[Player Interview]
＜Kei KOIZUMI＞
Q. This season, it was the first actual match against a J.League team. How do you feel personally and how was the coordination with those around you?
A, the camp has progressed quite a bit and we have been practicing repeatedly, so I think there is no problem with the coordination part. Personally, what I am focusing on is the intensity. I believe that if we can win in terms of intensity, there is no doubt about it, and I think my position requires intensity, so if I lose there, I personally think there is no point in being on the field. Therefore, I tried to be conscious of that. This is something I am aware of not only today but in every match.
Q. As for your strength, is it a style of play where you aggressively try to take the ball from the front?
A, today the opponent was a good team, with each player skilled and connecting passes well, so not everything went perfectly, but that is something we need to handle cleverly. Rather than just matching Tokyo's style of play, I think it would be better if we could increase the individual efforts to win the ball a bit more.
Q. As a team, you have last year's foundation, and this season, I think ideas, patterns, and accuracy are required in the attacking third. From Koizumi's perspective, how was that aspect?
In the case of Adailton and Teruhito NAKAGAWA, I think it becomes difficult to make a move if they get too close, so I believe we need to be mindful of that and support them while considering their individuality. Also, if we can play soccer with a good sense of distance, the opponents will find it unpleasant, and we ourselves will be able to move the ball smoothly. When pressing forward, I feel after the fact that perhaps we could have been a bit bolder with middle-range shots or done something daring, rather than breaking down the defense too neatly.
Q. Understanding that it is completely different, I think Tosu was also aware of their positioning, but do you feel that the soccer you learned there is being utilized?
A, it is quite significant. There are many things in Tokyo that are similar to what I was doing in Tosu. Especially, I played several matches with the same formation in Tosu, and I also played in the same positions there. The defense and attack that Tokyo is trying to implement match what was said and attempted in Tosu, and we even do the same practice menus. So, the one and a half years in Tosu were very important to me.
Q. What are the similar points?
A, first of all, the defense uses a high press, which is the same. The way we value the ball is also similar, and although there are slight differences in how we connect passes, the sense of distance in play and what Tosu was known for and what we are trying to do are alike. Being able to play soccer smoothly myself is a big advantage.
Q, You have experienced various styles of football both in Niigata and Kashima, haven't you broadened your range?
A, I have experienced various teams, and among them, there are teams like Tosu that seek good quality soccer, and teams like Kashima where you are not valued unless you win titles. Ultimately, I learned at Kashima that it is meaningless unless you win today's practice match and future practice matches. Even in these practice matches, only seeking results, and when official matches start, ideally winning with good content is best, but even if the content is poor, if the team can become one that wins, there are many good players, and I think it would be good if we can continue to grow.
Q. There was a moment early in the game when you took the ball and immediately took a shot. Do you feel like you want to be involved in more plays that lead to finishing?
A, that position has to be involved in scoring, so I think the scene you mentioned will ultimately affect the result in official matches depending on whether the chance is finished or not. Rather than considering it a good play, since it ultimately didn't result in a goal, I want to focus on those finer details.
Q, Is it because you have a successful experience at Tosu that you have the foundation to be able to make that kind of play?
A, I personally need to increase the number of times I take the ball away over there, and in the end, I think it comes down to whether I can get involved in goals or assists individually, or whether I can take the ball away on my own. I hope I can show more of that aspect.
Q. I think you reposition yourself based on your relationship with your teammates, and in that sense, I believe it works because your teammates take good positions.
Keigo HIGASHI told me before the match that I could play in a way that makes it easier for me in both defense and attack. Listening to the voices from behind, since HIGASHI is the closest player behind me, having him there allows me to play boldly. That kind of support creates an environment where I can play comfortably, and I am truly grateful for that.
<Hotaka NAKAMURA>
Q. From watching today's play, the attacking aspect stood out more than the defensive side. As you enter your second season under Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, are there any things you are mindful of, conscious about, or have changed?
