Not exactly the type of response we were hoping for out of FC Ryukyu this week when they got tuned up 4-1 away from home after a deflating 2-1 defeat at home just a few days ago. The loss has prompted the owner/chairman of the club, Keishiro Kurabayashi, to issue a statement on Twitter following the match asking for patience with the club as it is a long season, not to worry as results will come, and to direct any opinions or criticism directly to him.
I am not exactly sure how to take that message as on one hand I agree that it is a long season and results will come, but there hasn’t been any encouraging signs that things will improve. On the other, it seems odd to be issuing a statement like this as someone in the management department has clearly identified that there is a problem which may require some drastic changes. Changes that the club rarely executes mid 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. Just run at em. Likelihood 1. This certainly wasn’t the case as Ryukyu only had about 10 minutes of run of play inside the first half where they looked threatening
Match Day 06 Takeaways
1. Changes: We finally got some changes within the lineup, most notably Dany Carvajal back in net, but the results were the same. Woeful defending, turnovers, failure to maintain possession and offering nothing in the attack. Seems like a recipe for disaster. Perhaps a switch back to a 4-2-3-1 will unlock some of the players as Ren Ikeda is far better in the center of attack than out wide.
2. The backline and defending: OOOFFF! That was hard to watch.
3. Abe’s injury: Subbed on and limped off with what looks like a hamstring injury. Expect no news and a lengthy absence for Abe.
Conclusion
There are still 36 games to go in this season and we should probably start treating each individual game as their own individual season moving forward. If things are going to change, they will change through fits and spurts of good play. Get a good result, try to keep the momentum going. Take a set back, review what went wrong, attempt to make the changes during training, and put the result out of your mind.
Ryukyu have a full week off before playing at home midweek versus a somewhat rival in Tokyo Verdy. They should take some timeout during the week to reflect on what has transpired and try to change just a single aspect of their play that they can execute well during their next game.
Ryukyu need to deliver a response following their third consecutive defeat at home this past weekend. This requires Ryukyu to do something they rarely do this season, gain and maintain a lead. In the lone game that Ryukyu scored first, they surrendered that lead late which ultimately resulted in a loss. Outside of the opening fixture, there hasn’t been one fixture that any of us can point to as a dominating performance by Ryukyu. Much like we needed to get that first victory of the season, we need to start stringing together better results.
Weather Forecast and Match Day Info
The game will be played inside a dome so weather shouldn’t be a factor. However, the short week and travel will be something that Ryukyu need to contend with.
Oita Trinita: Oita was the other team whose season was delayed due to a CV-19 outbreak in the squad and who have also yet to earn a victory in any competition this season. Currently second from bottom on three points, Oita will look to bust out of their slump with a very beatable FC Ryukyu coming to town.
A trio of 1-1 draws with some demolitions mixed in sums up Oita this season. That doesn’t bode well for Ryukyu as we’ve seen first hand how bad we are at putting teams away. Oita does have one advantage, they’ve played – and surrendered – with leads this season. They managed a draw at Kofu late on despite seeding much of the play to their opponents; took the early lead vs YFC but lost it; allowed Mito to get out in front before equalizing with a spectacular goal; led and then were blown away vs Nagasaki and then led for all of one minute vs Renofa before ceding that lead.
Hirota Goya, yes that same man who terrorized Ryukyu while at Nagasaki in 2019, is the player we need to look out for on Wednesday. Other than that, Oita, like Ryukyu, are struggling to string results together but have the advantage of playing at home on a short week.
These two sides haven’t met since the 2016 season when Oita were down in the J3 for their lone season before winning the league and being promoted back to J2. Ryukyu did have some strong performances against Oita back then and nearly defeated them twice that season. Keita Tanaka and Yu Tomidokoro are the only members of that Ryukyu squad currently on the roster from that year but that really doesn’t mean much. This will be Oita’s 8th game of the season as well as their third mid-week match of the young campaign. Perhaps some early fatigue on the part of Oita may level the playing field for both sides this Wednesday night.
