<Match Review>
In the previous match, Tokyo won against Sanfrecce Hiroshima with a dramatic last-minute comeback goal in an away game. After a break due to national team activities, they continued their winning streak and returned to their home Ajinomoto Stadium to face Shimizu S-Pulse in a "voice support operation verification match".
For Tokyo, it will be the first "voice support operation verification target match" in about a month since the match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on July 6th. In the previous match, the voices of the fans and supporters turned into a great strength and led to victory. In this match, we will also face it with the intention of turning those voices into strength.
1st HALF - Unable to get into rhythm due to many ball losses
The start of the game saw both teams with a strong focus on vertical movement, with scenes of the ball being carried towards the goal. Tokyo tried to use the wings to carry the ball to a high position and exploit the gap in the opponent's defense line, but were unable to take a shot. On the other hand, Shimizu threatened Tokyo's goal in a counter-attack in the 20th minute of the first half, but Yagopikachu's shot missed to the left of the goal.
Tokyo, who can't keep their ball for a while, gradually increases the time to set up their defense as they are pushed back to their own half. In the 28th minute of the first half, after their formation was pushed back, Matsuka was able to take a powerful middle shot. The shot narrowly missed to the right of the goal, but the pressure on the ball side was delayed, allowing for a well-aimed shot.
Tokyo, who wants to take control of ball possession, gets a chance for a corner kick in the 39th minute of the first half. Masato MORISHIGE takes a header shot from the left side, which is initially blocked by a defender, but Adailton follows up and scores a goal. It seemed like a big opening goal was created in a slightly pressured situation, but Keigo HIGASHI was deemed offside and the goal was disallowed.
After that, there were many scenes where we easily lost the ball and couldn't get into a rhythm, and the game was turned around.
2nd HALF - Tokyo tries to equalize after conceding, but gives up another goal in the end
As the second half begins, Tokyo increases the tempo of their build-up play and starts to penetrate deep into the Shizuoka defense with fewer touches. They were creating opportunities to score, but their momentum was halted in the 13th minute of the second half. Shizuoka breaks through on the left side and carries the ball deep into Tokyo's half, then Carlinhos Junior scores with a header from a big cross to shake Tokyo's net.
Tokyo, who wants to change the flow of the game, makes a substitution in the 15th minute of the second half. They send Koki TSUKAGAWA onto the pitch, replacing Higashi, and Leandro onto the pitch, replacing Hirotaka MITA.
Tokyo wants to enter the opponent's territory without getting impatient, but in the 20th minute of the second half, they lost the ball while trying to connect short passes from the defense line and break through the opponent's press. They were almost scored on in the penalty area, but the shot went wide to the left and they escaped unscathed.
Shimizu chose to defend their own goal and Tokyo is progressing the game by keeping possession in the opponent's half. Despite struggling to break through the opponent's defense block, in the 32nd minute of the second half, Felipe took a powerful shot threatening Shimizu's goal. In the 36th minute of the second half, Kazuya Konno received the ball at the right corner of the penalty area and passed it to the far side of the goal, where Kashif Bangnagande made a one-touch finish but failed to score.
It was the timing when Tokyo's attacking rhythm came out, but in the 40th minute of the second half, they were broken through on the right side and a cross ball was put in front of the goal, and Thiago SANTANA headed it in for an additional point.
In the final stage, we actively put the ball in front of the goal while using early crosses, targeting Luiz PHELLYPE on the front line, but we were unable to bring it to a shot. Although we were unable to extend our winning streak at Ajinomoto Stadium, fortunately we will be able to play at home in the next match as well. We will start over in the match against Cerezo Osaka on Saturday, August 13th.
MATCH DETAILS
＜F.C.Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Jakub Slowik
DF Yuto Nagatomo/Yasuki Kimoto/Masato Morishige/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (substituted in the 41st minute: Junya Suzuki)
MF Kuryu Matsuki/Keigo Higashi (substituted in the 15th minute: Koki Tsukagawa)/Shuto Abe (substituted in the 32nd minute: Kazuya Konno)
FW Keiki Mita (substituted in the 15th minute: Leandro)/Diego OLIVEIRA/Adailton (substituted in the 32nd minute: Luiz PHELLYPE)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Seiji KIMURA
GOAL
―
STARTING XI
GK Shuichi Gonda
DF Teruki Hara (39th minute: Eiichi Katayama)/Yugo Tatsuta/Yoshinori Suzuki/Reon Yamahara
MF Ryohei Shirasaki (18th minute: Ronaldo)/Daiki Matsoka/Yagopikachu (29th minute: Benjamin Kololi)/Takashi Inui (29th minute: Yusuke Goto)
FW Carlinhos Junior (18th minute: Koya Kitagawa)/Thiago Santana
SUBS
GK Takuo OKUBO
MF Kota MIYAMOTO
GOAL
Second half 13 minutes: CARLINHOS JUNIOR/Second half 40 minutes: Thiago SANTANA
[Interview with Coach Albert]
Q, please review the game.
