FC Ryukyu closed the books on the 2020 season with a 0-1 defeat to FC Machida Zelvia. The game itself was very uneventful, as you will be able to tell from the second half highlights. It was also unfortunate that Shinji Ono did not score his first goal for the club.
Match Highlights
Match Day Takeaways
1. FC Ryukyu were wildly off target with their shots yesterday. In fact, they only had two shots on goal all day. That is an awfully low number for this team considering their recent form. The closest FC Ryukyu came to scoring yesterday was a Tanaka shot that hit the post, and header that Koizumi couldn’t quite get down. All of them occurred in the first half as there was almost zero offense for Ryukyu in the second half.
2. Shinya Uehara made a return to the lineup. It was good to see the veteran return to the pitch but he wasn’t able to muster the super-sub performances we’ve seen throughout the year.
Both Giravanz and Tochigi lost so there was no upward movement for these clubs on the last day. Avispa achieved the moral victory be defeating the champs at home, but all the glory goes to Tokushima Vortis.
Well that is it for 2020. There will be some news of player contract renewals, and cancellations, over the next few weeks for FC Ryukyu so I intend to do a season wrap up for the players before I do one for the team as a whole. Thanks for reading the weekly previews and reviews and I look forward to seeing you in just a few short months for the 2021 season.
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.”
Intro
The final game of 2020 is upon us. It took 301 days from February 23rd to reach this point, but we’ve made it. This season has been unlike any other in history with the 4 month pause in play, COVID-19 protocols and suspensions, rescheduled games, games without fans, and the number of mid-week matches every team had to play to complete the fixture list. FC Ryukyu will close out their season this Sunday afternoon against FC Machida Zelvia, a team they share a long history with dating back to their time in the JFL, the J3, and now the J2.
Match Day 17: FC Machida Zelvia 4-2 FC Ryukyu
FC Ryukyu were demolished 4-2 by FC Machida Zelvia the last time they met back in September. Zelvia stormed out of the gates with 4 first half goals before FC Ryukyu answered with an own goal, followed by their first actual goal in the 92′ minute. Ryukyu had no answer for Zelvia on a day when Kazumasa Uesato was asked to fill in at CB due to several injuries and CV-19 suspensions. Well, we are healthier at the back this time, and FC Ryukyu are on a bit of a hot streak at the moment.
Previous Match Highlights
FC Ryukyu 2-0 Mito Hollyhock
FC Machida Zelvia 2-3 Jubilo Iwata
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu: Higuchi definitely wants to end the season with a win, which, would also extend the FC Ryukyu winning streak to three games in a row. FC Ryukyu have beaten Ehime FC and Mito Hollyhock by a score line of 8 goals scored, 0 goals conceded over their last 2 games and are surging at the moment. It is highly unlikely that we see the return of our leading scorer, Abe, or the inclusion of Makito Uehara in the lineup, but we will certainly see the curtain call for Shinji Ono in this game.
I would expect a very fast start for FC Ryukyu on Sunday as they will want to put themselves into a position to allow Shinji Ono the maximum amount of time to score his first goal for the club. Ideally, Ryukyu would like to have a two goal lead prior to the 60th minute to give Shinji at least 30 minutes, and several chances, to score in front of the home crowd.
We probably won’t see to much shake up to the FC Ryukyu lineup that has featured the last two games. There will be some combination of Yong Jick, Chinen, and Okazaki at CB; Numata and Tanaka in defense, with Tavares coming on later for Tanaka. In the CDM, we should see the return of Uesato to the captains role, and joining him should be Koki Kazama, who, is having some strong performances to close out the season.
The attacking four up front should be Kawai, Koizumi, Koya and Ikeda. Though we’d like to see how Hitomi would function with a strong supporting cast, the need to get out in front early may prevent Hitomi from starting. This brings us to the most tenuous position selection of recent weeks, goal keeper.
Dany Carvajal and Junto Taguchi have a 28/13 split for games started this year. In their last 5 starts; Dany has two wins, and three losses; while Taguchi has three wins, one draw, and one loss. When you peer into the numbers, Dany surrendered 6 goals in that span, but the team only scored 5 goals in his starts. Taguchi on the other hand, has surrendered 4 goals during a 13 goal outburst from Ryukyu. Taguchi has faced: Jubilo Iwata, Tokyo Verdy, Fagiano Okayama, Ehime FC, and Mito Hollyhock. While Dany has faced: Omiya Ardija, Ventforet Kofu, Renofa Yamaguchi, Avispa Fukuoka, and Zweigen Kanazawa. So the strength of opponents is definitely in favor of Taguchi
Both goalies have 5 shutouts this season with Dany averaging 1.57 goals against, and Taguchi at 1.36. Here is where it gets slightly interesting. In Dany’s starts, the team scores an average of 1.36 goals per game. For Taguchi, that number is 1.54. In Dany’s 28 starts, FC Ryukyu have been shut out 8 times. In Taguchi’s 13 starts, only 3 times. In fact, in games Taguchi started, the team has scored nearly half (20) of the goals they scored when Dany (38) started this season. I think luck plays a part when evaluating these two players as FC Ryukyu have faired far better offensively with Taguchi than Dany. Taguchi played well against Mito, but the schedule and results are weighted heavily in his favor.
Machida Zelvia: It must be tough to be an FC Machida Zelvia fan these days. In three of their past five games, they have surrendered three goals, and lost two games because of those leaks at the back.
Zelvia went 2-0-3 over their last five games. They started off with two straight defeats to Thespakusatsu Gunma and Montedio Yamagata, which represented two of the three games where Zelvia conceded at least three goals. Wild shooting, poor defending, and an a PK contributed to the Gunma loss. But against Yamagata, they started fast, took the lead twice, and then surrendered that lead in the 92′ and 94′ minute.
Machida followed up those two losses with consecutive 1-0 victories against Tokyo Verdy and Mito Hollyhock. The Verdy win came after a PK, and the Mito win was not all that inspiring so it was hard to draw anything from those games other than Zelvia responding to two heavy defeats.
The most recent game against Jubilo Iwata was a mirror image of the Yamagata game in that Zelvia would once again surrender a lead, and would do so in stoppage time. Machida at one point were up 2-0 before a 70′ goal provided the breakthrough for Iwata before a short corner with less than one minute left gave Iwata the victory.
For the season, Zelvia have been shut out 16 times, compared to 11 by FC Ryukyu. But unlike Ryukyu, Zelvia have only exceeded more than two goals scored in a game three times. One of those was against FC Ryukyu so there is that. Machida have also surrendered 3 goals or more in 4 of their last 6 games, as well as 8 games in total this season, which is good for about 20% of the time. Zelvia’s away record is not that great either as they have only won 4 games on the road all year, with the last win occurring back on Match Day 16 some three and half months ago.
