<Match Preview>
The J1 League is finally reaching the halfway point with 34 games played, and is now entering the second half of the season. At this timing, Tokyo is once again facing challenges in its journey of evolution. This time, the first match of the J1 League second half is against a perfect opponent to overcome these challenges and gain valuable insights.
In the latter half of the first half, Tokyo won consecutive victories against Shimizu S-Pulse and Kashima Antlers, and both teams felt a great sense of growth in terms of content. However, in the match against Shonan Bellmare, which concluded the first half, they were unable to find an attacking strategy in the face of the opponent's press and quick defensive transitions, and dropped points for the first time in four games.
And in the 3rd round of the Emperor's Cup, which was played just 3 days after the Shonan match, the game against V-Varen Nagasaki ended in a 2-2 draw after extra time. In the first half of extra time, Nagasaki scored the winning goal, resulting in our elimination from the tournament. Nagasaki also had a strong press from the front, but their defense was quick to organize and build a solid defensive block with many players in the center. On the other hand, Tokyo was unable to score a goal that would lead to victory, despite having possession of the ball.
The upcoming match in just 3 days will be against Sagan Tosu. As mentioned during the first half of the season, Tokyo has struggled against Tosu in recent years. Since the 2019 season, they have lost 6 consecutive league matches. In the previous match of the season, Tokyo hit the post twice and failed to equalize the 1 point lost from a free kick.
Tosu also has the characteristic of coming aggressively from the front line to the ball side, just like Shonan. In the first half of the game, players were caught in a man-to-man style, unable to build up and losing the ball, and there were scenes where they were pushed back by Tosu's dynamic attack, with players constantly flying out from the back in a short counter.
On the other hand, if we can create a numerical advantage against the opponent who comes to catch people, move the ball and take it away, and extend the time to hold the ball, we can make significant progress in countering teams that play in a similar way. Challenges are also necessary for growth. Against a team like Sagan Tosu, who we struggle against, we want to find a way to build up without being affected by their high press.
And above all, we want to send off Ryoya OGAWA, who will be playing his last game before transferring, with a victory.
[Interview with Coach Albert]
Q, Will you bring fresh players to the Tosu match?
If there are 3, 4, or 5 consecutive matches, player selection prioritizing condition may come into play, but it is not as important for 3 consecutive matches. If there are 4 or 5 matches and two consecutive weeks of weekday matches, the schedule will become tight, so it is important to consider the condition when selecting players.
Q, Are you ready for the Tosu match in good condition?
A, We must take into consideration that there was an overtime game the other day. We are considering this because some players may be extremely fatigued after playing in overtime. However, there are also players who can maintain their condition even after playing in overtime, so we will handle this on a case-by-case basis. As there was an injury in the center back position, we must carefully select players. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that we can approach the game with a good team.
Q, What kind of play do you expect from Ogawa in his last match?
A, he is one of the physically fit players. I talked to him before the season started, and he always had a strong desire to go to Europe. So, I suggested that he should learn European style soccer with me for at least half a year until summer and then challenge Europe. I hope he will perform well there because that's how it turned out. I think the league he is going to is a mid-level league in Europe. So, I hope he will perform well there and take the next step to the original Europe. (Ogawa) I am satisfied with Ryoya Ogawa's professional behavior, play, and performance in the past six months, and I am looking forward to his further success in the future.
Q, What do you expect from the players in the important match against Tosu, after losing to Shonan and Nagasaki in the Emperor's Cup?
A, the Shonan match was the worst game of the season in terms of performance. It can naturally happen, and it is neither more nor less that it happened in the Shonan match. On the other hand, I evaluate the Nagasaki match in the Emperor's Cup as a good game. I understand that many people only focus on the game result. However, I am looking at a different aspect. I have a role to focus on not only the game result, but also other aspects. In the Nagasaki match, I think we clearly outperformed the opponent in terms of performance and number of chances throughout the 120 minutes. However, in football, such game development can happen. It means that the opponent team scores all the few chances and wins the game. However, in a long battle like the league, I think the team that consistently plays well will go up. What we are looking for now is to build a playing style that consistently brings good results. In other words, it is a battle to continue to achieve good results in the long league. It is not about playing for good results in cup matches. Of course, Nagasaki won in their own way, but on the other hand, although we lost, I am very satisfied with the performance of the players in that match. Tomorrow, we have another difficult match waiting for us, but I hope to take the points in a good way.
Q, In the second half of the league, we will play against the opponents we faced in the first half. Will you change your strategy from the first half when you first played against them?
