<Game Preview>
The third round of the Levain Cup in April will be played away against Gamba Osaka. In the previous match against Kyoto Sanga F.C, a mix of players who had limited playing time and players who had gained playing opportunities were used. With Naoki KUMATA's first professional goal, they won 5-0 and the home Ajinomoto Stadium was filled with excitement.
In this rainy match, Matsuki Kuryu, who participated in the U-20 Japan national team at the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2023, made his first start after returning to Japan and showed a great performance that led to two goals in the first half. In addition, Shuhei Tokumoto, who made his first appearance at home, contributed to the team with his constant movement on the left side and an assist. Perotti scored the opening goal to give the team momentum and also showed his presence by scoring a difficult shot with his supporting foot in an awkward position.
Naoki KUMATA, who won the top scorer of the U-20 Asian Cup, came on as a substitute in the second half. He skillfully headed the ball into the goal, scoring his long-awaited first professional goal and ending this match filled with many goals and new hopes.
Tokyo, both Gamba Osaka and Tokyo faced tough results on the road in the previous league match. In the short preparation period, how much can the team recover mentally and physically? The results and achievements of this round, which is expected to have a lineup centered on young players, will undoubtedly be reflected in Tokyo's future in the match against Shonan Bellmare, which is coming up this weekend. Heroes were born in each position in the previous round. This round, we also want to pay attention to the emergence of new heroes.
[Interview with Coach Albert]
Q, In the Levain Cup match against Cerezo Osaka, we rotated our members, and in the match against Kyoto Sanga F.C., we also used some of our league match members to play. How will we approach tomorrow's match?
In the A, Levain Cup Sec. 2 match against Kyoto Sanga F.C., we used a similar lineup to the league match, but we also included many young players on the bench. We want to continue to combine veteran players and young players well and fight. We believe this is a great opportunity to give young players a chance, so we want to continue to do so. We do not plan to change our ideas while playing in the Levain Cup. However, when using young players, we want to make sure to have a good balance and not rely too much on young players, as it can have a negative impact. We believe that a good fusion is important in order to play well. And if we perform well in the Levain Cup, we also want to use them in the league match.
Q, PEROTTI, and Naoki KUMATA both scored goals in the previous match, making it a difficult decision on who to start.
A, of course, we welcome happy worries. We want to give opportunities to players who have been active, including player Kumada. We want to give young players a chance and if they play well, we want to use them in the league matches as well.
Q, isn't it difficult to form the squad for this match against Gamba Osaka, considering that you have been using many young players?
A, we currently have many injured players. In certain positions, we do not have any substitute players. However, there are also young players who we want to give a chance to, as well as players who require a long playing time. We are considering a well-balanced player selection. I think balance is becoming more and more important.
Q, There are differences between league and cup matches, but in the previous match against Sagan Tosu, there were also situations where we couldn't break through in front of the opponent's goal.
Since the opening match against Urawa, we have been facing problems with our midfield players. We have not been able to play with the same lineup for two consecutive matches. Of course, we understand that winning and losing is the most important thing. In the previous match, we started Terayama as a starter. We gave a chance to a young player, but we saw a scene where his legs stopped in the middle of the first half. We started Nagatomo and Tokumoto as our fullbacks. They had some good plays, but they do not have the attacking abilities like Nakamura or Yoshifu. Watanabe is a unique player who can move from the side to the center with his special plays. Abe is a player who excels at jumping forward from the inside half position. Aoki has been out of the front line for more than 8 months.In such a team situation, Slowik made a mistake that he usually does not make. However, as professionals, as our job, we must accept such situations and move forward. The way we ended the game against Tosu was also a big blow for me. It was an unbelievable turn of events.
