Intro
Only two away games remain for FC Ryukyu this year with finally a bit of let up in the schedule. FC Ryukyu will face off against Jubilo Iwata on Wednesday night, a team that has slowly tumbled down the table after the half way point of the season. These two sides have only ever faced each other on one other occasion, the 2-2 draw at Ryukyu on Match Day 8, in which FC Ryukyu surrendered their one goal lead twice.
Match Day 35 Highlights: FC Ryukyu vs Giravanz Kitakyushu (1-1)
Match Day 35 Highlights: Jubilo Iwata vs Ventforet Kofu (1-1)
Team Previews
Jubilo Iwata: This is not the type of season that Iwata was hoping for in their attempt to quickly rebound back into the J1. In fact, there are some similarities between these two sides when it comes to their overall performance this year. Both FC Ryukyu and Jubilo have endured a stretch of 8 games without a win. Each side has been ravaged by injuries but it is Iwata who currently has 7 players, including their leading scorer and 3 on the COVID-19 list, sidelined as of today.
Since the halfway mark of the 2020 season, FC Ryukyu has earned 20 points compared to Iwata’s 19, but FC Ryukyu have two more wins (6) than Iwata (4). If nothing else, Iwata has experienced some of the worst luck I’ve ever seen in the 5 matches I reviewed. They must have hit the post nearly a dozen times and simply couldn’t catch a break on either side of the ball.
Iwata are winless in their last 5 games going 0-4-1. They were eviscerated by Tokushima Vortis (3-1) due in large part to a woeful performance on defense from the two center backs. Iwata managed to rescue two consecutive draws against Ehime FC and Albirex Niigata thanks to some late equalizers. But the bad defending, and bad luck, continued for Jubilo over their next two games.
Jubilo ended this five game stretch with another set of 1-1 draws against Fagiano Okayama and Ventforet Kofu. The lone goal they surrendered against Kofu on Match Day 35 really typified their bad luck as it was an own goal, stemming from what looked more like a rugby scrum than football, on a deflected shot.
Despite the poor run of form, Iwata still possess a good record when playing at home. They are unbeaten in their last 6 home games, with having lost only once in their past 10. They also outscored their opponents 2 to 1 during that run. FC Ryukyu enter a point in their season where they will only face teams with nothing more than pride left to play for. Nothing is more important to these sides than earning wins in front of their home crowd, or winning on the road in front of ours before the season comes to a close.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpJP3lGiE34
FC Ryukyu: The biggest question on everyone’s mind these days is; what has happened to the offense? Ryukyu have only managed 4 goals in their last 5 games compared to the 8 they scored in their 5 games prior. The system Higuchi employs is predicated on attacking, possession based, football and is one we’ve all grown accustomed to over the past two years (and one we will continue to see in 2021 with his recent extension). If we cannot get the offense going, then we are in real trouble down here.
The remainder of this season should be focused on player evaluations heading into the 2021 offseason. This means getting longer looks at some of the youth players as well as those “fringe” players this team may wish to renew their contract before next year. FC Ryukyu opted for more veteran experience this year compared to the youth movement we had in 2019 and it has been a mixed bag of results. The aim is always promotion, but that seems a long way off for this squad at the moment.
This is FC Ryukyu’s second to last away game for 2020 but not the last time they will need to travel in the midweek. Luckily the weather is favorable for this one so that shouldn’t be much of a factor. However, fatigue and lack of goals could make this an arduous trip for the boys from Okinawa.
FC Ryukyu will need to see the continuation of strong play from Koizumi as well as a return to the starting CDM position for their captain, Uesato, to right this ship. This game should favor the attacking style of FC Ryukyu and is one in which Abe should be able to get back on the score sheet. In fact, if things break right, FC Ryukyu could bust out in a big way on Wednesday.
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
1. Exploit the space in the central defense of Iwata. Likelihood 4. This game sets up well for Koizumi and Abe to punish the two center backs of Iwata. Iwata’s defense has been torn to shreds of late and the casual viewer will notice the acres of space that exists in the Iwata defense on a daily basis. Abe has the skill to create space, with Koizumi able to unlock defenses with phenomenal weighted passes to his attackers. These two, barring the final lineup decision by Higuchi, should feature heavily in the Ryukyu attack tomorrow.
2. Do not give any hope to a team that is down on their luck. Likelihood 3. Every shot that has hit the post, bounced of a defender, narrowly missed, coupled with those that seem to break just right for the opposition, have taken their toll on the overall morale for Iwata. They are riddled with injuries and suffer from defensive break downs at the back which makes them ripe for the picking. Do not allow this side to gain any semblance of confidence by finishing off attacks with goals, and preventing the lackluster Iwata attack from scoring.
Match Day Prediction
I am quite terrible at these, and FC Ryukyu always seem to lose whenever I favor them so I am hesitant to do so. But, perseverance pays off in the end right? 3-1 to FC Ryukyu this round.
Match Day 36 in J2
(2) Avispa Fukuoka has the toughest draw among the top three sides this round as they will travel to (7) Tokyo Verdy. (1) Tokushima Vortis host (18) Machida Zelvia and (3) V-Varen Nagasaki welcome in (17) Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. Anything short of a win by Fukuoka will allow Nagasaki to get within 1 point, that is, assuming Nagasaki can win their match this round.
Conclusion
Only seven games remain for FC Ryukyu to match their 2019 totals of 13 wins, and 49 points. Ryukyu have drastically reduced their overall number of goals surrendered from 2019 (54 compared to 80 with 7 games to go) and they are just 12 goals shy from matching the total goals scored in 2019 (45 to 57). So far, it looks like FC Ryukyu have made some strides in their second year in J2, but they did not take the major leap forward they might have expected.
With both these teams continuing down the long road to nowhere in 2020, let’s see FC Ryukyu inflict a bit of scorched earth by burning the Yamaha stadium to the ground with an impressive multiple goal victory. Welcome to “Life During Wartime J2”.
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