4/6 (Wed) vs Vissel Kobe (Ajinomoto Stadium)
Which one will make use of the rehearsal?
Since the opening match, Kobe has yet to secure a victory. On the 2nd, they welcomed Kyoto SANGA F.C. at home, and although they scored first in the second half, they suffered a comeback loss. It was the debut match for interim coach Luis PLANAGUMA, but the goddess of victory still did not smile upon them.
Nevertheless, there were many gains from the match against Kyoto. Under Coach Ryuise, a new tactic was adopted, and the players embodied it on the pitch. Against Kyoto's high-intensity pressing, the team, which prides itself on possession, demonstrated a certain level of functionality, which also served as a catalyst for building confidence in achieving results under the new leadership.
The experience from this match against Kyoto will definitely come into play in this week's match against FC Tokyo, which also features aggressive defense as its hallmark. In the Kyoto match, there was a clear intention to position players wide and exploit the opponent's high press, and it can be said that this served as a rehearsal for tackling FC Tokyo, which has a similar formation.
However, if we look at it from the perspective of a rehearsal, can the same be said for FC Tokyo? Yokohama F.Marinos, who faced off in the previous match, also adheres to positional play like Kobe. While there are differences in the sense of speed in both offense and defense, the direction of taking positions that the opponent dislikes, moving the ball, and gaining control of the match through ball possession is the same. The high-intensity high press initiated by Diego OLIVEIRA and others, along with the build-up involving goalkeeper Hiroki IIKURA, should be one of the key strategies for overcoming Kobe.
On the contrary, Kobe emphasizes high pressing from a compact formation, and it will be interesting to see if they can disrupt FC Tokyo's build-up, which shows remarkable skill for a "rookie" in positional play, led by experienced players like Yuya OSAKO and Hotaru YAMAGUCHI in their ball hunt. If Kobe can seize a good flow, the frequency of magic from Andres INIESTA will increase. The team that effectively utilizes the lessons learned from the rehearsal will likely come closer to victory this match.
One of the points of interest in this matchup is the movements of Kento HASHIMOTO, who has joined Kobe on loan from FC Rostov after previously playing for FC Tokyo. He has already completed his player registration and is currently in the process of improving his condition. HASHIMOTO expresses his fighting spirit, stating, "I am 100% ready mentally." Similarly, Yoshinori MUTO, also a former FC Tokyo player, is currently sidelined due to injury, but if HASHIMOTO takes the field, it will undoubtedly be an unmissable moment for the fans and supporters of both teams.
Text by Keita Ono (El Golazo Vissel Kobe Correspondent)
