The results of the recent league matches have ended in 0-0 for two consecutive games. Looking only at the score, it may seem like both teams have been lacking in decisive plays. However, in the press conference after the previous match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, coach Albert Puig Ortoneda expressed a strong sense of growth with his words.
Although we fell just short in the finishing stage, Tokyo created scenes that threatened the Sapporo goal by sticking to our own style in a highly intense and tactically advanced match.
Sapporo has played under coach Petrovic for 5 seasons and has a high level of tactical maturity. Even against such opponents, Tokyo did not fall behind. Although they struggled in the latter half of the first half, they held onto the ball for a longer period of time in the second half and created multiple chances towards the end. In the final moments of the game, Adailton made a run into the penalty area and Kuryu Matsuki jumped in front of the goal, but the ball just barely missed Matsuki, making it the highlight of the game.
The 6th game of a 7-game stretch in a tight schedule. It's Nagoya Grampus, led by former Tokyo coach Kenta HASEGAWA, who took command of Tokyo for almost 4 seasons until the end of last season.
Tactical highlights can be found in Yasuhira Baba's column. In the previous match, it seems that there was a strong tactical response against Kashima Antlers, who are a very tough opponent, as they adopted a new system.
While Tokyo is adopting a new style and showing a steady growth curve, the essence instilled by former coach Masaru HASEGAWA is evident in every aspect of their football. The high intensity press from the front line, strength in challenges, and the power and speed of their counterattacks all showcase a fusion of the new and previous styles, which can be seen as the source of Tokyo's growth.
How much can we take advantage of our positional play and superior positioning against the enemy commander who knows our essence? We have no intention of taking a step back even in a physical battle, but rather we want to use our new style to outpace the opponent with a fast passing game and bring victory to our home Ajinomoto Stadium.
