Intro
FC Ryukyu were shutout once again drawing with Tochigi SC 0-0 on Sunday evening and have now earned just four (4) points from a possible twenty-one (21) in their last seven (7) matches. This collapse at the end has almost certainly sealed their fate as one of the two (2) clubs to be relegated back to the J3 for 2023. FC Ryukyu were on a nice run of form heading into Match Day 34 with Blaublitz Akita as Ryukyu had only lost once in their previous nine (9) games and were scoring multiple goals. I have no idea what has caused this unfortunate turn of events that has seen Ryukyu revert to their earlier form that plagued this club to begin the season. Despite some heroic efforts by Dany Carvajal to keep Ryukyu in matches, Ryukyu have been uninspiring in the attack this last quarter of the season.
Match Highlights
Review of the 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. Score a goal? Likelihood 1. Obviously I set the likelihood of this occurring to high for this game. That is now six (6) games in a row that FC Ryukyu have failed to score a goal. That is two more games than their previous streak of four (4) games without a goal which occurred back in 2014.
Match Day 38 Takeaways
1. I thought FC Ryukyu were aiming for a strong second half to possibly overpower what could’ve been a tired Tochigi team that played in the midweek with their initial lineup selection. Tanaka, Sulley, Hitomi, and Kelvin were all in the reserves but it was only Sulley who didn’t see a single minute of action last night. That is perplexing as it is vexing for one of the better players we currently roster. It made little difference as Ryukyu failed to do much in the attack and it seemed the side reached a point in the match where they figured it was better to get a point instead of all three points when Yong Jick was brought on as one of the last substitutes.
2. Tochigi wasn’t much better in the attack compared to Ryukyu if you just look at the stat sheet. But they created the more dangerous types of chances that could’ve led to goals where Ryukyu offered 1-2.
3. There was an interesting side note following the match when it appeared Lee Yong Jick had a bit of an outburst at some of the traveling supporters who voiced their frustrations at the team. First, I do not condone attacking the members of the team and calling them out. Sure, we are all frustrated and at times the team may need to hear that their efforts were not good enough on any given day but not knowing what was said, and having never witnessed something like this during my time as a supporter, it shouldn’t have come to the team and supporters turning on each other.
Second, this game was emotionally charged for everyone involved. The players certainly realized what was at stake, and realized what was lost when they failed to achieve the outcome that we everyone was hoping for. The fact that something like this happened only shows that both the fan(s) and Yong Jick were looking for a reason to voice their frustrations, and both showed their lack of emotional intelligence. If you are upset at how things have transpired and feel strongly enough to voice your concerns, do it in a healthy, productive manner. Granted, we as J-League fans may be quite limited in the ways in which we can send a message to clubs, but that shouldn’t prevent any of us from trying. If anyone is guilty of letting their emotions getting the best of them, it is the management who made an ’emotional decision’ to retain Kina in what should have been a clear ‘business decision’ to terminate him much earlier.
Finally, Yong Jick has been seen throughout this season voicing, and displaying a demeanor that really shows his displeasure at how Ryukyu were playing and earning results. That is great to an extent. The team definitely required some emotional leadership at times but at the end of the day we know it isn’t the fans out there achieving those results, it is the coaches and players. And if you’re upset, great, take it on the pitch and show us with your actions. All the posturing and harsh language means nothing if it cannot be backed up with results. And it hasn’t been backed up. I appreciate that everyone is out there trying and giving their best, perhaps it just isn’t good enough, and perhaps the best thing that can happen now is a total break and a complete rebuild at the club. I hope this stain on the club doesn’t distract the fans, or the leadership of this club, in fixing what was broken following the 2022 season.
Round 38 in J2
Up Top: (1) Albirex Niigata and (2) Yokohama FC both won this round to continue their push for automatic promotion. There was a scary moment during the YFC match when the YFC goalie, Sven Brodersen, was struck in the head from a diving Niigata player that eventually led to him being transported to a local hospital. The good news is he sustained no serious injuries but did receive a concussion.
Promotion Playoff Zone: (3) Fagiano Okayama had a ‘statement’ win over (6) Vegalta Sendai which should pretty much guarantee the side a slot in the playoffs as well as the top overall seed. (5) Roasso Kumamoto won again on the road to push themselves four (4) points clear of (5) Oita Trinita and nine (9) points clear from (7) Montedio Yamagata and (8) V-Varen Nagasaki. Oita scored a last second goal at home to defeat (17) Ventforet Kofu which sees them leap frogging Vegalta Sendai in the standings.
Down Below: (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma were demolished 1-6 at home to (14) Renofa Yamaguchi in a game which could’ve ended 1-8 had Renofa not struck the post and crossbar. (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka were defeated 1-3 by (16) Zweigen Kanazawa but the real story is that with so many things breaking (22) FC Ryukyu’s way this week, like it has at certain times this season, it was Ryukyu’s inability to garner a result that pretty much has sealed their fate for this year.
Conclusion
There are four (4) games remaining this season so those of you that haven’t had a chance to see Ryukyu in person, while they are in the J2, better get out there and do so before the curtain drops on what has become a bitterly disappointing campaign. When the dust settles after this season I just wonder what we will hear from club officials regarding the collapse, and who once asked us to remain patient as the season is long, and has many twits and turns. The season has been a long for us fans and we are not happy with the results, definitely not angry at the coaches and players, but do want answers and action from the management.
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