A, what I am conscious of is creating a threat in the attack. The coach also encourages the fullbacks to be more offensive and to get involved in assists and goals. This season, I am personally focusing on becoming a threat in the attack. So far, the practice matches have been against university students, and this was the third match. I am cautiously but boldly trying things out and gathering various information.
Q, I believe it was right at the end of the first half, but the scene where you went vertically with your left foot in a one-on-one situation is something that hasn't happened much until now. Is that the part where you are challenging yourself?
A, well. As a team playing soccer, we are working on targeting pockets as a team strategy, and first, I want to get involved there. When that guy moves to the side, a cross will definitely come in. I want to earn the trust of my teammates that I can break through vertically and reach deep areas. So, whenever I have the chance to take on a challenge, I want to do so actively. If we don't increase those attempts, it won't lead to more crosses or goals, so even if I make mistakes, I keep challenging myself.
Q. You positioned yourself wide and seemed to work in combination with the player in the half-space to create pockets. Was this a conscious strategy for the team?
Last year, we expanded to the opposite side and could circulate the ball in a U shape, but there was a part where it stagnated because it lacked a sense of threat in the final stage. I heard from Nakagawa about how instead of someone fixedly going to take the pocket, within the coordinated movement, someone is always in that position, which opens up other spaces, shifts the opponent's focus, and leads to opportunities. That gave me new insights. Last season, there was no idea or certainty that someone would always be there, so this season, while taking on both roles of entering that position myself and acting as the passer to deliver the final ball, the pattern is not fixed. I want to seek quality, increase the number of times I run and pass, and grasp the feeling. Since it is already the time to finalize things, playing against a high-level Ryukyu today gave us new information, and I hope we can incorporate that ourselves and move forward.
Q. It seemed like you were aiming during the match to break behind the opponent's shallow defensive line together with the wing players, and it felt like a new approach. What do you think about that?
There are various types of players on the wings, each with their own characteristics, including mine. I believe that continuously creating situations where we can bring out each other's strengths is a threat to the opponent. In that sense, since it was our first match against professionals, there were definitely parts where we were feeling things out. However, as we have come to understand each other's traits better, I think we should first focus on bringing out and not diminishing each other's strengths.
Q. What were your thoughts when a long ball came from a player on the opposite side?
When we create opportunities on the side, the wide outside always opens up, so I believe someone has to make a run into that space. Today, I aimed for passes from me to the player on the opposite side because it's difficult for the opponents to defend there, and I think it leads to chances, so I was constantly targeting that. However, making a run also carries the risk of a counterattack, so I want to keep aiming for it while carefully judging the situation.
Q. I believe the ultimate target is the pocket, but how is the build-up play leading up to getting there?
Regarding carrying the ball into the attacking third, I may not have been able to do it confidently, but building on the foundation from last year, I am thinking of going further this year. Right now, it is still a period where we need to get to know the new players, so it is a situation of feeling things out.
Q. Is there any effect from Nakagawa joining the team?
A, yes. Since we are likely to play together position-wise, I tried to communicate during the first practice, talked about various things, and gained significant insights right from the start. Also, since he came from the championship-winning Marinos, I am confident. It's nothing but inspiration. Just knowing that Nakagawa is on the wing is psychologically reassuring and I believe it will be a weapon for the team as well.
<Masato MORISHIGE>
Q, It was offside, but there was a wonderful through pass with the left foot.
A, I want to increase plays that actively target the space behind the defense even more. I believe that creating the timing to play into that space from the midfield will be crucial this season. Since we can always pass from our defensive line, it's not just about that; if the midfield players have more time to face forward and lift their heads, I think that is what the opponents dislike the most. So, I want to increase that even more.
Q. As a team, last season you worked on positioning to control the ball, but is the final scene the theme for this season?
