John Hartson says ‘fantastic’ Celtic hero has been playing better than Nicolas Kuhn this season

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The Celtic fans are lucky that this season Brendan Rodgers has a number of quality players in his ranks that are helping to produce some brilliant attacking football.

Players like Arne Engels and Reo Hatate help to control the Celtic engine room whilst the Hoops front three help to carve out and convert much of the 22 goals that have been scored this season.

However, it is Nicolas Kuhn who is receiving all the plaudits at Celtic so far after his sparkling form has helped Brendan Rodgers to an unbeaten start to the domestic season.

But John Hartson reckons there is another player at the club who has been performing better than the German Celtic winger.

John Hartson praises hard-working Daizen Maeda at Celtic

Speaking about Celtic’s win over Ross County, Hartson was asked who he thinks is Rodgers’ best player this season so far as the Hoops kept their top spot in the Scottish Premiership table.

Hartson told The Go Radio Football Show, “I think Maeda, in the Champions League in particular, not so much maybe against Dortmund.

“But I just think right from the start, I think Brendan Rodgers has praised him in terms of the fact that he’s improving every year.

“Maeda is improving his touch. His pace has always been there. He’s fantastic in terms of having a striker who closes down and works his socks off every single game. But I think he was labelled as someone like that.

“He works hard. He’s brilliant at closing down. But also, have a look at his ability. Have a look at the goals that he can score and the goals that he makes, actually. He goes around the full-back and he cuts it back. His assists are quite high at Celtic as well.

“So for me, yes, you can praise Kuhn, who’s done well, hasn’t started every game like Maeda has. So, you know, Maeda for me would be my choice.”

Nicolas Kuhn’s stats at Celtic vs Daizen Maeda

Every Celtic fan will agree that both Kuhn and Maeda have been excellent for the club this season.

It’s great to see both wingers in such great form but is Hartson correct? Do the stats show that Maeda had been a better player than the German winger?

Let’s take a look.

Whilst both players have their own strengths and weaknesses it’s clear that there are parts of the game that Kuhn and Meada both excel at at Celtic.

Overall, both have contributed brilliantly to Celtic’s results this season and whilst Kuhn’s attacking stats are better, Maeda does bring something extra to the team with his constant defensive work and closing down.

What is clear is that with the form both players are in, Celtic have a great chance of having a very successful season both domestically and in Europe with Kuhn and Maeda in the squad.