Intro
As you may already know, FC Ryukyu have no true rival in any of the tiers of the J-League. They are far removed from the other teams on mainland so they don’t even have a true derby match to look forward to each season. If anything, we have to manufacture our disdain and hate, perceived or real, for other clubs around the league.
Well there is no better team to start than with like Tokyo Verdy. The history between these clubs is not long, each has gone 1-1-1- against their opponent, but the wins have always been for the visiting side. The first time these two sides met back in early 2019, it was Uesato who scored a very late equalizer deep in stoppage time for the only draw on record. That match also featured a bloody and broken Dany Carvajal saving a crucial PK to keep the game within reach for Ryukyu. Verdy repaid that transgression by eviscerating FC Ryukyu 5-1 in front of their home crowd later that year with Junki Koike bagging a hat trick for the visitors. Verdy even made T-Shirts to commemorate such a momentous occasion in their otherwise flaccid 2019 season.
Then there were the fireworks on Match Day 10 this year. FC Ryukyu once again looked like the stronger side, and had several chances to grab the lead, but it wasn’t until Shohei Takahashi opted to kick Shinya Uehara in the abdomen after a contested ball in the air that saw both players land on top of one another. It was uncalled for, stupid, and a dangerous play in which Takahashi was lucky to leave the match with just a Yellow Card.
But it didn’t end there. Uehara was fouled in the 82′ and the Tokyo Verdy players proceeded to go on an 8 minute tirade against the officials, which included some very ugly scenes for the J-League as a whole, before Abe stepped up and slotted the PK home for the decisive victory.
So with the recent history of these two teams in mind, plus the facts that Verdy may feel they have some unfinished business to attend to, as well as FC Ryukyu wanting to settle some scores for that foul, this should be testy affair on Sunday afternoon.
Last Round Highlights for Each Team
Match Day 36: FC Ryukyu vs Jubilo Iwata (0-3)
Match Day 36: Tokyo Verdy vs Avispa Fukuoka (1-1)
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu: There are more questions than answers heading into Match Day 37 for FC Ryukyu. For example: (1) What is the health status of both Takuma Abe and Shinya Uehara? (2) What has prompted the move away from Dany Carvajal to Junto Taguchi at Goal Keeper the past 3 rounds?
Since these questions are almost never asked, or answered, it is anyone’s guess. Let’s assume that Uehara is dealing with some minor injury, and that Abe is need of some veteran rest as he played in nearly every match for FC Ryukyu up to a few weeks ago. But, as we’ve seen the past few games, when FC Ryukyu lack a true striker up top in Higuchi’s 4-2-3-1 formation, the goals dry up quickly.
I said last week that FC Ryukyu needed to get a longer look at some players they want to consider resigning next year, and that has happened to a degree, but I also want this side to remain competitive – especially at home – as no one wants to see this side finish poorly to end 2020.
Match Day 36 featured the return of several players to the FC Ryukyu lineup. Yamaguchi made a return after two months away and Okazaki made his 2020 debut after battling several injuries this year. Okazaki’s return helps with Suzuki and Chinen’s absence from the lineup but I don’t think we should get to excited. Okazaki struggled mightily last season and the thought of his pairing together with Yong Jick in a competitive match is very worrisome.
There are some encouraging signs despite the goal draught and shaky defense for this team. Koizumi has been in top form and is playing himself into a bigger club contract next season. He is a mercurial talent that will need to leave this club to reach his full potential and I hope it isn’t in the footsteps of Nakagawa and Uejo, who struggled a bit with their new clubs.
Keita Tanaka, Koya Kazama, and Kazumasa Uesato are the anchors for this team and will need to pick this team up off the floor and bring them back to their winning ways on Sunday. Finally, maybe this will be the game that Shinji Ono finally gets that first FC Ryukyu goal. I couldn’t think of a better time and lets just hope it is in a winning effort, and not a losing one.
Tokyo Verdy: After their loss to FC Ryukyu, Verdy recovered nicely by winning 3 in a row, and 4 out of 5 games that brought them just inside the top half of the table. A spot they have occupied for much of the season. The highest position Verdy has achieved this season is 5th, with most of the time spent bobbing up and down between 7th and 11th.
Verdy’s longest winless streak occurred between Match Days 27 and 32 when they went 6 games without a win. Since then, they are undefeated, winning 3 out of their last 4 games. The most impressive win in this stretch came against Kyoto Sanga FC followed by Verdy easily dispatching Thespakusatsu Gunma and Renofa Yamaguchi. In their most recent game, Verdy drew 1 all with second place Avispa Fukuoka when they surrendered an own goal shortly after taking the lead.
The side-by-side comparison table indicates that Verdy are a slightly better on the road compared to playing at home but both these sides possess an identical record for home and away form over their last 5 games. Verdy are led up front by Junki Koike, Yuhei Sato, Ryoya Yamashita, Shion Inoue and Jin Hanato who added two goals to his tally the round prior.
There is not much more I can say about this squad other than they are good, but not great. Very indicative of a mid table team that is going nowhere, but certainly a place we as FC Ryukyu fans would relish at this point.
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. Play Mistake Free Football (or close to it): Likelihood 2. Verdy are a patient team that can bide their time until their opponent makes a few mistakes. Then they punish them. The games against Renofa and Gunma are the closest comps when it comes to how this matchup may play out with Verdy demolishing those lesser sides when they broke down. Verdy are not immune from their own mistakes, but FC Ryukyu need to make less of the catastrophic mistakes on Sunday if they wish to win.
2. A Healthy Strike Duo of Abe and Uehara: Likelihood 2. It is anyone’s guess if they even dress, but Abe was able to break out of the high press by Verdy the last time they played, which really opened up the offense for FC Ryukyu. Uehara also adds the aerial assault and nose for the goal that FC Ryukyu so desperately need right now. If neither is featured on Sunday, I fear we will see a repeat of the last few matches were FC Ryukyu may possess the ball in the middle third of the pitch, but have no way of making the final push on goal.
Match Day Prediction
FC Ryukyu have seen their goals dry up whereas Verdy are surging ever so slightly by swatting inferior competition to the side. But, this game isn’t played on paper, and emotions could be running high on Sunday so I’ll say this ends 1-1 in a rather inglorious fashion. Joking. 2-1 to FC Ryukyu!!!!!!
Match Day 37 in J2
(1) Tokushima Vortis and (2) Avispa Fukuoka both face sides in the bottom half of the table and will look to hold serve this week when (3) V-Varen Nagasaki host (6) Albirex Niigata in what should be considered a must win game for Nagasaki if they wish to remain in striking distance of Fukuoka for 2nd place.
Not one, but two free broadcasts this round! The first one looks enticing and I will be tuning in, along with a few friends, to see if Nagasaki can get the job done.
Conclusion
Just a little over three weeks left in the season and FC Ryukyu currently sit at 3-1-3 in the month of November with one more game to go. They close the book on this month at home, which is also the start of 4 consecutive home games for Ryukyu, so hopefully this provides some rest to these weary road warriors.
Verdy have nowhere to go this year as they are to far outside of the promotion zone but would love nothing more than to embarrass FC Ryukyu in front of their fans again. All the makings to a start of a great rivalry. And I say, “if it is blood you want, we’ll give you some.”
I need Soldiers. Too Arms!
ryukyuarmy.com 