<Match Review>
This match aimed to maintain the momentum from the previous victory against Yokohama FC at home at Ajinomoto Stadium, seeking the first consecutive win of the season. Facing Nagoya Grampus, led by former manager Kenta HASEGAWA, who managed Tokyo until the 2021 season, and featuring players with experience wearing the blue and red uniform.
The system started with a three-back formation for the first time under Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, considering the team's situation and Nagoya's style. The final line was centered around captain Masato MORISHIGE, with wing-backs Yuto NAGATOMO and Kashif BANGNAGANDE, and the front line featured Diego Oliveira, who scored two goals in the previous match, at the top, with Teruhito NAKAGAWA and Koki TSUKAGAWA in shadow positions.
Amidst the light rain and winter scenery, we aimed for our first away victory together with the fans and supporters who rushed to Toyota.
1st HALF - A stalemate with both sides having solid defenses
It was a 45 minutes that felt just right to describe as a stalemate.
Tokyo started with a 3-4-2-1 formation, resembling a mirror game. As time passed, Tokyo had more possession of the ball, but they were unable to effectively move the ball in and out, leading to prolonged periods of movement at the back line and midfield.
On the other hand, they maintain their concentration in defense. Henrique TREVISAN closely marked Kasper JUNKER at the forefront of Nagoya, while Mori-shige effectively dealt with Mateus CASTRO on the right side. Yasuki KIMOTO marked Nagai on the left side, not allowing him any freedom.
As the first half approached its end, space began to gradually open up, and both teams had more opportunities to advance to just in front of the penalty area. However, lacking precision and ideas in the final moments, Tokyo's shots ended up being zero.
On the contrary, in the 41st minute of the first half, they were threatened after being broken through on their right side, but in the end, Morishige made a wonderful covering play to prevent Matheus from shooting freely. Ultimately, the shot taken just in front of the goal only shook the outside of the side net, and they escaped danger.
A stalemate game against Nagoya, known for their solidity. With a difficult balance between offense and defense, we returned to the second half with a score and development that can be considered within expectations.
2nd HALF - Although the awareness of vertical play has increased, we cannot break through the opponent's solid defense.
In the second half, there were more instances where the center of gravity leaned forward and the vector pointed vertically.
Right after the kickoff, the passing options became vertical, leading to situations where Diego TABA received the ball. In the 7th minute of the second half, Yoshifumi Kato began to penetrate deep into the left side.
In the 17th and 19th minutes of the second half, they advanced to a shot after a series of short passes. Diego TABA and Adailton each threatened the goal.
On the other hand, being more aggressive meant that they were also susceptible to Nagoya's counterattacks, but the defense maintained their concentration and responded solidly from the first half. Jakub SLOWIK had limited opportunities to do his job, as they were putting their bodies on the line in the final moments.
Nagoya maintained high concentration and solid defense, leading to a scoreless draw as the match entered its final stages without either team scoring. The tense situation meant that a single mistake could directly lead to a goal, but no decisive goal was scored, and the match ended with the time up. The tactical game, characterized by continuous maneuvering from both sides, concluded in a scoreless draw.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Jakub Słowik
DF Yuto NAGATOMO / Masato MORISHIGE / Henrique TREVISAN / Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Keigo HIGASHI / Yasuki KIMOTO / Kei KOIZUMI
FW Koki TSUKAGAWA (substituted in 58th minute: Adailton) / Diego Oliveira (substituted in 90+3rd minute: PEROTTI) / Teruhito NAKAGAWA (substituted in 78th minute: Kota Tawaratsumida)
SUBS
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Shuhei TOKUMOTO/Seiji KIMURA
FW Leon NOZAWA
GOAL
―
<Nagoya Grampus>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK LANGERAK
DF Yuki NOGAMI/Shinnosuke NAKATANI/Haruya FUJII
MF Ryoya MORISHITA/Shoya INAGAKI/Takushi YONEMOTO/Ryuji IZUMI (substituted in 13 minutes into the second half: Yuichi MARUYAMA)
FW Kensuke NAGAI (substituted in 37 minutes into the second half: Noriyoshi SAKAI)/Kasper JUNKER (substituted in 37 minutes into the second half: Kazuki NAGASAWA)/Mateus CASTRO (substituted in 45+3 minutes into the second half: Leonardo)
SUBS
GK Yohei TAKEDA
MF Riku YAMADA, Ryotaro ISHIDA,
GOAL
―
[Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Coach Press Conference Comments]
Q, please review the game.
A, after the match ended, it felt like time passed in an instant, as if a train had swiftly passed by. Today's match was very tactical. Nagoya's strategy was to solidify their defense and utilize the speed of their three dangerous forwards for counterattacks. After regaining possession of the ball, they have trained well to play with speed. Moreover, we understood that Nagoya is currently in a good flow, and we approached the match with that understanding.
I think we started the season well this year. However, there are times in a long and challenging season when every team faces difficulties. We have multiple injured players, and Matsuki is also absent due to being called up for the national team, which has created a particularly difficult situation as the absent players overlap in the midfield position.
Considering the plays and characteristics that Nagoya is targeting, as well as the situation we are facing, we decided to fight in a way similar to today, based on the characteristics of the players we have. Our aim was the space behind their center-back when they pushed forward. Additionally, we were on guard against the two wing-backs from Nagoya who also tend to advance. Taking all these various factors into account, the match was closely contested. I believe today's match was one where the team that capitalized on a decisive chance would win.
In my country, we refer to matches like this as "tactical matches." Generally, many football fans do not expect such developments, but for us, it was an important and engaging tactical match. Of course, since we couldn't secure the three points, we cannot celebrate too freely. I am very satisfied with the 90 minutes that the players expressed. We had already trained with the system we used during preseason. With many midfielders absent, it was a match that required a change in system. The fact that not only Matsuki, Abe, and Watanabe, but also Terayama could not play in this match due to discomfort had a significant impact on us. In the next home game, I want to aim for victory with a more attractive style of football that utilizes all our strengths.
