From now until the day I’m no longer able to watch Celtic, I suspect one question will continue to haunt our club and our fans: is this guy the best since Larsson?
That question lingers because it’s almost impossible to imagine a better striker than Henrik Larsson in that time frame. A player who scored over 200 goals for the club. A player who gave us seven years at his very best. A player who scored twice in a European final.
When most fans put together their greatest-ever Celtic XI, Larsson is in it. That’s a measure of how lucky we were to have him, with all his talent and skill. That’s a measure of how massive those shoes are to fill, and it’s the reason many people wanted the number 7 shirt retired when he left.
One reason the club didn’t retire it is obvious enough—it would have been an admission of defeat, a declaration that Larsson was as good as it gets and that we’d never have another player worthy of the number. The minute you start retiring shirts, you’re essentially saying a player is irreplaceable. And while Larsson remains the best of the best, we have replaced him over and over again. We’ve replaced every single player who could have assumed his mantle as well.
Still, the question will haunt every generation of fans: is this guy the best since Larsson? And we’ve been fortunate enough to ask it multiple times, as our strikers seem to keep getting better and better.
The last three “best since Larsson” candidates have all played for us in the last half-dozen years—Dembele, Edouard, and Kyogo. And it’s been a steady progression in quality. I thought Dembele was the best since Larsson, until Edouard came along. I thought Edouard was the best since Larsson, until Kyogo came along. And here we are, asking the question again, perhaps sooner than expected.
Are we watching the best striker since Larsson playing for the club right now?
For years, there was debate about whether Larsson was a left-sided attacker rather than a central striker. That same debate has followed Daizen Maeda. We thought we were seeing the best of him on the left—his goals, his assists, his relentless pressing. Then he was moved through the middle, and suddenly, he’s scoring even more and looking prolific in ways we hadn’t fully considered.
None of the three strikers before him stayed long enough to join the elite group of players who’ve scored 100 goals for Celtic. Maeda isn’t close yet—he’s on 54 at the moment. But he’s already scored more for the club than Dembele. He’s still some way off Edouard’s 89, and Kyogo finished on 85.
But it’s not inconceivable that Maeda finishes this season with 60-plus goals and goes into next season hunting for more. A lot will depend on the manager. If Rodgers keeps him through the middle, he’ll get plenty of chances. And in that scenario, a 30-goal season would push him ahead of all three of those players and put him within touching distance of 100. At that point, the debate would be over.
I always knew we had a special player in Maeda, but I thought his role was locked in. I thought he’d found his perfect spot on the left—terrorising defenders, pulling players out of position, creating chaos. But Kyogo’s departure has altered things. Jota’s arrival—though he’s not yet fully fit—has also changed the equation.
But there’s no denying it: Maeda played through the middle is a beast. A goal-scoring machine. His energy, his effort—unmatched. His performances since shifting centrally have been exceptional. There was a point this season when every one of us thought Nicolas Kuhn was the runaway Player of the Year. Nobody’s saying that anymore. And it’s not because Kuhn hasn’t played well. It’s because Maeda is leaving him for dead.
Right now, Kyogo still holds the title of best striker since Larsson. But part of me wonders: in terms of movement, finishing, work rate, first touch, composure, and sheer fear factor for defenders—are we actually watching someone even better?
As I said earlier this week, Rodgers is a pragmatist. His only question will be: is there anyone out there who I know will be as good as this guy? And if not, where does Maeda fit best?
Is it easier to replace him on the left or through the middle? Jota already looks like an adequate replacement on the left, which means finding a top-class striker might not be necessary. Rodgers never planned to use Maeda centrally. But now that he has, and now that we’ve seen what he can do, the manager will make his decision based on what’s best for the team.
Like many, I thought shifting Maeda inside would cost us something. I thought we’d lose energy on the left. I thought we’d lose effectiveness. I thought we’d lose goals. But Jota has given us all of that and more. He’s got the energy, the effectiveness, the goal threat, and the ability to excite the fans. And when our best attacking trio—Jota, Maeda, and Kuhn—is on the pitch, it’s hard to argue with.
That’s not a slight on Adam Idah, who has been excellent over the last two months. It’s just the reality of what we’re seeing.
So, are we watching Maeda evolve into a true striker? And if so, is he the best since Larsson?
Next season will answer that question.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
In a word ‘NO’
Exactly
It’s Kyogo without a doubt, the wee man is not forgotten that easily or that soon.