A, Shimizu is a dangerous team that will make risky plays if given even a little bit of leeway, making it difficult for us to control the game in the first half. They are a team that will launch dangerous attacks if we give them the ball, and their side attacks are one of their dangerous plays that we were also wary of.
In the first half, I think our play improved as time went on. We were able to create some chances and unfortunately, there were also some goals that were not allowed.
In the second half, I think we had a good start. We were able to play better and dominate the game. However, during that time, we conceded a goal from Shimizu's counter attack with a cross ball, which had a big impact on the flow of the game.
In the first half, Tama (Mita) played well, and in the second half, Leandro, who was subbed in, made good plays between the opponent's lines. I think the J1 league is a very competitive league. In that sense, no matter the ranking, every game against any opponent will be a difficult one. Depending on who scores first, it will have a big impact on the flow of the game afterwards.
I highly appreciate the players' dedicated play and efforts. They also took good care of the ball while playing. As an improvement, I wish we could have attacked more from the sides. I would like to praise today's opponent and their coach. Although we couldn't win the game today, we will switch our mindset and prepare for the tough match against Cerezo Osaka in the next round.
Q, How did you coach the plays that lacked technical accuracy?
A, I think that in that part, there were more mistakes before, but recently the number of mistakes has decreased. If we compare the start of the season and now, I think it is clear that the technical aspect has also improved.
However, most players have not experienced this playing style until now. Higashi is one of them, and Abe is also one of them. Kuse was a high school student until last year. I am satisfied that these players have continued to grow steadily over the past six months.
Kashif BANGNAGANDE has been growing steadily, but there is still room for improvement. Our completion rate has not reached 100 percent yet. Therefore, there is an unstable element that can cause us to collapse from a single mistake. In a close game like today's, the first goal has a significant impact on the outcome. For example, if the disallowed goal had been allowed, the game would have taken a different turn. If we had scored first, Shimizu would have had to play for a goal in the second half, which would have left space behind their defense line. We could have taken advantage of that space with quick transitions and potentially created better attacks. Unfortunately, we started the second half at 0-0 and were dominating the game, getting closer to scoring, but we conceded a goal on a counterattack. That goal had a big impact on this game.
Of course, there are still mistakes. However, they have decreased compared to before and the players are growing. Throughout this year, I want to build the foundation of this team and I hope that each player will continue to grow every day.
[Player Interview]
＜Keigo HIGASHI＞
Q, I think we had a lot of time to control the ball in the first half.
A, I think it's important to stay calm and play when entering the opponent's territory, even if you can hold the ball. I think we can become a better team if we come up with more ideas and attack the opponent.
Q, What was the reason for the defeat during the match?
A, there were various things, but the opponent also played with a lot of passion while fighting for survival. I think we also needed to show more passion, and after the game, we haven't been able to calmly analyze it yet. We need to reflect on it properly, learn from our mistakes, and if we can carry it over to the next FC Osaka match, that would be great.
Q, what were the successful parts?
There were also scenes where I entered the opponent's attacking area, so from now on, I think it will be about thinking in front of the goal and the opponent will increasingly defend tightly, so I hope to be able to break down such teams and play.
Q, How do you want to connect to the next game?
A, it is important not to lose consecutive games. I think the results would have been different if we were able to fix the small details, so I hope we can discuss and improve them with the players.
<Hirotaka MITA>
Q, please review the game.
A, we were able to carry the game in a good rhythm in the first half, and I think the game would have changed if we had scored one goal. If we can't score while in a good rhythm, the game will end up like today's match.
Q, I think we were very conscious of breaking down the opponent's defense while receiving the ball.
A, I was told by the coach to take on that role, so I did my best to play there.
Q, What kind of image did you have before the game?
Instead of sticking to the sides, I focused on playing in the center and coordinating with my teammates to break through the midfield.
Q: What were the things that your team was able to do and not able to do?
A, We were able to dominate the ball in the first half, but the challenge is that it did not lead to any goals. Even in the second half, I think we need to improve our team's ability to break through, even when the opponent is defending deep.