A, of course, there will be an impact when playing one game. However, it has been a long time since the last game against Tosu, and anything can happen in between in soccer. There is also the recent trend and form to consider, so there will be an impact, but not a significant one. Our team is also growing. In that sense, it is important to play based on that growth, and at the same time, the result of the game is also important. However, the result of the game is not solely determined by our performance, but also by various factors, so we cannot control it on our own. Our team is still in a growth stage, so we have not yet reached a stable state where we can consistently express our playing style and decide the game in a good way. Our individual mistakes can also affect the result of the game. On the other hand, even if the overall performance of the team is bad, one player's action can still lead to a victory in soccer. Such a single action can determine the flow of the game and greatly change the course of the game, so we must adapt and fight accordingly.
The team is growing in a good direction and I think the game content is getting better as we play more games. However, we have not yet reached the point where we can say we are stable. I don't think we have reached the level where we can always score multiple goals and surpass our opponents. In that sense, I think that in a single game, we still cannot fully control what will happen. We are now in the second phase of growth and the team is still in an unstable state. In order to continue to achieve better game results even in this unstable situation, we have conveyed to the players that it is important to concentrate and continue to play with high intensity. I believe this will lead to earning more points in the second phase of growth.
[Player Interview]
＜Takuya AOKI＞
Q, The Emperor's Cup ended in a close battle with a loss to Nagasaki, leaving only the league matches remaining.
It was a tournament that was also a chance to go to the ACL, so it's really disappointing, but we have no choice but to switch our feelings and keep going.
Q, As you aim for a new style of soccer, do you feel that you are developing a sense of keeping the ball and building attacks? How does Aoki feel about this?
A, I want to increase the variations of bringing the ball to the attacking zone and move the ball more smoothly.
Q, What kind of play do you think will be important in the future to take the next step in a new style from player Aoki?
A, I think it would be even better if each and every one of us had the consciousness to create the game and could make the game from anywhere in the match. There are players who are used, but I think it would be great if everyone could do both.
Q, what is your impression of Tosu?
A, the impression is that there are many young players who can run and work hard. It's a series of games, but we also need to be aggressive so that we don't lose. We've had two disappointing games here, so I think we need to be more aggressive.
Q, What is the key to victory?
First of all, we need to play aggressively, run, and fight. We lost to Shonan in that aspect, so we need to bring that out and move forward.
Q, Please share your enthusiasm as a team and as an individual.
A, there is still a chance to go up in the league in the second half, so I want to prepare and fight with the mindset of winning each game.
<Ryoya OGAWA>
Q,Is there a sense of reality in the last match at FC Tokyo?.
A, There is still no sense of reality..
Q, I have been playing as a left back, but when I went to Portugal, how do you want to use your experience in Tokyo?,When I went to Portugal,I want to use my experience in Tokyotomy advantage.How do you want to use your experience in Tokyo?I want to use my experience in Tokyoto my advantage.
A, It is an asset to have played in many games wearing the Tokyo emblem, and just being able to play in games in Tokyo gives me confidence. I want to play with confidence there as well.I have confidencein myself.I want to play with confidence.I want to play with confidence.I want to play with confidencein myself.I want to play with confidence.I want to play with confidence.
Q,Do you already have an image of being active?
A, Yes, I have confidence and I have an image of being active because I intend to do my best..
Q,I think the language barrier will also come up, but how will you overcome it?
A, At first it will bedifficult, but I want to approach itpositively. I am not the type to be sensitive, but by using various gestures and being cheerful, I think they will understand what kind of person I am, and gradually get used to it when I go to Portugal. It is important to get used to it.
Q,How do you want to approach the Tosu match?
A, In the last few games, the results have not been satisfactory for the fans and supporters, so we definitely want to end with a win.Everyone is not satisfied, so we definitely want to end with a win.
Q,Are you also aiming for goals and assists?
A, I am aiming for them, but the most important thing is for the team to win the game, so I just want to score and win, no matter who scores.Anyone can score and it would be great if we can win by scoring.
Q,Please share your enthusiasm for the last match.
A, Since it will be my last game in Tokyo, it will be a special match for me and I will put all my heart into it. I want to play for a win without fail.
Q,To all the staff, affiliates, fans, and supporters who have supported me up until now, I would like to send a message.
A, 7 seasons, I have grown to the level where I can be called overseas thanks to Tokyo, and I am 100% grateful for that. 100 percent. When I decided to join Tokyo at the age of 18, it was definitely the right decision. I am truly grateful and I want to repay that gratitude with a victory in the final match.
Ryoya OGAWA Player Memorial Goods Now Available for Order!
