2019

FC Ryukyu were able to secure their 6^th win of the 2019 J2 season with a 2-1 victory over Albirex Niigata in front of a crowd of 5,100 this past Saturday night. FCR have now won 2 out of their last 3 matches and ended the 55-day drought for not having scored more than one goal in any match. The win kept FCR at 9th in the table, but more importantly, it pushed them 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

As we have come to expect, FC Ryukyu came out in their 4-2-3-1 and started out fast in this match. Albirex also came out in a 4-2-3-1 formation and opted to leave Leaonardo on the bench.

FCR earned a free kick just outside the 18-yard box in the 11^th minute and Yu Tomidokoro delivered a quality strike that this squad has been missing for a long time. One of my FCR keys to victory in the preview article was that FCR needed to be more creative on set pieces. Well, they were, and were rewarded with an early goal. The ball took a slight deflection but nonetheless it went into the top right corner past the diving Albirex goal keeper.

FCR followed that nice FK with another quality take, this time by Kazama in the 26^th minute. FCR nearly doubled their lead as Kazama’s shot went over the wall, and had Kazama taken the shot from about 1-2 meters farther back, we would’ve score but instead it hit the crossbar.

Albirex were lucky as the keeper was beaten and FCR could’ve had a massive 2 goal lead at half time.

Albirex had some really good chances to equalize in the first half but once again, Danny Carvajal stepped up to keep the score line 1-0. At the break, each side had taken 5 shots with 3 of them finding their way on net. Ryukyu’s third chance came from Keita Tanaka who made a nice run down the right side and surprised the Niigata keeper as I believe he was expecting a cross and not a shot from that angle and distance.

The second half saw Albirex applying some serious pressure on the FCR net for about 15 minutes. Albirex had a couple of chances early on but it wasn’t until the last 10 minutes of the match when they really turned up the heat. You could sense a goal was coming from Albirex, at least from where I was sitting in the stadium, and another key to FCR victory was to not lose focus during moments like these in the match. FCR deserves some credit here as they did maintain their focus and the Albirex equalizer in the 83^rd minute was well deserved stemming from their hard work and determination. We have seen in the past when the set piece is initially defended, FCR can sometimes lose their defensive shape and positioning during the chaos and thus create gaps and opportunities for opponents to exploit. It was no different on the Albirex goal as an attempted clearing by FCR landed at the feet of an Albirex player who had the space to dribble past the outside of the FCR defense and put a low hard shot on net that Carvajal had to quickly drop down to the ground and parry away from danger. Unfortunately for FCR, this type of shot is not easily corralled by goal keepers and even though Danny did quite well to stop that hard shot from that distance, the resulting rebound found Albirex’s Leonardo, who was rushing the net and he slotted home the equalizer.

Diving Carvajal made a nice save on the initial shot but the rebound fell directly to Leonardo.

Two points about the goal. First, it was just one of the plays that happens in football from time to time and is not a reflection for how FCR were defending all game. Most of Albirex’s chances came from distances outside the 18-yard box and had the ball been deflected a meter to the left or right, an FCR defender would’ve been able to clear it away from danger. Second, I wish FCR would take more shots like this during matches as they are extremely effective. Low hard shots that force a goal keeper to drop down always have a good chance of seeing a rebound come back into the box for a player to get on the end of and score. I hope the FCR attacking forwards, primarily Tanaka and Tomidokoro, will try these types of shots in the future (similar to how Tanaka scored against Omiya in week 2).

FCR were lucky not to concede again after the first Albirex goal as they had another quality chance on net shortly after their first goal. Now, FCR could’ve packed it in and brought on an extra defender to see out the draw but instead they opted to take a chance and go for the win by bringing on Uehara in the 85^th minute. Uehara was on the pitch for only about 60 seconds before a very nice long cross from Nishioka found the rising Uehara in the box, who then headed it home to put FCR in front 2-1 with only about 5 minutes and stoppage time to play.

Uehara’s header is moving to the far post where it ricocheted in off the post.

It was a massive relief to see FCR finally score a second goal in a game as it has been so long since they’ve accomplished that feat. The stadium erupted and hope for an FCR victory was restored. FCR saw out the remainder of the match and earned a vital 3 points.

Dejected Albirex fans after the match. I’ve been there many times myself this season.

Match Takeaways:

As I stated in the match preview, these are two evenly matched and similar teams.

1.) Finally allowing Yu to take some FKs. In one of my earliest blog entries I stated that Yu wouldn’t be the top goal scorer for FCR but he would score some of the most important goals for this team. Case in point this week from his FK. Tomidokoro’s confidence should start growing each week with each FK and I hope the staff continues to allow him these opportunities.

2.) This was the second time in as many matches that Higuchi brought on Uehara and his presence offers a lot of upside for the FCR attack. He could provide the hold up play later in games that Suzuki has been doing so well this season and allow Suzuki to push forward in the attack. Also, he can provide a large target to aim at from our full backs and Mid fielders who are sending crosses into the box. His height means crosses do not need to be pin-point accurate and only need not be floated near where the GK can come out and pluck it out of the air.

3.) Whatever was done on the training ground certainly paid off for FCR this week and even though FCR didn’t score from a corner kick, they were at least creative on set pieces.

4.) FCR didn’t lose their concentration in the match but were under some serious pressure in the second half. One of these days FCR will be able to hit a team on the quick counter while under this pressure and it will certainly tip the match in their favor, but in the meantime, FCR needs to find ways to slow the match down when the opponent is playing with their tails up and hunting for a goal.

FCR travels to Tokyo next week to take on a Yokohama FC side at the NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Stadium who are fresh off a 2-1 loss to Kofu. I’ve been to this stadium before for a F. Marinos game and it is an awesome stadium to watch football so enjoy it for those planning on attending.

“The Orange Wave” comes to Okinawa. Match Day 15 Preview: FCR vs. Albirex Niigata 5/25/2019

Match Day 15 Preview: 5/25/2019 (H) FCR vs. Albirex Niigata (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium, Kickoff at 1930.

Weather Forecast: Temperatures will be in the high 70s (77F/25C) at kickoff, and it should feel around 80F/26.7C for most of the match with the humidity. There will be a constant 12-13mph wind and only a 5% chance of rain so come on out and enjoy one of the best weather days for a match that we’ve had in a long time.

