Albert Tokyo, betray me more and more!
Disappointed greatly since the opening game. Of course, in a good way.
When watching Albert's first game in Tokyo, there were both high expectations and equal amounts of anxiety about what changes would be brought.
At the new system announcement event, coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA stated, "There may be some struggles in the first six months until we establish our style." Even during the camp in Okinawa and after returning to Tokyo, coach Albert repeatedly mentioned that "we are still in the foundation stage" and "it has only been a month since we started working on this style," emphasizing that it will take time.
Furthermore, during the pre-match coverage, it was clear that there were high expectations for Kawasaki Frontale, who are aiming for their second consecutive victory, and their level of completion was highly praised.
That premonition came true as soon as the opening match started. From the kick-off, everyone was in a frenzy and even when trying to build up, the ball wouldn't move forward and instead, Kawasaki took advantage of our unbalanced state and repeatedly attacked the space behind our last line, causing us trouble. At the 15-minute mark, the premonition turned into anxiety and I was left scratching my head.
However, the big betrayal came from here. After about 15 minutes, we gradually regained our composure and took control of the game. The ball started rolling forward at a fast pace after the 25-minute mark.
One of the reasons for this is that Takuya AOKI, who played as an anchor position, and Ryoya OGAWA and Ryoma WATANABE, the two fullbacks, increased their touches on the ball.
From around 15 to 25 minutes when they bounced back, it was more of a feeling that Diego OLIVEIRA, Leandro, and Kensuke NAGAI pushed back with their speed and power, and they were too fast vertically for the surroundings to keep up. However, Aoki maintained the overall balance and spread passes to the wide angle, and Ogawa and Watanabe, who have excellent game-making abilities, were able to add sharpness to the build-up by taking a good position while looking at both their teammates and opponents.
As a result, the time spent playing in the opponent's territory naturally increased, leading to a strong attack and pushing Kawasaki back, creating a continuous positive cycle. It can be said that in the second half, they completely dominated the game. Shuto ABE and Kuryu MATSUKI, the inside halves, spent most of their time playing towards Kawasaki's goal, and the fierce attack they showed towards the end was a completely different sight from before.
<Match Highlights>
Considering that it is still the opening game, it is better to leave behind the fact that we were unable to shake the goal net despite creating many chances and were unable to bring back even one point. Instead, in the first 90 minutes of this season, under the guidance of coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, FC Tokyo has clearly shown that they are heading in the right direction, walking the right path, and trying to change.
After making such "pessimistic" remarks, it was impressive to see the content that Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, the "director", presented.
After the match, the blue and red fans and supporters gathered in front of the visitor's seats and passionately cheered. During the camp, the players worked hard to incorporate tactics by comparing the ball to a lover. Coach Albert Puig Ortoneda is skilled at manipulating actions and words, attracting people, and getting those around him on board. Considering this, it may have been part of the plan to consistently lower expectations from the pre-season and surprise everyone with their performance in the opening match.
＜Passion shown by coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA in front of fans and supporters after the match＞
Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, who has always maintained a cautious attitude without being greedy and rushing, has one more thing to say as the season begins.
"It is important to stick to our own style in any game, against any opponent."
The football shown at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium, which was the stage for the start of the 2022 season, gave many people hope and expectations. Now, what I strongly desire is to experience it at home at Ajinomoto Stadium. I can't wait to see the next 90 minutes directed by Coach Albert Puig Ortoneda.
Text by Daisuke Suga (El Golazo, FC Tokyo Correspondent)
