FC Ryukyu Week in Review #FC琉球

Intro

2 wins from 2 for FC Ryukyu this past week. First, they earned a come-from-behind victory over Mito Hollyhock 3-2 this past weekend and then followed that up with a 6-1 drubbing over Matsumoto Yamaga on the road.

FC Ryukyu have now scored a total of 16 goals over their last 4 games and this comes as quite shock considering they never exceeded more than 2 goals in any game prior to round 18 this season. As I mentioned in an earlier post, much of this could be due to the amount of fixtures J2 teams are required to play coupled with the facts that fatigue and the realization of failed promotion hopes starting to take hold.

Match Day 20 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs Mito Hollyhock

Grit, determination and a bit of luck. Probably the best way to sum this one up as FC Ryukyu went ahead early from a beautifully taken Koizumi goal, only to concede 2 goals from Mito in the second half. Then the late game specialist in Shinya Uehara made his presence known with two goals deep into the game (87’&93′) to tilt the match in favor of Ryukyu. Fans of FC Ryukyu, and followers of this blog, will know that Uehara has this uncanny ability to come on late and turn things around for Ryukyu but also can go missing for stretches when the team needs him the most. Luckily for FC Ryukyu, he came up big again.

Match Day 20 Takeaways

1. This team is always going to be a ‘work in progress’ with the constant roster churn each season but we see glimpses of what it wanted to be at the start of the season, and what it could’ve been if things played out differently this year. If we could only put it all together at one time to make a serious run, it would have been something as the team has talent, experience, and the ability to win; but they have never matched talent with opportunity or luck this year.

2. Koizumi has moved from a relative unknown name to someone who is appearing on the radars of much larger clubs. What he offers in the attack has far surpassed the days of Nakagawa and he is one of, if not the most, dynamic players in J2 this year.

Match Day 21 Recap: Matsumoto Yamaga vs. FC Ryukyu

FC Ryukyu continued their winning ways by traveling North and completely decimating Yamaga 6-1 in front of their fans. FC Ryukyu enjoyed so much possession and freedom of movement I often wondered during the match if the Matsumoto manager had watched any film on Ryukyu this year. It didn’t matter as Ryukyu had space, time, and precision passing to completely tear the Matsumoto defense to shreds on way to their second highest goal tally all time for the club. It was also the second highest margin of victory and goals scored for FC Ryukyu in J2 since the Omiya match the week prior.

Match Day 21 Takeaways

1. Many points to get to but let’s start with the obvious. Keita Tanaka is far and away the comeback player of the year for FC Ryukyu as he has completely transformed himself into an absolute stud at RB. He scored his first goal of the season, after chipping in another assist this game, when he found himself all alone on net and sent an absolute screamer from close range into the top corner. He has been simply magnificent at RB this year and is a treat to watch each week.

2. Takuma Abe reached double digit goals for only the second time in his career in the J-League and I said at the start of the season that he may score between 14-16 goals this year. He looks primed to absolutely smash that total.

3. Dany Carvajal with the poker face after swatting a clear goal from Yamaga out of the net was great. Thank goodness for no VAR down here in J2.

4. FC Ryukyu reduced their goal differential by half (!) with that victory and are now back down in the single digits for the first time in a very long time (-5).

5. Koizumi’s destruction of J2 defense continued with a goal and an assist on Wednesday. I enjoy watching him, but hate tweeting and writing about him as you cannot help but feel that he is on to bigger and better things next year. Just not at FC Ryukyu and that is completely justified. He is a massive talent and deserves a bigger stage to shine and I my only wish is that it isn’t on a bench of some middling J2 side, or J1 team. I would love to see him go to Europe and gets a chance to test his mettle against some of the best talent in the world. I’d would also be great to see him play for the Samurai one day as it would be a nice feather in the cap for this club and I think he has the talent to do it. He just needs a stronger CV than FC Ryukyu can offer at the moment and that is something we Ryukyu fans have become accustomed too these past few years.

J2 After Match Day 21

FC Ryukyu never rose above 18th place despite their two wins this week but the reduction in their goal differential could prove vital if they continue to pile up the positive results.

The recent slip up by Giravanz has allowed Tokushima Vortis and Nagasaki to close the point gap with Fukuoka shooting up the table in recent weeks. Omiya’s fall may not have been unexpected to some, though it is shocking to see them fall so far for a team that was near the top early on this year.

