Daizen Maeda has been a shadow of his former self this season. With eight goals and eight assists in 47 appearances, his statistics haven't looked great, and now, a damning comparison reveals the extent of his downfall.
In the last five games before the split last campaign, he found the net five times. It was a solid return, and he helped push the Celts to the title all season.
Compared to this season, in the final five pre-split games, he scored zero goals and registered no assists. The last time he had the ball in the net was all the way back in January, when he scored in Celtic's 4-0 victory over Dundee United.
Throughout the season, he hasn't been great. He has struggled to find his form, especially after missing out on a transfer in the summer, and it seems that the deal falling through has really affected him mentally.
Last season, he was a reliable option for the Hoops, but it couldn't be more different this time around. For months, he has looked to have run his race in Glasgow, and it may finally be time to move on from the winger.
Maeda needs to be dropped
Despite his lack of form, Maeda often manages to find his way onto the pitch. Some supporters even think that Sebastian Tounekti should be played on the left wing until the end of the season, but Martin O'Neill still puts his trust in the Japanese international.
Maeda will be keen to keep showing face. He has a World Cup coming up in the summer that he will be hoping to be called up for, and he may want to net a few times to attract suitors for his services.
O'Neill seems to be trusting him because he does offer something unique - he runs a lot and when he wants to, presses relentlessly. The problem is that he doesn't do it as often as he used to, and he still looks like an empty jersey most of the time.
He isn't helped by the fact that the players around him need to do more. Celtic don't have any good strikers at the club, and sometimes, the cohesion on the pitch looks nonexistent.
It's sad that he is going out like this. The blame can partially be put on the club, what with the player having his bags packed and being all but ready to leave in the summer, but at the end of the day, the Hoops are still paying his wages, and he should act like it.
Hopefully, he can come out with something special and help us out in the final stages of the campaign. It would be lovely to see the real version of Maeda one last time.