If not on the wing, where does Maeda find space?

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Brendan Rodgers post-match press conference in Yokohama was interesting on two fronts.  Almost a year after sustaining a shoulder injury, the manager revealed Kyogo did not start the game as the same issue left him short of the fitness levels even his team-mates were at.  If the medics have not resolved the issue by now, it is likely Kyogo will have a persistent weakness in the joint.

A more positive note was struck when discussing Daizen Maeda, Rogers said, “I thought Daizen was outstanding. I like him more through the middle. I think he does a good job on the side, but there is a reason he plays for Japan through the middle.”

This could be taken for a platitude to a player who scored a hat-trick, but Brendan added detail, “I like players at the top end who can really press the game and Daizen can definitely do that.

“It’s just about adding to players’ development. Daizen is still a young player who can improve. Of course, his strength is running in behind, but sometimes there won’t always be that space. So, can we develop his game and get him into areas he can work the defenders?”

That last point is critical.  In 90% of Celtic’s domestic games there is no space for Daizen to exploit, at first pass, his greatest asset is unsuited to our game.  “Can we develop his game and get him into areas he can work the defenders?”

I have no idea what that will look like.  The best example of Daizen at Celtic was at Ibrox in January, when he ran through the opposition defence to open the scoring, but that game was ultimately rescued by the innate ability of Kyogo to find space inside the box.  When fit, Kyogo will remain out top striker this season.

It has been four years since Brendan watched a bank of five defenders on the edge of their box with another four a few yards in front, so close, they could almost hold hands, his memory of what’s in store may be more generous to our standard opponents than they deserve.  Working them is entirely desirable, I just don’t see where Daizen will do this, if not on the wing.

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  1. It’s another dreich day at the golf for me today.

     

     

    The entire crowd were willing the lesser to miss his put on the 18th last night and he didn’t.

     

     

    Hopefully someone can rip it up and put some pressure on him to make it a contest today.

     

     

    I fancy the big Spaniard to be the man today. If he can’t repeat yesterday then he might just apply some pressure.

     

     

    As for the cricket I am praying for rain. Although I do admire the English attitude and aggression.

     

     

    Only 2 weeks until the deal Sport starts though. Mondays draw for the rangers in euro qualifiers could be interesting mind you. Rounds 3 and 4 drawn.

     

     

    Panithinikos and then PSV would be good for me.

  2. Burnley78 10.25am

     

     

    Rahm is 5/2 without Harman in the betting OR 15/2 eachway 1/3 of the odds to be placed (first or second) Brian Harman has been dismissed by the “golf media” for wasting the Open by being excellent, if it was Rory or Scottie S they would be gushing about his golf

     

     

    I do think there will be a charge from somebody (probably Rahm) but Harman has been excellent the last 3 days … some going by Harman all rounds so far in the 60s

  3. TURKEYBHOY on 23RD JULY 2023 10:26 AM

     

    CCV and Tony back in full training.

     

    —————

     

    Good stuff!

     

    Where you getting that info from?

     

    😃👍🇮🇪🍀🏆🏆🏆

  4. As Saint Stivs is back on again, I suppose I can end my in solidarity self-imposed posting ban :-)

     

    So , let my first post be to say:

     

    Well done Timbhoy3 in posting that fine apology. Good man.

  5. Burnley 78,

     

    I very much want England to win this Test for two reasons:

     

    1) They really deserve victory in this one;

     

    2) I want the Series to be still alive for the Final Test.

     

     

    Golf? I play regularly and quite enjoy watching but have little interest in who wins the big tournaments.

     

     

    Cycling: Vingegaard fully deserves his victory and seem to be a good guy but I was very pleased with Pogacar`s win yestersay. Next year`s Tour could be outstanding.

  6. I hope England lose at everything they play in, their media is unbearable with their boasting and sense of entitlement, this has been the knock on effect of the greatest league in the world and the funding English sport receives through heavy marketing.

     

    Harman has been incredibly consistent, it’s his to lose if indeed he does, but as a competition he has killed it by being streets ahead, a bit like Woods did in the Opens he won.

  7. !!Bada Bing!! on

    The extended contracts are to try and keep the core group of the team together, and BR has convinced the Board we need to up the salaries in order to do this,I think CCV will extend,I would do my best to keep Abada,I think BR could seriously improve him.Brighton been quoted with an interest in Hatate,they sold MacAllister to Liverpool ,who are also interested in Caicedo,as are Chelsea for about £80 million plus,RH might be waiting for things to move on that front……

  8. Fine day of rain for the golf alfhough Harmon has been very consistant. I expect Viktor Hovland to put on some pressure. Time to open the red, sit back and relax

  9. The Lurkin Tim

     

     

    I am sure drug abuse is still widespread in the world of elite cycling. I am not a fan of the sport at all.

     

     

    What I was trying to highlight was the psychology of one of the guys who was a race stage contender in a gruelling event talking about the pain of competition and the realisation that no matter how good you are, there are many other opponents who can do what you do. That realisation that, even when you win, there was nothing inevitable about it and it doesn’t mean you will win next time. For many, fear of losing is a bigger motivator than desire to win. It reminded me of a quote from Daley Thompson, when he was told by his trainer that he didn’t need to train on Christmas Day as he could have just one day off. Daley’s reply was “Do you think Jurgen Hingsen is taking Xmas Day off?”

     

     

    I found that stuff interesting, despite the sad overlay of drugs that taint the sport itself. The main victims of this are the athletes themselves.

