[Player Comments]
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q, how is your condition through the game on the 9th day of the camp?
A, there were many new players joining, and it was a new start for the team, but we can already see the team taking shape and the level of completion is high even through practice matches. I feel that we have grown compared to this time last year.
Q, Where do you feel you are growing the most?
A, I think we are now able to work on the next level thanks to the team's shared awareness of the tempo of passing the ball and the smoothness of advancing the ball.
Q, I think you were actively involved in the attack during the game.
A, Last season, there were assists from the side back's attacking participation as a challenge, so this year, we are talking with players in the same position to improve that area. If the side back can participate more in the attack and break down the side, I think the team's score will increase. So, during the camp, we were conscious of being more aggressive and went forward.
Q, it was a game where the opponent was pulling back, what could you do and what are the improvement points?
A, the J-League will kick off in 1 month, and I think there will be opponents who will come to challenge us. We weren't able to break through this time, but I think we were able to push the opponent back and play in a deep position, so if we can improve the quality of our final combinations during this camp, I believe we will be able to break through against opponents who come to challenge us, and we will be able to embody the style of soccer that the coach is looking for.
Q, I think the competition for the side back position will be fierce this season, what did you focus on in your play?
A, Tokyo has some of the top class side backs in J1. I think that if I can win a starting position in Tokyo, I can become a member of the Japan national team. There are many players who can be role models right in front of me, and especially Nagatomo, who has experience in the Qatar World Cup, is an amazing player. I think it's great to be able to play together in such an environment. However, that doesn't mean I'm going to lose. I want to keep challenging and win a regular position this season, and become an absolute presence in the team.
Q, what goals do you have for this camp?
A, First of all, I want to take the starting lineup within the team and play the good soccer we want from the opening. In order to do that, I want everyone to understand their own play, and since many issues were found last season, I want to make the preparation period where we can work on those issues and have a good start as a team and as individuals.
<Yuta ARAI>
Q, What were you thinking when you received the ball on the side and played it?
A, In today's match, I was able to play while communicating well with the side back player, asking and telling where to position myself. Although I mostly played by opening up on the side, I was able to have a good connection throughout the match, so I want to continue doing so in the future and as an individual, I played with the consciousness of attacking when I had the ball. I want to improve the quality even more.
Q, were you able to put what you have built up in this camp into the game?
A, I have been practicing together since last season, so I think I understand the tactics. It's just a matter of putting it into the game.
Q, What were the areas where the team did not perform well during the match?
We practiced connecting finely and expanding to the opposite side, but I think we need to focus on practicing more in order to be able to do that in the game.
Q, I think we were pushing the opponent quite a bit. It's just the final finishing touch, I guess.
A, I want to score points in every game and also make assists. My personal challenge is that I lack the ability to score goals, so I hope to focus on each ball in practice and improve my ability to score.
Q, What do you want to do for the next game?
A, I hope to improve on the challenge of taking the decisive moment and finishing it in the next game, and contribute to the team with goals and assists.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q, please review today's game.
A, Although there were times when things didn't go well while talking about various things today, we were able to make adjustments and have a good game, and it was good that we were able to communicate during that time.
Q, Are you able to communicate more actively during the ongoing camp?
As a new addition to the team and in my second year, I need to help improve our attacking power. Personally, I am also aiming for more goals and assists, so I am actively communicating with my teammates.
Q, although we are able to connect the ball from behind, I think it is necessary to improve our final attacking play in order to reach the top this year.
There are various scoring scenes including matches, but I think it is important to continue working on entering dangerous areas and creating numerical advantages on the side, which are the challenges we are currently facing. So, I would like to improve on these areas throughout the camp.
Q, it's always a good thing to be able to score against any opponent.
A, In the future, there will continue to be practice matches, but no matter what team, we must be able to play our own soccer like we did today. I think the schedule will be tight this season, so I want everyone to have a good camp for that.
Teruhito NAKAGAWA
Q, please review the game.
A, Personally, I think the course was too easy, but I was able to shoot as I imagined, so I think that was a good part.
Q, There are players in Tokyo who can hold the ball and dribble, but I think there are few players who can break through the back.
A, I hope that even if my characteristics match Tokyo even a little, I can not only break through to the back but also break through while dribbling, which is something I want to do myself. I think it's also very important for this team to be able to break through to the back. If we know the characteristics of the players and communicate well within that, I think we can become even stronger. I think we can create various tactics and formations. If we can do that, I think it will be difficult for the opponent to catch us, so I hope we can increase our variations.
Q, do you sometimes not get the ball when you want it?
A, there are still things that haven't come out yet. It's important to work together and communicate, so I think if we communicate while practicing and build up our skills, we'll be able to work together well. Even if we get offside in a game, I think it's most important to keep challenging.
Q, Is it better to decide on a shape or to play with freedom when it comes to breaking through in the attacking third?
A, I think it's a bit of both. I think it's easier to play when you have a certain shape. However, if you focus too much on that, you'll end up being able to do only that, so I think it's important to have some flexibility and be able to combine and break down the opponent. We have a lot of players who can do that, and I think that's the kind of team we are, so it's good to use both in order to win.
There will be a practice match in 3 days.
A, I think it is important to improve as a team even in the condition part. Personally, I have been able to score in the last two games and have been able to participate in the camp in a good shape, so I think it is not easy to score if we do not make mistakes in the small details when playing against teams in the J-League. However, I feel that we have been able to adjust well in terms of one week of activities.
