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.
Heart of Midlothian v Celtic – cinch Premiership – Daizen Maeda right celebrates scoring during the cinch Premiership match at Tynecastle on Sunday October 22, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh
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?
Livingston v Celtic – Daizen Maeda scores the third Celtic goal of the game during the cinch Premiership match at the Tony Macaroni Arena, Livingston. Saturday September 23, 2023. Photo Jeff Holmes
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.
Feyenoord v Celtic, Daizen Maeda, Photo:Bart Stoutjesdijk/Shutterstock
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
