Brendan Rodgers praises the “intensity” that Celtic star at Lennoxtown is displaying at the moment.

Over the course of the next nine league games, Celtic’s star players will need to step up to maintain their position in the title race.

If the Bhoys can get past Aberdeen in the final four at Hampden next month, they will also have a chance to advance to the Scottish Cup final.

In an open discussion with official club channels, Rodgers revealed that the amount of important player injuries he has had to cope with since moving back north of the border has been his biggest source of annoyance.

“It has surprised me, perhaps because of what I felt the first time I was here,” he said. The feeling seems to have changed slightly, in my opinion. The inability to field the best team has been the main source of frustration.

Nevertheless, there is no time to dwell, and Celtic will need to find a way to compensate for the absences of Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and potentially Luis Palma when St Johnstone come calling this weekend.

One man who has almost certain to have nailed his place down ahead of facing Craig Levein’s outfit is Daizen Maeda, who was the hero for the Bhoys last Sunday against Livingston, ghosting in at the back post to net a hat-trick against Livingston, helping the Bhoys progress to Hampden.

Across his 100 Celtic appearances, the Japan international has now netted 27 goals and laid on a further 15 assists for the club [Transfermarkt].

Daizen Maeda, in Brendan Rodgers’ opinion, can carry on the Celtic form

Maeda has become one of the more unique players to pull on green and white over the years, given his incredible ability to close down the opposition at will.
Of course, Maeda’s finishing and technical quality sometimes leave a little to be desired; however, the 26-year-old has an unwavering willingness to get himself in the right position, leading to the former Yokohama F. Marinos man being the difference last weekend against a spirited Livingston outfit.

Speaking to Celtic TV, Rodgers lauded Maeda’s exceptional work ethic and expressed hope that he can continue to be a ‘important’ contributor during the season run-in.

The 51-year-old said, “He requires very little upkeep. He arrives, gets to work, and trains with amazing fervour. And it’s a nice reward for him to get the goals for all the hard work he puts in. He looks like he will score in every game he plays in. And hopefully he will continue to that until the end of the season. “He is a really humble guy, he works his socks and he is a really important member of this team and it’s nice to get rewards, as he constantly gets into those areas. Maybe the ball doesn’t come, sometimes, but his anticipation, his finishing from close range was very good (against Livingston).”

Maeda is among the first names on the Celtic team sheet.

Maeda is expected to play a significant role in the Bhoys’ quest for the Scottish Premiership title, as there are nine league games remaining.

Since his January 2022 arrival, his ability to add intensity to games from the left flank has proven invaluable; additionally, his four goals in his last three appearances can only be encouraging for the remaining stages of the campaign.

Maeda has a natural sense of awareness of his surroundings, so maybe by the end he can put up some impressive stats.

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