<Previous Match - Kashima Antlers Review>
From the start, Tokyo created consecutive big chances, using Marcelo RYAN's speed and power to press towards the opponent's goal. Although they couldn't score here, they continued to control the game with the help of Min Gyu JANG's fine saves, increasing the time spent playing in the opponent's territory.
Yuto NAGATOMO, who played as right side back, also actively participated in the attack and created chances. In the 25th minute of the first half, he delivered a pinpoint cross from an overlap, setting up a scoring opportunity for Motoki NAGAKURA.
Showing quick reactions in both offense and defense, and outpacing with a good start, they were unable to shake the goal net in the first half. The match was carried over to the second half.
However, early in the second half, left side back Sei MUROYA was substituted due to injury. With the aggressive play of number 2, who had been leading the team, missing, the momentum was slightly lost, and in the 36th minute of the second half, the left side was broken down from a throw-in, and a low cross ball was precisely met, resulting in a goal conceded. They ended up trailing by one point.
In the end, despite a fierce attack in the final stages, we lost 0-1. This game was approached with the lesson learned from the lack of finishing ability in the away game about five months ago, but once again, we failed to convert chances and ended up losing the crucial 3 points at the decisive moment.
This Round's Preview
We must not make the same mistake again.
Despite creating chances, we lacked finishing ability and lost in a similar fashion to the away match against Kashima Antlers. The frustration of the disconnect between the performance and the result should have been firmly engraved in our hearts, but even so, we could not change the outcome. To truly become a strong team, we must all overcome this obstacle together.
Looking back about five months ago. The week after losing away to Kashima, we faced Shonan Bellmare at Ajinomoto Stadium, but we failed to break the bad streak from the Kashima match, missed chances, and ended in a scoreless draw. We also lost to Shonan in the J.League YBC Levain Cup 1st Round 3rd Round match in May, unable to convert our chances. In that sense, the content and result of this match are highly anticipated.
Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI felt encouraged by the content of the previous match against Kashima, while also firmly facing the reality of the result. "This season, there have been several games where we dropped points in such situations. I think the content was very good, but the results have not come. We must firmly outperform the opponent in places where we can earn 3 points," he warned.
The critical point of the match is, as expected, in front of the goal on both offense and defense. The commander continues.
"It's exactly in front of the goal, isn't it? What you can really do there. In attack, whether you can shake the goal net or do something that threatens the opponent. I want you to swing your leg more boldly and connect with the ball more firmly when kicking. In defense, it's about how much you can prevent shots, how close you can get, and how tenaciously you can defend. It's not exactly 'putting your soul into it,' but I think those parts are important too."
Fear and determination—surpassing the opponent there, drawing victory closer. The content increasingly reflects that there is no mistake in the direction the team is moving. If so, the only option is to prove that correctness once again through results.
The opponent Shonan is currently in 17th place. They have been struggling with no wins in 9 league matches. During the summer transfer window, three players Fukuda, Hata, and Jun SUZUKI transferred overseas, and reinforcements were made by acquiring Matsumoto from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Nita from Urawa Reds, and Ota from Albirex Niigata. Additionally, due to goalkeeper Kamifukumoto's long-term injury absence, William POPP was acquired from Yokohama F.Marinos, making the situation significantly different from the two matches earlier this season. Tokyo aims to carefully identify the crucial moments to score goals and secure victory.
However, although Tokyo has improved their performance, they are 15th in the league standings. This is by no means a position to be taken lightly. Motoki NAGAKURA said, "Tomorrow will be a '6-point game,' so we must secure a solid victory. To break down an opponent that will fortify the center, we want to show a coordinated attack as a whole team."
Kento HASHIMOTO, who will celebrate his 32nd birthday on the day of the match against Shonan, also emphasizes the importance of this game. Right after the loss to Kashima, he looked forward saying, "If we can't score, we have to create more chances," but after a week of training, he said, "I was able to train with the awareness to firmly finish scoring opportunities. I believe we can definitely show that. Our quality and team strength have improved since the last time we faced them, so we should be able to show the difference. We want to fight for 90 minutes without showing the opponent even a moment's weakness, and on the contrary, we want to launch attacks that exploit their weaknesses. I think it's important to seize chances firmly without sticking to a particular style, and I also want to score a goal myself soon," expressing the key points of the match and showing enthusiasm for scoring a birthday goal himself.
As a team and as individuals, it is important to demonstrate our strengths, make decisive plays at critical moments, and prevent the opponent from scoring. Above all, we must have the determination to win no matter what. These are fundamental aspects of soccer, but the more we pursue results, the more we return to these principles. We want this match to be an opportunity to turn the frustration we have experienced so far into results, to secure a hard-fought victory without carrying over any negative momentum, and to transform the confidence we have built up into conviction.
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q. In the previous match against Kashima Antlers, Motoki NAGAKURA and Marcelo RYAN formed the starting two-top for the first time.
A, I think each showed their strengths very well. If I were to be greedy, I believe that if we could properly utilize the moments when player Hian breaks behind at the right timing, we would have more chances, and by doing so, player Nagakura would become even more effective. If that becomes a bit clearer, it will become even harder for the opponent to defend.
