@sh like that is a certain starter for us. It saddens me & angers me.