Daizen Maeda was a talking point today as Celtic and Rangers did battle in the Scottish Premiership.
In an enthralling encounter at Parkhead, it was Celtic who had the lead when Portuguese forward, Jota, fired into the bottom corner to get on the end of a Daizen Maeda cross to give the home side the lead. However, Fashio Sakala managed a deserved equaliser for the Gers in the 67th minute.
For Celtic, though, there was disappointment around the equaliser as many inside Parkhead will have felt the Bhoys should have been out of sight by that point. Indeed, one of the key moments that Celtic fans would have looked at was a 42nd minute missed header from the creator of the first goal, Maeda.
And watching on for BBC Sport, former Rangers man Neil McCann criticised the Japanese star for essentially not being brave enough.
“If Daizen Maeda is brave there, it’s 2-0. I think Allan McGregor’s presence puts him off and he closes his eyes. But what a couple of chances Celtic have had,” McCann said.
Maeda had more than his fair share of chances in the game as well. He rifled one over the bar just before Rangers equalised, and will have been disappointed with his finishing.
TBR’s View: Maeda Should Have Done Much Better For Celtic
It was a strange one from Maeda. He seemed to get there ahead of McGregor but as McCann points out, there did seem to be an element of the Celtic man pulling out of the challenge.
Had he just attacked it properly then it would have been 2-0 and game over, simply. Maeda was a threat during the game, but he’ll know he should have got on the scoresheet.
Ultimately, big chances need to be taken and Maeda should have taken his in the opening 45 today.