FC Ryukyu: One thing Ryukyu have going for them is following a 1-2 defeat at home this season, they usually win. That is a bad attempt at some comedic relief as Ryukyu have only played one game away after losing at home this year, but there might be something there with that logic as Ryukyu have earned all their points away from home.
Something is off with the team this season and I am not sure what it is. Gone are the days of Higuchi’s hard practices that led to a lot of fatigue and injuries inside the squad but perhaps the discipline he was instilling during those training sessions has also dissipated. I hope players are not viewing their time here in Ryukyu as nothing more than the sunset chapters of their careers as whatever Ryukyu were attempting to build the past three seasons is quickly eroding.
But more importantly, Ryukyu need to find a nasty streak/killer instinct during games in order to start putting teams away. Ryukyu have eclipsed the single goal mark only once this season yet have conceded 2 goals per game during the last month. Ryukyu have a ton of veteran players, most of the starting 11 are around, or older than 30 years old, and we need these guys to get going to pull this team up. Too often it feels as if Ryukyu get ‘lucky’ on goals instead of purposefully working the ball around the pitch and into open spaces.
Last week Ryukyu reverted back to Okazaki and Yong Jick at CB. And the results were the same as the previous three weeks so that leaves us nowhere in defense. Ryukyu have not shut out an opponent since round one and that was when we had the combination of Omori and Nakagawa manning the back. Maybe the short time between matches for Ryukyu will allow one, if not both, of these players back into the fold. There really isn’t many other changes Ryukyu can make throughout the midfield and attack without knowing the fitness of some players or their availability.
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
Just run at em. Likelihood 1. Oita cave under pressure, and so do we, so who will assert themselves first?
J2 Round 06
There are two games early in the week which I assume are scheduled to support both Oita’s and Tokushima’s Levain Cup participation with the standout fixture of this round featuring (2) Vegalta Sendai hosting (4) Machida Zelvia.
The J-League International YouTube Channel free broadcast this round will feature (19) Mito Hollyhock at home against (15) Roasso Kumamoto.
Show us something, anything, before we find ourselves at the bottom of the table at the end of this round. It is still early enough to course correct and get back in the thick of things but with every dropped point, it becomes harder and harder to see this side competing for anything other than avoiding relegation. Good luck boys!
FC Ryukyu failed to win at home for the third time this season and did so by the now all-too-familiar score line of 1-2. Things are not great at the moment and thankfully, or regrettably, FC Ryukyu have another game in quick succession to put this one out of their memory. Luckily for Ryukyu that game is on the road where they seem to be acquiring all their points these days.
Match Highlights
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Weather the early Mito storm. Likelihood 2. Mito were right on schedule with this one and hit their opening goal right at the 15 minute mark. Unbelievable that we knew this was coming and allowed Mito to dictate all of the early play. This is more infuriating than regrettable.
2. Harass Mito inside the box. Likelihood 3. The lone Ryukyu goal came within the box but they failed to follow that up with any sustained pressure.
Takeaways from MD 05
1. Despite owning a majority of the possession, it really didn’t feel like Ryukyu controlled the game from our view in the stands. Mito had ten corner kicks, of which it felt like 5-6 of those occurred within the opening 20 minutes of the first half and Ryukyu once more succumbed to the constant pressure from an opponent. On that note, opponents are probably content with allowing Ryukyu loads of possession as they cannot seem to do much with it other than pass it between the center backs and full backs.
2. Game was nearly over at the 18-minute mark. Mito scored a lovely goal in the 15th minute following a corner kick, which to his credit, Yong Jick defended as best he could. The problem was the rebound fell directly to a wide-open Mito player that sent a phenomenal shot into the top corner. Mito then had another corner kick just two minutes later that bounced off the crossbar and into a dangerous area inside the Ryukyu 6-yard box that was somehow cleared off the line.