A, I think so. When we have a lot of time pressing forward like today, we need to thoroughly consider how to finish, how to distribute the ball to places that really bother the opponent, and aim for the goal. Creating time to press is important, but we need to do more to increase the number of chances and the moments to finish. Even though we can keep possession, we can't win, so we have to work harder. It's a difficult part, but also an enjoyable one, so I want to steadily improve our accuracy.
Q: The newly joined player Nakagawa has experienced winning the league, and player Koizumi has played for Kashima and said that even in practice matches like this, they have to win. As the captain, do you have any expectations about the addition of such players?
A, of course, I want them to bring their experience back to the team. We can't just rely on them; we also need to think about how to support them and bring out their strengths. We must absorb, understand, and express what they are thinking, otherwise, it will always remain just the Tokyo color. Since we are bringing in new blood, we need to make the most of that and firmly create a new Tokyo color.
Q. Players who have watched Tokyo from outside have joined, bringing new blood. At this stage, have there been any stimuli or realizations?
A, we are still in the stage of adjusting the condition. I believe we will be able to fine-tune things during the matches, so I want to work on it thoroughly for each game. At this stage, I don't think there is anything special going on.
Q. Did any of the transferred players offer suggestions to improve the team?
A, not yet. Also, if we expect too much, it will put pressure on them, so I hope we can bring out their potential throughout the season.
Q. To control the match, it is necessary to keep possession of the ball, but you mentioned that no matter how gritty the goal is, it is good as long as it is scored. What are your thoughts on this?
A, we need to increase the number of chances, so when distributing the ball to dangerous areas for the opponent, quality is required. It takes time, but I believe this is an important aspect of modern football. I hope we can constantly increase the number of actions that are threatening to the opponent. Also, I think it is important to synchronize the players' movements and to have a good understanding of each player's characteristics.
Q. Although you conceded a goal early in the match, your defense was very stable afterward. What do you think were the factors behind this?
A. If the time holding the ball increases, the time spent defending will naturally decrease, so I believe that the time in possession of the ball is equivalent to the time spent defending. Therefore, it is important to improve the accuracy when in possession and increase the time holding the ball. It is also crucial how well basic things like immediately regaining possession after losing the ball can be performed at a high level.
Q. From now on, are we entering a stage to improve quality?
A, the framework is already in place, so I want to improve the variations and the accuracy of the final pass. Whether the shot goes in or not greatly changes the flow of the game, so I want to enhance that quality.
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q, please review the game.
A, we tried to push forward from the start of the match, but we couldn't get into a good rhythm. In the end, we were able to finish with a win, so in terms of the result, it was good, but I think we need to work on improving the content of our play.
Q. It seems that, building on last season, you are playing confidently on the left side alongside player Kashif. How do you feel about that?
A, I feel confident and that I am aggressively moving forward, but the fact remains that I have not yet been able to deliver results. This season, I want to focus more on achieving results in my play.
Q. Regarding the results, are you referring to crosses and shots?
A, yes. Clear numbers such as assists and goals.
Q. Your basic positioning has become higher, hasn't it?
A, well, the positions entered differ depending on the players forming the front line, but I think there were fewer attacking contributions from the fullbacks last season. If we can increase that this season, I believe the team's overall goals will also increase. We regularly discuss this among the fullback players, so we are conscious of it even during practice.
Q. It feels like there has been some movement to draw in the play.
A, I strongly feel that my movements have become clearer. Depending on the forward players I team up with, the place I move to varies, but by clearly initiating my movement, even if the ball doesn't come to me, space opens up, and if I run into a good position, it creates opportunities. So, I believe I have been able to make my movements clear.
Q. If you get a chance, do you want to take a shot?
A, there were many opportunities to cut inside, and there were plays where I could hold the ball with my right foot and drive forward, but it didn't go very well. If I can increase those kinds of plays and improve their quality, I think it will be harder for the opponents to defend, and it will also add more variety to the team, so I want to work on that.