Each team enters the week 15 contest fresh off a loss. FCR suffered their loss against Okayama on the road after they conceded a PK while Niigata saw a 2 goal first half lead against Ehime disappear and lose 3-2 at home. Yet again, FCR finds themselves in need of a win against an opponent who is near them in the table. As with all FCR home previews to date, the boys will once again look to increase their home undefeated streak, this time to 29.

Albirex Niigata 13^th in J2 with 17 points, 4W5D5L, Current Form: DDWLL, GF19 GA 17 +2

Record Against Top 11 teams in J2 table: 1W5D2L; Against Bottom 11: 3W0D3L

Record Against Common Opponents of FCR this year: 3W4D4L; GF15 GA13 in these competitions.

Away Match Statistics: Record: 2W4D2L; Away GF12 GA10 +2 Overall goal scoring record; Niigata have not won away from home since 3/16/19 versus Yokohama FC and have earned 3 draws and 2 losses in their last 5 road matches.

Typical Formation 4-2-3-1.

Albirex, like Okayama last week, are a very similar team to FCR. They sit just 3 points behind FCR in the table and are 5 points clear from the bottom. Nothing really stood out in any of the 4 matches I viewed for this preview that signals a strength or weakness of Niigata. They played well against Mito and Yamaguchi and then had two massive let downs against Nagasaki and Ehime.

Against Nagasaki they were down two goals at half time and unable to recover. Against Ehime they were up two goals at half and seemed to switch off and allow Ehime to score 3 second half goals. This team has the ability to light up the scoreboard as they’ve scored multiple goals in 7 competitions this year, but they can also be pegged back as they’ve conceded multiple goals 4 times in those 7 matches resulting in 2 draws and 2 losses.

Niigata Players to Watch:

FW #9 Leonardo and MF #18 Ryoma Watanabe are the top goal scorers for Niigata this season with 4 each. Watanabe is their best play-maker in the attack and set up a nice goal this past weekend.

MF #33 Yoshiaki Takagi and FW #11 Arata Watanabe are the joint top assist leaders for Niigata with 3.

FW #19 Kisho Yano. An often-used substitute late in matches for Niigata. Not a spectacular goal scorer, as he’s only netted one so far this season, but he is someone that can provide a distinct height advantage (187cm) for Albirex. Former Japan National Team member.

FC Ryukyu: 9^th in J2 with 20 points, 5W5D4L, Current Form: LDLWL, GF19 GA16 +3

Record Against Bottom 11 Teams in J2 Table: 3W2D3L; Against Top 11: 2W3D1L

Record Against Common Opponents of Niigata this year: 4W5D2L GF14 GA10 in these competitions.

Home Match Statistics: Record 4W3D; Home GF12 GA6 +6 Overall goal scoring record at home; 2 wins and 3 draws in last 5 home matches but FCR hasn’t scored more than one goal in any match since the 3/30/19 game against Renofa; FCR are averaging 4,834 fans per match.

Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1

FCR set up last week vs. Okayama. Note the Nishioka return, no Kawai in the reserves.

FC Ryukyu returns home after having suffered a defeat against Okayama this past week. Ryukyu came out firing in the first half and on a different day maybe one of those Koji Suzuki strikes would have found the back of the net. In the end they didn’t and FC Ryukyu were absolutely shell-shocked by Okayama to start the second half. They nearly conceded on a couple of occasions and it wasn’t until Okayama was awarded a PK that the deadlock was broke and Fagiano were on top. FC Ryukyu struggled to create any real chances in the second half outside of a diving Tanaka header that almost tied the match and lost 1-0.

This was also the second match in a row in which FC Ryukyu were resorting to short corners vice crosses into the box. None of these set pieces have worked the past 2 weeks and FCR opponents are becoming accustomed to FCR’s inability to score from set pieces. This is an issue I hope they addressed on the training ground this past week.

FCR keys to Victory:

1.) Maintain high levels of focus and concentration for the full 90 minutes. FCR switched off early in the second half last week and paid dearly for it. They cannot afford to do this against a very similar opponent as they will certainly take advantage of that mistake. This has been a theme for Ryukyu throughout the season and it has hurt them on multiple occasions and I have no explanation as to why it occurs with such regularity. Higuchi needs to prepare them mentally during the half time speech and lock them in as this side has started fast over the last 6-7 weeks and faded late.

2.) Goals, multiple goals. It goes without saying that the Ryukyu attack has slowed down quite a bit the past 8 weeks and I think we all would love to see them firing again. This is an evenly matched game against two teams who play similar styles of football and use similar formations. FCR must be clinical in front of goal and pounce on any Niigata mistake. They also need to maintain their intensity in the second half, similar to the match against Zelvia and see out the game. If FCR are unsuccessful in scoring any goals during their fast start, then they need to carry that over into the second half.

3.) More creativity on set pieces. Short corners are not working and the FCR FKs are not that great either. These are golden opportunities to score each week and it is the second least successful part of the FCR game. The first being defending set pieces.

Match Prediction:

Both teams to score and FCR achieves their first multiple goal game in 8 matches but we draw 2-2 at home.

Admin Notes:

The shuttle buses are running from Awase Port for those who show up late and need a place to park. Not a bad service either as it removes you from the massive traffic jam bubble after each match.

It should be great weather tomorrow night so please show up in full force to offset the Orange Wave that is rolling into Okinawa. Come on lads!!!

Shell Shocked! Match Day 14 Recap: Fagiano Okayama 1-0 FC Ryukyu

It was an unfortunate turn of events for FC Ryukyu this past weekend at the City Light Stadium in Okayama. The hosts were able to secure all 3 points after a PK was awarded early in the second half and the boys from Okinawa could not respond. FC Ryukyu’s overall road record now sits at 1 win in 7 with only 2 draws. It seems a long time ago when that free scoring side of FCR was taking it to Omiya in match Day 2 and if FCR hopes to secure J2 football in 2020, the road results need to improve.

Okayama came out in their typical 4-4-2 with FC Ryukyu in a 4-2-3-1 formation. FC Ryukyu did see the return of Nishioka from injury and it was a welcome sign considering that our starting CB, Okazaki, would sit this match out due to suspension from his accumulation of yellow cards. The FCR reserves featured #21, Shinya Uehara FW, for the first time all season and I was certainly interested in seeing what the big man (186cm) could provide up front as well as in defense if needed.

