Review of the previous match against Gamba Osaka
As the back-and-forth battle continued from the beginning, the young guardian that the blue and red pride themselves on, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, stood in front of the goal.
The first highlight came in the 41st minute of the first half. After being put in a one-on-one situation due to a long counterattack, he calmly assessed the situation, positioned himself well to limit the angle, and reacted sharply to the shot. He extended his left hand and deflected the ball.
In the 3rd minute of the second half, he firmly deflected the opponent's mid-range shot with his right hand to protect the goal. Then, in a critical moment in the 22nd minute of the second half, his big save saved the team.
From a set play, a header was directed to the near side, but with a superhuman reaction, he stretched out his right hand to change the trajectory of the shot fired from close range, successfully deflecting it just over the goal.
Consecutive fine saves. It is noteworthy that he has become able to quickly reach out his hand against the opponent's shots.
"The goalkeeper is in a passive position, and since play requires the presence of the opponent, I believe it is important to react while closely watching both the opponent and the ball."
However, in the 40th minute of the second half, we allowed the opening goal due to a gap created by the opponent's substitution.
Tokyo, aiming for a counterattack, launched a fierce assault in the final stages. It seemed that Henrique TREVISAN scored the equalizer from a left corner kick during the second half's additional time, but the preceding play was ruled offside, and the goal was disallowed, leading to the end of the match. They suffered a frustrating defeat at home, remaining winless in four league matches.
My performance has been improving with each match. I feel that I have been getting better and better in the last few games, said number 41, who is feeling confident. That's why I want to win.
"Until the last moment, we were able to hold on as a team, so it's very frustrating. Of course, it's important for everyone to put their bodies on the line, and the goalkeeper also needs to do so as the last line of defense. What I want the most is the team's victory, so I want to make sure we can bring home the win in the next match against Sagan Tosu."
Match Preview
Following the 3rd Round of the YBC Levain Cup held last Wednesday, we head to Tosu for Sec. 17. After a packed schedule with just two days and three days between matches since Golden Week, this time we will face the away match against "Kin J" with four days in between.
This match week focuses on players selected for the Japan national team across various age groups. Following March, Yuto NAGATOMO has been named to the Japan national team, and for the U-23 Japan national team aiming for the Paris Olympics, four players have been selected: Kuryu MATSUKI, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, Kashif BANGNAGANDE, and Ryotaro ARAKI.
In the away match against Avispa Fukuoka, held right after the announcement of the national team members in March, three players—Nagatomo, Yoshifumi, and Araki—who were released to fight with the national flag, scored goals and achieved a great victory. They contributed to the first league win in Fukuoka since July of the 2000 season, bringing the team its first victory of the season. We can't help but look forward to their high performance, which they will likely showcase in their blue and red uniforms this round.
Although the away game in Tosu marked a victory in the cup competition since the 2019 season, it has been a "difficult place" where the team has not been able to secure a win in league matches since June of the 2015 season. Currently, the team has gone four league matches without a win and has not been able to achieve the desired results, but they want to use the victory gained from the penalty shootout in the previous week's Levain Cup as a catalyst for resurgence in this match.
[Interview with Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q: Although we conceded a goal, the last match showed a solid defense.
A, I think we delivered a good overall performance. However, if asked whether it was our best, I would say no, and I am disappointed that we conceded goals and lost. I feel that there is still much for us to learn and improve. Also, I feel the pain of not achieving a victory in the match against Gamba Osaka. Even so, I see it as something necessary on our journey. While focusing on developing our style of play, we want to move forward toward the next match.
The players clearly understand what they can do and what challenges they face. We must continuously evolve to get closer to our ideal. Of course, paying attention to details is also important in this process. To become a team that no one can stop, we believe it is essential to keep making corrections and improvements and move forward.
Q, It will be a rematch with Sagan Tosu in a short period of time.
A, we want to focus first on our own style of play. I think this match will also be tough, but we are making good preparations. If we can play our football, we have been able to score goals and are gradually regaining defensive solidity. We will continue to pursue the team's objectives until the final whistle and aim to secure 3 points.
