The boiling heat deep in the heart evokes vivid bitter memories.
Asked Teruhito NAKAGAWA about the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 19 match against SANGA S F.C. held away in the previous encounter.
Then, he muttered quietly, "A 0-3 match..." and spat out, "Well, it was a match with nothing happening."
At that time, the team suffered consecutive defeats against Urawa Reds and Sanfrecce Hiroshima, falling into the worst situation. Learning from the previous match against Hiroshima where they fell victim to the opponent's high press, the team approached the Kyoto match with a plan to "kick the ball into the space behind the opponent rather than maintaining possession for 10 to 15 minutes as a team, and then build up play from there."
We proceeded with the game according to the plan and tried to carefully connect passes from just past the 15th minute of the first half. However, due to even more intense pressure from Kyoto, there were continued moments of simply kicking the ball forward.
"During that period, when we tried to connect passes, the ball was taken away, which led to conceding goals. The defensive line was trying to play it a bit safely without forcing connections. So, although there was an intention to connect passes, in the end, we ended up using long balls."
As a result, time passed while remaining in Kyoto's arena, and they could not find a way out until the end. The result was a complete defeat with a score of 0-3.
"It was the last game of the first half of the league, but we were still experimenting. Honestly, I think it's accurate to say that the sense of distance between players and the balance of positioning were not at all right."
It was after that match. From behind the away goal, a passionate chant of "We're always with you" echoed repeatedly, trying to lift the faces of the players who were about to look down. Nakagawa stopped the captain Kei KOIZUMI, who was about to line up and greet, and urged, "Kei, listen."
"I remember urging Kei to listen to the voices of the fans and supporters until the very end. They are always fighting alongside us, and of course, I feel the need to meet their expectations. I was also exploring what kind of movements would be effective as a shadow striker, and I wasn't really in good form or feeling right. But after hearing the voices of the fans and supporters, I personally felt that I had to fight with heart first."
The scene was etched into my eyes, piercing sharply into my chest.
From there, the team strengthened its lineup during the special transfer period in June by adding Kim Seung-gyu, Sei MUROYA, Alexander SCHOLZ, and Motoki NAGAKURA. They also changed the system to a four-back formation to get out of the bottom, and the team's situation is improving.
"To be honest, having Mikiki join has made it easier for the front line. I think there are various factors like the combination of players and changes in the system."
Nakagawa said, "But," and as a premise, he explained that the feelings he realized that day in Kyoto changed his play. Number 39 continued.
"Before that, I felt a sense of urgency that I had to put my fighting spirit front and center, and I think the content of my play changed. I was constantly thinking about how to express my presence to the team, fans, and supporters when we couldn't win."
The reason we have been able to earn points during the tough summer battles that troubled us greatly last season is that the efforts we have painstakingly built up are beginning to take shape.
"New players have joined the defense, and by switching to a four-back formation, things have become a bit smoother. Stability is also starting to emerge. There are probably various factors involved, but whether continuing with the three-back or four-back system we've been using, the emphasis on evading opponents and making them move is gradually beginning to bear fruit."
However, in the last two matches, they narrowly lost to Kashima Antlers, and in the previous match against Shonan Bellmare, they conceded a goal in the final moments, allowing the opponent to equalize and missing out on victory. With many injuries, their situation is tough, but if they can secure a win in the upcoming match against Kyoto for the first time in three games, they should be able to get back on an upward trajectory. Nakagawa expresses this growing momentum.
"It's the same for every match, but by winning, everyone gains confidence, and the team naturally improves. When we're losing or dropping winnable games, we tend to fall into a negative spiral. I think we are gaining confidence and, little by little, enjoying playing this style of football."
The passion received on away ground has yet to be fully returned. This week, Kyoto will likely reclaim the top spot with intense soccer and come to Ajinomoto Stadium in high spirits. The cool-headed man preparing to face them again ignited a fire with the words he spoke before the rematch.
"We just have to return what was done to us. Isn't that the passion? I said the same thing before the Urawa match, but we lost 0-3, so we have to repay that debt with results. That's the world we live in, and we have no choice but to play with that kind of passion."
Repaying the debt from that day.
"Responding to that passion" is when you accomplish it.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