The first half of the match started out exactly as I had predicted. FC Ryukyu came out on the front foot, controlled a majority of the possession and created the most opportunities on net. Unfortunately, FC Ryukyu were unable to take the lead on any of their chances. Ryukyu’s first chance at taking the lead came in the 10^th minute when Koji Suzuki nearly turned a cross into a goal but the outstretched arms of the diving Okayama keeper sent the shot wide. Then it was Okayama’s turn to create some chances and they had three great opportunities to take the lead but luckily, they couldn’t get past Carvajal. Ryukyu’s best chance came in the 39^th minute, again from Suzuki, who struck a ball first time on the volley but the shot was directly at the Okayama keeper from point blank range which meant he was able to parry it over the top of the net.

The second half began with a flurry of action after only 30 seconds from the Okayama side. I had also feared this would be the case in the match preview and Okayama nearly broke the deadlock in the first 2 minutes. They had 2 shots on net in the first 30 seconds requiring top quality saves from Carvajal to keep the score line 0-0. Not one minute later, Okayama had 3 shots on net with the last being saved from Carvajal and the following foul from Okayama on an FCR player was the only thing that slowed the onslaught on the Ryukyu net.

However, a break down at the back from Masutani, who failed to track the run of an Okayama player, resulted in a free run on goal for which Carvajal had to come out and make one of those challenges where it could result in a sending off and/or PK. The resulting Carvajal challenge upended the Okayama player and therefore they were awarded a PK. Lee stepped up and netted his 9^th J2 goal of the season thus moving him into a tie with Koji Suzuki as the top scorers in J2.

FC Ryukyu began to press for the game tying goal with their substitutes of Ochi, Uehara and Wada but they couldn’t find the back of the net to secure a draw. The closest FCR came to tying the match was a diving header by Tanaka that just went over the crossbar. Ryukyu were lucky to not have lost 2-0 since it was only the post that stopped a Okayama shot on net after Masutani failed yet again to track another run from an Okayama player. Truth be told, FC Ryukyu could’ve lost 3 or 4 to 0 if it wasn’t for the heroic efforts of Carvajal.

This has to go down as another lost opportunity for FC Ryukyu to secure vital points on the road. Both teams were evenly matched in this game, I think FC Ryukyu still has the better overall squad, but Okayama just outplayed them on the day. Again, I am baffled how this team responds to the level of competition they face each week and just hope they can start putting teams away when needed in order to avoid a relegation scrap at the end of the season.

Match Takeaways:

1. FC Ryukyu has failed to score multiple goals in a game for the 8^th time in a row and was shut out for the 3^rd time all season. I can deal with the fact that FC Ryukyu will be shut out from time to time but the fact that we haven’t scored more than one goal in any match since Renofa is just inexcusable. The players, the staff, the philosophy and formation of FC Ryukyu is designed for one sole purpose, attack. Well, the team can play some very nice passing football in their own half and just over the halfway line but they are having great difficulty in our opponent’s end. Rarely do I see any penetrating runs from the FCR outfield players into the box when we have possession and our attacking MFs just look confused on where to go with the ball. No one is moving and they simply look to get it wide to a fullback for a cross instead of trying to unlock teams with runs in and around the box. I don’t have many suggestions on how to fix this issue outside of training ground work and a possibly reshuffling the starting 11.

2. FC Ryukyu lacks creativity and conviction on corners and free kicks. FC Ryukyu once again attempted several short corners, none of which were remotely successful against Okayama. I get that maybe we are trying to draw out an extra defender thus leaving someone unmarked in the box with the short corner but we are not fooling teams with these set pieces. It is deflating as a fan to see your team win a corner only to throw away the opportunity with indecisive, poor crosses and passes. If FCR doesn’t have the height advantage on set pieces, then misdirection from headers on low crosses that can shift the ball quickly to the other side of goal maybe the solution. There is not much more I can add on free kicks other than teams rarely feel threatened from any of our set pieces. Yet again, another training ground issue.

3. We need to tighten up the central defense and quit allowing free runs on Carvajal. There have been way too many breakdowns at the back that have created several chances for the opposition. Carvajal has performed admirably on numerous occasions throughout the year in these situations and is why FCR sits 9^th in the table after match day 14 instead of 19th. The worrying trend is that FC Ryukyu loses concentration at key moments in the game and this results in an absolute barrage on net from our opponents. This past week is a perfect example. FCR came out sluggish in the second half and were shell shocked by the Okayama attack. Players were standing around hoping for someone to make a play and alleviate the pressure. That is simply not good enough at this level. Outside of the team working with a sports psychologist I am not sure how you improve the concentration levels of the team so they can begin seeing out tightly contested matches instead of shifting the momentum to the opposition.

FC Ryukyu is returning home to the friendly confines of the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium this Saturday to face a Niigata side who just lost at home to Ehime. FC Ryukyu desperately needs to secure the 3 points at home this weekend so let’s all get out there in full voice and cheer on the boys.

“The Fighting Pheasants” Match Day 14 Preview: Fagiano Okayama vs. FC Ryukyu

Match Day 14 Preview: (H) Fagiano Okayama vs. FC Ryukyu (A) at the City Light Stadium, Kickoff at 1700 5/19/2019.

Weather Forecast: Temperatures will be in the low to mid 70s with what looks to be rain early in the day and possibly continuing up to and through kickoff. Winds of 10-20 MPH are expected so this could be a very nasty, very messy match played out on a wet pitch. The rain is expected to end sometime in the early evening but I’d prepare for the worst and bring my wet weather attire for this game.

The match up this week features two evenly matched teams in Fagiano Okayama and FCR. Okayama return home after two weeks on the road that saw them lose both matches against Yamagata and Kyoto. FC Ryukyu on the other hand, are coming into the match having just handed Mito Hollyhock their first loss of the season which subsequently knocked them out of first place.

Fagiano Okayama: 12^th in J2 with 16 points 4W4D5L Current Form: DWDLL Typical Formation: 4-4-2

GF15 GA 16 = Goal Difference -1; Scored 11 goals at home while conceding 9 this season.

Home Record: 3W3D1L

Record against Common Opponents of FCR: (8 games) 2W2D4L

Fagiano where an interesting team to scout this week as I see a lot of similarities between them and FC Ryukyu. The teams are only separated by 4 points in the table, each has earned victories via shutouts only twice this year and they have both been kept off the score sheet only a handful of times. It would seem that this match will feature some scoring as each side scores and concedes plenty of goals.

