How do Celtic adapt to life without Maeda? 3 solutions for title chasers with Daizen missing in action
The measuring stick the merit of any player is how much he is missed when he isn't playing.
And the collective groans from Celtic fans in unison over Friday's setback is sure-fire indicator the prospect of being without Daizen Maeda for the rest of the season is a major problem. The battery-powered winger never stops running and any gaps in his game are mitigated by a work-rate without compare. The Celtic star causes James Tavernier fits every time he faces Rangers and the champions' excellent record in the fixture can be traced back to his arrival.
Maeda is among the first names on Brendan Rodgers' teamsheet for the biggest games and the final eight of the season, Hoops fans hope that's the magic number, are jam-packed with season-defining contests which are made for the running man from Osaka. His hamstring injury appears significant and no guarantees have been made over when he will return. But what should Celtic do? Record Sport runs over some of the leading options to mitigate the absence of a player who will be hard to replace.
Palma returns on the left
A player pulls up and another returns to prominence – a football narrative as old as time. But there's a wee problem, you see, as Maeda and Luis Palma are the very definition of different players. The Japan international's merits have been rightly heralded but Palma, a man who relies solely on his right peg, is a throwback to the type of wide man who made his corn back in the days of 4-4-2. But the Honduran appears the logical fit to return to the left wing. The former Aris man has, at times, impressed but consistency will be key after beating the injury blues.
Yang shifts and Kuhn stays put
The South Korean's up and down season was summed up during his ill-fated cameo at Ibrox. The lows are extremely low for a player learning his craft. Yang was slow to react to Callum McGregor's stray pass which led to Sima's leveller and was directly at fault for showing Rabbi Matondo inside for Rangers' winner. Fan anger was palpable at full time but there's an emerging player who can impact this title race. His form was red-hot before the red card vs which put him in cold storage. Nicolas Kuhn has thrived on the right since but the former Gangwon man, at times, appears a player of soaring ability, but now is the time to put it all together.
Diamonds are for now
Put yourself in Rodgers' shoes, a manager who has seen it all. Yes, sticking with your core principles is a likely outcome, of course, but maybe the Irishman has been biding his time for something different for occasions like these. And this, in our eyes, isn't merely a shot in the dark. Could a four-man midfield of McGregor/Iwata, Hatate, Bernardo and O'Riley with Idah and Kyogo up top work? Yes, it would see in-form Kuhn drop to the bench but it appears a formation where the personnel lends itself to, rather than shoehorning players into roles which don't suit. It would allow full-backs Johnston and Taylor room to bomb on, too.