<Review of the previous match against Vissel Kobe>
It would not have been surprising if the achievement of a significant record in J-League history had faded by the end of the first half.
The match against league leaders Vissel Kobe was a smooth start despite being an away game. It can be said that Tokyo had the better start. They matched their opponents in intensity at the ball and displayed a strong drive forward and eagerness to score.
However, when mistakes continued during the build-up, the initiative in the match was handed over to the opponent. Once they gained momentum, it was extremely difficult to stop the leading team's flow. After conceding the opening goal, they quickly allowed more goals towards the end of the first half while trying to regroup. They returned to the locker room three goals behind.
How to rebuild. The reasoning was more about passion than logic.
No matter how much you discuss tactics, nothing can change without the will to fight. The captain, who achieved the remarkable record of 450 appearances in J.League, embodied this in his play. He threw his body into the ball contests to deflect the opponent's long balls, took the ball himself to push the team forward, and after drawing the opponent out, he delivered a mid-range pass to instill the desire to score in the team once again.
The two goals that closed the gap were from penalty kicks, but without the strong will to equalize and turn the game around, they would not have even had that opportunity.
"In the second half, we were able to show strength in our battles for the ball, but I wonder why we couldn't do that from the first half."
After the match, Masato MORISHIGE's tone when discussing the team's current situation was severe, but his passion had not faded. From the kickoff to the final whistle, they continued to outshine their opponents with their passion for victory. Returning home, they face a crucial match against a top team. We hope that the fire of passion ignited by the captain will inspire the blue and red warriors to rise up.
Match Preview
After losing 2-3 away to Vissel Kobe, we suffered our first defeat in three league matches. After the match, Takuya AOKI, who came on as a substitute to strengthen the midfield, pointed out the defensive issues, saying, "It's not good to concede goals consecutively during a bad flow. We need to at least limit ourselves to one goal conceded." Reflecting on the moments in the second half when Tokyo showed determination and closed the gap with two penalty goals, AOKI said, "It was a goal we took with our spirit, but moving forward, we want to be able to score goals with our own intent." The match against the league leaders, Kobe, became a game where we faced areas for improvement on both offense and defense.
This match against Yokohama F.Marinos will likely be a test of how well we can address the issues from the match against Kobe. The reigning champions from last season are earning points this season with their attacking style of play, currently sitting in second place in the league. It will be important for Tokyo to maintain their focus and actively take control of the game.
The player who is putting strong feelings into this match is Teruhito NAKAGAWA, who played for Yokohama FM until last season. Before facing his former club, NAKAGAWA declared, "Of course, we are going for the win." He challenges head-on for Tokyo, saying, "I want to play cleanly and fiercely."
[Interview with Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA]
Q: Please share your enthusiasm for the upcoming match against Yokohama F.Marinos.
In the J1 League, I believe the highest quality club is Yokohama FM. They have many high-quality players, and they have been playing with the same style for 4 to 5 seasons with continuity. That is why we know how difficult it is to compete against Yokohama FM. They play at a fast pace, dominate the midfield, and launch attacks. They entrust the ball to their high-quality wingers and aim for goals. Against such an opponent, we must show a fighting spirit and express aggressive play that controls the ball. While moving the ball, we want to actively and boldly aim for goals. This week, I feel we have had very fulfilling and good training. I hope we can have a good match tomorrow. In a closely contested game, small events can greatly influence the flow of the match. Which team scores the first goal can significantly change the momentum with just one play.
Q: What kind of encouragement did Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA give to the players regarding their ability to make adjustments during the match?
A, in the previous match against Vissel Kobe, conceding the first goal dealt a significant psychological blow to us. In other words, we must not overthink the tactical aspects excessively. If we can score in a good way, confidence will rise, and better plays tend to follow from there. The opposite pattern is also possible, of course. Regarding the Kobe match, I believe there was such a negative flow. Therefore, it is important to regain confidence and play. Playing with confidence also helps reduce mistakes. We must not fear making mistakes. Even if mistakes occur, it is crucial to recover without collapsing and continue playing. Japanese culture and values may have some connection to the fear of making mistakes.
Q, does this mean that you conveyed to play calmly without fearing mistakes?
A emphasizes that each player should play with confidence. It is important for players to have confidence in their own play, and mistakes in soccer are only a part of the game. Therefore, rather than thinking that making mistakes is bad, what matters is the actions and play they show after making a mistake.
Q: It seems that the results are greatly influenced by the matches where we scored the first goal and those where we conceded it.
A, I think this applies to any club in the J1 League. However, we have a very strong impression of this tendency. We fully understand that the team that scores the first goal in the J1 League has a high winning percentage, and as I mentioned earlier, scoring first has a positive impact on the team. From the perspective of a winner's mentality, Teruhito NAKAGAWA has a positive influence on the team. This is because he is a player who has experienced winning the championship.
Q: What kind of words did you say to Kuryu MATSUKI and Naoki KUMATA after their representative activities?
A, I had a brief conversation. I believe it is extremely difficult to carry the country on your shoulders and fight as a representative. In that context, I told him that in order to achieve good results, it is necessary to level up further from here. Regarding tactics and individual techniques, I think there is not a big difference compared to players from other countries, but I felt a difference in the mental aspect. This is something I have been continuously telling the players since I came to Japan. I believe that having a strong mentality allows you to play at a high level.
Q: What kind of reactions did you receive to your outreach?
A: I sensed dissatisfaction with the results this time. Experiences like this are very important. I hope you analyze, improve, and connect this to the next match or tournament.
[Player Interview]
＜Teruhito NAKAGAWA＞
Q: This will be a match against your former club, but please tell us your current feelings.