In match day 10, Okayama was able to overcome a sluggish start and quick goal from a Vortis PK to win 2-1 behind goals from #9 Lee Yong Jae and #19 Hayato Nakama. Okayama nearly handed the match to Tokyo Verdy the following week when they gave up a late PK but Verdy were unable to convert the PK or follow on shot. Against one of the top seeds in J2 this year, Yamagata, Fagaiano conceded a first half goal but nearly pulled out the draw after #19 Nakama was able to win the ball back in the Yamagata end and send a cross to #9 Jae, whose header glanced off the crossbar. Fagainao’s last match against Kyoto saw them cede an early own goal to the hosts (though it wasn’t credited as such) followed by a very late goal in the 84^th minute that handed them a loss.

Okayama never looked out matched or outgunned in any of the 4 matches I reviewed for this preview. If anything, Fagaiano has started out a little sluggish only to come on later in matches and this is something that FC Ryukyu needs to exploit this week.

Okayama Players to Watch:

# 9 Lee Yong Jae FW. Leading Goal scorer on Okayama with 8 on the season, 6 in his past 6 matches and is the second leading scorer in J2 this year. Lee is a big, powerful forward that FC Ryukyu will struggle against. What separates Lee from other larger strikers in J2, like Jefferson Biaino from Yamagata and Olunga from Reysol, is his pace. His quickness was evident against Tokushima and when combined with his strength, makes Lee a formidable forward. Lee is also good at finding space in the defensive back lines of teams and can rise to meet crosses in the box. He is in top from right now coming into this match and FCR had better watch out.

#19 Hayato Nakama MF. Nakama is the second leading scorer on Okayama with 4 goals and one assist on the season. Together with Lee, these two represent 80% of the goals scored for Okayama on the year. Nakama is quite the playmaker with a very lethal left foot. In the four games I watched, he and Lee, are in synch with one another and seem to find the other often in the opponent’s end.

FC Ryukyu: 8^th in J2 with 20 points 5W5D3L Current Form: DLDLW Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1

GF 19 GA 15 Goal Difference of +4; FCR have scored 7 goals on the road and have conceded 9.

Away Record: 1W2D3L

Record Against Common Okayama Opponents: (8 games) 3W3D2L

FCR travel to the Okayama prefecture after having handed Mito Hollyhock their first loss of the season in a very tightly contested match. FCR were able to shut out an opponent for only the second time all season thanks in large part to the efforts by Danny Carvajal between the sticks. FCR scored early against Mito from an absolute bullet header from Koji Suzuki for his J2 league leading 9^th goal and he nearly doubled his tally shortly thereafter only to see his shot deflect over the top of the goal. Tokumoto nearly put the game out of reach late in the second half, which would’ve been a tremendous feat as Mito have yet to surrender multiple in goals in any game this year, but his shot hit the post and the resulting Tomidokoro rebound went high and wide. Nonetheless, FC Ryukyu earned a hard-fought win against the top team in J2 and secured that elusive 5^th win that has evaded FCR for the better part of 2 months.

FC Ryukyu will have some serious questions to answer this week after Okazaki picked up his fourth yellow card this year resulting in a one match ban. As I’ve mentioned on several occasions, the depth of the FCR back line is of great concern. Masutani has been forced to fill in the past 7 weeks at RB while Nishioka recovers from what I assume was an MCL, PCL or LCL sprain. I am not sure what FC Ryukyu’s plan will be for this week because we only have 3 healthy CBs, one of which is filling at RB, and haven’t tried any other player on the roster at RB in Nishioka’s absence. Does FCR slide Masutani back to his CB role and push #16 Arai into the RB slot, or, do they instead opt to start #30 Nishikawa at CB -who is always on the reserves for FCR matches – and keep Masutani at RB? These are tough questions for Higuchi to contemplate.

FC Ryukyu keys to victory:

1.) Stop the Okayama attack in the form of Lee and Nakama. Easier said than done in my mind. These two are wreaking havoc on the opposition as of late and in light of injuries and suspensions to the FCR back line, these two may prove fatal to FCR on the day. Nakama plays down the left which means he will run into either Masutani or Masutani’s replacement on Sunday. Nishiokoa was seen participating in warm ups last week but he had a large knee brace on. I doubt he is match fit and won’t be for another 2-3 weeks. I’d prefer that FCR start Masutani at RB as his speed should at least cover the quickness of Nakama. Nakama is a powerful player in his own right so Masutani must fight for positioning against Nakama at all times. I worry that so much of the FCR attack comes from our Right and Left Fullbacks that FCR could be severely punished on all counter attacks down the left.

As far as Lee is concerned, he must be marked on all set pieces. He can be seen taking some long runs into the box on set pieces to generate height and power for headers and FCR must get in the way of those runs. If you combine Lee’s ability to rise and meet headers with FCRs inability to defend set pieces, and now lack of height and experience at the back with Okazaki suspended, this seems like a recipe for disaster.

2.) Stretch the pitch laterally and pull the back line of the Okayama 4-4-2 apart. One of the easiest ways to create scoring opportunities against the 4-4-2 lineup is quick changes in direction. Tomidokoro, Tanaka and now Kazama up front need to be quickly passing it off down the flanks as this will create the mismatches in defensive coverage. From there, crosses into the box for Suzuki or over the central defenders to the other attacking Mid Fielders of Ryukyu should open up plenty of shooting lanes for the Ryukyu attack.

3.) FC Ryukyu need to start fast and get out to an early 2 goal lead. This will allow FCR to deal with the Okayama onslaught from Lee and Nakama and open up Fagiano for a 3^rd goal.

Match Prediction: Seeing how I am like 1-12 on the year so far with match predictions there really is no point in providing any educated guess. All I will say is that FCR could really benefit from their second road win of the season as the matches will get tougher from here on out for the boys from Okinawa. I like both teams to score and see this match ending 1-1.

For those of you staying in Okinawa to watch the match, please join me at the Arcade Resort Okinawa or Café Camp Nou (if it is open) to catch the game. Good Luck boys!

“Snake Charmers” Match Day 13 Review: FCR 1-0 Mito Hollyhock

FC Ryukyu was able to extend their J League Record home unbeaten streak to 28 in front of a crowd just shy of 4,000 against the top team in J2, Mito Hollyhock, this past Saturday at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium. It was also a historic day as it marked the 350th match for Uesato as well as handed Mito it’s first loss of the season. As I mentioned in the match day preview, both teams were on a very different glide path; Mito were soaring while FC Ryukyu were tumbling down the table, and if FCR wanted to keep the record intact, a top-class performance would be required.