Daizen by a country mile. He’s totally outperforming Kyogo and if you include his time on the wing it’s a no brainier.
As you say next season will help clarify it. In the here and now Daizen is outperforming Kyogo who having a mare in France. Regrets.
Daizen’s touch has improved greatly under Brendan. He’s electrifying and we can’t say that Kyogo for few seasons, if anything he’s gone backwards and by a long way. The gap in their ability right now is night and day. Not to say that Kyogo’s 2 seasons weren’t fantastic, injury aside.
Daizen
Sickened to hear that we’re letting huns into Paradise for the March 16th game. They simply don’t deserve it.
Positive – we could celebrate the first 55 league titles by the one club. One Club Since 1888
That should provide our club with a great many broken seats and toilets. Seeing their gutted faces will be the other positive of the day. Sickening
Ange Kyogo is the best since Larsson. Rodgers Kyogo wasn’t.
Tactics can change a players fortune in a heartbeat.
Maeda is flying under Rodgers.
Through the middle I would say Kyogo & Maeda have similar styles. One couldn’t be as effective as the other for whatever reason in the same set up.
The issue this does also flag up is Adam Idah is supposed to be the BR blueprint for through the middle but has consistently now finding himself second fiddle.
Kyogo had him locked out for large parts of the first half & if BR decides central is best for Maeda too, I can see Idah returning to the bench. Especially when we are away to enjoy single game weeks for the next period. Rotation doesn’t become as critical & Idah likely becomes the player getting the final 30 minutes at best.
Lets just hope all our international players make it through the up coming break.
Daizan seems to be evolving from Johnny Doyle in heidless chicken mode into the Buzzbomb; a consummation devoutly to be wished.
There has only been one ‘buzzbomb’, the wee man from Saltcoats, and none of the players we are talking about could have laced Bobby Lennox’s boots.
Incidentally, he’s not mentioned, but I would have put Leigh Griffiths before Dembele and Edouard.
Yer club’s deid mate, beat it! 🙂
We’ve had some marvellous strikers in my time watching Celtic.
The debate about who has been the best since Henke, is a tough one.
I’d presently have to say Kyogo, as the wee man’s contributions post Covid title were immense and were a large part of the triumphant trail, we continue to blaze.
I love Maeda, and everything he has contributed since he arrived. He is most definitely our player of the season and if he continues his upward trajectory, his all round game improvement and as our main striker, then I have no doubt he’ll edge ahead of Kyogo, as my choice.
One of our priorities, and I’m sure BR is on it, is to extend and improve the wee man’s current deal. As he thoroughly deserves it, and has been one of the key components in our double winning team last season, and hopefully, treble winners this year!
I firmly believe he has to stay !
This is what we mean when we implore this board to strengthen at all times.
On the matter of Derby ticket allocations, like so many, I would personally prefer them to remain out of our ground and keep their poison to themselves, but it looks as if that will be changing soon ! HH
Aye Griffiths was the most natural finisher in my book too unfortunately he was a natural social & personal life flop too. Wasted talent. HH
I still think that Dembele is the best since Henrik.
Power, pace, first touch all superb.
Tony Cascarino…………anyone ?
If we’re talking quality then Robbie Keane and Craig Bellamy come to mind even though they were short term loans, if we’re talking longevity and goals then Griffiths deserves a shout. For me, Maeda is better than Kyogo but I would’ve said that 2 seasons ago too. The fact Maeda has ironed out flaws in his game isn’t surprising given his attitude, he can be anything and he’s just entering his peak, he’s the same age now as Henrik was when we signed him.
I am going to politely request that I can if I may please…
Answer this one this time next year !
Everyone has their own idea as to the best striker is, for me it’s Bobby Lennox and I stick by that. Since this is my opinion I accept that others may have a different opinion. Henrik was wonderful, Kyogo and Maeda very good and I have a soft spot for Hooper who has a first clas scoring record for us. Add in all the other great strikers, we are spoiled for choice.
Lennox was an amazing player with pace to burn and a splendid man full of humility, a fantastic example of what a real man should be. He came to our local academy on many occasions and jumped to help wi training. Big Roy Aitken, Mark Reid & Steve Clarke, difference in age groups obviously, all played for the school teams through my years there though there’s no comparison between any of them and Bobby. Fit as a fiddle, a born natural and fast as fuck
“Where a birds” weren’t a bad striker either before he buggered off to West Ham where he became a legend there. Both of course pre Henrik though.
As a club we certainly have been blessed HH