The players to watch for tomorrow are also the top three scorers for Zelvia. Hirato, Ando, and Yoshio have all looked good in the last five games for Zelvia and represent the lion’s share of the team’s offense. Keeping them in check, something FC Ryukyu didn’t do the last time they played Zelvia, will be no easy task.
For more on FC Machida Zelvia, please see @fortressnuzama on Twitter.
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu Shinji Ono Scoring His First Goal
I have no idea if this will be Shinji Ono’s last game for FC Ryukyu, or maybe ever, but we have to understand that the end is drawing near for this great player. There has been no bigger ambassador for the club, and what Shinji has done here in Okinawa to increase the exposure of FC Ryukyu, has been nothing short of remarkable. But there is something missing, something that can be replayed over, and over, and over again for news outlets and fans everywhere. And that is a goal.
If this truly is Shinji’s last game, then like all greats who exit the sport on their last game, there is the emotional pregame speech he will deliver to the team. In that speech he will thank the players, the staff, the coaches and applaud their efforts throughout his time at the club. He will tell some stories about his footballing life, and then make an impassioned plea to go out there and win one last time. I think, after hearing that speech, that every single player in that locker room will bust their gut to get the win, but more importantly, to get Shinji on the score sheet.
1. The lineup selection must be built to start fast, and finish stronger. Ren Ikeda will need to make the start at FWD, with Koizumi sitting behind him in the CAM. This combination, along with Koya and Kawai, can generate the lead we need – in a winning effort – to bring on Shinji. Make no mistake, a goal by Shinji in a losing effort will not be as memorable as one in which Ryukyu win. When it is time to make the substitutions, they need to be measured against the talent that can support Shinji. Koizumi needs to drop back behind Shinji and allow Ono to operate at the top of the box as the CAM. Hitomi is better at FWD than Ikeda as he knows where to be to support the attack by getting into the right positions so this will help as well. Kawai and Koya should only be subbed off if they are gassed, and in that event, Yamaguchi should come in on the left with his speed; while Tavares comes in for Koya; drops back to RB; and pushes Tanaka up top as he possesses a better touch in the attack.
2. Stretch Zelvia along the flanks and find the last pass back to Shinji. Koya and Tanaka have the best accuracy for picking out players. And Kawai can pull the defense apart with his speed, with Numata looking good on crosses these days. Koizumi can pick out anyone, with every type of pass, from anywhere on the pitch which means we should have to supporting cast to get Shinji open.
3. Feed him. Shinji cannot score if he is not given the chances. Don’t be dismayed by the shots he takes that are off target, or directly at the defense, as he needs to get a feel for the game and his shooting touch. He may have no more than 30 minutes to do this, so expect shots from every angle and distance imaginable.
Match Prediction
If FC Ryukyu can win this game by more than 2 goals, they will finish with a positive goal differential for the first time in 2 years, as well as for the first time in J2. In that case, 3-1 to FC Ryukyu with the third and final goal coming from Mr. Ono sounds oh so good.
All the fixtures will kickoff at 1400 JST which is the norm for the final match day. The two promoted teams will square off with Tokushima expected to lift the J2 Champions Shield. That is, barring a miraculous turn of events requiring Avispa Fukuoka to overturn a 14 goal differential with a victory by 8 goals. Letting your opponent lift the title at your home ground should be enough motivation for Avispa to make this a game.
Elsewhere, there will be some jockeying for final positions inside the table. Most notably are the games featuring (5) Giravanz Kitakyushu and (9) Tochigi SC. If other results go in favor of these two teams, we could see both finish inside the top 6, with Giravanz possibly finishing 4th. Quite an impressive set of results for a newly promoted side, and a team that finished 20th in the table last year. But then again, one just has to recall Avispa Fukuoka’s meteoric rise from 16th in 2019 to 2nd in 2020.
-This was the 3rd coldest game ever played in the J-League at -3.1 degrees Celsius (if I interpreted that right). The second coldest was also played last night between Matsumoto Yamaga FC and Tokyo Verdy (-3.3C).
-FC Ryukyu achieved 50 points for the first time ever in J2
FC Ryukyu MF Shuto Kawai: Kawai was a handful for the Mito defense last night and his efforts were rewarded with his 4th goal of the campaign. It was also one of the best goals FC Ryukyu has scored this year as Kawai managed to skirt it around and through the Mito defense.
Review of the Keys to Victory
Let’s just get some guys the playing time they need before 2021. Likelihood 2. Chinen, Yamaguchi, Ichimaru, Hitomi, and Tavares all featured last night. In some cases, it probably wasn’t enough, but the fact that they played is all that matters.
Match Day Takeaways
1. Koya and Ren stayed red hot last night, despite the slow start for FC Ryukyu. FC Ryukyu endured an opening 25 minute barrage by Mito before switching things up tactically, and taking control of the game. It was Koya, who won the ball in a dangerous area, that set up Kawai. An then there was Ren adding the second goal, more on that later. All of them continued the momentum they built up against Ehime FC last week with Koya now accumulating 6 points in the past 2 matches, while Ren has scored in back to back games for the first time all season.
2. Koizumi didn’t make the score sheet, but was the unsung hero for this team. His performance last night shows you the type of player he is, and the influence he can have on the game, despite not scoring. He broke up so much of Mito’s possession in defense, it disrupted the Mito attack and prevented them from getting into a rhythm.
3. I said we needed to see more of the players who haven’t featured heavily in the lineup this season, and we got just a bit yesterday. Ichimaru is an interesting player as he has never really stood out for this team, but there are places on a team for role players. Tavares had very little time to make an impact and Yamaguchi flashed his speed, but nothing else. Hitomi won a nice aerial battle, but wasn’t given any opportunities to score.
4. Ren Ikeda goes at it all by himself. And scored a spectacular goal. Ren received his pass from Koki at about 30-yards from goal, and then took it all the way down inside the 18-yard box, all the while surrounded by 7 Mito defenders. He then put a nice curled shot past the outreached arms of the goalie to seal the victory. See the photo below. (Thanks @iritettsu40 for the photo)
Both Tokushima Vortis and Avispa Fukuoka achieved promotion to the J1 last night. Congratulations to them and their fans. Unfortunately, it is commiserations for V-Varen Nagasaki as their promotion dreams come to an end.
Given the travel and weather, this was a surprising result for the boys. Albeit, a welcome one, and also special one for Higuchi. There is only one game left in this turbulent season, so those that can attend, please do (Safely!). And for those that cannot, for what ever reason, please tune in and enjoy this team one final time, as this will be the last time that all of them are together.