However, it was an opportunity for us to clearly understand our ideas. I realized once again that I was appointed to lead the team in Tokyo in order to change the team's playing style, give opportunities to young players, and promote generational change. We have been gradually making changes so that fans and supporters can calmly watch the team. We will continue to do so and push forward with what we need to do. We want to focus on what we can leave behind as a team in the future, rather than the current situation, and work on our daily tasks. We will continue to have these ideas and adapt to the players we use in each game. I understand that some may have difficulty understanding, but we must make use of the strengths of the players we can use and approach the game.In the previous Tosu game, there were some chances in the first half. I think there was also a comment that we had a high success rate of 80% in building up from the back, but it didn't become such a development, so it wasn't a topic. Many people tend to focus only on the game results. In the Tosu game as well, there were players who were not used to building up from a low position, but they were able to play well. However, there are many players who are absent from the midfield and the team is in a thin situation. Tsukagawa is a player who can demonstrate his strengths in positions other than the midfield, and Terayama is still a young player. Koizumi did everything he could in this team situation. The only midfielder on the bench who could be used from the middle of the game was Aoki. In such a limited situation, we will fight as a realist with the existing players to aim for victory.
However, there were also positive aspects. For example, the build-up from a low position had improved, and it was good news that Tokumoto, who played as a left-back, had a good performance. 18-year-old Tawarazumi and Kumada have both been playing well as they gain more experience. I am focusing on these positive aspects and believe that they will lead to the future success of this club. I will continue to walk this path without doubting and think about the future of this club. Once again, I would like to see more young players play in the Levain Cup. However, in order for young players to perform well, they need the support of veteran players.
Q, players who have returned from injury were seen in today's practice. How did they look to the coach?
Regarding player Matsuki, it is necessary to improve his condition and return to his physical condition. As for player Aoki, it is necessary to both improve his physical condition and regain his ball touch. Players Nakamura and Abe are in the final phase of their return. I think they will be able to regain their ball touch accuracy as they play more official matches. As for players Matsuki and Higashi, there are no issues as they do not have any muscle-related injuries. Player Yoshifu is making the best effort to return as soon as possible. If everyone is able to play and we can use young players with a low average age, and if we can continue to fight with consistency, I think it will lead to the team's maturity. Currently, there are many negative things happening. However, it is because we have faced such difficult situations that players like Tawarazumi and Kumada have been given opportunities and have grown. Nishido is also moving in a good direction, and the same can be said for players Arai and Nozawa. As Terayama plays more, he is starting to mature as a professional player. If we can see that this difficult situation is leading to the growth of young players, I think we can view this situation in a positive light.
[Player Interview]
＜Seiji KIMURA＞
Q, What kind of play will you show this week?
A, not losing with physical strength and speed. I also want to be involved in the attack with good build-up.
Q, Have you gained more experience in playing with a back three while playing for the Japan national team U-20?
A, there were many scenes where I played in a deep position, such as carrying the ball forward and using inner wraps. I can't say that I have increased my repertoire, but I think it was a good thing that I was able to express plays that I had never experienced before since becoming a professional.
Q, In the Sagan Tosu match, there were scenes where the team struggled to move the ball forward, but there were also moments where a long pass created opportunities.
A, the coach is showing a style of playing that connects from the back, so I want to communicate while being aware of the distance and play. I am not consciously trying to assist with one pass from the defensive line. I want to challenge to smoothly pass the ball from the back and allow the players in the front to play comfortably without any brakes.
Q, it is important for player Kimura to play calmly for 90 minutes.
A, I think the best situation for a center back is when they don't have to show off. I want to fulfill my role as a center back by focusing on risk management during attacks. As for attacking, I want to trust the players on the front line and be involved in attacks through set plays. If I can score in that situation, I believe I can lead the team in a positive direction, so I want to play without pressure.
If we can play well in the Levain Cup, I think we can also see opportunities to play in the league matches.
A, of course it is possible. There were many games in the league where we couldn't get a win, so if we can get a good result in this round of the Levain Cup, I think our chances of playing in the game will increase. In the first round against Cerezo Osaka, I was able to express good play as an individual, but we couldn't win as a team and I didn't get a chance to play in the subsequent games. I think it is absolutely necessary to lead the team to victory without conceding as a defender in order to play in future games.
