The prospect of being without the wide man without compare for the rest of the season is a major problem
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.
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.
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.
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.
Celtic FC Scottish Premiership Brendan Rodgers Callum Mcgregor Rangers FC Yang Hyeon-Jun
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