3. Ryukyu cannot put teams away. While they were able to claw their way to victory last week, Ryukyu were not able to put Mito away with a second goal despite some good chances at the start of the second half. Failing to score the go-ahead goal led to a costly turnover inside the Ryukyu half and the eventual Mito winner. We saw something similar to this a few weeks ago against Iwate and out of the 450 or so minutes played this season, Ryukyu have led for just 69 total minutes.
4. Whole sale changes are probably warranted. Ryukyu need to find a spark somewhere and more importantly, sustain that momentum during games. Taguchi’s confidence is getting rocked by the constant turn style defending in front of him and perhaps he needs a break. The Ryukyu attack just isn’t producing the goals and I am not sure where they turn to find the answer. Perhaps the introduction of some players who rarely feature is a start but the one player we would’ve liked to see up top, Sittichok Paso, has left for international duty during our goal scoring drought.
5. Kina’s seat is officially getting hotter. Kina has been in charge of Ryukyu for 13 matches dating back to 2021 and owns a 4-5-4 record with a 16:17 goals scored/conceded ratio. His record last season was far better after inheriting Higuchi’s squad but that was at a time when Ryukyu had no fear of relegation or promotion. We all wanted to see what Kina could do when given an entire offseason, and ability to bring some of the players he wanted, and so far the results are not good. Maybe the management gives Kina another 5-6 games to see if he can get the club moving in the right direction but that includes games against 5 teams that currently sit inside the top 6 positions of the table. What can we really expect from Ryukyu, and Kina, during these games?
Round 05 in J2
Albirex Niigata earned their first win of the year; Kanazawa surrendered a two goal lead before pulling out the victory on the road at Akita; and the much ballyhooed games between Okayama/Yokohama and Verdy/Zelvia ended in a 1-1 draw and 2-1 win for Verdy. As mentioned by @JTalkETJon from the JTET Pod Cast, it is still too early to tell what will shake out for the promotion, and relegation battles, but we should be seeing the signs of who are the real contenders and pretenders this season.
Conclusion
Ryukyu struggled mightily on the road during the 2019 season and it seems those fortunes have been reversed this year with Ryukyu struggling for points at home. Attendance has been on a steady decline the past two games and will probably not pick back up until Ryukyu start stringing together some better results at home. It sort of feels like we are adrift at sea with little idea of how to turn things around.
FC Ryukyu are fresh off their first win of the season and looking to double that win total when last placed FC Mito Hollyhock travel to Okinawa on Saturday. Ryukyu had to battle back twice from deficits at Renofa Yamaguchi last week but hopefully that performance has calmed some nerves of the fans as well as steeled the reserve of the Ryukyu players. Mito enter the match in the midst of a four game winless streak which makes this a bit of a trap game for Ryukyu who may be feeling their oats after their last win.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
The forecast calls for partly covered skies with little chance of rain. That is banking on the fact that a pretty nasty storm front clears out on Friday. We all know how weather works down here in Okinawa so prepare for the worst and enjoy better conditions if they should occur. Or just drink more to forget about how terrible the weather (hopefully not the match) actually is while you’re standing outside.
FC Ryukyu: That first win should provide a little sense of relief, as well as some boost in confidence, for Ryukyu heading into match day 5. We all wanted to see a Ryukyu performance indicative of their first game last Saturday, obviously not the previous two rounds, and we got just that last week. Now it is time to build on that momentum from the Renofa match and notch another win in what could be Ryukyu’s first home victory of the season.
Last week it was the ‘old guard’ of FC Ryukyu that pulled them through so perhaps we need a bit more of that this game. Abe’s goal from a corner was spectacular; Kiyotake’s header looked accidental (but we’ll take it); and Ryunosuke Noda’s first goal in over a year and half was a well taken shot from a breakaway. Speaking of Kiyotake, he had an interesting game last week in that he scored the equalizer, assisted on the winner, but was a bit off the mark for parts of the match. He nearly allowed Renofa to take control of the game when he sent a misguided pass directly across the top of the Ryukyu box and onto the foot of a Renofa attacker. Luckily Taguchi was up to the task and parried it away from danger thus keeping the one goal deficit in tact.
