After facing the J1 champions last weekend, we now face another formidable opponent. The western invaders, Vissel Kobe. Their momentum shows no signs of slowing down as they fiercely compete for the top spot with Yokohama F.Marinos.
First and foremost, the standout is the balance between offense and defense. Looking at the numbers at the end of Sec. 24, the total goals scored of 44 is the second highest, while the total goals conceded of 20 is the second lowest. The goal difference of 24 is the highest.
The second half record includes an unplayed match (Sec. 16), with 4 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss. They have accumulated 15 points. The driving force behind this impressive performance is their absolute ace, Yuya OSAKO.
After all, there have been 7 goals in 8 games since the start of the second half. In addition, the scoring patterns are very diverse. Not only with the right foot, left foot, and head, but also from various forms such as one-touch and direct free kicks, they have been shaking the net.
However, the most impressive thing is not just the goals. He also has a wide range of tasks on both offense and defense, such as the ability to receive long balls from his teammates on the front line, the skill to quickly turn the game around, and the relentless pressing. He is not only the biggest source of goals, but also a key player in tactics.
How irreplaceable he is. The previous match against Kashiwa Reysol, where Osako was relegated to the bench, may be one example. From the beginning, the gears of attack and defense did not work well, and Kashiwa took control, eventually conceding the first goal. The reason is clear. After the match, coach Takayuki YOSHIDA reflected on it like this.
"There is no place to settle the ball, no starting point, and the second ball is picked up, and the line has also become deep."
In the second half, it was after sending Osako to the pitch that they caught up to the tie. It was none other than himself who caught the cross and brilliantly shot it into the net. Unless there are any accidents, he will surely be named in the starting lineup this weekend. Of course, the Tokyo bench needs to come up with a "strategy plan" based on that.
Kashiwa Reysol and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo both earned 1 point by drawing 1-1 with Kobe in the second half. Both teams aggressively pressed from the front and caused trouble for Kobe, even scoring the first goal. Perhaps Tokyo is also envisioning a similar scenario.
First of all, it is about destroying the build-up. Apply pressure to the enemy's backs with intense pressing, invite unnecessary mistakes, and once you have taken the ball, go for a quick counter attack - this is the biggest target. By the way, the first goal of the previous match was picked up in the midfield, passed through the side, and quickly brought to the finish.
Even if you can't steal the ball, there are benefits to continue putting pressure. Make the enemy's backs who dislike risks kick long balls and quickly recover them. If it's a normal opponent--. The real question is whether it will work against Kobe, who has Osako. That is the first focus.
Specifically, how to contain Osako, who becomes the target of long balls on the front line. It all depends on the performance of the center-back pair (Masato MORISHIGE and Henrique TREVISAN), who are entrusted with a big job. A positive factor is that since Peter CKLAMOVSKI took over as coach, the players responsible for the back line have become more prominent in "pressing up front".
Furthermore, the performance of Yuto Nagatomo, who plays as a left back, will also be crucial. After all, Kobe's strength lies on the right side. With Yoshinori Muto on the wing, Gotoku Sakai as the backup side back, and Hotaru Yamaguchi as the inside midfielder, along with experienced players who have played overseas and for the Japan national team, they will be a formidable force. If Yuya Osako joins in, they can easily break through the enemy's defensive line.
There may also be a way to exploit the mismatch between Muto and Nagatomo. It would involve competing with Muto's height by playing long balls. If it is deemed disadvantageous, Nagatomo could be replaced by Sakai and Henrique could be sent as an assassin against Muto. And then, Morishige could tightly mark Osako. Utilizing this <Vertical and Horizontal Shift> may also be effective.
For Morishige and Nagatomo, it's a chance to pay back their debt from the previous match (●2-3). Morishige was unable to stop Osako's post-play and conceded a goal from a sharp counter attack. On the other hand, Nagatomo, who was playing as a right back, allowed Koya YURUKI to make a sharp vertical breakthrough and was scored on by Muto from the resulting cross. This time, there is something to be expected from their one-on-one challenge against Muto.
Replacing Nagatomo on the right side for Tokyo is the newly joined Kosuke SHIRAI. He is incredibly strong in one-on-one battles, and should be able to hold his own against opponents like Taiki or Jean PATRIC.
Under the Peter CKLAMOVSKI regime, the defensive organization has been established and its completion is significantly different from the last time they played. In fact, they have achieved a clean sheet in 6 out of 8 matches. However, they have lost in the remaining 2 matches with multiple goals conceded. The reality is that they cannot earn points without keeping a clean sheet. Last weekend, they couldn't hold on until the end and lost to Yokohama FM. Even if they concede a goal, they want to fight tenaciously until the end and grab some points.
No matter how much we suppress the goals, we cannot win without scoring. In the last 8 games, we only ended up with no goals in the Urawa Reds game. Good defense is the key to good offense. If, by any chance, the pressing fails, there is also a way to build a compact defensive wall from the midfield. This was the foundation for Yokohama FC's victory over Kobe. When attacking, they skillfully mix in long balls and break through Kobe's high line. Of course, the back line is also a target for Tokyo. With explosive speed, Adailton and Jája Silva can be expected to provide a suitable return if placed at the front line. Considering the fact that Kobe struggled to break through Yokohama FC's block, this could be a viable option.
Two similar people who aspire to high-intensity football. If they both try fierce pressing from the beginning, most of the chances will come from sharp counter attacks. They have enough talent to make it possible. Can Tokyo stop Kobe's "Real 9" that they boast? If they want to seize the chance of victory, there is no other way but to accomplish it. The main cast of the new National Final Round is still the blue and red assassins burning with the desire to "stop Osako".
Text by Sato Hojo (Football Writer)