FC Ryukyu got the better of Mito Hollyhock the last time these two sides met on Match Day 20. Koizumi scored a spectacular goal to open the game, but Mito responded with two of their own before Shinya Uehara’s late game heroics won it for FC Ryukyu in stoppage time.
Match Day 20: FC Ryukyu 3-2 Mito Hollyhock
It is unfortunate that this game will not feature two of the top scorers for each side as Mito’s Yamaguchi is out with a knee injury, and Takuma Abe hasn’t been seen in weeks. This will be Mito’s final home game of the year and they will certainly want to send the fans home with something special in the form of a victory.
Previous Match Highlights
FC Ryukyu vs Ehime FC (6-0)
Mito Hollyhock vs Machida Zelvia (0-1)
Team Previews
Mito Hollyhock: Mito seem to be one of those good, but not great, squads in J2. They’ve made some brief appearances inside the top 10 of the league table this year, but have not been able to put forth any consistent efforts to push higher than 9th. The fact that they lost Kazuma Yamaguchi, their leading goal scorer, to a devastating knee injury, meant they have had a lot of wind taken out of their sails.
Mito went 2-1-2 in their last five games with some notable wins, as well as forgettable losses. They surrendered the lead on two occasions to Giravanz Kitakyushu and Ehime FC resulting in a draw and a loss. Then followed that up with two hard earned victories over Jubilo Iwata and Tokushima Vortis.
Perhaps it was the emotional and physical toll from those two matches that saw Mito lose 1-0 to Machida Zelvia this past weekend. The Iwata game was played in some poor conditions with each team fighting hard to the end. Then there was the game against Vortis where Mito left everything on the pitch that included saving a potential game tying PK.
Unfortunately, Mito came out flat against Zelvia, who pounced on all the early opportunities resulting in a first half goal for the hosts. But make no mistake, Mito are the leading goal scoring team in J2, sitting on 67 goals scored, and can be relentless in the attack despite missing their talisman.
They also own one of the poorest goals against record, tied with FC Ryukyu at 60, so they are prone to breakdowns at the back. These are two fairly even matched sides, as indicated by the table below, so a slight advantage has to be given to the home side on a short week.
FC Ryukyu: While FC Ryukyu have enjoyed success against Mito at home, on the road is a completely different story. When FC Ryukyu traveled to Ibaraki last summer, it was with a depleted squad that saw our 3rd choice GK, Inose, making his debut due to an injury to Dany, and Ishii’s loan restrictions for playing against his parent club.
FC Ryukyu were soundly beat 3-1 that day, but that followed an earlier 1-0 win for FC Ryukyu in early 2019. That win by Ryukyu also came during a time when Mito was one of the best defensive sides in J2, allowing the fewest goals scored. So what should we look expect in the return match this year?
Against Ehime, FC FC Ryukyu saw the return of some players who had gone missing for quite some time. Namely, defenders Felipe Tavares, and Tetsuya Chinen. On the other hand, we still have no clue as to the disappearance of Takuma Abe and Shinya Uehara.
FC Ryukyu have managed to get by with Ren Ikeda, Takuya Hitomi, and even Yoshio Koizumi up top, and we should expect a similar set up tomorrow. Hitomi needs to see the pitch a lot the next few rounds as that will shape the management’s decisions regarding adding a striker in the offseason.
The midfield seems to be settled with Uesato, Koki, Koya, Kawai and Koizumi but we need to realize that one, or more, of those players will not be on the roster come 2021. Yamaguchi needs a solid performance and it would be nice to see Motegi return to the bench with a shot at a possible substitute appearance. These next 180 minutes will determine the fate of many players and we are running out of time to get a look at them.
In that same vein, FC Ryukyu need to get a longer look at Felipe Tavares, Tatsuya Chinen, and Makito Uehara. Seeing how two of them play the same position as Keita Tanaka, that may not be possible. I wish Higuchi would give Makito a shot at playing CDM next to Uesato for a few minutes, as he could learn from the veteran in some low pressure situations to end the season. As far as Chinen is concerned, he could be our 3rd, if not 1st, choice CB in 2021 and needs some reps these next two games.
The notion of knowing that we are just 2 points shy of our 2019 point total may cloud our judgement for getting some extended looks at the aforementioned players. But Higuchi literally has nothing to lose by playing these guys.
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. Normally this section outlines how FC Ryukyu could exploit their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. But considering that wins are more hollow than substantive these days, let’s just get some guys the playing time they need before 2021. Likelihood 2.
Match Prediction
I wouldn’t fault FC Ryukyu if they came out a little sluggish tomorrow considering the travel, and that the game will be played in near freezing temperatures. It is their last road game of the year, and much like Ehime FC last week, they may just want to get out of there and get back home as quickly as possible. With that in mind, this game has the potential to be a back-and-forth affair ending in a 2-2 score line.
A win for (1) Tokushima Vortis over (15) Omiya Ardija seals promotion. (2) Avispa Fukuoka will need to win against (21) Ehime FC, and hope for a Vortis loss to keep their title hopes alive. (3) V-Varen Nagasaki draw the toughest opponent in round 41, as they host (4) Ventforet Kofu.
It doesn’t look like there is a free broadcast for the J2 in the midweek as the J-League International YouTube channel has opted for a J1 game instead.
Conclusion
I have come to enjoy several mid-week games this year, but hopefully we will be returning to a sense of normality with the fixture list in 2021. Ryukyu have played a total of 15 mid-week games in 2020, with 5 of their last 6 occurring on the road. I always hoped we’d see FC Ryukyu playing in December, but that was for the promotion playoffs, not match day 41.
Ryukyu will end their 2020 season road slate with this final trip North to Ibaraki, but they haven’t played in temperatures this cold since a game in Yamagata some 20 months ago. And though a win would be enjoyable, I guess “you get what you give” in these times.
Wow! A bit unexpected, but what a wonderful surprise yesterday when FC Ryukyu demolished Ehime FC 6-0 at home. FC Ryukyu scored 6 goals in a match for the second time this season and also took a major chunk out of their goal differential by dropping it down to -4. There is an outside chance, if things break right for Ryukyu in the final 2 matches, that FC Ryukyu could actually finish with a positive goal differential for the first time in 2 years.
FC Ryukyu MF Koya Kazama: Koya scored the first hat trick for FC Ryukyu since Yuta Togashi (now at FC Gifu) back in 2017, and added 2 assists to finish with an incredible 5 points. Koya found himself in the right spot, at the just the right times and really needed a game like this to break out of that little funk he found himself in.
Review of the Keys to Victory
1. Hit Ehime with our speed. Likelihood 4. Yes. Koya’s first goal was set up by Kawai out running the Ehime defense.
2. Take Niwa out of the equation. Likelihood 2. He never really factored in this game and Ehime only registered 4 shots on net.