Half way done and plenty of drama left here before we crown the champ and send one more up to J1.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/tabelle/wettbewerb/JAP2/saison_id/2019

Looking Ahead

Ryukyu return home this Sunday to face a struggling JEF UTD Chiba side with Nagasaki and Fukuoka squaring off at the top.

Conclusion

It has been a party for the FC Ryukyu faithful this past week, but there is plenty of work still to be done. Ryukyu are getting healthy, despite some injuries to the back line, and are playing better than we’ve seen in a long time which has made watching them oh so enjoyable these past two rounds. But September has always been a favorable month for the club and one can only hope they end the month on a strong note.

“I need You, You, You” Match Day 20 Preview and Match Day 19 Recap #FC琉球

Intro

I will be taking this blog in a different direction over the next few months with the crammed J-League fixture schedule as I will no longer provide a bi-weekly entry, but instead a single entry comprising both a recap from the previous round, and a preview for their upcoming fixture.

This will mean that I’ll need to trim down on the amount of sections per respective entry so as to keep it manageable, and easily consumable for all of you. I hope you’ll continue your patronship of this blog and feel free to provide any input on the new format in the comments section.

Match Day 19 Recap: FC Ryukyu
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Match Day 19 Takeaways
Match Day 19 Recap: Mito Hollyhock
Match Day 20 Team Previews & Injury Reports
Keys to Victory
Match Day 20 Prediction
Match Day 20 in J2 & Table
Conclusion

1. Match Day 19 Recap: FC Ryukyu

2. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

Whatever we did last week, let’s do it again! Likelihood 3. Didn’t happen as Kyoto had large spells of possession and dozens of shots.

2. Koizumi in the CAM Role. Likelihood 5. Did happen but he wasn’t able to unlock Kyoto’s defense and was ultimately substituted.

3. Match Day 19 Takeaways

1. FC Ryukyu were under siege the entire match against Kyoto. The overall box score indicates an near 3 to 1 domination from Kyoto in the shots, and shots on target category. Though the amount of possession for either side looks equal, it was Kyoto who was peppering Dany with shots all night.

2. There was some heroic defending on the part of FC Ryukyu against Kyoto. Fc Ryukyu managed to block many of the shots Kyoto took and Dany Carvajal played really well in net, where he was making save after save. Though this was a positive for FC Ryukyu, it could have been slightly reduced if some of the poor decision in the central parts of the pitch were avoided. This included, costly turnovers and wayward passes.

3. Ryukyu never really threatened the Kyoto net as the trend for an overall low number of total shots, and accurate shots, continues for the offense.

4. Match Day 19 Recap Mito Hollyhock

5. Match Day 20 Team Previews & Injury Reports

FC Ryukyu. That nice run of form FC Ryukyu experienced between the end of July and August has but been forgotten as Ryukyu have lost 5 out of their last 6 and while being outscored 9 to 12 during that span. The 5-0 drubbing of Omiya stands out as an anomaly between the defeats to Yamagata and Zelvia, which are only compounded by the 1 goal losses to Niigata, Kanazawa, and most recently Kyoto Sanga.

But hopefully things are picking up for the club as they have seen the return of several players from injury and suspension the past few rounds as they are desperate for healthy, fresh legs in all areas of the pitch.

FC Ryukyu have experimented with several combinations in both the attack and defense in an attempt to generate some sort of rhythm, but with so many fixtures and injuries, this seems to be an unrealistic goal for many clubs in 2020.

Abe has been superb up top and he is on the verge of cracking double-digit goals for the first time in over 5 seasons. Koizumi continues to show the J-League what an immense talent he is and I hope that he continues his career arc at FC Ryukyu for just a little longer. The right and left mid fielders seem to be on constant rotations and Ryukyu really only play well when Higuchi correctly starts those who have the “hot hand.”

In defense the picture is much bleaker. FC Ryukyu have never been known as superior defensive team and things have continually spiraled out of control this year with all the combinations Higuchi has introduced. With one exception that is. Tanaka has been a revelation at RB and there is no other player in the squad that can match his work rate, tenacity, and skill other than Abe.