[Player Interview]
＜Teruhito NAKAGAWA＞
Q: Given that the team has been far from victory in recent official matches, how do you want to tighten up the team again?
A, from the start of the match, we want to aggressively take the ball as a team and focus on attacks that end with shots, aiming to bring intensity to our play. Regarding defense, I believe we need to be fierce and not give the opponent any freedom. We want to thoroughly reinforce our team's defensive approach once again.
In terms of offense, monotony has become noticeable. I feel that in recent matches, we have not been able to effectively circulate the ball in the opponent's half and break through, and the duration of possession has been lacking. If we don't elevate our game, we won't pose a threat to our opponents, and a monotonous attack won't instill fear in their defense. Starting from here, in addition to the league matches, we will continue to have back-to-back games in June, including the Levain Cup and the Emperor's Cup. As a team, I want to share once again how we can maintain a high level of performance with the same mindset, regardless of who is on the field. I believe that addressing each issue on both the offensive and defensive sides clearly is important, and the key is to keep going.
Q: Please tell us what Teruhito NAKAGAWA imposes on himself and the plays he is conscious of.
A, it depends on the position I play. When playing centrally, such as an attacking midfielder or lone striker, I focus on receiving the ball to create rhythm, dropping back once, and then making runs behind the defense, utilizing my own strengths to constantly support the team in advancing the ball. When playing as a right winger, I communicate with the players behind me and focus not only on staying wide but also on moving inside to create space for the full-back to join the attack.
Basically, I am not just staying up front; I play with the awareness of increasing the number of times I touch the ball by dropping back to the midfield position. I want to avoid being too fixated on my position and instead perceive the situation on the pitch to make the best decisions.
Q: This is a match against Sagan Tosu, which we faced in the Levain Cup about a week ago. What kind of performance are you expecting?
A, having faced each other in the recent Levain Cup, we were able to somewhat experience the opponent's play style and tactics on the pitch, and of course, I believe the opposing team is in the same situation. Tosu is a team that builds from the back, and in our previous match, we played with the mindset of aggressively pressing from the front. It's not about recklessly trying to win the ball from the front line, but as a team, if we can stay compact and win the ball in the opponent's half, I think it will lead to attacking opportunities. Since the opponent has also scouted us, we want to make play choices based on reading the flow of the game. The first 10 to 15 minutes of the first half are especially important; creating chances and scoring the opening goal is the key point to winning a difficult away game.
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q: The team has not won in the last four league matches.
A, although we have been away from victory, when looking at the details closely, I think there has been progress in defense compared to the beginning of the season. Regarding clear scoring chances and opportunities, it's not true to say there were none in the matches we lost. There are many cases where we miss the final step or concede the only clear chance to the opponent. First, we want to correct those points. In terms of attack, we feel that we are able to create the shape we aim for. As for the final shot quality, and speaking for myself, I want to steadily improve the accuracy of crosses and the timing of supply. If we can solve these issues during matches and connect them to victories, I believe the team can aim higher again. I think other players feel the same way on the pitch. We want to focus more on correcting issues and linking them to results.
Q: Please tell us what is necessary to connect the victory to the next consecutive wins.
A, I think it comes down to finishing decisively in key moments, throwing your body to cling to the ball in the final defensive phase, and how much attention you pay to the finer details. Even if it feels like you're doing well during the match, when you look back later, it seems lacking compared to when we were on a winning streak. I want to demand more from myself and those around me. By communicating with others, I believe it increases the responsibility for my own play, and I want each individual to raise their awareness and play with high motivation.
Q, Sagan Tosu, who we faced in the Levain Cup, is our opponent this round.
Although we did not participate in the Levain Cup, I think it was a very tough match after watching the footage. Looking at the past results of away games against Tosu (league matches), we have been far from victory, and if we can win, we will definitely gain momentum. This match will be a turning point, and we want to make it a game decided within 90 minutes, something we couldn't achieve in the Levain Cup. We want to bring back only a win to Tokyo.
