Daizen Maeda’s drop in goals this season shows a clear decline in goal scoring, but the numbers show a different issue that Celtic cannot afford to overlook.
Maeda’s league goals this season have fallen from 16 to 7, which immediately frames the narrative around regression at Celtic.
That drop suggests a player who is no longer delivering at the same level, especially in a Celtic side that depends on consistent output from their forwards in the final third.
The reality is more uncomfortable. His underlying numbers at Celtic have barely moved, and that exposes a different problem.
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What can Celtic do to help Daizen Maeda get back to his best?
Celtic are not getting less from Maeda, they are getting less reward
Maeda’s attacking stats remain stable, which makes the drop in goals stand out even more. And here, we compare the Celtic forward’s numbers from the Scottish Premiership season this year, to last year’s via Fotmob.
- Expected goals remain consistent: 12.76 → 12.49
- Shot volume has barely changed: 57 → 54
- Shots on target remain similar: 28 → 25
The volume of chances is almost identical, which means Maeda is still arriving in the same positions and receiving the same opportunities.
The difference is what the Celtic striker does with those chances. Last season he scored 16 goals from 12.76 expected goals, but this season he has only 7 from 12.49.
That swing represents a sharp drop in his finishing rather than a collapse in attacking presence.
There is also a decline in execution quality, with expected goals on target falling from 12.62 to 10.30, which points to weaker finishing when chances do arrive.
Celtic are seeing less of Maeda where it matters most
While chance volume remains steady, Maeda is appearing less often across the overall attacking phase.
- Overall touches have reduced: 1,225 → 986
- Touches in the opposition box have dropped: 187 → 146
- Chances created have fallen: 44 → 31
- Creative output has declined: assists 10 → 5
The drop in touches and box presence shows a player who is less involved in build-up and final-third sequences.
Maeda’s creative output has also declined, with fewer chances created and a lower expected assist total, which limits his overall attacking contribution for Celtic.
This is not just about missed chances. It is about a player who is contributing less frequently across multiple phases of Celtic’s attacking play.
Even his defensive output has dipped, with tackles falling from 44 to 26 and overall defensive contributions dropping from 68 to 52.
That matters for a player whose value is built on intensity and pressing as much as his end product.
The numbers point to a clear conclusion. Maeda is still getting chances, but he is finishing them at a far lower rate and influencing the game less often for Celtic.
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