Mito came into the match having never surrendered more than one goal in any of the matches that they actually conceded a goal. They were undefeated and simply choked the life out of the oppositions teams attack. FCR, on the other hand, have yet to score more than one goal in a match since match day 6 against Renofa. Considering that FCR rarely keep a clean sheet – only one all season – the task of scoring two goals against the best defensive team in the league seemed a tall ask for the fledgling FCR attack.

FCR have started out matches fast ever since the Tokyo Verdy in match day 9 and look to control a lion’s share of the possession each week. In past matches the possession is maintained in our own half as the attack tries to break out and make its way down field. FCR are very good at maintaining possession and they usually execute this quite well. there is, however, one glaring problem. FCR cannot translate all this possession into goals. There are quality opportunities and shots on net but FCR haven’t put up a crooked number on the score board in quite some time.

FCR started out very fast against Mito and wanted that early goal that this team is so very accustomed to scoring. Again, this suites FCRs playing style as they want to force the opponent into making mistakes and start chasing the match. Mito are not the type of team that need to chase games as evidenced by their record so if FCR wanted to really open up the opponents on the day, then they would need that second goal.

FCR achieved a breakthrough in the 8^th minute when a perfectly weighted and placed cross from Tokumoto found a wide-open Koji Suzkuki who buried a bullet header for his J2 league leading 9^th goal. First, the set-up play and cross are exactly what FCR need more of in future matches; feed Koji “The Shredder” Suzuki and let him punish the opponent. Second, Suzuki’s header was top class. He could have chosen to send it straight into the net but instead opted for a powerful header low, that would bounce, into the right side of the goal that gave the keeper no chance. Finally, the fact that FCR scored first against Mito really buoyed the spirits of the boys and breathed some much-needed confidence into the squad.

FCR nearly doubled their lead when Suzuki was open in front of net on a low cross as he attempted a toe poke but it was deflected over the top of the net by the defender. It was a nice piece of defending by Mito but that would have been something to see a second goal that early by FCR.

Mito had a few chances of their own in the first half as FCR will always invite pressure and opportunities for the opponent to score. Danny Carvajal was there once again to answer the call and keep FCR relevant in matches as he has done so many times this year. Danny was able to save two good chances in the 16th and 26th minutes by Mito that would have leveled the match for the opponent and make life very difficult for FCR.

The first half would end with FCR leading 1-0 but they were definitely on the front foot.

The second half started out in similar fashion to the first with FCR creating a lot of chances. FCR were not able to unlock the Mito defensive wall and as every fan probably felt, there would eventually be a shift in momentum for Mito.

Mito have never really had to stretch themselves to chase a match, with the exception of match day 4 when they got a late equalizer against JEF in the 92^nd minute and therefore, Mito rarely panics. Why should they? They have the best defensive record in the league. When the Mito attack started to pressure FCR beginning in the 75^th minute, surely this was going to be the time when the FCR defense would collapse and allow a goal. However, that wasn’t the case, the FCR defense proved to be resilient yesterday and for only the second time all season, FCR shut out an opponent.

Prior to the change of momentum by Mito, FCR nearly doubled their lead late in the second half when Tokumoto made a very nice penetrating run near the 18-yard box after a turnover but his shot hit the post. This meant that the Ryukyu faithful would have to see out a very nerve-racking 20 minutes for the very elusive 5^th win of the season.

Key Takeaways: 1) FCR set pieces need an overhaul. FCR attempted too many short corners early that fooled no one. Also, Suzuki earned FCR a nice FK in a dangerous area in the first half but it was Uesato, not Tomidokoro, who took the kick. Yu is someone who teams cannot easily game plan for on set pieces with his ability to shoot or pass, unlike Uesato, who everyone who reviews any FCR game film knows will always opt to shoot. It is terrible how the coaches have used Tomidokoro this year on set pieces and since FCR are no longer generating multiple goals from open play, it is time they allowed Yu his opportunity.

2) The FCR attack. FCR has not been able to find a suitable replacement for Nakagawa in the CAM role and instead of changing their formation to suit the strengths of the players, they’ve opted to alter the strategy for who will finish off attacks in the opposition’s end. Here is a typical FCR set up play. First, we start with a pass from one of our central defenders to one of our defensive or holding mid fielders. Next, either of those players will look to get the ball to Tomidokoro or Tanaka who will then get the ball to either Suzuki or the CAM in the central areas. Third, our attacking forwards will pass back to either of the Left or Right Mid Fielders who will look for an on rushing RWB/LWB in the form of Tokumoto or Masutani. The last two players have taken a lot of the “quality” shots on net the past few weeks but are not the players we want finishing off plays. I can only hope this is a temporary solution to our CAM problem.

3) FCR have failed to score multiple times in a game for 7 weeks in a row. Maybe this could be taken with a huge grain of salt as Mito were the best defensive team in J2 but FCR needs to be scoring multiple goals against opponents near them in the table to secure the vital points to keep them in J2 next season.

In closing, this was HUGE win for the club this weekend. Many, including yours truly, tipped FCR to lose and see the streak come to an end. FCR has a very strange way of both playing up and down to the level of competition each week. FCRs record against teams at the bottom half of the table as of this writing is 3 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses with those losses occurring against teams that were at or near the foot of the table. Against opponents in the top half of the table, FCR have earned 2 wins and 3 draws, 2 of which, were on the road in tough conditions.

It is hard to make any sense of the FCR season to date after their blazing start and subsequent stagnation. I truly believe we are looking at the real FCR team, based on current squad and system, for the foreseeable future. This team, and Higuchi’s system of 4-2-3-1, requires a CAM that can strike fear in opponents with his ability to score or assist and FCR need to find that in the next transfer window. For now, let us all revel in this massive win and then prepare for a tough road match against Okayama.

“The Mito Boa Constrictor” Match Day 13 Preview: FCR vs Mito Hollyhock 5/11/2019

Match Day 13: (H) FCR vs Mito Hollyhock (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium, Kickoff at 1800.

Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy with temperatures in the mid-70s all match with a 5% chance of rain. Winds will be calm at 7-mph so all in all it should be comfortable all match.