Q, there is an impression that the number of times to build up from the center back position is small.
A. After the last line player receives the ball from the goalkeeper, it is also important to have no space and shorten the distance. There are scenes where the team's build-up does not go well, but we want to make adjustments between the players on the pitch. It is not possible for everything to go well from the beginning, so if we can pass well throughout the 90 minutes, we can also show the team's shape.
Q, What kind of play do you want to see in the Levain Cup, where young players take the lead?
A, it is important to play greedily and challenge. Experienced players will cover for us, and our challenging attitude will be a stimulus and make us a better team. For young players, it is important to seize opportunities, so I want to be conscious of actively challenging.
Q, Please tell us your impression of Gamba Osaka, who will be playing tomorrow.
A, it gives the impression of connecting finely from behind. If we can aim well without overlooking simple mistakes that occur when connecting passes, I think we can increase our chances of scoring. Since we have players with high technical skills at our feet, there may be times when the opponent takes the lead. However, I think we can defend well with the members of the final line at the center, so we want to endure difficult times and seize our chances. If we can win, the young players will gain confidence that they can also perform well in the league, so we want to aim for victory.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q, What kind of game do you want to have in this round of the Levain Cup?
A, the previous Sagan Tosu match was not a very good game. First of all, I want to fight for the team's victory in the Levain Cup.
Q, we want to make it a good shape so that it leads to the next league match.
A, yes. Young members, including myself, will work hard to have a good performance and lead to the league match.
Q, In the Levain Cup, I think Matsuki's abundant experience and leadership will be required as young players take the lead.
A, not only showing leadership, but also seeking results is the most important thing.
Q, There were some bad parts in the Tosu match when moving forward from the midfield. What kind of play does Matsuki focus on when carrying and connecting the ball?
A, I am conscious of making plays that lead directly to goals, but the connecting part before that did not go well in the Tosu match. I want to become a player who can play the role of connecting and game-making, and I want to improve the team's attack by being a member and making it stronger.
Q, I think you played as an attacking midfielder for the U-20 Japan national team. It seems like your experience playing in that position is paying off.
A, I was able to play in a position close to the goal in my activities as a representative. I was able to gain valuable experience as an individual by playing in a position where I could receive the ball and see the whole field.
Q, I think Gamba Osaka, our opponent, is a team that connects the ball well. If our high press works, do you think it will lead to scoring opportunities?
A, I think Gamba Osaka is a team that connects a lot of passes in the center. In that, we want to score points by taking the ball in the center and using short counters as a weapon, and at the same time, we want to play while considering the goal difference with a large number of points as in the previous round because it is a group league.
Q, I think tall players like Perotti and Kumada are a threat in set plays.
If players with special skills participate, there may be scenes where victory is achieved by playing simple crosses from the side. I believe that simple plays are also important, so I want to firmly control the game around myself.
Q, do you want to bring a tailwind and momentum to the team again?
We will aim for a good result in the Levain Cup and then face a tough match against Shonan Bellmare, who we had a difficult game against last season, so we hope to achieve a good result that will also contribute to the league.
Q, As mentioned earlier, what do you think is the cause when the build-up doesn't go well?
A, I think it's when players become isolated and the distance between them becomes too far. However, I think this is something that can be solved individually and it also affects the passing game. I want to play while making adjustments on the pitch.
Q, Does Matsuki feel that his field of vision has expanded since last season?
A, what you can see is completely different from last season. It's also something that I've gained from a lot of experience, so I want to fight in the Levain Cup to make it even better.
Q, Is it safe to say that it is becoming possible to make individual corrections in a good way?
A, I think that things that can be solved individually will also be a plus for the team. In order to improve the team's strength, I think it is important to enhance individual skills, so I will aim for better results in this Levain Cup.