3. Do not switch off. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu definitely did not switch off as they kept their foot on the gas for the full 90 minutes.
Takeaways from Match Day 40
1. This was a match where everything clicked, and everything worked to perfection. FC Ryukyu simply dominated Ehime in every category that included a staggering 26 shots, of which 19 were on target. Ryukyu could have easily scored more on a day when it seemed that everyone in the starting 11 was getting on the score sheet.
2.Koizumi’s play was one again phenomenal, and it was his opening goal that provided the early breakthrough for this team. Not really looking forward to see where he signs this offseason, I just hope its for a J1 club in need of central playmaker.
3. There were some visible “sense of relief” moments on many of the faces of the Ryukyu players during this game. In particular, Ren Ikeda broke his 30-game scoreless drought with a thundering header and you could see an enormous weight being lifted off his shoulders in his post goal celebration. These little things near the end of the season matter so much to some players as the small boosts in confidence will carry them heading into 2021.
4. FC Ryukyu tried to get Shinji his goal, but couldn’t. It’s a bit of a shame that Ono couldn’t get on the score card in front of the largest home crowd of the season (3,246) and I really hope he can score one goal on the final home game against Machida Zelvia.
5. Felipe Tavares made his first appearance in over 9 months for the club. We also got some longer looks at Yamaguchi and Hitomi. Tanaka has been red hot as of late so its understandable why Tavares cannot crack the starting 11, but I hope we see a bit more of him before we end the year as I think he could serve a purpose with this team in 2021. Hitomi almost pushed the score line to 7-0 when his ambitious shot from range with the Ehime GK out position, but it bounced off the crossbar. It would be nice to see him get the start up top in the last two games of the year. Yamaguchi almost added an assist, and while he looked good in doing so, I think a majority of that can be attributed to how poorly the Ehime defense played.
6. I am not sure if we witnessed a player voicing his frustrations on social media for the first time here at Ryukyu, but something clearly upset Dany Carvajal before the lineups were released yesterday.
I am slightly concerned about this GK controversy that seems to be materializing in front of us.
The promotion race continues and it was a thrilling weekend of action for the neutral fans who tuned into the games for the top 3 sides. (1) Tokushima Vortis were stymied by (13) JEF UTD Chiba at home. The draw allowed both (2) Avispa Fukuoka and (3) V-Varen Nagasaki to make up some ground on the leaders as both sides won 2-0 on Sunday. I said in the last review, that if the loss to Mito by Vortis was anything more than a little stumble, they could lose out on the title when they travel to Fukuoka to end the season.
The result, while impressive, also occurred in front of the largest crowd this season which should help boost some ticket sales for next year. More on the sharp increase on season ticket prices in the offseason, but for now, this was a great result for the club and was very enjoyable to watch.
FC Ryukyu have two games remaining in 2020 and will play their final road game when they travel to Mito Hollyhock on Wednesday evening. Now only two points off their 2019 point total, FC Ryukyu have a realistic chance to surpass that total with some positive results over their final slate of games.
In normal, non CV19 years, a bottom of the table clash would have a little excitement attached to the game as one, or both, teams try to stave off relegation. While that is not the case this year, this game should feature some goals, and heck, it is the prime time game on Sunday afternoon/evening for DAZN, so sit back and enjoy.
Match Day 7: Ehime FC 1-1 FC Ryukyu
These two teams drew 1-1 the last time they met back on Match Day 7 where a goal by Koya in the 69′ minute leveled the match after an earlier deflection just made it past the outstretched arms of Dany Carvajal. FC Ryukyu should have scored many more as they hit the post, crossbar, and side netting on an narrow miss from a Uesato FK. Abe also failed to score on his breakaway, but he really carried this team on his back to that draw as it was his intensity that led directly to the Koya goal.
Last Match Highlights
FC Ryukyu vs Fagiano Okayama (1-1)
*MD 34 Makeup Game Ehime FC vs. Ventforet Kofu (0-2)
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu: When FC Ryukyu began this stretch of four home games in a row, there were some high expectations that they could win all four of these matchups, and their final home game, to close out the 2020 season. Prior to the match with Tokyo Verdy, FC Ryukyu were undefeated in their previous four home games with three wins and one draw. Well, things haven’t worked out as we might’ve hoped.
Things started off great with a 4-0 win over Tokyo Verdy but FC Ryukyu has gone on to lose 2-0 to Kanazawa as well as draw with Fagiano Okayama this past weekend. Granted, FC Ryukyu have been without their talisman, Takuma Abe, for quite some time, and a lot of changes to the lineup created some disjointed attacks in those games. But FC Ryukyu have a shot this week to right the ship when they face Ehime FC as they’ve been one of the worst teams in J2 this year.
I would expect the lineup this week to look much like the lineup we saw against Okayama beginning with Hitomi leading the line up top, and behind him their should be Kawai, Koya, Koizumi, Koki and Uesato. Higuchi may continue to deploy both Yong Jick and Okazaki, in order to get a longer look at Okazaki before 2021, and joining them should be Tanaka and Numata at fullback. At this point, we have to assume that Higuchi prefers Taguchi over Dany Carvajal in net as the recent track record indicates as much.
FC Ryukyu are 4-4-2 over their last 10 matches but the goals seem to occur in bunches as they’ve been shut out in 3 of those games. While Ehime FC do represent a “get right game” for Ryukyu, Ehime surprisingly have a better win rate away from home. It is good news for Ryukyu that Ehime have only shut out their opponent once in their past 15 games as FC Ryukyu prefer to start games fast by grabbing the early lead. But if FC Ryukyu cannot accrue an early lead with the play of their midfield, they will struggle for goals the remainder of the game.
In the last match preview I spoke extensively about FC Ryukyu needing to evaluate the talent in the reserves before the season ends. That was not the case last week as FC Ryukyu opted for trying to accumulate wins and points which means they need to see that mentality through to the end. It is a shame as we’ll have plenty of questions about this squad heading into 2021, combined with a depleted budget from CV-19, thus making roster decisions that much tougher on the management. We may, unfortunately, see the premature departure of some players who could flourish on other teams simply because we decided to improve our standing in a meaningless season instead of preparing for the future.
Ehime FC: Having already fired their manager, Ehime are listless and adrift at the bottom of the table with nothing but future employment left to play for. This team has been much worse this year compared to 2019 and two of their top three leading scorers are on loan from Sanfrecce Hiroshima which doesn’t provide much hope for this side heading into 2021.
