Celtic moved again to the highest of the Scottish Premiership desk on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock within the first sport after the worldwide break.
Targets from Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho sealed all three factors for the Hoops, who had discovered themselves drawing 1-1 heading into stoppage time.
Iheanacho, who got here off the bench to make his debut for the membership, scored from the penalty spot within the 96th minute to safe the victory for Brendan Rodgers.
Even though Celtic received the match, there have been just a few worrying performances throughout the board for Celtic, who’ve scored one objective from open play of their final three video games in all competitions.
Rodgers has loads of choices to decide on in most positions, maybe other than centre-forward, and gamers know that they should step up and ship constant shows to maintain their spot within the facet.
With this in thoughts, Reo Hatate is without doubt one of the gamers who must up his sport within the coming weeks to retain his place within the beginning line-up transferring ahead.
Why Reo Hatate wants to enhance his performances
The Japan worldwide didn’t impress towards Kilmarnock after being chosen to start out alongside Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren in the course of the park.
Hatate is within the crew to be a risk on the high finish of the pitch by scoring and creating targets, as a dynamic midfielder who is just not the sort to take a seat again and defend.
Sadly, the 27-year-old star was pretty nameless on the high finish of the pitch all through his 70 minutes of sport time, with no photographs on course and no ‘huge probabilities’ created for his crew, per Sofascore.
Since his distinctive objective towards Aberdeen, proven within the clip above, close to the beginning of August, Hatate has failed to provide a objective or an help for the Scottish giants in the course of the park.
His performances throughout the 2 legs towards Kairat, through which Celtic failed to attain a single objective, had been notably disappointing for a participant of his high quality in midfield.
|
Reo Hatate vs Kairat |
1st leg |
2nd leg |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
90 |
105 |
|
Photographs on course |
1 |
0 |
|
Cross accuracy |
84% |
68% |
|
Large probabilities created |
0 |
1 |
|
Duels received |
0/8 |
3/15 |
|
Fouls dedicated |
3 |
4 |
|
Possession misplaced |
16x |
25x |
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Hatate didn’t do sufficient to assist the crew offensively or defensively, as he was dominated in duels while being extremely wasteful with the ball at his toes.
It’s irritating to see the Japan worldwide flip in constantly underwhelming performances as a result of he has the standard to do higher. Final season, he scored ten targets and created 14 ‘huge probabilities’ for Celtic in 27 begins within the Premiership, per Sofascore.
This exhibits that he’s able to producing extra high quality within the ultimate third, which is why Rodgers ought to anticipate him to do extra if he desires to maintain his place within the facet.
Fortunately, for Celtic, the Northern Irish head coach has been brewing the membership’s subsequent Hatate during the last 13 months or so within the type of Luke McCowan.
The Scottish midfielder was signed from Dundee for a price of £1m in the summertime of 2024 and he has confirmed himself to be a helpful squad member, whose worth has soared throughout his time at Parkhead.
Celtic are brewing their subsequent Reo Hatate
As aforementioned, Hatate is within the Hoops crew to ship high quality within the ultimate third by scoring and aiding targets, which is strictly what McCowan was born to do.
The left-footed midfield star has been a bit-part participant for essentially the most half all through his profession in Glasgow so far, however his performances when referred to as upon recommend that Rodgers is brewing a expertise who might take Hatate’s place as an everyday starter.
Per Transfermarkt, McCowan’s worth has soared to £2.2m, greater than double what the membership paid for him. That’s greater than new signing Sebastian Tounekti, who’s valued at £1m, regardless of the Tunisia worldwide’s spectacular debut with 5 accomplished dribbles towards Kilmarnock.
The Scottish midfielder has confirmed his price by delivering high quality performances on the pitch within the Premiership when referred to as upon by the Scottish giants for the reason that begin of final season.
His worth hovering above Tounekti’s, who’s an thrilling new signing for the Hoops this season, is a testomony to the standard he has proven for the membership so far.
McCowan has already scored one objective in a single begin within the league to date this time period for the Hoops, along with his strike towards St Mirren on the opening day to assert all three factors for the crew.
The previous Dundee star, who was described as “tenacious” by author Kai Watson, ended the 2024/25 marketing campaign with eight targets and eight assists in 16 begins within the Premiership for Dundee and Celtic mixed.
|
24/25 Premiership |
Luke McCowan per 90 |
Percentile rank vs CMs |
|---|---|---|
|
xG |
0.31 |
High 3% |
|
Targets |
0.46 |
High 4% |
|
Photographs on course |
1.26 |
High 3% |
|
xA |
0.40 |
High 3% |
|
Assists |
0.46 |
High 5% |
|
Possibilities created |
2.51 |
High 5% |
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, McCowan racked up 0.92 targets and assists per 90 within the top-flight final season, which exhibits that he constantly delivered when referred to as upon within the ultimate third.
This means that he has the potential to overhaul Hatate because the starter in that midfield slot, as a result of the Japanese flop has solely scored one objective and failed to supply any assists in six begins in all competitions this season, per Sofascore.
Due to this fact, Rodgers could also be brewing the successor to Hatate’s place within the XI in McCowan, who might change into an everyday if the Japan worldwide doesn’t enhance his performances.