The Mito “Boa Constrictor” is coming to town this week to take on FC Ryukyu who are looking to keep their home undefeated record intact. These two teams find themselves on two different trajectories at the moment. Mito are on an ascending track having not lost all season while also not surrendering more than one goal in any of their matches. FCR, however, on a downward spiral at the moment as the attack has failed to fire over the course of the last 9 matches which has seen FCR tumble out of the top 6 and into 9^th place.

Mito Hollyhock: 1^st in J2 on 26 points, 7W5D0L GF14 GA4 Goal Difference of +14 Current Form DWWDW

Typical Formation: 4-4-2

Record vs Common Opponents of FCR: 3W4D

The statistics for Mito are both impressive and staggering. As mentioned above, Mito are still undefeated this season and they have yet to surrender more than one goal in any of their matches. Here is a snapshot of the FCR opponent this week: 1.) Mito have earned 5 wins and 2 draws while playing away from home this season, 2.) Mito have scored 8 goals while conceding only 2 in all road matches, 3.) Mito have scored first in 8 of their matches and in only two instances did those games end in a draw after the opponent scored very late, 4.) Mito has conceded the opening goal of the match only twice all year and they were still able to earn a win and a draw in those games and most impressive, 5.) Mito have shut out the home team 5 times this season while traveling.

So, what does all this mean? Quite simply, Mito chokes the life out of the opponents attack similar to the way a boa constrictor does with their prey. It also means Mito never panics when they are playing from behind and they have the ability to see out tightly contested matches when they have a small lead. This really does not bode well for FC Ryukyu this week since the attack has gone missing since match day 4.

Players to Watch: #32 Atsushi Kurokawa MF & #14 Shintaro Shimizu are the joint top scorers for Mito with 3 goals each.

The entire Back Line of Mito and their GK. It will be something to see if the FCR attack can get going because we will then see an unstoppable force versus an immovable object.

FCR: 9^th in J2 on 17 points 4W5D3L GF18 GA15 Goal Difference of +3 Current Form DDLDL

Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1

Record vs Common Opponents of Mito: 2W2D3L

FCR is coming into the match having conceded two late goals on the road against the bottom team in the J2 table at the time, FC Gifu. FC Ryukyu were able to grab an early lead off of a nicely taken shot by Uesato but were unable to net a second goal for the remainder of the match. FC Ryukyu came close on several occasions by hitting the post early but the ball simply didn’t break the way it needed to for FCR on the day.

FCR maintain a perfect 3W3D record at home and they have scored 11 of their 18 goals this season at home while conceding 6 at the #fortressryukyu. As a reminder, FCR are now on their 27^th undefeated match dating back to 2017 but this is going to be one of the hardest tests so far to maintain that record.

FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory: 1.) Score multiple goals, something they have not done in 9 weeks and something that Mito has never done all season. We have no idea how Mito will react if they concede a second goal and possibly try and chase the game. Mito never panics and by jumping out to a 2 goal lead they may pull themselves apart at the back and allow FCR some running room. Mito are well coached and play really well at the back and it is a monumental ask of the FCR attack to score multiple goals against a superior opponent.

2.) FCR needs to throw everything it has at Mito all match and not worry about the result until it’s over. It is almost cliché to say that FCR will concede a goal in their matches but it is a very likely outcome. FCR should set themselves up to constantly bombard the Mito defense and run them ragged all game. This will open FCR to several counter attacks but a back line of 3, instead of 4, that doesn’t push wing backs up into the attack should be able to cover the Mito counter.

3.) Change the FCR lineup and set up. 3-4-3 with Uejo and Koizumi flanking Suzkui up front, Uesato and Tomidokoro down the middle and Tokumoto and Kawaii out wide. Come out firing with speed from the flanks, quality passes through the middle by Tomidokoro and penetrating runs into the box from Uejo and Koizumi.

4.) Stop mucking about on Free Kicks and Corners. Tomidokoro needs to be more involved in set pieces, period.

Match Prediction. It has proven very challenging the past few weeks to remain positive when it comes to predicting the outcomes of FCR matches. They have faced several inferior opponents yet they either drew or lost those games. The most likely outcome is FCR loses the match 2-0. I cannot see Mito conceding a goal despite the fact that FCR prides themselves on their attacking prowess. Unfortunately, this means the undefeated record will come to a close.

If what I am seeing on twitter is any indication, then I believe Bando will make an appearance at the stadium this week to cover the match. I hope he takes a tour of the grounds and meets and greets some of the fans either prior, during or after the match. See you all out there on Saturday night.

Match Day 12 Recap: FC Gifu 2-1 FCR. Chance WASTED!

Not much to surmise here folks, the Bengara boys started fast, and faded late, per the usual. The lack of concentration in defense has cost FCR dearly this year and may ultimately see them plummet to the foot of the J2 table and out of the league. Make no mistake, the manager Higuchi needs to start answering some serious questions when it comes to his lineup selection, formation choices, half time speeches and lack of results. I have seen this time and time again when a manager steps into a situation set up nicely by the outgoing manager and just bumbles it. Higuchi is bumbling it and so are the players.

FCR started out fast as we had hoped and netted and early goal from Uesato in the 20^th minute but could not get that all important second goal. FCR had several chances throughout the first half but the FC Gifu goal post proved to be the best defender early as Suzuki hit it at least once if not twice.

FCR came out fast in the second half as well but they lack some serious creativity when it comes to the final third of the pitch. It got so bad that once any FCR player received a ball in the box, they would take a wild stab at it an end up sending the ball out wide or way off target. One decent takeaway from the match was the shift Kawai put in at the end. He made excellent runs and good passes but also created a few opportunities for Gifu heading the other direction. It was smart to bring him on late but there are more pressing issues at hand for FCR.

Gifu was able to equalize in the 75^th minute from, once again, a set piece. Let me provide you this analogy for how FCR defends set pieces. FCR are like a little child who has lost their parents in Saan A and are hoping for the best possible outcome of someone bailing them out and leading them to safety. On the corner kick shortly after they conceded I saw nothing but FCR players standing around looking tired and lost. The second Gifu goal stemmed from FCR being shell shocked and lacking leadership at the back. Again, nothing positive to takeaway from this match as the result speaks for itself.

It is high time that Higuchi answer some tough questions and I hope these come up at press conferences as well as through the frustrated fan base.

1. Where has the FCR attack gone? FCR are averaging 1 goal a game but when you also average conceding 1 goal a game that is not good enough. You promised attacking football but haven’t adequately adjusted to the loss of Nakagawa, why?