Earlier in the season Ehime suffered through a patch of 10 games without a win but that wasn’t the worst as they endured further humiliation when they lost 5 games in a row. It is probably to nonene’s surprise when they moved on from their former manager after such results. If your trying to glean anything positive about this side in the preview, there is their away record – 21 of their 34 points earned on the road – and Ehime have surrendered two fewer goals than FC Ryukyu on the year.
Shockingly, Ehime won three games during the month of November, which represents nearly half of their total wins. In their last five games, Ehime earned victories over Niigata and Mito, followed by a very spirited draw with Omiya where they scored 3 goals inside of 4 minutes. But the goals have since dried up as they’ve been shutout in consecutive matches at home to Kyoto (0-1) and Kofu (0-2).
In a strange turn of events just last night, Ehime opted to release their leading scorer, Koki Arita, which leaves very little in the attack for Ehime outside of Shion Niwa who has scored three goals across the Niigata and Mito games.
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. Hit Ehime with our speed. Likelihood 4. Kawai and Koizumi are set to crush tomorrow as we know all too well about Taishi Nishioka’s inability to cover speedy wingers and midfielders in defense. Kawai has the speed to create acres of space in the Ehime defense and Koizumi needs to pick him out when he sees Kawai breaking around the edge.
2. Take Niwa out of the equation. Likelihood 2. He has been one of their best players the past few rounds, and now with Arita released, he’s the lone attacking threat on goal. He looks the part of a fine a striker, but not one that either Okazaki or Yong Jick cannot handle.
3. Do not switch off. Likelihood 3. While Ehime are not particularly threatening, when they are overlooked, they can strike back in a big way. The perfect examples of this was the recent game against Omiya when they scored 3 goals inside of a few minutes to level the match, as well as the game against Vortis earlier in the year when they hit 4 in a come from behind victory.
Match Prediction
I am feeling slightly more confident than usual this week so I think we see an exciting 3-1 win by FC Ryukyu.
(1) Tokushima Vortis will secure promotion with a win over (13) JEF UTD Chiba. And they will win the J2 title if both Avispa Fukuoka and V-Varen Nagasaki lose on on Sunday. (2) Avispa Fukuoka need a lot of help to win the title as that will require Vortis to drop points before they meet, but can Fukuoka can strengthen their promotion push with a win and Nagasaki loss. That will be no easy task for Fukuoka this week as they face a resurgent (6) Kyoto Sanga FC side that has beaten 2 out of the top 3 sides in the table on their way to closing out the season. A win by Nagasaki over (12) Tokyo Verdy, coupled with a loss by Fukuoka, would see them overtake Avispa for the #2 position. It is also the free international broadcast this week.
In the past few days Ehime have fired their manager and released their leading scorer, and are probably eagerly anticipating the end of the pain and suffering that 2020 brought them. This is game is a gift wrapped opportunity to grab our 13th win of the season in front of the home crowd. All we need to do is, “get it right back.”
FC Ryukyu let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers this Sunday when they drew one all with Fagiano Okayama at home. FC Ryukyu looked the better side yesterday but could not get the offense firing on a day when Okayama offered nothing in the attack. The notion of cracking the top half of the table this year for FC Ryukyu is officially is dead and buried.
FC Ryukyu LB Keigo Numata: Numata provided the assist on the Hitomi goal but also sent a lovely cross into the box in the first half that Koya Kazama really should have buried for the early lead. Yes, he was also responsible for the handball that led to the PK for Okayama, but he recovered well to set up the tying goal.
Review of the Keys to Victory
1. Brace the left with Speed and Tenacity. Likelihood 3. Yes. Tanaka and Koya did a great job of limiting the impact of Uejo, and Tokumoto, which in turn isolated Yong Jae. Yong Jae was subbed off after 60 ‘ and he never really factored into the game. Uejo and Tokumoto each had one good look on net but that was about it. There were no dangerous crosses from Tokumoto with the lone goal for coming from a PK after a fluky handball by Numata in the box.
2. Pepper the net with shots. Likelihood 4. Yes. Ryukyu managed 11 shots yesterday but only 5 were on target. Once again they started fast in the first half but couldn’t find the breakthrough.
Takeaways from Match Day 39
1. It was encouraging to see FC Ryukyu cut down on the turnovers, but the ones they did commit, were nearly catastrophic. On roughly four occasions, an FC Ryukyu player passed the ball directly to one of the outfield players for Okayama. This led to several quick counters and one dangerous shot on goal but luckily, none of the turnovers actually resulted in a goal. Just elevated blood pressure. I would expect the turnovers to decline with the regular starters back in the lineup, but we cannot afford to live that dangerously in our last three games.
2. The attack was evenly distributed down the flanks. FC Ryukyu prefers to muster the attack down the left with Kawai and Numata, but by evenly spreading the attack down both sides, the offense looked much better compared to the game against Kanazawa. The game progressed in fits and spurts for the most part with FC Ryukyu controlling nearly 60% of the possession. The problem was they ended most drives with shots off target. Still, FC Ryukyu out shot Okayama by a 2 to 1 margin.
3. Shinji Ono had a clear chance to net his first ever FC Ryukyu goal, and he missed it. Maybe Ono is not known for his aerial prowess, but he was unmarked on a corner kick, and had a free header from just outside the 6-yard box. Unfortunately, it looks like he took his eyes off the ball at the last moment leading up to the header, buried his head, and pushed the shot wide of the mark. There are only two home games left this year and I think there will be a very concerted effort on the part of the coaching staff, and team, to get Shinji at least one goal.
A shocking loss by Tokushima Vortis to Mito Hollyhock means the leaders will need to wait at least one more week before they can secure promotion. It also opens the door for both Avispa Fukuoka and V-Varen Nagasaki to possibly catch Vortis if this turns out to be more than a momentary stumble by Tokushima. At nearly the exact moment when V-Varen Nagasaki scored the go ahead goal to bring them within 1 point of Avispa Fukuoka, Fukuoka equalized in their own game. Avispa battled back from a two goal deficit to earn a point against the plucky Zweigen Kanazawa for a huge result that allows them to maintain a two point lead heading into the final three games of 2020.
FC Ryukyu need six points from their remaining three games to equal their point total from 2019. A very doable prospect based on the strength of their final three opponents, but considering that they have failed to win at home in two consecutive games, it’s definitely not a given.
It was great to see Hitomi score his first ever goal for Ryukyu yesterday as it helps soften the blow from the loss of both Abe and Uehara just a little bit. Ryukyu will have a full week off before welcoming in 21st Ehime FC and hopefully the recent CV-19 case at the club is a mild one that can be contained without further spread.
In 2019, FC Ryukyu lost twice to Okayama, 0-1 & 0-2, with Lee Yong Jae scoring all 3 goals for Fagiano. This year it was FC Ryukyu getting the better of Okayama early when they won 2-1 at Fagiano on Match Day 9. Can FC Ryukyu return the favor from 2019 and do the double over Fagiano in 2020?
