Rodgers could get Kyogo firing by unleashing Celtic star who “causes havoc”

Celtic return to domestic action this weekend as they prepare to take on Kilmarnock away from Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon.

The Hoops come into this matchup off the back of a 3-1 win over Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in their fourth game of the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Two goals from Nicolas Kuhn and one from Reo Hatate secured all three points for the Scottish giants, which was their second win in the league phase of the competition.

This comes after the Bhoys finished bottom of their group in the previous format in the 2023/24 campaign, winning just one of their six matches.

Brendan Rodgers‘ side have also been in fine form domestically. They have won nine of their ten matches in the Premiership so far this term, drawing the other game, and will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the division.

Despite their terrific start to the 2024/25 season, both domestically and on the European stage, there have been some players who have not been performing at the very best of their abilities.

Kyogo Furuhashi’s struggles this season

One of those players is Kyogo Furuhashi. The Celtic marksman has not been at his best in the final third this season, having also struggled at times last term.

He had enjoyed a phenomenal 2022/23 campaign, scoring 27 goals in 36 matches in the Premiership, under Ange Postecoglou, but has yet to recapture that form during his time with Rodgers.

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo’s finishing suffered a steep decline, missing eight more ‘big chances’ and scoring 13 fewer goals between those two seasons.

In the current campaign, the 29-year-old forward’s actions in front of goal have left plenty to be desired again, with a return of four goals in ten Premiership games.

His tally could have been significantly higher, however, if he had not fluffed as many opportunities at the top end of the pitch. The Japan international has already missed 12 ‘big chances’ in ten league games, starting eight of them.

Kyogo has also scored one goal and missed two ‘big chances’ in four appearances in the Champions League, which takes him to a tally of five goals and 14 ‘big chances’ spurned in 14 games across both competitions.

The forward has only scored two goals in his last eight appearances in all competitions and Rodgers could get him firing again by improving the creativity around him, to ensure that enough chances are created for him to find the back of the net and get back on the goal trial to improve his confidence.

Daizen Maeda’s form this season

Daizen Maeda has been the first choice on the left flank for much of the season so far and is not the kind of winger who is likely to make a huge impact in the final third.

The Japanese forward’s best work is done off the ball, with his pressing to constantly close the opposition down and runs in behind to stretch defences, rather than in possession at the top end of the pitch.

In nine appearances in the Premiership so far this season, Maeda has provided two goals and two assists, and has only created two ‘big chances’ for his teammates. He has also failed to create a single ‘big chance’ in four appearances in the Champions League.

His lack of creativity across both competitions in the 2024/25 campaign should not come as a surprise, however, as it was also a weak point in his game last term.

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old flanker rarely provided a creative spark for Celtic down the left flank in the Premiership last season.

Maeda only averaged one key pass every other game and managed just three assists in his 28 outings in the league, which suggests that he did not do much to help Kyogo to find the back of the net.

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Therefore, Rodgers should look elsewhere to get the centre-forward firing and unleash the rarely-seen Luis Palma from the start this afternoon.

Why Luis Palma could get Kyogo firing

The Honduras international has only started one game in the Premiership so far this season but he does have the potential to come in and provide more creativity down the left wing.

He does not have the pace and the pressing qualities that Maeda possesses, but his use of the ball and his end product in the final third is superior to that of the Japan international.

The 24-year-old star showcased his creative quality in his only start of the Premiership season so far against Dundee last month, creating four chances and one ‘big chance’ for his teammates.

Palma was given plenty of chances to impress in the 2023/24 campaign, after his move from Greek side Aris in the summer of 2023, and caught the eye with his contributions as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants.

As you can see in the table above, the right-footed wizard created a whopping 14 ‘big chances’ and provided nine assists, whilst Maeda only created five ‘big chances’ and assisted three goals in the same number of appearances.

Palma, who ex-Celtic ace Peter Grant claimed “causes havoc” by being a “threat” on the pitch, can consistently open up opposition defences to create high-quality opportunities for his teammates, which is something the Japanese forward has failed to do.

Therefore, Rodgers could get Kyogo firing by unleashing a player who can provide him with more chances to consistently find the back of the net, as the current volume of key passes into him in the box has not been sufficient.

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