155 touches, 100% dribbles: Celtic hero proved he's as undroppable as Maeda
da roleta： The title is within reach….
da doce： Scottish champions Celtic closed in on yet another Premiership crown after recording a resounding 5-1 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon, with the Hoops responding in perfect fashion following last week’s disappointment at St Johnstone.
That 1-0 defeat at McDiarmid Park highlighted what has been a sticky spell for the Glasgow giants, with three defeats in six league outings, yet those woes were quickly forgotten this time around, as Brendan Rodgers’ men raced into a 4-0 lead inside 25 minutes.
Having put in a disappointing showing last week, Reo Hatate opened the scoring with a thunderous effort from range, before compatriot Daizen Maeda tapped home at the backpost for his 31st goal of the campaign.
Another stunning strike, this time from a surprise package in Cameron Carter-Vickers, was then followed by Hatate’s second of the day, with the Japanese playmaker calmly converting inside the penalty area.
Further gloss was then put on proceedings at the death – following a Killie consolation late in the first-half – as substitute Anthony Ralston lashed in from the angle to make it five. All eyes on Rangers now tomorrow…
Celtic's key performers vs Kilmarnock
It’s certainly worth giving another shout-out to that man Maeda, with the 27-year-old becoming the first player since Henrik Larsson to score in eight successive starts at Parkhead.
That finish may rank among the simplest of 2024/25 thus far, although the same can’t be said of Hatate, with the diminutive midfielder bending home in expert fashion to open the scoring on the day.
The 25-year-old’s second was also further evidence of his class as he delightfully made space for himself inside the area, having also claimed an assist for Ralston’s strike with a delicate dink round the corner.
Elsewhere, it was another fine showing from young Arne Engels, who came close to scoring himself after rattling the crossbar, while Alistair Johnston was also a real outlet again at right-back, with the Canadian teeing up Hatate’s second, having earlier played the pass that led to Maeda’s tap-in.
The former Montreal man – who chalked up 109 touches and achieved a 94% pass accuracy – is among those in Rodgers’ ranks who are simply undroppable, even despite Ralston’s late heroics, with the same also true of another of his teammates.
The Celtic star who showed why he's undroppable
As the Old Firm side slipped to a narrow defeat in the derby, there was perhaps a clear reason for the limp nature of their first-half display, in particular – the absence of Callum McGregor.
It was perhaps no surprise that the league leaders endured an off day without their long-serving skipper in tow, with the academy graduate simply vital to everything that is good about Celtic.
As club legend Chris Sutton noted, the Hoops “missed his leadership” and “missed his quality” in that defeat to Rangers, with McGregor – who was replaced by Engels in that deep-lying role on the day – making “everything look so easy in that position”.
McGregor’s stats vs Kilmarnock
Stat
Record
Touches
155
Pass accuracy
97%
Key passes
2
Successful dribbles
2/2
Long balls
2/2
Possession lost
5x
Fouls won
1
Aerial duels
1/3
Ground duels
5/5
Dribbled past
0
Stats via Sofascore
Such class was again on show on Saturday afternoon, with the experienced Scotsman quietly pulling the strings in his usual serene style. He may not have stolen the headlines, but the 31-year-old was again the man making everything tick.
Indeed, the one-time Notts County loanee racked up a mammoth total of 155 touches and achieved a stunning 97% pass accuracy rate, having lost possession on just five occasions despite that heavy involvement.
That impact in the centre of the park also saw McGregor complete 100% of his attempted dribbles and register two key passes, having also won all five of his ground duels, thus showcasing the steel to match the silk.
In truth, such a showing was a captain’s performance in every sense of the word, with the question remaining as to how Rodgers will manage to replace his leading figure in the years to come, amid the current lack of genuine alternatives in that number six berth.
Performance in Numbers
Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.
That is a problem for another day, however, with all focus now on just when it will be that a record-equalling 55th league title can be secured.
Related The new Aaron Mooy: Rodgers has struck gold on "tenacious" Celtic sensation
As Celtic continue their fight for yet another domestic treble, one unsung hero has so far been reminiscent of Aaron Mooy.