Match Day 9: FC Ryukyu 2-1 Fagiano Okayama
Much like last game, FC Ryukyu welcome in a side that haven’t had the best track record of late, but have played well against a much tougher opponent in the round prior to Ryukyu. Kanazawa couldn’t buy a goal on the road their past five games but after taking Vortis to the brink, they came to Okinawa and beat us 2-0. Well, Fagiano Okayama haven’t won in six games, but they nearly pulled off the win against Avispa Fukuoka earning a draw in the mid-week. Which begs the question, will this game turnout the same way?
Match Day 38 Highlights
FC Ryukyu vs Zweigen Kanazawa (0-2)
Fagiano Okayama vs Avispa Fukuoka (1-1)
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu: Higuchi admitted after the Kanazawa game that there were far too many turnovers from his side and the bevy of changes to the lineup played it’s part in the disjointed attack. He also mentioned how susceptible FC Ryukyu are to surrendering goals. The turnovers are the easiest fix since the latter point requires a fundamental shift in our defensive philosophy to stem the influx of goals. And that likely won’t happen any time soon.
With relegation off the table this year, all we want is for this team to pull out some home wins at the end. But that comes at a cost. And you need to understand that each season may feel like a sprint, but staying power and advancing your status, like statehood, is a marathon and not a sprint. I want nothing more than to see FC Ryukyu destroy Okayama on Sunday, but the most important task at hand is developing our younger players along with assessing the reserves. That sucks, and it isn’t pleasant on the eyes, I know. But it will pay longer dividends than watching FC Ryukyu destroy a team with our first team starters who couldn’t pull this team out of 18th all season.
We already know the quality commodities in Carvajal, Kawai, Koya, Tanaka, and Koki. I purposely left Koizumi off that list because he will likely depart this club at the seasons end and we need to come to grips with that fact. Taguchi has proven himself a very capable back up goal keeper, and you don’t find that every day, so it would be great to retain his services for next year but he may have flashed enough to earn a shot at a starting job somewhere in J2 next season.
Abe, Uehara, Uesato, and Torikai are all over 32 years of age which means we will need to find suitable replacements for these players. Takuya Hitomi made his debut start at FWD last week and is one of those players who could benefit from more game time at the end the year. If we can retain Abe next season, Hitomi would do well to learn under the veteran striker. We really need a longer look at Hitomi in a more settled lineup to make any real assessment of his abilities, but that probably won’t happen this year.
Ren Ikeda has been asked to do a lot for the club this year. He started in the #10 role to open the year, and looked good, before ceding that spot to Koizumi. He then has been required to fill in at Striker as well as various mid-field positions. He is the most likely replacement for Koizumi when the latter departs, and though we have tinkered with both players in the lineup at the same time, they are identical players that need to see lots of the ball to be effective. So coexistence seems unfeasible.
Defensively we know what we have in Yong Jick and Fukui, and what we had in Okazaki in 2019, which leaves Suzuki and Chinen. Suzuki can make some poor decisions at times and is need of some better coaching to correct his flaws, but has at least put forth some effort this year. Chinen’s season has seen its share of ups and downs as well since he missed time with CV-19, and then briefly returned only to get injured. He has speed, which is nice in a CB, but needs to add some muscle to that frame to deal with the larger forwards in this league. So do all our defenders if we’re being honest. Makito Uehara has been the most exciting young prospect for Ryukyu this year, and I have always said that he is better suited in the CDM role with his size/speed combo than FB.
That leaves us with four players that the book is still out on. Ichimaru came to Ryukyu during a time when the team was desperate for healthy mid-fielders. But he hasn’t done much to impress and finds himself in a bit part role these days. He may not be that expensive to keep in 2021, but at this point, he may be taking away playing time from the other players we need to see more of since we have plenty of tape on Ichimaru. Motegi, like Chinen, had his season derailed by CV-19 and needs a quick injection of confidence. If he is fully recovered, a fact that no one may ever know when dealing with CV-19, then he needs to be in the lineup. He looked good to start the season but as failed to make the impact that many had hoped for when he signed from Mito this offseason.
I cannot foresee Yamaguchi as an everyday starter for the club. But his skills could be used as a second half sub that can stretch tired defenses with his speed. Like many of the players in the last section, he too dealt with a mid-season injury and drop in form. Out of all the players mentioned so far, Yamaguchi needs these last few games to show out. Which brings us to the final player that has been so much of an enigma this year, Felipe Tavares.
The RB has featured only once for FC Ryukyu and that was during the first game of the season against JEF. There has never been any word on any injury, or reasons as to why he hasn’t made the bench in the last 37 games. The only thing we have seen of him are the brief sightings at the end of games standing on the sidelines. Tavares more than held his own against J2 competition, in fact, he was an asset in both the attack and defense. He created at least seven chances from the RB spot as well as added a few shots on net in his lone game this year. He is as tall as some CBs in this league which means he can be a valuable weapon set pieces. Something we’ve struggled with this year. Look no further than his header from a corner kick that hit the crossbar that first game. Yet, Higuchi has not included him in the lineup. Granted, Tanaka’s emergence at RB has been a revelation, but certainly there is a place for Tavares on this team.
Fagiano Okayama: I am not quite sure of the circumstances surrounding the demise of Okayama this year. They started out fine, but then a 4 game winless streak shortly thereafter dropped them into the bottom half of the table, a position they were never able to recover from. There were some injuries to key players, most notably, Yong Jae who missed 12 games with an Achilles injury. Yong Jae has scored 6 goals this year, but is not in the same form he was in 2019 when he scored 18 goals and added 4 assists.
Some familiar names top the scoring leaders for Okayama in Satoki Uejo and Shuhei Tokumoto. Uejo has improved dramatically after his rocky start to the season and now leads the team in goals with Tokumoto leading the team in assists despite missing five games this season. Tokumoto has even worn the captain’s arm band for Okayama on four separate occasions this year.
As mentioned earlier, Okayama are winless in their past six games, going 0-3-3, with their last win occurring over a month ago. There were some tough games in that slate but after two consecutive losses to Matsumoto and Tochigi, Okayama looked much better in their draws with Kitakyushu and Fukuoka.
Okayama nearly pulled out the win against Kitakyushu as it was only the post that kept them from three points. They played Fukuoka tough and were pressing them the entire game for the winner, however, the shots they sent through the Avispa traffic were tracked the entire time by Serantes. It has been the play of Uejo and Yong Jae the past few rounds that has carried this team as Uejo has scored two goals in the past three games while Yong Jae bagged the equalizer against Fukuoka on Wednesday.
