🔊 “Daizen Maeda’s goal keeps the tie alive”— Celtic’s credibility in the Champions League this season has been “transformational”, but will Celtic lose Daizen Maeda to an English Premier League Club?
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Daizen Maeda: Is He Premier League Quality? Maeda is one of Celtic’s best signings in recent seasons. From once being considered the “third-best” of the Japanese signings he’s now emerged as a key player for Celtic. But is he good enough to make the leap to the English Premier League?
The Journos Highlights:
00:00:00 PLZ Soccer The Journos
00:00:37 Daizen Maeda goals vs Bayern Munich – “It’s keeps the tie alive”
00:01:21 Celtic 1-2 Bayern Munich – “They didn’t get battered 4-0 or 5-0”
00:06:36 Celtic UCL Campaign – “The credibility for Celtic is transformational”
00:07:30 Arne Engels Celtic – “I really like Engels”
00:08:27 Daizen Maeda Celtic – “You can’t help but love him”
00:12:27 Auston Trusty Celtic – “Confident on the ball and strong against Kane”
00:14:50 Bayern Munich vs Celtic – “Celtic could aspire to an Atalanta performance!”
00:16:57 Celtic play-offs to qualify for the Champions League – “They get jobs done”
00:18:33 Celtic New Striker – “Celtic’s recruitment is displaced”
00:19:53 Reo Hatate Celtic Transfer – “He wants to play in a different league”
00:23:57 Alistair Johnstone – “He’s in the driving seat for Celtic Captain”
00:26:00 Can Bayern Munich win the Champions League? – “With luck yes”
00:27:03 Arne Engels penalty claim vs Bayern Munich – “It wasn’t clear cut”
00:28:15 Rangers 0-1 Queen’s Park – “It’s the biggest Scottish Cup shock”
00:32:20 Philippe Clement Rangers – “The interesting thing is season ticket renewals”
00:35:31 Rangers FC future – “It’s a club in crisis”
00:40:41 Why hasn’t Philippe Clement been sacked?- “Patrick Stewart doesn’t knee-jerk”
00:45:35 Everton 2-2 Liverpool – “That’s what derbies are all about”
00:51:55 Football part of a community
00:56:55 Best football stadiums in the world
🔍 What Makes Maeda Stand Out?
1️⃣ Relentless Work Rate & Pressing
Maeda is arguably Celtic’s most intense player. His pressing, off-the-ball movement, and defensive contributions make him unique among forwards.
🔹 High pressing
🔹 Defensive contributions doubling up as an extra full-back
🔹 His movement stretches defences, creating space
In the modern game, pressing forwards like Roberto Firmino, Heung-Min Son, and Gabriel Jesus have proven invaluable, and Maeda possesses similar qualities in terms of work ethic and tactical discipline.
2️⃣ Versatility & Tactical Adaptability
One of Maeda’s biggest assets is his ability to play multiple roles effectively:
✅ Left Wing: His most common position, where he terrorizes full-backs with his pace and pressing.
✅ Striker: As seen against Bayern Munich, when he shifted centrally, he became a real threat and eventually scored.
✅ Right Wing: Less common, but he has played there when Celtic needed him to cut inside or press from the opposite flank.
3️⃣ Improved Finishing & Attacking Intelligence
For much of his career, the biggest criticism of Maeda was his lack of composure in front of goal.
⚽ Maeda has now scored more Champions League goals for Celtic than Henrik Larsson.
⚽ His delicate chip finish a few weeks ago showed finesse that many thought he lacked.
⚽ His header against Bayern Munich was a textbook poacher’s goal
📊 The Premier League Question: Would He Succeed?
✅ Reasons He Could Thrive in the EPL
1️⃣ Pace & Work Rate: The English Premier League is fast-paced, and Maeda’s engine would allow him to press high
2️⃣ Tactical Awareness: His ability to follow tactical instructions makes him a manager’s dream
3️⃣ Adaptability: Rotating between winger and forward roles.
📝 Final Verdict: Is Maeda EPL-Ready?
🏆 Conclusion: YES—But Not a Guaranteed Success.
Also on The Journos:
⚽ Celtic’s Champions League Reality Check
🔊 “Daizen Maeda’s goal keeps the tie ‘alive’—at least in perception. But let’s be honest, Bayern Munich are still the clear favorites.”
💬 On the first half dominance by Bayern:
📢 “From half an hour to half-time, Celtic got battered. But credit to them, they didn’t collapse. It could have been three or four. Instead, they’ve left with their credibility intact.”
💬 On the progression under Brendan Rodgers:
📢 “This is a Celtic team that’s maturing in Europe. They’re growing, but there’s a natural ceiling when you face elite sides like Bayern.”
📊 Match Stat That Stood Out:
🔥 Celtic committed just one foul in the first half!
🔥 But also had just one touch in the Bayern penalty box!
🔍 What Next for Rangers After Scottish Cup Shock?
🔹 Philippe Clement’s future as Rangers manager
🔹 On Rangers FC season ticket renewals & fan discontent
🔹 Rangers squad rebuilding challenges
🔹 On the mentality issue at Rangers
💬 On the community spirit of Scottish lower-league football
#celtic #celticfc #rangersfc
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