Q, do you feel like you have grown in these two matches?
A, Last week we caught up from 0-2 and not only the result but also the content has grown a lot. As a team, we are growing and moving in a good direction, but as a defensive player, I am concerned about the situation where we have been conceding multiple goals in the past few games.
Q, How do you plan to improve the part of conceding goals from crosses?
A, while most of the goals we conceded were from crosses, we all understand that and are working on it together by sharing our opinions during practice. I think we are gradually improving, but in the previous match, there was a moment where I was near the ball and it deflected off a teammate, causing it to change direction. This made me hesitate a little in my decision making. I should have taken control of the situation, so I believe both as a team and individually, we still have room for improvement in our cross defense.
Q, (The Yokohama FM match) was a completely different game in the first and second half, but was it because you were able to make a lot of adjustments during the game?
A, In the first half, we were pushed back by the opponent's pressure from the front line and the distance when we had the ball was far. The Kashiwa game was really good in the first half, but in the second half, the opponent came back with great momentum. This time, we were down 0-2 in the opposite pattern, but we were at home and had a strong mentality. We were able to catch up with the same score with the mindset of not losing, not only in terms of tactics but also in terms of mentality. We were able to create chances to turn the game around, so I think it was good in that sense.
What do you want to work on for the Q, G Osaka match?
A, it is important to continue and we need to keep going, and we need to keep going with the ball and we need to keep going with the counter, so I think it is important to continue with the attack. In terms of defense, we have a strong desire to keep a clean sheet in the end. In terms of ranking, the opponent is below us, but I don't think they are a team at that ranking based on the quality of the players, so we need to be careful and if we can get 3 points, we can still go up. I want to fight each game of this 3-game series carefully.
Q, if we continue to win the remaining matches, we can also see the possibility of finishing within the top 3 of the AFC Champions League. What are your goal settings?
A, I think that if we keep winning, we can see the ACL, but we must not lose sight of the foundation we have built so far and the soccer we will continue to play. While aiming for the ACL, it is a realistic goal to continue producing results, but I also want to show games that will lead to next season, not just this season.
Q, I think there was a break before the Kashiwa game, what was organized as a team?
During the break after the Shimizu game, I talked to the players about the distance between them and their teammates, as well as their positioning when supporting the ball holder.
Q, Has it become easier to pass from the center back during build-up?
In the first half of the Kashiwa game, the distance between players was good and it was easy to play using short passes and long balls. However, in the Yokohama FM game, the distance was bad and it became a vicious cycle where short passes and long balls couldn't be kicked at a good timing, resembling the beginning of this season. I believe that support and the distance between players are important.
Q, How do you see the presence of Tsukagawa from the center back position?
Player A, who used to play for Kawasaki Frontale, has a high level of skill, so it's really helpful when he comes back to receive the ball after passing it or when he makes a play after passing it.
Q, is there a basic attitude of focusing on attacking without fear of conceding and heading towards the goal?
A, scoring more points may be considered a success, but as a player in the back, there is a part that is not happy even if you win because the number of goals conceded increases. I think there are some differences in thinking between attacking players and defensive players. However, scoring a lot of points is a good thing and I think we are moving in a good direction.
Q, is it safe to say that while maintaining the ability to score, the focus is on improving the defensive aspect in order to ultimately reach the desired goal?
A, I think that while we are scoring points in our attacks, we are also facing difficult situations such as counterattacks and crosses, which require us to defend more. If we can improve in these areas, I believe our team will continue to strive for higher levels.
Q, Are you able to improve your play by judging for yourself while watching the opponent's situation on the pitch?
A, there are also instructions from the coach, but I think there are also parts where the players on the pitch are making adjustments and thinking for themselves, which is leading to results.
Q, Is the football you are aiming for a mix of both keeping the ball and using counterattacks as a weapon?
A, I think the short counter is still disliked by the opponent, and it is also our characteristic to be able to attack with a counter and mix it with attacking while passing the ball. I think it is our goal to bring both to a high level from now on.