Of course, we are aiming to win, and since we lost the previous match against Vissel Kobe, we absolutely want to avoid consecutive defeats. They are in good form, and personally, since it's a match against my former team, I am really looking forward to it.
Q: We have not won against Yokohama F.Marinos in the last 5 matches. How will we strategize to overcome this?
A, when I was with Yokohama FM, my impression of Tokyo was that they often played by skillfully breaking through with passes towards the goal, which made it difficult to play against them. I also felt their strength in one-on-one plays and ball challenges. (Now, as a member of Tokyo facing Yokohama FM) it is important to not give the opponent freedom and to continue playing with high intensity. If we allow the opponent to have any leeway in key moments, it will end up like the previous match against Kobe. I want to use playing at home as an advantage and approach the game with a stronger will than the opponent. Everyone can clearly see that Yokohama FM is a good team, and by reviewing past footage, I want to share with the entire team how we should strategize to overcome them.
Q: Yokohama FM's Miyachi player returned to the pitch in an official match the other day. Please tell us about reuniting with player Miyachi on the pitch after overcoming a serious injury.
<div>A, including rehabilitation, I think he endured and overcame a very long period of about 300 days. I also saw him playing energetically in the Levain Cup match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, and personally, I am happy about that. Even with such a serious injury, I thought, "He's really fast," and since he is expected to come on as a substitute, he is one to watch out for. However, I am looking forward to reuniting with Miyachi, who wears number 23, and I want us to grow by challenging each other and achieve results. Besides Miyachi, Kida, who has played together for a long time, and Matsubara, who is the same age, are also with Yokohama FM, so I want to show "clean and intense play."
Q: Is the team's progress going as Nakagawa envisioned?
A, I think there is a big difference between good times and bad times. And the impression is that this difference is very pronounced. Especially during the bad times, one mismatch affects the whole team, making us feel fragility and weakness. I believe that smoothing out the ups and downs at a high level is a good state, and this is something the entire team feels. I also think this is connected to our poor winning rate in away games. Ultimately, it is us players who play on the pitch, and rather than focusing on the opponent, if we don't put ourselves first, the results will change and our weaknesses will show. I want to change this aspect and bring stability to the team.
Q: Is there a feeling that the team is shifting in a positive direction following the match against Yokohama FM?
A, first of all, I think it is very significant to be able to play against Yokohama FM at home. We want to demonstrate the strength that comes from the home advantage. Just because the opponent, Yokohama FM, has strong attacking power, we should not just defend; as challengers against the defending champions, Tokyo's strengths will not show unless we actively confront them. I believe that not showing too much respect will be the key to victory. Ultimately, it comes down to how much mental superiority we can maintain.
Q: It seems that the sense of unity as a team is increasing day by day.
A. I think the team shows a strong sense of unity, but it seems there is a bad habit of getting discouraged when conceding a goal. This tendency especially appears in away games. Even if we concede one goal, the team must demonstrate the attitude of going for two or three goals. Without this, we cannot accumulate victories. The mental aspect after conceding the first goal greatly influences the outcome, and even if we concede, we must show the determination to score. Otherwise, it would be unfair to the fans and supporters who cheer for us. I believe we need to show a stronger commitment to pursuing victory.
Q: Finally, please give a message to the fans and supporters.
A, our record at Ajinomoto is very good, and all the players feel that it is precisely because of the cheers and support from the fans and supporters that we can play in such a great atmosphere. By creating an atmosphere throughout FC Tokyo, including the fans and supporters, of "going to defeat Marinos," it switches on our sense of responsibility and determination to respond. I think many supporters will come from Yokohama as well, so I will fight with enthusiasm while enjoying it. I myself am aiming to score, so let's win and sing "Yuruneva" together.
<Koki TSUKAGAWA>
Q: After the match against Vissel Kobe, Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA emphasized the "fighting spirit." What will you focus on for the match against Yokohama F.Marinos?
A, the coach told us to base our play on the intensity we showed in the recent match against Kawasaki Frontale, aiming to control the ball and secure victory. Since Yokohama FM is our opponent, it is expected that they will have more possession time, but we want to value the ball and aim for goals with quick attacks. This is something we have been working on in training this week, so we want to express it well as a team.
Q: Speaking of the home match against Yokohama FM, you scored 2 goals last season. Is there anything you are personally aware of, such as compatibility?
A, in that match, I was able to score two goals from set pieces. If I get the chance to play in tomorrow's game, I want to strike the ball cleanly. I know that I must keep delivering results to stay on the pitch, so I will actively aim to score.
Q: Please tell us if there is anything the team has shared regarding the match against Yokohama FM.
A. I think there will be many plays where we aggressively move to the ball side to prevent giving the opponent freedom. After the ball reaches the opponent's lone forward, it is crucial to fully regain possession, effectively limit their passing lanes, and against opponents who spread out during their attack, quickly transition to offense once we regain the ball. If we give them too much time, they will be able to play facing forward, so responding with coordinated press-back is also important. This is something we have been working on in practice this week, so I want to focus on well-coordinated play.
Q: Isn't this a match that you want to make a turning point for both the team and for Tsukagawa as an individual to make a comeback from here?
<div>A, I haven't fully become the core of the team yet, and for me, each match right in front of me is very important. I have a strong desire to find a good opportunity. I play in various positions, but I believe that showing results is everything. I want to continue playing with a focus on results. Playing in the position given by the coach and achieving results connects to my value as a player, and I also think there is experience to be gained from playing in different positions. I believe that everything in soccer is connected, so I want to keep that in mind and do my best.