Q, What preparations are you making for the next game?
A, Based on today's reflection, we want to prepare well to win the next home game.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q, How was your performance today?
I think missing the opportunity to score a middle shot was a big impact on the team.
Q, Around 44 minutes, Matsuki made a good ball steal and it seemed like it could have been a chance. Do you remember that scene?
A, I also wanted to connect the press area to my own characteristics and score goals, but I hope to increase those kinds of situations more.
Q, There were scenes where the defense on the side was avoided compared to the opening. What do you think about the fact that the points lost in today's match can also be seen as losing in the competition?
A, I think it's my responsibility.
Q, I think that Matsuki's ball recovery in the duel section was creating chances, but it seemed that the challenge today was to finish it off.
A, it's not a matter of problems, but I think it's also a matter of luck, and today I want to approach it with a positive mindset that the luck has rolled over to the opponent's side.
Q, What are the points for improvement in the future based on the results of today's match?
A, Even after the game ended, the players were talking to each other, so we want to improve for the next game.
Q, In the 19th minute of the second half, there was a scene where Adailton received a through pass on the left side. What are your thoughts on the likelihood of scoring increasing if you continue to show such combinations?
If there are players with driving force as a team, it is best to utilize them, so I would like to position them in a way that can utilize such players and pass the ball.
Q, there was a player substitution and it changed to a 4-4-2 formation, what was your strategy to break through from there?
A, I see it as taking a certain amount of risk and giving depth to the attack.
<Koki TSUKAGAWA>
Q, please review today's game.
A, we were able to take advantage of our chances against the opponent, but unfortunately we were unable to finish our own chances.
Q, it seemed that there were differences in the movement of the ball between the Hiroshima match and this round throughout the game.
A, against Hiroshima, the opponent kept coming forward and we were able to create space with one touch and use flicks to advance towards the goal. Today, the opponent also started off strong, so that was a different aspect.
Q, is it a challenge to take it off when it is set up?
A, the key is how to lure and draw out the opponent, and to take more control, move the ball, move the opponent, change positions and keep moving. This is something that we must continue to do. If we cannot unify the overall intention, it will be difficult, so I think we are gradually improving and I want to continue.
Q, What instructions and roles were you given when you entered the pitch this time?
A, since it was after we conceded a goal, we were told to go for a goal, create a solid rhythm, and take care of the ball, so I was conscious of that when I entered the game.
Q, how would you rate yourself?
A, still a long way to go. As you can see from the results, we are still conceding goals even after I entered the game, and we haven't been able to score either. So I will focus more and work towards getting better results.
Q, I played in the away game last week, but today was my home debut match.
A, as a new member, I am currently given the chance to play. I think it's all about whether I can seize this opportunity or not, so I will do my best to produce results and earn the trust of the coach and my teammates. Playing at home in Ajinomoto Stadium, I felt the unique atmosphere of each team. I once again felt grateful to be a part of Tokyo's team. I will work hard to repay the fans and supporters with results from now on.
'I want to become a player who can make the team win by thinking "If I play, the team can win", and I also want to focus on visible results.'
<Yasuki KIMOTO>
Q, It seemed like there were a lot of times when the ball didn't move the way you wanted it to, but how did it look from behind?
A, in the previous match, there was space because Hiroshima came to us, but today we were faced with a more defensive approach and were unable to move the ball around as effectively as we would have liked.
Q, Is it the biggest factor that neither team could break through the four-man defense line?
A, there was no shaking, and there was also the fact that I couldn't turn in a way that would make the opponent uncomfortable. It became too easy for the opponent to respond, as I was too focused on my feet.
Q, is it still difficult to open that place if you don't come out?
A, In the early stages of the season, there were some difficult matches even if you came from the front, but in the last match against Hiroshima, we were able to have a very good development, and in the next stage, we have to open it up a little even if we are protected, and I think there will be times when we will be behind, so it is important to come up with ideas there.
Q, Coach Albert Puig Ortoneda, while emphasizing growth and building a strong foundation, how do you view the current season with its ups and downs at the point where there is one third of the season remaining?
A, We have been saying this all along, but as professionals, we must also produce results. It is very difficult to build a foundation while also achieving results, so we must all challenge ourselves and do our best. The season is already two-thirds over, so I don't think the fans and supporters can wait any longer. There may be difficult times and matches, but it is also important for us to have the ability to solve problems on our own. Regarding our defense in the first half, we talked about it after the game and realized that there were things we could have changed ourselves. If we had made those changes during the game, I think the outcome may have been different.