Heading into this matchup it is anyone’s guess as to who Kina will start as Ryukyu have been pretty consistent on rotating players in and out of the starting eleven all season. Ikeda returned last week from a one week absence, Yu Tomidokoro seems to have secured one of the starting CM roles over Kazuto Takezawa, Abe and Kiyotake both started, Yuki Omoto made his first start at RB, and Rio Omori has gone missing the past two weeks thus allowing Yong-Jick a return to the bench. It is great to have all these options but it likely leaves the side a little unsettled. Perhaps Kina is deploying a strategy of forcing players to earn the starting role each week compared to that of his predecessor who based it solely on name brand recognition, which is a good thing. What isn’t a good thing is needing the offense to get going and shifting many players around who cannot get into any sort of rhythm. I guess we’ll see this week.
Hopefully we see a return of Keita Tanaka at RB this match as he was seen at practice throughout the week but there is no telling how is rehabilitation from last season’s injury is progressing, or if he is ready to go. If he does play, I would expect a limited appearance until he gets back up to match fitness. One player that Ryukyu will definitely be without for the extended future is Sittichok Paso who will be joining the U-23 Thailand national team for the Dubai Cup in the U.A.E. Personally, I think Ryukyu are wasting a great opportunity to capitalize on having a Thai player in the squad when it comes to marketing and actual playing time. We need to find a better way to incorporate him or else we shouldn’t be wasting his, or our, time by rostering and failing to market a player like Paso.
FC Mito Hollyhock: Here is the tale of the tape so far: (1) Mito have suffered two defeats by a score line of 2-3 and have only managed a single point from their first four matches. (2) Mito can be prone to both fast starts, 4 of their 5 goals have come within the first 15 minutes of games, as well as lackluster finishes, 6 of the 8 goals conceded have occurred in the second half. That is the reality facing Ryukyu on Saturday.
Mito’s season was delayed by a week due to a CV-19 outbreak at Oita so they opened their campaign during week 2 at home to Sendai. Mito controlled the majority of play to open the game and their efforts were rewarded with an early goal before a handball/PK wiped out that lead in the 32nd minute. Sendai went ahead in the 74th minute but Mito quickly equalized two minutes later when Kazuma Takai took the most direct route ever seen inside the box to put it into the top of the net. However, Mito switched off near the end by conceding a goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. Against Akita the following week both sides traded numerous chances before some nervy run of play from both teams saw Akita score the eventual winner.
Mito played Oita in the midweek to make up for the previously postponed round 1 and once again they looked the better side to start the match. Mito opened the scoring in the 7th minute from a good nice run of play but, in keeping with Mito’s luck to date, Oita equalized from a very nicely taken shot inside the first half. Finally, and probably the most deflating performance to date, was Mito’s 2-3 loss at Yokohama FC where they surrendered a two goal lead in that loss.
Mito’s most lethal player is Kosuke Kinoshita, who joined from the Urawa Reds this offseason, and who has two goals and one assist this season. Mito has only defeated Ryukyu twice in the short span of their time together in J2 with their most recent win occurring at Ryukyu back on matchday 25 last year when Ryukyu were beginning their too often predictable mid-season collapse.
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. Weather the early Mito storm. Likelihood 2. There is no doubt that Mito start matches very fast as indicated by their goals scored/conceded ratio mentioned in the team preview section. Mito are very adept at hitting teams on the counter attack, which means Ryukyu need to survive the first 15 minutes of this match in order to take control of the game. Easier said than done for Ryukyu as this exact type of pressure caused us to concede early in the game last week at Renofa.
2. Harass Mito inside the box. Likelihood 3. A preponderance of Mito’s conceded goals have occurred in and around the 6-yard box. Ryukyu need to put more quality shots on net to cause some chaos and confusion in the Mito defense as well as inject some better crosses into the attacking players who should find space to operate on Saturday.
