Why Celtic's tireless winger spells trouble for Tavernier

Nine goals and three assists in 32 appearances this season does not necessarily scream out ‘key player’, though that is very much true for the club’s left-winger, who has been an ever-present since his move from Yokohama F Marinos back in 2021, alongside fellow countrymen Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi (who has since departed). Whilst Hatate gets lauded for his technical ability and grace – especially in possession –Maeda’s talents cannot be described as such, with respect. However, there is a reason why the wide-man has amassed 103 appearances thus far under Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers’ guidance, and that is because of his tireless energy and stamina, which more than make up for his lack of on-ball skill and finesse in his overall game.

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Why are we talking about Maeda, though? Isn’t his season supposed to be finished due to a hamstring injury picked up against Rangers at Ibrox? That’s what we all thought before Brendan Rodgers allegedly relayed to an investors’ Q&A that the hard-working Maeda was back on the grass, potentially in line for a miraculous return sooner rather than later in the weeks ahead. With no other injuries to speak of apart from Maeda’s, Celtic would have a clean bill of health concerning their squad for the all-important league run-in, as well as the small matter of a Scottish Cup final versus Rangers at the end of next month.

A massive boost, especially considering the problems the club have had with crocked players this campaign. The question is: how important is Maeda to Celtic’s successes statistically? Using StatsBomb data, we find out just how good the left-winger is, in line with metrics and percentile values…

Position

First of all, let’s show where Maeda has played concerning positions on the park under Rodgers. A versatile forward who can play on either side of the wing as well as through the middle as a striker, the Japan stalwart plays wherever is asked of him, seemingly with no fuss, too. This means that it is rare to see the player out of the team, with suspension and injury being his two biggest competitors rather than his teammates, in truth.

Concerning the Scottish Premiership, he has predominantly played on the left wing, though has featured on the right to accommodate Luis Palma following his arrival from FC Aris in the summer transfer window. Though Rodgers has previously stated that his best position is up front, he has only played just over one game’s worth of football in this role, perhaps due to both competition and his effectiveness out wide.

Pressure map

To illustrate just how tireless Maeda is when he plays for Celtic, take a look at the above map of the Scottish Premiership this season, which is packed to the brim with activity and instances of defensive actions throughout the campaign.

The top right-hand corner gives statistics, which have totalled a figure of 441 pressures for the winger when plying his trade in the league. He has made 48 tackles and 38 fouls, blocking 45 passes and managing 12 interceptions in the process. Quite astounding numbers for a left-winger, who would be expected to attack more than defend in years gone by, though these roles are becoming more fluid as football evolves as a sport tactically.

StatsBomb radar

Maeda certainly passes the eye test when it comes to his defensive contributions, with his pressing immediately catching the eye when Celtic are without the ball. In order to illustrate this point further, we constructed a StatsBomb radar showcasing all of his best attributes and skills. This is not to say that he does not have weaknesses – they are often loud and apparent in matches – though his work rate and application more than make up for these shortcomings.

When looking at Maeda with an analytical head on, you begin to see why both Celtic managers he has worked under were/are so keen to play him most weeks. The redder the percentile value, the better the statistic. Defensively, at least, the player paints the town red with his work off of the ball, as he excels in doing the dirty work that other attack-minded players would perhaps turn their noses up at.

In many of our StatsBomb reports, Maeda ends up being either first or second concerning pressures and counterpressures applied during a single game, alongside the likes of Matt O’Riley, Alistair Johnston and sometimes Paulo Bernardo. Indeed, he averages 19.51 pressures and 4.11 counterpressures per game, ranking him in the 82nd and 83rd percentiles respectively for each. The former’s total and - in turn - percentile only increased when adjusted for Celtic’s possession concerning this metric (PAdj), as the figure rises to a massive 29.26 pressures per game, skyrocketing him to the 98th percentile as a result. Though PAdj counterpressures are not supplied by StatsBomb, you can imagine that this total would also see a positive change, as well as a boost to the percentile as a result. He averages 57.21 yards per pressure, a solid 82nd in percentile rankings for the tireless worker.

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Pressure regains are also high for Maeda when compared to other players at left wing. Indeed, his 91st percentile ranking indicates this further, averaging 3.54 per 90 minutes, whilst his counterpressure regains are positive, too, placing in the 89th percentile at 0.53. Furthermore, his defensive and aggressive actions rank highly amongst his peers, at 23.36 and 12.08 in the 86th and 88th percentiles for each.

One of Maeda’s biggest strengths is pressing whilst high up the pitch, thanks to his position as a left winger. This translates well in the data too, as he commits 12.52 pressures in the opponent’s half of the pitch, ranking him 92nd out of 100 in percentile. Furthermore, he can average 3.63 counterpressures in the opposing half, which correlates to the 88th percentile. All of a sudden, you can see why Maeda is important against Rangers in particular, as his primary focus is to negate James Tavernier at right-back, easily their most creative player. He also is trusted to fulfil this role in European competition, where Celtic tend to have less of the ball than in domestic matters.

Not shown, but Maeda’s interceptions total and percentile do not stand out as a positive area in the winger’s game, though they do improve through the lenses of PAdj, averaging 0.80 per game at an improved 61st percentile. This is the lowest percentile on the radar, though it is still above average in line with other individuals in this position. Despite this, his tackles and interceptions combined total is more positive in the 77th ranking, averaging 2.65 per 90 minutes. Finally, his defensive action regains – retaining the ball within a couple of seconds – ranks in the 89th percentile at 4.42, another impressive statistic from a player so sound defensively.

Summary

With Maeda’s return looking likely to be sooner rather than later, his importance to this Celtic team cannot be understated. A thorn in the side of many teams – and especially Tavernier of Rangers – his miraculous recovery would be another big boost to Celtic and Rodgers, in what has been a fruitful beginning to the business end of the season for the club.

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Though he can chip in with a goal or two – or nine this season – Maeda’s strengths ultimately lie with his pressing and defensive work, which are unmatched at the club in terms of tenacity and frequency. Two meetings with his adversary Tavernier await, in the Scottish Premiership and Cup respectively. If he can prove his fitness, then he may be the difference between Celtic keeping the right-back quiet or allowing him to dictate these games in Rangers' favour.

Quite simply, the double could very well be decided by 'Duracell Daizen' and his work-rate over the next month or so. Let's hope - if fit - he supercharges Celtic's hopeful surge towards the domestic double.