Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda came to the fore in the Hoops’ 3-1 win over Hibernian on Sunday.

Daizen Maeda
Soccer Football – Scottish Cup – Final – Celtic v Rangers – Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – May 25, 2024 Celtic’s Daizen Maeda before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

The mercurial Japanese forward bagged a first-half brace as the Bhoys booked their place in the last eight of the Scottish League Cup, where they will face Falkirk.

In the absence of Kyogo Furuhashi and as Adam Idah continues to build fitness, Maeda got the nod up front.

Brendan Rodgers had no qualms about deploying the 26-year-old at centre-forward, a position he is more than adept in having played there several times before for both club and country.

Former Celt and pundit Jackie McNamara, though, thinks he has came on leaps and bounds from when he initially turned out as a striker for Celtic.

I think you can see a development”, he said (BBC Scottish Football Podcast). 

“When Maeda played up the middle before, a couple of years ago, he kept running away from goal, now he wants to be between the sticks.

“The front three, they’re in there to try and score goals. You can see that development in their game.”

Celtic have looked rather fluid in their opening few games of the season. Going forward, the Bhoys are playing some attractive, free-flowing football.

With a full pre-season and a few competitive games now in the tank, the Celts look primed and ready to attack the new season.

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