Q. This season, you have played two matches against Shonan Bellmare, but have not won. Could you please share your impression of Shonan again?
A has a very solid style, and there is no significant change in the impression of Shonan. Although there have been player transfers, I think there are parts where they have maintained precision well. We have also played two matches against Shonan, and I believe both games were very good in terms of content, but the results have not come through. We want to firmly surpass the opponent in situations where we can earn 3 points and finish decisively.
Q. What aspects have you been focusing on building up for the match against Shonan?
A, of course, we also prepare countermeasures against the opponent, but there have been more than ten games so far where we have dropped points in match developments like the Kashima game, where we need to be particular about ourselves. This week, we focused on building up the part of creating chances towards the goal. We concentrated on the points where we thought "the 3 points might be lost here," and worked on improving them in training.
Q, where is the place where those 3 points have been lost?
A, that is "in front of the goal." What can you really do there? Can you shake the goal net, can you become a threat to the opponent? I think that is the first thing. I want players to swing their legs more boldly and connect with the ball more solidly. There are many situations where they fail to fully connect or properly strike the ball, which is very unfortunate. I've watched many games, and bold play is one important factor in creating goals. I believe it is the essence of securing 3 points, but when it comes to the critical moments, we need to think more about how to use our strength. The most important thing in front of the goal is not technique. If you rely too much on technique, scoring goals becomes difficult. In the end, even if you have to force it, as long as the ball crosses the line even a little, it's a goal, and the spirit for that is very important.
Even if the style of soccer is technical and logical, if the final part also becomes like that, there are many times when you fall behind. Ideally, it would be good to be able to do that until the end and always create a 2-on-1 situation with the goalkeeper. I don't think a 1-on-1 is a decisive chance. Since it is not easy to create that 2-on-1 situation every time, I believe it is important to forcefully shoot through.
[Player Interview]
<Teruhito NAKAGAWA>
Q. This season, you have faced Shonan Bellmare twice, but both matches ended without a win.
A, Away games against Shonan Bellmare always develop into difficult matches, so I think it is important not to concede goals first.It was the same in the previous match against Kashima Antlers, but if you miss chances in scenes where you must score, the result ends up like that. That was the case in Sec. 4 against Kashima, and also in Sec. 5 against Shonan, where many scoring opportunities were missed. First, it’s about whether we can firmly finish off one goal and how focused we can be to score. I think it’s about the “spirit.” We want to cherish each chance in front of the goal and fight with passion.
Q, Coach Matsuhashi also mentioned that "assertiveness in front of the goal is important," but is it crucial to finish the play in front of the goal?
A, nothing will happen if you don't take a shot. By swinging your foot, the ball might hit an opponent and rebound to you, or the trajectory might change and be drawn into the goal. In any case, I want to stay focused so as not to miss any chances. In recent matches, many players have been able to enter the opponent's box during attacks, but it feels like there are fewer shots from outside the penalty area. We want to raise everyone's desire to score. The number of chances is increasing. Even if you miss a clear opportunity, it's important not to get discouraged and to switch your mindset to finish off the next chance.
Q. Conversely, do you think that motivation also applies to defense, such as shot blocking and the speed of closing in on the ball side?
A. In the match against Kashima, we could not surpass the opponent in terms of "quality." From the perspectives of "quality" and "timing," we want to be particular about our attack. On the defensive side, I think speed is crucial, such as the speed of closing down to prevent the opponent from easily delivering crosses, positioning in front of the goal, and anticipating the opponent's play with timely movements.
<Player Kim Seung-gyu>
Q. You have been conceding goals continuously; what improvements have you been working on?
A, as usual, we approach the match by thoroughly analyzing the opponent's strong points. We communicate with the defensive players and share areas for improvement in every game. We also carefully reviewed the footage of the goal conceded in the previous match against Kashima Antlers. We conceded by having the space between the goalkeeper and the defensive line exploited. The goal conceded against Kashima was around the 35th minute of the second half. It was a physically demanding time, and I think our concentration dropped a bit. One cause of the goal was a brief lapse in focus the moment the ball went out. As a goalkeeper, I want to call out so that my teammates can get into position faster than the opponents.
Q. Kim Seung-gyu's long and short passes are bringing a good flow to the team's attack. What do you focus on while playing?
A. I especially pay attention to the direction of the opponent's pressing arrows and the timing of their approach. Whether the opposing player comes at the goalkeeper alone or with a partner. I carefully watch footage before the match to prepare for these details. During the game, if there are substitutions, the number and direction of players pressing also change, so I closely observe the opponents and make decisions accordingly. All the teammates fighting alongside me have great technique and can keep possession even from slightly risky passes. Thanks to my teammates, I am able to play with confidence.
Q. In the match against Shonan Bellmare, I believe that winning without conceding a goal will further boost our momentum. Please share your enthusiasm for the upcoming game.
A, I believe we must win every match without conceding any goals. We cannot change the results so far. First, we want to win the upcoming match without conceding. To achieve this, as we have done before, the entire team will communicate effectively and aim to suppress the opponent's strong points.
