Review of the previous match against Kashima Antlers
"I am very frustrated." At the post-match press conference, coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI repeated the same words twice. Once as a candid impression at the beginning of the conference, and again as a closing phrase after summarizing the match. This shows how much the feeling of frustration occupied his mind.
With 2 wins and 1 loss since the opening, this was an away game approached with a positive record. Utilizing sharp counters as a weapon, the team created several chances from the start. In the midfield, Takahiro KO and Kento HASHIMOTO, who made his first start since transferring, actively showed themselves to receive passes from the back line, and there were many instances where they built attacks while valuing possession of the ball.
However, only the finishing is not coming together. Teruhito NAKAGAWA's shot grazed the crossbar, and Marcelo RYAN's header hit the goalpost. Kota TAWARATSUMIDA's shot, which aimed to slide into an unguarded goal from a coordinated press in a high position, narrowly missed to the right of the goal. Each player is showcasing their strengths and creating good chances, yet they continue to miss numerous opportunities to take the lead.
Tokyo, unable to convert their chances, conceded two goals to Kashima from set pieces in the second half. In the 38th minute of the second half, Maki KITAHARA, a player from FC Tokyo U-18, was sent onto the pitch at the young age of 15 years, 7 months, and 22 days, setting a new record for the youngest appearance in J1 League history. However, it resulted in a frustrating defeat away from home.
Match Preview
With 2 wins and 2 losses so far, the blue-red team, 4 points behind the leaders, will face Shonan Bellmare at home.
In the previous match against Kashima Antlers, coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI mentioned that "if we had converted our chances, the result could have been different," as the team created many opportunities but lost momentum by failing to capitalize on them, resulting in a frustrating defeat. In the team meeting at the beginning of the week, where strategic reflections usually take place, the focus of the coach was on finishing decisively. Coach MATSUHASHI stated, "While it's certainly important to focus on the content, and we have been working on building a solid foundation from the back, this time we focused on how to achieve results and connect that to our victory. First and foremost, that is crucial. If we want to move up, we need to finish these chances properly."
The team has been able to execute fast attacks. While there have been some risky moments during build-up play involving the goalkeeper, the number of successful formations has been increasing. It has been proven in the first four matches that individual skills can break through situations and create chances. Therefore, this match requires a focus on scoring goals and achieving victory.
However, this week's opponent, Shonan Bellmare, has achieved 3 wins and 1 draw since the start of the season, placing them second with 10 points. They have ceded the top position on goal difference, but head coach Satoshi Yamaguchi proudly states that they have the best organization in the J-League, making them a formidable opponent with a successful start. In addition to their traditional strength of hard work, they have adopted an aggressive style of play, pushing both wings forward from a 3-1-4-2 system with two forwards and two shadows, taking control of the game and achieving results. In particular, the two forwards, Sho FUKUDA and Akito SUZUKI, have been in excellent form, scoring a total of 5 goals between them so far. How to contain them will likely be a key point.
Unlike the teams that Tokyo has faced in the first three matches using a 3-4-2-1 system, it is expected that this will not be a complete mirror game. In attack, how to utilize the space on both sides of the opponent's anchor will be key, and in defense, managing the pressure from the opponent who will bring numbers to the front line and how to contain the inside half will also be crucial to the flow of the match.
Using the frustrating feelings from the last match as motivation, can we focus on finishing and accumulate 3 points? We want to secure a solid victory here to stay in the upper ranks and refine the 'Rikuzou Tokyo' style of soccer while achieving results. This game is crucial, and we must decisively defeat Shonan at our home, Ajinomoto Stadium.
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q: What preparations have you made for the match against Shonan Bellmare, who have been maintaining good form since the last game?
Team A, Shonan, is a team that has been maintaining good form, so we want to secure a solid victory. Looking at the previous match result alone, it was just a loss, but if we had simply finished the chances we created, the outcome might have been different. However, considering that, if we want to move up, we need to finish our chances properly. I think the same applies to the match against Shonan. It is important to firmly convert the chances we create.
Q: Please tell us your impression of Shonan.
A, while developing a strong competitive edge last season and continuously refining it, has turned these efforts into the very essence of the team, resulting in a highly polished and complete unit. It appears that the players are playing with confidence. Each player's strengths seem to be fully demonstrated. In addition to that, there is increased stability and a higher consistency in executing what the team aims to do. Therefore, preventing players from acting freely and ensuring they do not lose in individual matchups will likely determine the outcome of the games.
Q: The time spent maintaining possession of the ball and pushing into the opponent's territory has increased. Is it ideal to prolong that state?
Regarding the match against Shonan, there is naturally a part where allowing that also brings out the opponent's strengths. Shonan's counterattacks after regaining the ball are very sharp. I think there will be moments when we need to let them have the ball to prevent that from happening. When we are in a good condition, we change our tactics. I believe that strategic maneuvering is important. Of course, as a team, we want to firmly control the ball and break down the opponent to score goals. There may be times when the opponent has possession, but we will turn that around and finish them off with counters. Both sides might have similar aims, so improving the precision of that is crucial.
[Player Interview]
<Takahiro KO>
Q: Please reflect on the previous match.
If we had been able to firmly score in the decisive scenes, the match result would have been different. Including the first half, we felt a good response on the pitch, and the number of ball recoveries and chances has been increasing since the opening game. We feel the team's progress and want to continue improving our level. As Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI mentioned, if we don't finish our chances, we cannot break into the top ranks. We want to play with even more commitment in the match against Shonan Bellmare.
Q: It seems that the position of the defensive midfielder is gradually being adjusted in both offense and defense.
A, in the previous match, the opponent used a 4-4-2 system, which inevitably created gaps. Even though we, the defensive midfielders, did not drop back to the defensive line, we had a numerical advantage with three defenders against their two forwards, so we deliberately held back from dropping deep to receive the ball and focused on receiving it in the center. This match is against Shonan, and of course their system will change, so I want to create gaps effectively on the pitch. Although I had never paired as a defensive midfielder with Kento HASHIMOTO in training or practice matches, we communicated well on the pitch and were able to play in a good relationship. I hope we can continue to bring out the best in each other going forward.
Q: This match is against Shonan, who have been performing well since the league started.
A, they are a wonderful team, and since last season, I have strongly felt the unity and confidence with which Shonan has stuck to their style of play when we faced them. We lost the home game last season, so we definitely want to repay that. For us as well, we want to accumulate 3 points here to break into the top ranks, and I believe we cannot afford to lose consecutive home games.
<Kanta DOI>
Q: Although you did not participate in the match, how did you observe the previous match from the bench?
A, as a team, we had many opportunities to create chances, but we failed to finish and conceded a goal in the final stages. From a defender's perspective, I think it is necessary to be the starting point for creating chances, increase the number of those opportunities, and manage the game without conceding goals. I want to play with a stronger commitment to keeping a clean sheet.
Q: Please tell us your impression of Shonan Bellmare.
A, I feel we are in good form, and there are many goals created with forwards Fukuda and Akito SUZUKI serving as the starting points of the attack. As a team, we want to prevent them from playing freely, and including the marking handovers, we aim to flexibly respond to the opponent's side attacks by communicating on the pitch.
Q: What preparations has the team made this week?
A. The opponent excels in ball movement and coordination, so we have organized the key points the team should align on, such as defensive positioning and passing during their build-up. In the previous match, we conceded a goal following a set-piece sequence. Through team meetings, we have been able to confirm and make corrections, which feels promising. To make our defensive intensity a strength as a team, we want to approach the Shonan match with a high level of awareness.