J2 Round 05
A couple of tilts at the top of the table this week with (5) Fagiano Okayama looking to rebound from a heavy defeat at Zelvia when they host league leaders (1) Yokohama FC, with (2) FC Machida Zelvia traveling to face (3) Tokyo Verdy in a bit of a derby match. Most of the other games this round see a lot of teams in the bottom third of the table squaring off in order to jockey for positioning. There is the lone, albeit odd, Monday afternoon kickoff this week between (13) Roasso Kumamoto and (14) V-Varen Nagasaki.
The free J-League International YouTube broadcast this week will feature (12) Albirex Niigata at home against (12) Ventforet Kofu and the link can be found below the picture.
So it is kind of a big weekend for both the club and the supporters. First, it is Jin-Beno Day (the official mascot of Ryukyu) and there are a ton of giveaways and special seating at the stadium. Who doesn’t love J-League mascots? Second, Yu Tomidokoro, aka Mr. Ryukyu, celebrates 250 matches in his J-League career along with Yuki Omoto celebrating his 100th game in which commemorative plaques and towels are available for purchase. Third, a win here for Ryukyu could be a nice launching pad to further success along with an uplifting first home win for the fans.
But finally, and most importantly, this is the first match of the season that I will be able to attend in person. So brace yourself Okinawa, the Commander of the Ryukyu Army is inbound!
Well it certainly feels good to get the fist win out of the way. It was by no means easy, but FC Ryukyu finally notched their first win on Saturday with a 3-2 road win over Renofa Yamaguchi FC. Ryukyu had to overcome deficit twice in this game but the win has propelled them out of the relegation zone with many more questions still needing to be answered.
Match Recap
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Clean up the garbage in front of goal: Likelihood 3. Umm, Renofa’s second goal was just that. So no!
2. Remain calm when Renofa’s chaotic play takes hold: Likelihood 4. I feel as if we got sucked into this a bit throughout the match.
3. Do not wait for the perfect goal: Likelihood 2. 50/50. We scored from a very nicely worked set piece. a Kiyotake header, and a turnover but couldn’t quite get things going.
Match Day 4 Takeaways
The Cavalier Kiyotake: Sure, he scored and assisted on another goal but his turnovers nearly cost us and honestly, up until that goal, he looked a better sub than starter. That pass across the front of our box that Renofa capitalized on was inexcusable and luckily Taguchi got to the shot.
Numata is done: Nothing there to indicate he has anything to offer in the attack or defense. Replacing Numata at LB means shifting Fukumura from CM to LB and could cost us but is probably the better move at this time.
Unsettled at the back: Nakagawa could’ve (should’ve) done a better job handling some of the runs by Renofa but I am willing to deal with these growing pains. Omori’s absence is also a bit concerning considering Yong Jick made the reserves. We need to tighten up back there to give any GK a chance or else we run the risk of easily worked goals from the opposition.
A set Piece Goal? My heart be still but it looks like Ryukyu have worked on these plays this season. Abe’s take was spectacular.
3 points is 3 points: Take them in any form. That wasn’t pretty but it was effective. If Ryukyu struggle like this every week then it will be a long season, but they did right the ship on a pitch were they’ve had little, to no, success, so ley’s take it.
J2 Round 4 Review
Zelvia put Okayama to the sword but it was Yokohama FC’s comeback that stole the headlines this round. Table is very much unsettled so lets not jump to conclusions.
Conclusion
Ryukyu desperately needed that win and hopefully winning becomes a habit around here. If we have to struggle each week for wins like this than this will be a very long season. I do not think that many, despite the early saber rattling, expect Ryukyu to get promoted to J1. Instead, we’d rather see and a consistent improvement from one season to the next. I am not sure we’ve seen that yet.
FC Ryukyu are three games into the season and still in search of their first win. Things will not get any easier this week as they travel to Renofa Yamaguchi, a side that has found much success against Ryukyu at home, and perhaps without some key players. Though it isn’t quite time to hit the panic button down here in Okinawa, we are right to be somewhat concerned with how things have gone so far.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Information
Some favorable conditions for watching football tomorrow.