2. FCR clearly doesn’t have a CAM that can direct traffic and create opportunities up front so what are you planning to do to solve this problem? Nothing you’ve done since the Nakagawa departure has worked. Time for a formation change?

3. Why are FCR always conceding late goals? Does this stem from a lack of concentration or coaching? Are the FCR fitness levels not where they need to be as players look exhausted and confused on set pieces and late in games? Do we not have adequate reserves who can provide some rest to our starters or do you not trust these off-season signings? This is far and away FCRs biggest problem and is direct byproduct of coaching wouldn’t you agree?

4. Why is FCR not employing Yu Tomidokoro to his strengths. Yu no longer takes free kicks or corners and Kazama and Uesato are not that great from set pieces. The latter opts to shoot more than he does to send crosses into the box from ridiculous long ranges and that is a waste. It is absolutely criminal how Tomidokoro is used this season and should be a determining factor if/when we let Higuchi go as manager in my opinion.

5. FCR concedes so many of their goals from set pieces, how do you coach that at practice? I appreciate you may remain attack focused but as we’ve seen, that attack is no longer there. It is painfully obvious that whoever runs the defending of set pieces part at practice needs to be fired. See all the points above for evidence. This is FCRs weakest link and second reason why they are where they are in the table after 12 weeks.

6. Defending is poor, rather, it is wretched. How does FCR intend to strengthen this glaring weakness in the transfer window?

7. What are FCR s transfer window plans?

8. FCR needs leadership at the back in order to help Carvajal, where or who will that come from?

Alright, enough venting for one night. FCR faces off against Mito Hollyhock next Saturday and this will be a massive test for the boys. Mito does not concede goals and now it seems that FCR cannot score goals. Troubling times ahead for the club.

Match Day 12 Preview: FC Gifu vs. FC Ryukyu 5/5/2019

Match Day 12 Info: 5/5/2019 (H) FC Gifu vs FC Ryukyu (A) at the Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium, Kickoff at 1800

Weather Forecast: Temperatures will be in the low 70s/High 60s for most of the match. Looks like it will rain prior to kickoff but only a 25% chance of showers during the match. Winds will be at 6-7 mph so it should be a nice cool evening to watch the final match of week 12 in the J2 league.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. FCR is on the road, against an opponent at the bottom of the table who does not score a lot of goals and lacks confidence. I’ve said that at least twice this season in prior match day previews only to see FCR eek out a draw or lose. The situation is no different against FC Gifu. Gifu, like Ryukyu, are targeting this match up for 3 points. Gifu would like to get out from the bottom of the table and FC Ryukyu would like to get that elusive 5^th win and put an end to the tumble down the table they’ve been experiencing the past few weeks. Like @UeYuina and @becutechic in the cover photo, it’s all business this week for FCR.

FC Gifu: 22^nd in J2 with 9 points, 2W3D6L Goal Differential of -4, Current Form LLLLD

Typical formation: 4-3-3 as a diamond and then a more traditional 4-3-3 vs Tochigi this past week.

FC Gifu started the season with 2 wins and a draw in their first 4 matches but since then have only been able to muster 2 draws in their last 7 matches. During that same 7 game stretch, FC Gifu has only scored twice while conceding 13 goals. Gifu are an even split at home with 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses and those results came in that very same order this season.

From what I’ve seen on the game film, FC Gifu is a team who is starting to play as if they have nothing to lose. FCR has seen this before against Kagoshima and that “backed into a corner mentality” has gotten the best of FC Ryukyu this season on several occasions. The FC Gifu draw against Tochigi, that came on a late goal, may be the spark that generates some confidence in Gifu and emboldens them to take it to Ryukyu on Sunday evening.

Players to Watch: #14 Koya Kazama. He is the Gifu leading scorer with 2 goals this season.

#10 Ryan de Vries FWD. A large forward that Okazaki and Fukui will have to deal with during the match.

#16 Yu Togashi FWD. How could he not make the list? Always enjoy seeing former FCR players, especially those from the tittle winning season, so let’s hope he out there tomorrow. Strangely, he hasn’t featured in over a month and I don’t know if it is due to injury or he is unable to break into the starting 11 or the reserves.

FC Ryukyu 7^th in J2 with 17 points, 4W5D2L Goal Difference of +4 Current Form LDDLD

Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1 but was a 4-1-4-1 this past week against Zelvia.

FCR has a chance to put some distance between themselves and the bottom of the table against an opponent in FC Gifu who has failed to fire the past few weeks. The match up against Gifu is the last “easy” match up for a while for FCR if you want to look at match ups based solely on the standings within the J2. However, we’ve seen time and time again this season, that when FCR plays what could be considered an inferior opponent, FCR seems to breathe life back into those squads and not achieve the expected winning result. This game sets up the same way so many have this season and I hope FCR can come out firing to an early lead.

FCRs last match up saw them score very early on from a nice cross into the box from Tomidokoro that found a surging Masutani, who was able to generate some serious power behind the header. At last! Well, at least that is what I thought. FCR had finally scored first again and I thought that the attack maybe firing again. As we all know, that wasn’t the case and FCR saw out a draw against Zelvia after Machida began dictating play and netted the late equalizer.

FCR Keys to Victory: 1.) Score first and Score Often. It goes without saying that it is highly likely FCR concedes a goal in this match up as they’ve only kept one clean sheet all season. Therefore, FCR needs to get going and get going fast against Gifu. FC Gifu can be put out of their misery with some quick consecutive goals and its high time that Suzuki gets back to his scoring ways.

2. Harass the Gifu back line. For whatever reason, FC Gifu’s defense seems to lose concentration at the back and can go missing at the worst times. FCR needs to be making solid runs through the channels in the Gifu defense in order to confuse and pull the Gifu defense apart. This will lead to some breakdowns in coverage and communication for Gifu and should see an FCR attacker alone and open on goal.

3. Weather the FC Gifu strong start and remain calm if Gifu do score first. This game could see FC Gifu coming out to a blazing start and that means that FCR will once again be under pressure and rely heavily on Danny Carvajal to bail out the defense. FCR must utilize its Right and Left Mid Fielders to cover the Right and Left backs who get so deeply involved in the FCR attack. Gifu’s formation suggests that they will try to punch a hole right through the center of the FCR defense but this would be a mistake. FCR is strong through the center but rather weak on the flanks, and even more so now that Masutani is playing RB due to the Nishioka injury.

