Chris Sutton believes Celtic’s 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade was a fair result, but says Brendan Rodgers needs to reconsider how he employs Daizen Maeda.
The Hoops began their Europa League campaign with a fighting draw in Serbia, thanks to Kelechi Iheanacho’s second-half goal. The Nigerian came off the bench at halftime to replace Maeda, who had a rough evening in a crucial role.
Sutton rushed to social media to share his opinions on the performance, praising Iheanacho’s influence while expressing sympathy for Maeda.
“Draw about right.” Celtic benefit from having Iheanacho as their centre forward, providing a focal point and someone to play off of. Improve the use of Maeda. Donovan matured beyond his years.”
The former Celtic striker has always admired Maeda’s hard work ethic, but he believes Rodgers is misusing the Japanese forward by continuing to play him as a striker rather than his more natural wide position. Iheanacho, Maeda’s replacement, gave a more traditional presence in the midfield, allowing Celtic a firmer foundation to build attacks and eventually scoring the opener.
Sutton also praised 19-year-old full-back Colby Donovan, who has replaced Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston due to injuries. The youngster shone again in Belgrade, demonstrating maturity above his years in a difficult situation.
While Rodgers stated after the game that his squad needed to improve, Sutton’s reaction reflects the broad consensus that this was a good point – but also an indication of weaknesses that needed to be addressed in attack.
xz