Renofa Yamaguchi: This side has yet to play from behind in any of their three games to date. However, they have surrendered two of their leads later in matches. After Kumamoto failed to clear their lines in the opening fixture, Renofa pounced on a loose ball in front of net. Then the game turned into a back and forth tilt up to and through Kumamoto’s equalizer. The same could be said about their match with Akita, however, Renofa scored two goals in that game to put their opponent away.
Niigata gave Renofa a golden chance in the second half when Yamaguchi took the lead but once again they gave up a late goal to allow Niigata back into the game. It is hard to tell if Renofa presses well, has a high work rate, or is completely disorganized in both the attack and defense. Each one of their past three games seemed very fast paced where both teams involved had plenty of opportunities to score.
In the six games that Renofa Yamaguchi has hosted FC Ryukyu beginning in 2014, Ryukyu have only won once at the Ishin-Me Life stadium. Renofa only failed to reach the two goal mark in one of those games, the one Ryukyu won, and have hit Ryukyu for more than four goals on three occasions. Those statistics seem similar to what Ryukyu faced on opening day at Zelvia but should provide a little boost of confidence to a Renofa side that isn’t the same whipping boy we saw closing out the 2021 season.
FC Ryukyu: Not the greatest start of a season we’ve seen from Ryukyu, but also not the worst, at least not yet. That honor resides with the 2020 campaign where FC Ryukyu went winless in their first 8 games of the season. That was also the season wrecked by CV-19 and with relegation taken off the table. We have no such luxury this year and though Kina is not technically on the ‘hot seat,’ the heater is at least turned on until Ryukyu can pull themselves out of the relegation zone.
Ryukyu have shown us three different sides in their first three games. First, they put forth such a good effort at Zelvia that gave many of us fans hope that this team could really compete against some of the stronger clubs in J2. Second, they got absolutely demolished at home to JEF which was polar opposite from the performance we saw the week prior. Finally, they looked dominant against Iwate but couldn’t find the second goal to turn the tide and paid the price at the end. What will week 4 bring us?
Katsuya Nakano looks the part and has scored our only two goals of the season. Prior to starting last week he was primarily used as a substitute for Ren Ikeda. Who, has now gone missing from the squad while dealing with a potential injury. The same has to be said about Keita Tanaka who has not featured at all this season. Okazaki made his debut at the back last week but who knows how Kina will continue to rotate the 3 CBs on the squad. One final note, youngster Kazuto Takezawa has also taken a back seat to a veteran in Yu Tomidokoro. I think we are going to see more tinkering of the lineup by Kina until he can find the right combination.
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. Clean up the garbage in front of goal: Likelihood 3. Two of Renofa’s goals this season have come when opponents fail to adequately clear their lines. We have already seen how that bit FC Ryukyu last week and we cannot afford another rendition of that performance against a side who never really gives up inside the box.
2. Remain calm when Renofa’s chaotic play takes hold: Likelihood 4. As mentioned in the team preview section, Renofa plays in a sort of frenzy on both ends of the pitch. This affords them many short counter attacks but also leaves them exposed at the back. Ryukyu need to slow the pace of the game down to force Renofa to press too much and open themselves up.
3. Do not wait for the perfect goal: Likelihood 2. It seems as if Ryukyu are only lethal from inside the 18-yard box and barely take accurate, powerful shots, from distance. I think we definitely have the talent to bag those goals but Ryukyu seems intent on trying to force things into tight, contested areas in front of goal.
J2 Round 4
Only 1 team (Yokohama FC) remains undefeated after three rounds while 6 teams (which includes FC Ryukyu) are still looking for their first win of the year. (3) FC Machida Zelvia vs (2) Fagiano Okayama jumps out as one of the games to watch if you are a neutral fan. But, there is also the free J.League International YouTube broadcast this week featuring (18) Zweigen Kanazawa and (10) JEF United Chiba.
