Reo Hatate looked close to his best as he opened the scoring in Celtic’s 3-1 win over Kilmarnock.
The midfielder was dropped for Celtic’s first two matches of the season then picked up a calf muscle coming on as a substitute away to Aberdeen.
His return has coincided with a winning run domestically but the magical touches have largely been missing until midway through the first half of today’s game.
An effort from Kyogo Furuhashi was disallowed for offside in the fifth minute but there was nothing to deny Hatate the opener when he took control midway inside the Killie half in the 22nd minute.
Kyogo’s off-the-ball movement just before Hatate scored the goal? pic.twitter.com/gTzSzLbPn8
— Yatao (@yataoda4) October 7, 2023
David Watson was nutmegged as if he wasn’t there, as Hatate advanced the visiting defenders stood back anticipating a pass into space for Kyogo. Hatate advanced until he was within range of goal then fired past Will Dennis from the edge of the penalty box.
With the deadlock broken Luis Palma scored Celtic’s second in the 33rd minute with the hoops running out 3-1 victors.
I have always liked Scales and was surprised he was papped up to Aberdeen but he has come back twice the player. Ryan Christie was another who benifited from a spell there.
I wonder if that is something to be looked at . Who are their coacjhes and what are they doing that can improve a player in a way that Celtic’s can’t?
I agree. Our coaches need looking at!
But Magic from Hatate can’t be ignored!
Not convinced. The problem is the standard of the opposition. 11 men behind the ball. It is the same problem Celtic have had to face week in week out and still no obvious solution. This passing by the midfield and the defence among themselves while trying to find an “opening” is utter nonsense
You have to have players running into the box with the ball and let them make the mistake.
To be “allowed” to have so much possesion gives a false sense of dominance as we go into Europe with the same attitude against much better teams. The time attack they score. Why was taylor so far up the field when they scored from his position because there is no need worry about a system. Scales seems to be doing the midfields job the same way that Starfeld did.
Hatate must do that more often before he can justify his selection. He should be the one to carry the ball into their 20 yard box but prefers to do simple passing.