One thing to watch out for tomorrow is the set pieces from Okayama. Uejo can score from the freekick spot, as we’ve all seen before, and Yong Jae can create the separation and space to get on the end of crosses into the box.
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. Brace the left with Speed and Tenacity. Likelihood 3. Fagiano’s strength is down the left side of their attack with Tokumoto and Uejo. Luckily for us, that is probably our strongest side in defense (right side). The speed of Tanaka and Yamaguchi to recover in defense will help, as will their tenacity to dispose the attackers. Tanaka never gives up, and Yamaguchi has a lot to prove by playing hard tomorrow so if we can choke out the Okayama attack down the left, it will give our CB pairing a chance to reduce Yong Jae’s impact on the game.
2. Pepper the net with shots. Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu cannot afford another performance like the one against Kanazawa, so I would assume they will do more to get better shots on goal tomorrow. Though neither defense is particularly strong, Okayama defenders invite shots far too often which bodes well for us if we can get the attack rolling.
Match Prediction
I think the former FC Ryukyu boys make a triumphant return to Okinawa and help Fagiano Okayama to a comfortable 2-0 win.
Match Day 39 in J2
(1) Tokushima Vortis will look to close out one of the promotion slots this week when they travel to (12) Mito Hollyhock. A win secures them promotion, but a (2) Avispa Fukuoka loss to (15) Zweigen Kanazawa would give them the title. (3) V-Varen Nagasaki’s tough road continues when they host (7) Montedio Yamagata in a win or go home game.
I am not sure if this game will turn into some sort of shootout on Sunday, but I have been wrong before. FC Ryukyu will face a team for the second consecutive game that are buoyed with confidence after facing a tougher opponent in which they earned a favorable result. But, FC Ryukyu do play up (and down) to their competition so this game could go so many different ways tomorrow.
One thing is certain though, FC Ryukyu need to cut down on the turnovers and mental mistakes that plagued them during the last match. If they can move in space with minimal wasteful passes, we could see them get the win.
Disjointed, out of synch, and wasteful is the best way to describe the result from last night’s loss to Zweigen Kanazawa. FC Ryukyu had several chances to grab the early lead, but failed to do so. This allowed Kanazawa to take charge of the match early in the second half and grab the easy win.
Zweigen Kanazawa MF Raisei Shimazu. The guy scored a ridiculous goal last night, possibly a contender for goal of the year, and put this game out of reach for FC Ryukyu.
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Possess and Press: Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu had the foot on the gas early but failed to get across the line. The possession rate was high, but so were the turnovers and missed opportunities. The turnovers in the second half really killed any forward momentum and prevented them from scoring.
2. Get Koya firing Again: Likelihood 4. Koya didn’t start, and when he came on as a sub, coupled with the aforementioned turnovers, he could not get into any rhythm.
Key Takeaways from the Match
1. Turnovers killed us last night. It was difficult to keep track of the number as there were so many of them. And they occurred at both ends of the pitch. The ones in the attacking area derailed many of our attacks and led to our players exerting more energy that necessary to defend the quick change of possession for Kanazawa. The ones in our end provided Kanazawa with very short counter attacks. FC Ryukyu were lucky to leave the first have level due to a poor turnover that gave Kanazawa a free look on goal with no defender in sight. It was only because of a mental error on the part of the second Kanazawa attacker that resulted in an offside call. The turnovers in the second half completely killed off any chance of equalizing the game.
2. A major contributing factor for the failure to score last night was the bevy of changes that Higuchi made within the FC Ryukyu starting 11. Still without the services of Takuma Abe and Shinya Uehara, Higuchi turned to Hitomi to lead the FC Ryukyu front line. Additionally, Yamaguchi made his first start in quite some time and Ichimaru started over Uesato in the CM. These three players have very little time to make their mark before the season ends while 2021 contracts hang in the balance. Therefore, you cannot fault these guys for trying to “shoot their shot,” but that led to the attack taking a very different look than weeks past.
Ichimaru had a rough night last night as he was a major contributor in the turnover category for this side. Yamaguchi came close to scoring twice, but was off the mark on both occasions. Hitomi had a great chance to score off a Koizumi pass, but the shot went high over the keeper. In the case of Yamaguchi and Hitomi, these can all be contributed to a lack of playing time. As far as Ichimaru is concerned, it was just one of those days where he was due for a bad game.
3. @Kanazawadreamin was right in regards to the fact that playing a much tougher opponent the game prior, and achieving some level of success, buoyed the confidence and play of Zweigen. Kanazawa had zero wins, only two goals scored, along with ten conceded, over their last five road games coming into last night. That meant, when they play a lesser opponent, and the level of push back is much less, then things will seem easier for them. I would expect much of the same this Sunday when Okayama come to Okinawa after drawing with Avispa.
4. The midfielders will be expected to lead this attack for the remainder of the year as there has been no word on the status of either Abe or Uehara. Without a true talisman up top, FC Ryukyu will need to grab early leads to see out wins. Hitomi will get a chance to cut his teeth these last few games so he will need to step up in a big way to help this side. The good news is, if he does, we could have a very young prospect up top for years to come. If he doesn’t, then FC Ryukyu have some tough questions to answer heading into 2021.
Tokushima are now one win away from securing promotion, and two wins away from winning the league. Avispa Fukuoka were unable to defeat Okayama but still have a four-point lead over Nagasaki who lost to Kyoto Sanga FC. Kyoto have pulled off quite a nice “hate and discontent” run here at the end as they have beat 2 of the top 3 sides in the table, and thus delayed the promotion race for a bit. Kyoto face Fukuoka in 10 days and a win there could really boost the chances of Nagasaki pulling off a comeback.
In a meaningless season for this team, the only thing that counts at the end is effort. The players did put forth a good amount of effort yesterday, but it wasn’t focused in the right areas so the end result was ugly. With four games remaining, all any of us want to see is for this team to end the season on a high note. That means nothing more than wins at home.
In the midst of a four game home stand, and coming off one of their most emphatic wins of the season, FC Ryukyu will try and keep the good times rolling when they face Zweigen Kanazawa on Match Day 38. Kanazawa got the better of FC Ryukyu the last time these two sides met thanks to a goal deep in stoppage time by Rodolfo.
The win came during one of Kanazawa’s best runs of five games unbeaten, whereas the loss was the third in a row for FC Ryukyu. Zweigen are a shell compared to the team that at one point registered 2 games with 5 goals scored, as they’ve are now one of the worst teams when it comes to conceding. However, FC Ryukyu are only slightly better off in the goals conceded category yet still trail Kanazawa by one total goal scored for the season.