Each round that ticks by without a win to open the season will make most of the Ryukyu faithful a bit nervous. It is not time to abandon all hope if they do not win on Saturday but you would like to see an improvement from one week to the next instead of the yo-yo like performances the past 3 games. Hopefully Ryukyu can put in the same type of performance they did against Zelvia to open the season this week at Renofa and grab that all important win to get the so called “monkey off their back.”
I think all of the Ryukyu fans are chomping at the bit to get another look at this team following a spirited performance on the road at Zelvia last week. In the initial preview of the season I mentioned there were several questions about this side that we as fans wanted to see answered. Well, we now know that Ryukyu is employing a 4-4-2 and doing so with six new members of the team in the starting roles. The formation, and those playing inside it, worked real well, but manager Kina noted in his pre-match interview that some players missed training time recently, but outside of a select few (Tanaka/Abe), I hope Kina doesn’t tinker with that which is not broken for the sake of legacy players.
FC Ryukyu: Despite not winning, or scoring at Zelvia, Ryukyu need to build on the positives from that game. It would be nice to believe that some of the players feel as if they could have won that game and are motivated to come out win the season opener in front of the home crowd. But first they’ll need to tighten up the passing that was slightly off in the opening round as a they couldn’t quite connect on the key passes in and around the 18-yard box when it mattered most. There were more than a few occasions were Ryukyu also turned the ball over cheaply in some very dangerous areas to fuel a short Zelvia counter attacks and some nervy moments.
So let’s discuss some of the questions we had heading into the ’22 campaign. First, who would start in net? It seems as if Taguchi has retained his spot as the first choice keeper to begin the season. Second, what combination would Kina employ at CB? Well, I would say this was a total shocker when Kina started So Nakagawa (22) and Rio Omori (19), and they looked damn good! There are sure to be some up and down moments with these two but there is no way you can put those genies back in the bottle after their performance on opening day. Would there be a change at FB? These remained largely unchanged from last season and I just wonder when we will see the return of Tanaka on the right.
Third, will there be a new formation or new combination of midfielders? Yes, no longer employing Higuchi’s 4-2-3-1, Kina was able to bring some experienced players into the fold that would otherwise of had to compete for one of the two fullback positions. The two central midfielders for Ryukyu were also new players to the team with converted LB Takayuki Fukumura and Kazuto Takezawa, who made his J-League debut on Sunday. Fukumura looked very crisp with his passing and on set pieces and many people are raving about the performance by Takezawa. Ren Ikeda moved out of his central attacking MF role and over to the left with Yuki Omoto, who also converted from his normal RB spot, to man the right. Ikeda looked up for it early but then began to press the situation a little too much which led to some costly missed opportunities. But that is nothing that cannot be fixed within a short span of time.
Finally, who will lead the Ryukyu attack? Shinya Uehara and Yuki Kusano toed the line up top with both strikers bringing something different to the attack. There is no telling if Abe is currently dealing with an injury or was one of the players that missed time earlier due to CV protocols, but it will be interesting to see where he fits in when healthy.
It is only game and we should not get too far out in front of our skis but the initial signs are quite encouraging. If the Ryukyu lineup can be one based off of strength down the spine (GK-CB-MF-FWD) we will all be pleasantly surprised at the heights they could achieve. They will still need to answer the question of, can they avoid the number, and severity, of injuries that has plagued this team for the past three seasons and avoid the consistent mid-season slump? But that is for another discussion.
JEF Chiba United: If you think Ryukyu has something to prove on Saturday, JEF has even more at stake. JEF signed some notable free agents this offseason, including the former Ryukyu man in Koya Kazama, which made it seem, on the surface at least, that they may have assemble don of their strongest teams in recent memory to make a push back into the J1. And then splat! JEF were done in by newly promoted side Iwate Grulla Morioka 0-1 in front of the JEF home crowd.
