This season, we welcomed new manager Rikizo MATSUHASHI and have been pursuing a unique identity true to the blue and red. The honest new coach is blending the style he has developed throughout his career with the players currently on the team. This initiative has begun, and we are approaching the halfway point of the season.
The 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League has completed 18 matches since the opening, with Tokyo positioned 18th with 5 wins, 4 draws, and 9 losses. The number of goals scored is 17, averaging 0.94 goals per match. Conversely, the number of goals conceded is 26, averaging 1.44 goals conceded per match. The numbers clearly reflect the tough battle being faced. Looking back on these 18 matches, many games in the early stages could have gone either way.
Among them, what had been accumulated sometimes suddenly appeared on the pitch. A good example of this was the Sec. 14 match against Albirex Niigata on May 3, which ended in a 3-2 victory. On that day, midfielder Kei KOIZUMI, who was deployed as a right wing-back, boldly shifted his position to the center, and in response, multiple players combined to score a beautiful goal. Coach Matsuhashi expressed it in these words.
"I think principles and fundamentals are very important, but being bound by them can prevent you from finding good situations. It's strange to be restricted by thoughts like 'this must be done this way,' 'this is absolutely the only way here,' or 'this is absolutely not allowed.' It's okay to break those rules. The only thing is, you have to make it successful. The more you focus on that, the slower the attack becomes, and even though defense is possible, you end up falling back and giving momentum to the opponent."
However, they seemed close to breaking through the shell but couldn't. That frustration was always present. There were many games where they created scoring opportunities but failed to convert them, dropping points. Also, there were matches where uncharacteristic mistakes led to conceding goals, making the situation difficult by their own hands. Sometimes, conceding a goal completely changed the mood of the game.
What happened at that time──. The coach describes it as "behavior changing." It was not the only match where, at the post-match press conference, he immediately reflected by saying, "Too many kicks." The coach says, "Long balls are not evil, nor is connecting multiple short passes always the right way." He has repeatedly emphasized that making the correct decision according to the opponent's approach, the score difference, and the situation is what matters.
The recent match on May 31, Sec. 19 against Kyoto SANGA F.C. might have been a typical example where such judgment was not made correctly. Kyoto, whose lifeline is intense pressing, was short of forwards that day due to injuries and suspensions. In fact, the opponent had to deploy a defender as a forward in the final stages of the match due to their squad situation. Nevertheless, they were unable to move the ball in a way that would drain the opponent's stamina from the early stages, and as a result, Kyoto's forward Shun NAGASAWA, who started as the lone striker, remained on the pitch until the 40th minute of the second half.
In the early stages of the match, there were effective moments when the ball was aimed behind the opponent by taking advantage of their pressing. However, as the game gradually settled and the opponent began to set up defensively, long balls continued to be kicked. Naturally, second balls were lost, leading to being drawn into the opponent's territory and conceding the opening goal. Afterwards, in the closing stages marked by increasing impatience, additional goals were conceded, resulting in a 0-3 defeat.
Having accepted the difficult situation, determination is being tested. Especially when things are not going well, it is easy to get distracted by many things and lose sight of the right judgment. Coach Matsuhashi steadied himself and said this.
"If we try to do everything, our strengths won't come through easily. If things don't go well, it's easy to say this method doesn't work. I think that's a very shallow way of thinking. I can understand the idea that compromising is necessary to win. But everyone has followed the path I believed in this far. I have no intention of bending. I just have to think about what can be done to win. That doesn't mean denying what I've done so far. I believe there's no choice but to keep pursuing it."
We have no intention of changing our policy of building a stronger team by accumulating training up to this point and bringing out the individuality of each player. Toward the comeback in the second half of the season, the coach repeatedly called out to the players, saying "to win."
"I want everyone to change at least one or two of their actions to win. It's not about chasing everything all at once. To change the future ahead, individual desires and determination are absolutely necessary. Without good habits, the flower will not bloom. Can you face yourself properly as an individual? I think it's impossible if you act out of self-preservation. A strong desire about what you want to become as an individual will definitely show in your actions and words. As long as that part is solid, I truly believe we can become a good team."
On June 14, when the league resumes with the match against Cerezo Osaka, the determination of the coach and players is expected to be displayed on the pitch.
And when actions change, what needs to be done will naturally become clear. In fleeting moments, Coach Matsuhashi is always touching the ball. He laughs, saying "I have bad foot habits," but that is also the truth of a footballer.
If you want to touch the ball more, you have to continue training so that the image of where you need to stand naturally comes to mind. By layering these efforts, a path leading to the goal should be created.
The same can be said for dealing with crosses, which have been the cause of goals conceded in recent matches. Depending on how the ball holder controls the ball and the situation, the tactics against your mark and which space to cover are also determined. The correct decision is always guided by the rolling ball.
The comeback of Rikizo Tokyo starts here.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
