Daizen Maeda believes he's currently enjoying the best form of his career.
The Celtic forward has scored six goals this season, including finding the net in the past three games.
Maeda is arguably approaching what could be deemed his prime, so perhaps it's no surprise that he's already close to his previous tallies from the past three years at Celtic, and we are only into early October.
He did finish the 2021 campaign with 23 goals from 40 appearances at Yokohoma F.Marinos. Form that convinced then manager Ange Postecoglou to bring him to Parkhead shortly after.
“When I was playing for Marinos, I was top goal scorer in that season - and I have a similar feeling compared to that," the 26-year-old said.
“Hopefully I can get as many goals as I can. There will, of course, be some period in the season when I can’t score. It will definitely come. I have to be patient in those moments and try to get opportunities to help the team.
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“I’m not overly thinking about numbers in terms of goals or assists. The most important thing is to contribute to the team winning.
“But if my numbers go up, it would be great. The most important thing, though, is the team.
“I think if I keep playing like this, scoring and assisting in every game, the numbers will definitely go beyond when I have done in previous seasons here.
“The numbers have been few for me and I want to get as many goals as I can. If the team is playing well, that’s the biggest thing for me."
“I’m not really a player who provides leadership to the team, but I do try to lead in how I play. That’s the way I try to take responsibility on the pitch."
Maeda was frustrated at the time to not have another goal beside his name during last weekend's 6-0 win over St Johnstone after his spectacular volley was initially given before VAR intervened and chalked it off for a foul by Auston Trusty on Graham Carey.
That didn't matter in the end as he showed his clinical touch once again to score his teams fifth.
“I was frustrated at the time, but I got a goal in the end," the winger admitted. “Now I have the feeling I can score in every game. I can’t really carry the frustration of the goal being cancelled after I scored another one."
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Celtic are set for their third consecutive away match when they travel to Ross County for the Sunday lunchtime kick-off.
The Hoops have went from Perth to Dortmund and then on to Dingwall over the past week, but Maeda isn't wanting to use that fact as an easy excuse for any below-par performances.
Brendan Rodgers' men received heavy criticism for their humiliating 7-1 UEFA Champions League loss over in Germany on Tuesday, with the Celtic manager insisting throughout the aftermath that he wouldn't pivot from the tactics that's brought him success domestically.
And Maeda understands that the emphasis has got to be to keep that formidable league run going up in the Highlands.
“Obviously we have a tiredness as we travel a lot - but you can’t use it as an excuse," he said. “We need to perform well on Sunday, especially after Tuesday night. We know our supporters also travel in numbers to all of these games.
“We have a lot of supporters coming to game again on Sunday. We have to make them happy and make them smile.
“We have started training and preparing for that game and we can’t carry the result from Tuesday with us. We always focus on the next game straight away.
"Regardless of what people say, we must focus on that next performance. We must try to be dominant again, the way we have been this season.
“We keep our feet on the ground and we’ll try to do our best again. But we know, as a team, that this will be a difficult game on Sunday."
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Maeda has been included among Hajime Moriyasu's latest Japan squad alongside Reo Hatate, but Kyogo's strange international omission continues.
He knows how much of an honour it is to represent his country and after netting during a recent 7-0 rout of China, and hopes that upward trajectory can continue against Saudi Arabia and Australia this month - especially since World Cup 2026 qualification is at stake.
Japan top their group with maximum points from their first two fixtures.
“If I look at my career, playing in a World Cup finals would be amazing," he said.
“It’s all going to be down to how I play at club level. I need to do my best at Celtic in every single game.
“After that, it is my main focus. Can this Japan squad qualify for the World Cup? Yes!”