Unfortunately, Yong Jick is not the answer at CB, Suzuki is prone to mistakes as a raw prospect, you know what Fukui will provide each week in the reserve role and Chinen needs more matches to get back to full fitness. Numata provides a nice element to the attack but is often seen out of position when closing down attackers and ceding too many dangerous crosses into the box.

This is the basic state of the team as we enter one of the busiest stretches of games for FC Ryukyu. But all is not doom and gloom. FC Ryukyu have several prospects worth monitoring with Uehara in particular offering some glimpses of the player he could be.

FC Ryukyu Injures & Suspensions. We are still awaiting the return of Shinji Ono and Koki Kazama, but we’ve added DF Suzuki to the injured list as he tore one of his abductor muscles in his leg.

Mito Hollyhock. Someone on Twitter this past weekend commented that Mito are strange side in that they are one of the league leaders in both goals scored, and goals surrendered. This should be a familiar notion to many of us Ryukyu fans as this was exactly who FC Ryukyu were from the 2016 to 2017 seasons. This is far different from the 2019 Mito side that was one of the best defensive units in the league.

Mito have only lost once over their last five games where they had an impressive victory over Tokushima Vortis on the road. Mito are loaded with goal scoring talent up top featuring Kashima Antler’s on loan Kazuma Yamaguchi who has scored 8 goals and provided 6 assists which must put him near the top of the league leaders in total points. Forward Masato Nakayama has contributed 6 goals and 2 assists to go along with Pitbull’s 5.

It must simply be a case of being so top heavy in the attack, that Mito fail to recover in time in defense. In any case, teams like this, despite impressive goals scored tally, always provide a bit of hope to their opponents as they are prone to conceding often with their current set up. However, FC Ryukyu are not as well equipped as Mito to get into a shootout with the visitors this weekend.

Mito Hollyhock Injuries & Suspensions. MF Yuichi Hirano injured his Right MCL and will miss this match.

6. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen

Slow down the Mito attack. Likelihood 2. FC Ryukyu have been ceding massive amounts of shots the past few rounds while not really increasing their own shot totals. if they wish to earn a point from this round. They’ll need to blunt the Mito attack before it even gets going.
Take more shots. Likelihood 3. This may seem mundane but FC Ryukyu have seen quite a dip in their overall shots the past month. I am not suggesting they take some wasted long range efforts, but rather take more chances in and around the 18-yard box.

7. Match Day 20 Prediction

I think this will be a bit of shootout with the game ending in a 2-2 draw.

8. Match Day 20 in J2 and Standings

Nothing really stands out except some interesting kickoff times this weekend.

9. Conclusion

It should be an exciting night for football here in Okinawa and I am looking forward to FC Ryukyu getting back to their winning ways. While I wouldn’t consider these teams to be evenly matched, both possess the ability to score goals and concede a fair amount which should make for an enticing match.

Enjoy the long weekend for those living in Japan and stay safe as there maybe some lightening here tonight in Okinawa during the game.

“Back in the Saddle Again” Match Day 19 Preview: (8) Kyoto Sanga F.C. vs. (18) FC Ryukyu 9/13/20 #FC琉球

Intro

Apologies for such a lengthy gap between entries as I was solely focused on preparing for the upcoming NFL fantasy football season and my attention was elsewhere. And thank you for sticking by, or returning, while I enjoyed my favorite hobby. But now it is back to business, and back to FC Ryukyu.

FC Ryukyy travel to Kyoto to take on a side that is looking to get back into the promotion race. Kyoto are a very strong side at home as they have yet to lose, and though anything is possible these days, I think Kyoto are pleased to welcome in FC Ryukyu with their recent road woes. Plus, we may see former FC Ryukyu star, Kazaki Nakagawa, plying his trade in the central mid-field for Kyoto. But do not fret, as we have our own special MF in Yoshio Koizumi.

Peter Utaka vs Takuma Abe? Yes please! The top scorers in J2 will be featured in this match which could turn into an exciting, fast paced, tilt.

Weather Forecast
Match Day 18 Recap: FC Ryukyu
Match Day 18 Recap: Kyoto Sanga FC
Team Previews & Injury Reports
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Match Day Prediction
Round 19 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast

Overcast and possible rain.