FC Ryukyu: Easily their best month this season, FC Ryukyu notched four wins and one draw from the eight games in November. The four wins are impressive as it nearly matched their season win total (6) up to the start of that month. FC Ryukyu’s home form has also been quite good the past five rounds as they are undefeated, winning 4 out of 5, with the lone draw coming against Giravanz Kitakyushu.
The fact is FC Ryukyu navigated a very treacherous slate of games this past month that not only included games against 3 out of the top 4 sides in the table, but also 2 sets of back-to-back road games, with 3 midweek matches. The easing of the fixture list, coupled with 4 out of their remaining 5 games to be played at home, now puts FC Ryukyu in a position to make a nice end of season run.
So will it be Dany or will it be Taguchi this game? Dany seems to have lost his spot to the reserve keeper the past four games for no apparent reason. If there was an injury to Dany, we would never know it, but Higuchi seems to favor the “hot hand” approach as of late. Despite the fact that Taguchi, like Dany the game prior to his demotion, surrendered 3 goals yet Higuchi has stuck with him. You have to believe Dany is the long term answer at GK for FC Ryukyu, so it is best we get him back in there before the season comes to a close.
It will be some combination of Suzuki, Yong Jick, and Okazaki at CB moving forward as Fukui has made way for Okazaki in the reserves. I do not believe Chinen is fit enough to return but Okazaki’s inclusion, along with that of Shinji Ono, Kazuki Yamaguchi, and now Takuya Hitomi, has meant that promising fullback, Makito Uehara’s development, has taken a back seat. This is unfortunate as Uehara needs more games to develop before being thrust into the lineup when relegation is a real possibility in 2021.
We may classify Tanaka and Numata as defenders in the 4-2-3-1 formation that Higuchi deploys, but in all reality, they are wing backs who are more involved in the attack than defense. It works really well when FC Ryukyu controls large swaths of the game, aided by talent we possess in the mid-field, but leaves us very vulnerable at the back when their is an ill-timed, poorly executed challenge from one of our central defenders.
Koizumi was simply unstoppable this past game but I fear the knock he took to his right foot may prevent him from featuring this round. He could be replaced by either Ikeda or Yamaguchi, who will likely be flanked by Koya and Kawai. Uesato and Koki Kazama should take up their normal starting positions at CDM.
It would be nice to see Abe return to the lineup, which would allow Ren Ikeda to drop back to the CAM role in the event Koizumi is out, but if Abe and Shinya Uehara are not match fit, than FC Ryukyu do have a few options. They could start Ren or Hitomi at FWD, and then make a switch to Yamaguchi or Ono later on. Everyone would like to see Shinji Ono score his first ever goal for FC Ryukyu, and this game presents one of the best, last, chances to do just that.
Zweigen Kanazawa: We’ve been on a poor run for most of the last two months, with some occasional flashes of good play.
In the attack, we don’t really have any big worries as indicated by our goal scoring record. Mutsuki Kato is edging towards the Zweigen single-season goal record of 16 – currently sitting on 13 – and Towa Yamane has been doing quite well up front after missing the first half of the season. Rodolfo and Taiki Watanabe have formed a nice combination down the left side of our attack as well.
Our problems are mainly at the back. We have a terrible goals against record, and we conceded 4 goals in a game 4 times in the month of November. Center Back, Ryoga Ishio, has played every minute of every game and taken several knocks to the head along the way. He clearly needs a rest, despite being a very good defender, because his form has dropped off compared to the high standards he set early in the season.
The manager, Masaaki Yanagishita, seems to be trying out different combinations and players in different positions with an eye on next season. He seems to have a prominent role in mind for midfielder Toshiya Motozuka.
The main player to watch tomorrow is Yota Shimokawa, who has been by far our best player this season. He can play left, or right, wing/back, and has even had a go in the central midfield spots. He is deadly accurately with either foot on crosses, and also leads the team in assists. If he’s in the lineup tomorrow, expect most of our attacks to funnel through him.
Even though we lost 4-3 to Tokushima this past match. Our comeback from down 0-3, to level at 3-3, versus arguably the best side in J2 right now, provides some hope that we maybe able to end this current slump, and finish the season on a high note.
Thanks again to our man over at @Kanazawadreaminfor putting this Zweigen Kanazawa preview together for us on such short notice.
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. Possess and Press: Likelihood 4. Kanazawa are hemorrhaging goals at the moment whereas FC Ryukyu are coming off one of their largest wins to date. If FC Ryukyu can play their preferred, possession based style of football, they should have ample opportunities to score on Wednesday. The slight worry is that FC Ryukyu will be without their top playmakers in Koizumi and Abe. But they still have enough firepower in Koya, Kawai and Tanaka to light up the scoreboard.
2. Get Koya Firing Again. Likelihood 4. The veteran was in fine form just a few matches ago, but the combination of some easy misses and bad luck may have caused a slight drop in confidence. It is just one of things that players go through from time to time, and Koya is in the midst of an unlucky stretch right now. He missed a chance to put FC Ryukyu up early last week before having another shot saved from point blank range. He has formed a nice partnership with Keita Tanaka this year, and it was working well the last time these two sides met, so hopefully Tanaka can spring Koya for a goal in order regain some of the confidence that was lost the past few weeks.
Match Prediction
@Kanazawadreamin outlined the fact that Zweigen conceded 4 goals inside of 4 games this month. Maybe FC Ryukyu don’t have all the pieces to make this a convincing victory on Wednesday, but I think they have enough to push the score line to 2-1 for the win.
This pressure to close out the promotion race seems to be increasing each game. Match Day 38 presents the best, and possibly only, remaining chance for (2) Avispa Fukuoka and (3) V-Varen Nagasaki to make up some ground on leaders (1) Tokushima Vortis. Vortis host (4) Giravanz Kitakyushu in the premier matchup this round as both Fukuoka, traveling to (15) Fagiano Okayama, and Nagasaki, traveling to (10) Kyoto Sanga FC, have easier matchups on paper.
Nagasaki has the toughest remaining schedule of the top 3 as they will face Kyoto, Yamagata, Verdy, and Kofu before the final match day. Fukuoka has the easiest schedule of anyone and Vortis may have the league wrapped up by Match Day 40. While the final game looms large for both Avispa and Nagasaki, Vortis may rest some players ahead of their Emperor’s Cup match if they win the league, thus allowing Fukuoka a cake walk into the J1.
Just your typical, end of the year, teams at the bottom of the table, tilt tomorrow. Both sides have experienced their fair share of ups and downs this year while looking nearly equal on paper heading into this one. A slight advantage is afforded to FC Ryukyu as they are at home on the short week, but they could be devoid of much of their playmaking ability due to injury.
Still, being undefeated at home with 4 wins out of 5, and 10 goals scored compared to only 2 conceded in that time, it sure is good to be “home sweet home.”
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