Q. Even when taking a high position, I felt the speed of returning was fast. Why is that?
A, I believe it is my own strength, and since I am basically a defensive player, I absolutely must not be beaten there. I play with the mindset that it is fine to take a high position as long as I can properly get back under good conditions. If I cannot do that, I think I should not take a high position, so I am conscious of that when playing.
Q. Are you able to play in coordination with other players as expected?
A, that's right. There are many challenges, but in terms of increasing versatility, I think I have been able to take on various challenges with the surrounding players.
Q. While everyone is considering their positioning and moving in and out, do you have a sense that the side backs are also included as part of the combination?
A, I think it is important for the full-back to take the lead and combine with the surrounding players to break down the defense. Last season, I often had the forward players move me up the field, but it is probably easier to break down the defense if the full-back moves proactively and the surrounding players move in response to that to create combinations. Since we currently have good combinations, I believe it is important for the full-back to start the movement.
Q. Do you feel you can make the starting lineup for the opening match?
A, personally, I am still not satisfied with the combination play, and in practice, players like Nagatomo and Tokumoto show more defensive tenacity than I do, so I feel I cannot lose to them there. I think it will be important to see how much result we can achieve in practice matches. First of all, I want to focus on the results and play without losing to the opponent in front of me.
<Kota TAWARATSUMIDA>
Q. I think you were able to make good moves against the J.League team.
A, I can dribble itself, but I think I need to increase the number of times I do it. I believe I have to do it 10 times, 20 times, and so on.
Q, does that situation refer to your position or the combination aspect?
A, that is also true, but I am confident when it comes to one-on-one situations, so I focus on improving my positioning to create more of those opportunities.
Q, the shot after the cut-in was also wonderful.
After the cut-in, I was only focused on the goal and believed I could score, so I took the shot without hesitation.
Q. When you were in the youth team, you also played as a midfielder; did that experience help broaden your range of play?
A, that's right. When playing as an inside half, opponents come from 360 degrees. On the side, it's 180 degrees, so I think that experience is useful.
Q. In that sense, it's thanks to Youth Director Okuhara and the coaches.
When I was in the youth team, I sometimes wondered why, but now I can only feel grateful.
Q, with goals in two consecutive matches, I think your confidence has grown.
A, I have gained confidence, but since my performance is not yet satisfactory, I believe I need to show even better play to make an impression.
Q. I think it's amazing that even if the opponent takes the ball away, you keep trying over and over without giving up.
A, I believe that if you give up there, you can't be a professional, and since I have pride, I want to keep going without breaking there.
Q. Regarding your dribbling style, you seem good at deceiving your opponent. Is that your strongest skill?
A, I can also surprise the opponent, but honestly, I play based on my instincts.
Q. Do you have a mindset to see things through once you start something?
There are times when the passing situation is good, but since it is currently camp and my first year after high school, I think I need to show my own play.
Q. Is experience in youth leagues important?
In the youth category, individual skills are amazing, and having been shaped within that environment, I believe that experience is significant.
Q: I thought he somewhat reminded me of Mitoma. Did he also influence you during the World Cup?
Player Mitoma showed amazing dribbling skills in the J-League as well, and while there are aspects to learn from, I did not try to imitate or consciously focus on them. I just watched.
Q. Is there a dribbler you refer to?
A, I don't have one, but since I watched videos of various dribblers like Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, and Hazard when I was little, I think that has influenced me. Various players were mixed together, leading to my own style of dribbling.
Q. There are various types of dribbling, and I thought the course selection was skillful.
A, it's all based on feeling.
Q. Is it a sensation because it has become ingrained?
A, I think my dribbling style changed when I entered junior high school. In junior high, I lacked physical strength, and even now I'm still thin, but I also lacked a sense of body awareness, so I used to shake my opponents with kick feints. However, after joining the youth team, my physical strength caught up with everyone else's, and I was able to use my speed to trick opponents by going the other way, so it naturally turned out like this.