2. Match Day 18 Recap: FC Ryukyu

3. Match Day 18 Recap: Kyoto Sanga FC

4. Team Previews & Injury Reports

Kyoto Sanga F.C. Streaky maybe the best way to describe Kyoto. Kyoto seems to be a squad that really plays down to the level of their competition instead of putting them to the sword with all the firepower they possess. In fact, Kyoto, just like FC Ryukyu, have only scored more than 2 goals in any match this season just once. But make no mistake, Kyoto are undefeated at home and FC Ryukyu have never beat Kyoto in any competition in their history.

Over their past 6 games, Kyoto have gone on to draw two, lose two, and win two in that exact order. The draws came against Niigata and Matsumoto, followed by two consecutive road losses at the hands of Verdy and Omiya. Kyoto have turned things back around by defeating JEF and Gunma in consecutive weeks and may possibly be breaking out of that aforementioned notion of playing down to their competition. Seeing how this is one is at home, Kyoto are heavy favorites in this game.

Kyoto Sanga F.C. Injuries & Suspensions. None are listed.

FC Ryukyu. A lot has happened since I last wrote about FC Ryukyu. They signed MF Mizuki Ichimaru on loan from Gamba Osaka; they had a 4 game losing streak; and most impressively, they scored 5 goals against Omiya Ardija this past Wednesday.

During that stretch of 4 consecutive losses, FC Ryukyu were playing some rather poor defense while having to deal with injuries and rest periods to their defensive corps. Uesato even started one match at CB and that did not end well for FC Ryukyu. But things have made a slight turn for the better after the Omiya victory as there were some notable players returning – or at the very least being seen back at training and with the reserves – returning to the lineup. And Koizumi and Kawai bagged their first goals of the season.

The players who returned were Motegi and Chinen with Shinji Ono training with the reserves after the match. I assume Koki Kazama is not far behind and these players returning could not have come at a better time for FC Ryukyu with this month’s fixtures.

Whereas FC Ryukyu were stretched thin at MF the past 2 months, the same could be said for their defense this month. Yong Jick sat out last week thanks in part to his Yellow Card accumulation and there was no sign of Suzukui on the bench. In fact, the only healthy defender FC Ryukyu dressed last week against Omiya was they younger Uehara.

On that note, the younger Uehara has been really impressive during his brief spells inside the FC Ryukyu lineup. He has another “gear” when it comes to closing down attackers and has been excellent in dispossessing them when he does get there. Once he learns how to take the proper angles to balls in flight as well as the opposing attackers, he could be a serious force to be reckoned with. For now, he is raw as raw can get and needs some fine tuning.

FC Ryukyu Injuries & Suspensions. Yong Jick maybe returning to the lineup after serving his suspension and it looks as if Koki Kazama may have suffered a set back in his return as his time line was updated on 8/8 for at least a 6-8 week wait for his return.

5. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu.

The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen

Whatever we did last week, let’s do it again! Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu only had a slight uptick in their total amount of shots on net from their previous matches, but they were far more clinical. In fact, that game could have ended 7-0 if not for a nice save and near miss. Play relaxed and create chances as Kyoto have shown they can be caught napping on lesser opponents from time to time.
Koizumi in the CAM Role. Likelihood 5. There should be no doubt that he is our most creative MF and he has the talent to unlock any team’s defense. He’s really coming on this year and is absolutely scintillating to watch.

6. Match Day Prediction

Despite the recent outburst last week against Omiya, I do not like FC Ryukyu’s chances this Sunday as Kyoto are a much stronger team at home where they average almost 2 goals scored at home every match. I have tipped FC Ryukyu to lose 3-1. But what do I know?

7. Round 19 in J2

The two that jump right out are (1) Kitakyushu hosting (5) Niigata and (2) Nagasaki hosting (6) Jubilo Iwata.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.de/j-league-division-2/startseite/wettbewerb/JAP2

My, my, my. Aren’t all you international viewers lucky this week as there are two free matches for you to enjoy on the J-League International YouTube Channel.

8. Conclusion

Right, so after a lengthy delay, I am finally back and as always, I appreciate all of your support. Can Ryukyu get one over on a high priced team looking to get back into the promotion race and grab their first ever win in Kyoto? Can Kyoto’s players continue their strong form at home and see off a side who is struggling for form on the road? All good questions heading into Match Day 19 and I for one, am looking forward to getting “back in the saddle again.”