Q: Do you feel that Nagoya's defense was strong, or do you feel that you were unable to break through?
A, we were able to control the match. I believe we were able to effectively defend against Nagoya's dangerous counterattacks. Although we couldn't create decisive chances in today's match, I hope you understand the circumstances that forced us to use Nakagawa, who is suited as a winger, in a shadow role. Nagoya's defense was indeed solid. We wanted to utilize our wingers for side attacks against a team that has strengthened its defense, but it is true that we need midfielders who can connect with that. Given that several midfielders were absent, we prioritized a stronger focus on defense.
Regarding today's match development, I initially expected it to be a game with few chances, and I thought the team that capitalized on the few opportunities would win. I believe the match turned out as expected. It is difficult to break down a team that solidifies its defense with seven or eight players. It is unfortunate that we could not utilize our dangerous wingers in that position due to the lack of midfielders. While we might have increased our possession rate by arranging them differently to leverage side attacks, we could have ended up losing. Given the absence of midfielders to build attacks in the midfield, I think we were unable to construct the kind of offense we had hoped for.
[Player Interview]]
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q: You played in a different position than usual. Is there anything you were conscious of?
I played as a wing-back. I knew it would be a mirror game, so I wanted to take control on the side and be aggressive.
Q: The match ended in a draw, but how do you reflect on it?
I was doing well until I broke free, but I ended up hitting the cross against the opponent's foot, which wasted the chance, so I want to improve my accuracy in the end.
Q: I think the flow of the ball has changed because the system has changed.
In the first half, things didn't go well, but I think we made adjustments and improved in the second half.
Q: I think in the second half, the ball was played vertically and we were able to advance.
During halftime, we discussed how to change the tempo and the way we support each other as a team, and approached the second half with that in mind.
Q, it was the last match before joining the Japan national team. What were your thoughts going into it?
A, we approached the Nagoya match without thinking about the Japan national team. We had been preparing for the Nagoya match, so it is frustrating that we couldn't secure the win.
Q: Finally, you also spoke to Nagoya's coach HASEGAWA. What did you talk about?
I was told to do my best, so I will do my best to meet expectations.
<Yasuki KIMOTO>
Q: It was a battle of patience, but can we evaluate the fact that we managed to secure one point without getting frustrated?
A, the match is over, and of course, we came to win, so I am not satisfied with the result. However, the opponent's defense was solid, making it difficult to score even one goal. In this challenging situation, I want to take a positive view as we managed to secure at least one point with patience at the back.
Q: I think the opponent's three forwards were strong, and I believe the aim was to defend against them with a three-back formation. How do you feel about that?
A, the three opponents have such skill that they can be overwhelming if allowed to play freely, so in that sense, I think it was good that we were able to defend with a man-to-man approach with the three at the back, which prevented any scary situations from arising.
Q: How was the matchup with Kensuke NAGAI?
A, I think I was able to defend at a minimum by making sure to receive the ball at my feet so that I wouldn't be caught off guard due to my speed.
Q: Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA viewed the defensive battle positively, but what were your thoughts on the pitch?
I think it would have been good for me and Morishige to participate in the attack since we had the ball for a long time, but on the other hand, considering the counterattacks when we lost the ball, there were many scenes where we had to maintain balance at the back. To be honest, it was quite a difficult match.
Q: I think the way the ball is moved differs between a 4-back and a 3-back formation. What was your experience playing with it?
It was difficult to play with a three-back formation, but we practiced. Although it was a short period of one week, there were challenges when we actually tried it in a match after practicing.
Q: Ultimately, I believe the goal is to break through a solid defense like Nagoya's and score. Could you share your thoughts on the attack from a defensive perspective?
A, since the latter part of last season, our challenge has been attacking after entering the opponent's territory with the ball, so in that sense, I think there are still many issues since we couldn't score.
<Kei KOIZUMI>
Q, please review the game, considering that you have changed positions compared to before.
There were difficult aspects to the three-back formation, but it wasn't all bad. Among those, the players were able to communicate with each other to win. We were able to achieve at least one point away from home, but I feel a great sense of regret because we wanted to win.
Q: I think Nagoya's defense was solid. I believe figuring out how to break through will be a theme moving forward.
I think it's necessary to be a bit bolder, such as making runs behind the defense and taking long shots. While it would be great to break through and score beautifully, I hope we can focus more on taking bold shots.
Q, does it relate to the system?
A, I don't think it's a system issue. Speaking of today, when Diego OLIVEIRA received the ball, I believe the players behind him aggressively pushed forward and provided support, which would intimidate the opponents.
<Jakub SLOWIK>
Q: It was a draw against Nagoya, what are your thoughts on that?
We aimed for 3 points in the match, and I think it was very good that we were able to earn points against a strong Nagoya team in an away game. The match provided us with a lot of positive feedback in terms of content, more than just the result. However, I feel a bit disappointed that we couldn't secure the 3 points.
Q: I think there were fewer shots compared to the last match. From your perspective at the back, what do you think was lacking?
A, we are always working on our attacking shape in practice, but I think the opponent's defense was better than our attack. Furthermore, the opponent has a wonderful goalkeeper in LANGERAK, and they were solid in defense, sometimes playing with three at the back and at times five. We couldn't respond well to that opponent, but it was good that we were able to secure one point in the process.
Q: There was a big save today that saved the team.
In scenes like that, I believe it's my job to make the save. Preventing a shot is a big deal for me, but I think it's the strength of the entire team whether we earn 1 point or 3 points.