  10. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    Anybody know why AJ and Kyogo didn’t have surgery immediately at the end of the season?

     

     

    Seems very odd that weeks have been wasted.

  11. Bada,

     

     

    Not so sure Hatate is EPL-ready yet and certainly wouldn’t be seen by Brighton fans as a legitimate replacement of a WC winner. The other side of that £15-£20m is a punt for the EPL and so viewed in a different lens. He seems more of a conductor of play in the first few games than Callum (which troubles me as that is McGregor’s best position) and we still retain an inferior midfield for the forthcoming European challenge. Hopeful we can rectify that still.

     

     

    Maeda is a downgrade on Kyogo as number 9 so hope we don’t see BR getting too clever as the real end of pre-season approaches but Maeda will likely see more in the pool of players for that up front slot, which includes Oh and Abada (who I hope we can keep too).

     

     

    No taxis booked for me today but hopefully the minibus is getting readied for the week ahead as the squad takes shape.

     

     

    HH

  12. Oh, and one more thing, the youngsters playing yesterday (Lawal, Vata, Summers & McPherson) really need an avenue to go on a meaningful loan next season rather than the cloggers paradise of the 5th tier.

     

     

    Going back to the B team is no progress in development at all at their age. We’ve seen Doig, Johnston and others get moves abroad playing for Hibs, Hearts & Motherwell. Shouldn’t our trading model build this in too if they are good enough?

     

     

    HH

  13. SRTB

     

    thank you I’ll watch All Ireland on tablet and golf on tv. Glad the Bhoys played yesterday. Maybe TDF on phone 😁

  14. !!Bada Bing!! on

    BigW – thanks for reply,I think Hatate could play in EPL, no problem, sometimes we under estimate our players ,I hope he stays but a long Transfer Window this summer

  15. Anybody miss when there was no transfer window ? Suppose it’s a good thing to provide managers with some stability

  16. the long wait is over on

    Made the mistake of clicking on a daily record

     

    Link on news now :-

     

     

    https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/kenny-dalglish-warns-celtic-boo-30532345

     

     

    Mentions Celtic “boo boys” in the headline but literally nothing in the article suggests any Celtic player has been or will be boo’ed.

     

     

    Serves me right for clicking on utter Clickbait crap.

     

     

    The sooner these horrible red tops die the better for this country generally.

  17. kevinlasvegas on

    Red tops won’t ever die, the masses love crap and click bait.

     

     

    Control.csc

     

     

    KLV

  18. Hope Aiden McGeady does well at Ayr Utd, one of my favourite players in the hoops, a very intelligent Bhoy and obviously into business / coaching / as well as playing

  19. GFTB on 23RD JULY 2023 3:23 PM

     

    Hope Aiden McGeady does well at Ayr Utd, one of my favourite players in the hoops, a very intelligent Bhoy and obviously into business / coaching / as well as playing

     

    ______

     

    I wasn’t aware of that. Player and techinal manager. I hope he does well. Despicable how he was regarded up here. After all, he only did what others such as, andy goram, dick Gough and Stuart mccall did🤔

  20. Hopefully the 3 payers that look like they are coming in show themselves to be of a good quality. Same with holm and tiĺio.

     

     

    Jota, hazard and mooy have gone with shaw and Montgomery loaned out again.

     

     

    So 5 in and 5 out.

     

     

    We need a 1st team leftback and left winger with pace and strength (must be no smaller than 5, 10). A quality gk and box to box midfielder would be the topping on the cake.

     

     

    Sure we will be able to loan/ sell most if not all of: benjy gk, urhoghide cb, scales cb, mccarthy cm, soro cm, turnbull cm, ajeti s, bernabei, lb, gucci cm, welsh cb.

     

     

    HH

  21. Bada,

     

     

    I’m a big Reo fan, from the off. One of the peculiarities of Japan is they don’t get going until later as a professional footballer. He’s 25 now and will be wanting to accelerate his career. I did think it odd he didn’t get the new contract a la Kyogo & Maeda and might still be for the off before the window closes. I wonder if that’s why we are waiting for the likes of Reider as a result but BR does seem to be singling him out for added praise and focus. Fecked if I know what’s going on :)

     

     

    Our midfield 3, great for Scotland, needs beefed up for Europe and I understand that’s where want to be. Of course, Rodgers improving them as a unit rather than buying, might be where we want to focus our investment.

     

     

    The Keeper who wins us points when we are up againts it, a more powerful LB and a bit of luck with CCV + 1 other playing ll our games.

     

     

    Long window indeed. Seems an age since Ange left and Jota too. Being loaded is one thing. Being able to convince a player to get kicked about for a season by some agriculturl clugger, another.

     

     

    HH

  22. Ziggydoc1 3.31pm

     

     

    The ignorance about Aiden’s international decision is driven by “our” media … Scotland didn’t want him at an early stage in his career … he talks about it in one of the “open goals” with Si Ferry & Paul Slane, Republic of Ireland more or less courted Aiden’s parents and made it clear they wanted him at a very young age, Aiden didn’t reject Scotland, sadly Scotland rejected Aiden

     

     

    But that doesn’t suit the (media) dislike towards him :-)

  23. BIG JIMMY

     

    Not seen you on for a while, hope you are in good health.

     

    Maybe you’re in the Costa Del Sol, eyeing up a few female chumpesses.

     

    let us know you are ok though

     

     

     

    KINGLuBO

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