4. Let Koizumi start over Ochi and Kawai. FCR needs to see more out of Koizumi and this match up would be the perfect coming out party to introduce himself to the J League. Kawai’s speed is likely going to be needed at the end of the match so let’s save him and Tanaka as late subs.

Match prediction: At the end of the day I see FCR dropping points on the road. This could be either a draw or a loss, but I feel that a loss is more likely as FCR seems unable to handle the “caged animal” mentality by those teams at the bottom of the J2 table.

Let’s hope the Bengara boys can go out there and grab that 5^th win and push their point tally a little closer to 42. The schedule is going to get a lot tougher for FCR in the coming months and this match up versus FC Gifu has to be treated as a must win for FCR.

Golden Week Special # 2 FC Ryukyu Transfer Targets

Welcome to the first transfer blog of the year. I will do several transfer entries throughout the season starting with this Golden Week Special and ending with the off-season one sometime in early January 2020.

The first transfer blog entry will center on the positions of Central Mid Field, Central Attacking Mid Field and Right Back due to the loss of several key players in those positions from the FC Ryukyu roster. I will break down the potential FCR transfer targets by; geographical regions, then provide any relevant statistics for that player and finally determine whether or not they would be considered a permanent move or loan target.

This is only my opinion since I have no idea what funds are available to club for the summer transfer window nor the manager’s plans for the future. This is simply an exercise in viewing what prospects could be within reach of FCR in the next few months. I hope the club is actively seeking transfer targets as well as planning for those whose paperwork, referring to work Visas here in Japan, can be processed prior to the transfer deadline in August.

It is also important to consider that other teams may have their sights set on some FC Ryukyu players and it is vital that the club doesn’t let anyone of the core players depart this summer.

Also, I must give a big thanks to https://www.transfermarkt.com for their information.

ASIA

1. J3 Transfer Targets

I’ve mentioned Gabriel and what he could offer FCR so let us move on to rest of the list. Yanagi from Y.S.C.C. is an interesting prospect, nice passes and shots in the two game highlights I’ve been able to watch. Nakashima from Akita could be a nice depth signing at CB since he has height (1.90m). Iino would provide some much-needed depth at RB/RWB/RMF for FCR. He looks like a carbon copy of Nishioka and provides nice balls into the box from the right side. Atsukawa is another depth signing and someone who offers some upside in FKs and CKs. The Gamba Osaka U-23 targets of Takao and Meshino would probably be quite difficult to dislodge from Gamba, especially with Meshino as he looks like a special talent. Finally, Yamada from Cerezo Osaka U-23 would be another loan target and depth if FCR were to miss out on Meshino.

2. J1 Half Season Loan Targets

The list contains a very familiar name for FCR fans and Nakagawa could possibly return on loan to FC Ryukyu if Yokohama are knocked out of the Levain Cup. There is always the chance that some ahead of Nakagawa on the depth chart is injured but it is likely that Nakagawa only features in cup competitions during his first year at Yokohama. Yokohama has secured his services for the long term so it is possible they want his development to continue and there is no better way than a return to the FCR lineup. We’ve seen FCR do something similar to this in the past with Tanaka when he returned on loan during his time with Mito.

The remainder of the list consists of some younger players in the J1 that are rarely used and could provide a spark to the FCR attack in the last half of the season. It would be ideal if FCR can reach an agreement with the parent club of each player whereas the parent club still pays those players wages and FCR simply provides and opportunity for playing time.

3. Japan High School and University Targets

The third list represents some long-term targets for FC Ryukyu that may or may not be on their radar. Most of the players listed here have featured at one time for one of the Japan National teams (U-21, U-20, U-19) and are unlikely to break into the starting lineup of their parent club anytime soon. FC Ryukyu could possibly purchase one of these players for the 2020 season but it is more likely that they secure their services via a loan deal with a possibility to purchase in the future. I am not sure of the age regulations regarding signing players here in Japan but Kumasawa is currently unsigned. If it is his desire to stay at Ryutsu Keizai University than like I’ve seen with so many other young players, FC Ryukyu should enter into a futures contract with Kumasawa.

4. Japan Players to Target for Return to the J League

Listed here are Japanese players who are playing football in leagues throughout the world that could fancy a return to Japan at some point in their careers. Overseas football experience has proven invaluable for FCR if you consider a player like Nakagawa who was in the lower tiers of the Spanish leagues prior to his move to FC Ryukyu. Some player such as Miyaichi are probably not going to progress above the level they are at right now and a move back to their home country could revitalize their careers.

The top prospect is Miyaichi as he has so much experience throughout Europe but there are a lot of interesting young mid fielders listed as well. I think when Japanese attacking mid fielders return from Europe, they are a lot more polished than those that are home-grown in the J League. Of course, wages are sure to be an issue, along with the transfer fee, so FC Ryukyu would have to contact the clubs to gauge their willingness to release these players. If it is seen that any one of these players could move on a “free transfer,” FC Ryukyu should act quickly, especially for those playing in Europe whose seasons have ended and whose contracts may not be renewed for next season.

5. ASEAN Players

There is a J League limit of 5 foreign players per roster but there is no limit on the amount of partner nation players for a team. Therefore, the two players listed here from Thailand would not count against the FC Ryukyu foreign player roster and do make for some interesting prospects.

Eakkanit Punya has some nice speed and his finishing looks good. Probably reluctant to make a move based on the language barrier and playing for his home town club but he would be an interesting to watch in the J League. Supachok Sarachat plays for arguably the largest club in Thailand, Buriam United, and is quite the finisher. Each offers some speed and spark in the attack but securing their services will prove tricky. Again, the language barrier maybe the first hurdle if they don’t speak any English. This would make coaching them very difficult and I am not sure FC Ryukyu would be willing to hire numerous interpreters to support a diverse lineup from around the globe.

Kurt Dizon dominated lower level competition but has some flare/flash and a very nice left foot. I would need to see more game footage against better competition but he has some international experience having been capped by the Philippines.

EUROPEAN PLAYERS

All the players listed here are found within the 3^rd and 4^th tiers of the respective country’s football pyramids. I simply looked at last seasons stats and their ages to make a comprehensive list. There are a multitude of hurdles FC Ryukyu would have to clear with signing any international players so consider this a wish list more than anything.

6. Europe: UK & Spain