I am not sure if JEF simply underestimated Iwate or they are going to struggle all season. Much like Ryukyu, there is only one data point to go on at the moment but that was not the most inspiring performance from JEF. Sure, they seem to be the brunt of many jokes and calamitous moments that have only served to fuel these jokes, but they could barely muster an attack against Iwate.
Iwate was dictating the pace of play early on and was rewarded with a spectacular opening goal from a set piece and they continued that trend throughout the game and nearly scored a second with JEF finally mounting an attack in the second half. The JEF players looked visibly upset after the opening goal and even more dejected as the final whistle blew. I think they were really unprepared for an opponent they didn’t know much about, but I don’t believe that will be the case this Saturday against Ryukyu.
Keys to Victory
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
Get after JEF early and often. Likelihood 3. JEF were on their heels all game and didn’t really respond to the pressure that was being applied. Possibly due to a new backline consisting of three CBs that have never played with another before or just a lack of clear direction from the manager. Either way, Ryukyu will need to tighten up the passing in the attack but could find even more space for which to operate with this opponent.
Maintain the aggression. Likelihood 4. Ryukyu were much more physical than we are used to seeing and will need to be just as aggressive against JEF. JEF may have one over on us in the height department this game but after watching Nakagawa and Omori deal with some of the stronger, more seasoned, strikers from Zelvia, I like our chances. This also includes set pieces when we get these two involved. JEF didn’t look particularly good defending set pieces against Iwate whereas Ryukyu looked a completely different side with their deliveries and finishing. There is no clearer example of this than seeing Nakagawa almost hammer home the opening goal of 22 for Ryukyu following a corner kick. Ask yourselves, when was the last time we saw a Ryukyu defender involved like that on a set piece?
Round 02 in J2
Fagiano Okayama vs Tokushima Vortis, along with Yokohama FC vs V-Varen Nagasaki, stand out as two of the bigger matchups this round though some will want to see how Iwate follows up their win at JEF when they travel to face FC Machida Zelvia. Much like Akita last year, and this year as well, Iwate will have to spend the first month of the season on the road due to concerns over the temperatures in those parts of Japan. At least for Iwate they will not have to travel to Okinawa during the high heat summer months as they head this way for Round 3.
Conclusion
Time to find out if Ryukyu can put in consistent, strong, performances week in and week out as well as to welcome back Koya Kazama who was a fan favorite during his time here at Ryukyu. Each side enters this match from a different perspective with JEF trying to prove that the first game was just a fluke and Ryukyu wanting to build on a solid performance and show everyone in J2 they mean business this year.
FC Ryukyu kicked off the 2022 campaign with a 0-0 draw at FC Machida Zelvia this past Sunday. They also started six (6) new players with a seventh featuring in a substitute role. Ryukyu has found success hard to come by in recent years while traveling to Machida so this was an encouraging result to start the year.
Match Stats
Match Highlights
Notes from MD 01
Tenacious defense. I for one was shocked at the lineup Kina rolled out on opening day but the young center backs were a revelation. Both Nakagawa and Omori played really well in that they were breaking up attacks by stepping in at the right moment; clearing balls crossed into the box and even getting involved on set pieces. This is something we’ve never really seen out of Ryukyu in the past. Chinen’s performance last year stood out so much because we rarely had that type of central defender on the roster, perhaps we have two now.
Physicality. Ryukyu played one of the most physical games I’ve seen out of them in quite some time. Ryukyu committed their fair share of fouls on Sunday, but they remained poised despite the amount of pressure that Zelvia piled on in the second half. They certainly didn’t make life easy for a strong Zelvia side.
Started strong, needed some adjustments after half time. Ryukyu more than held their own in the first half and it even looked as if they would score at times. But they came out a little flat in the second half and were beginning to get pulled apart on both sides of the pitch. Zelvia made the necessary adjustments after halftime to dictate a majority of the play in the second but Ryukyu were able to hang on for the draw on the back of a really good defense performance.
A strong base to build on. Ryukyu were sloppy in the attack with some of their wayward passing but that should correct itself after the starters become more acclimated with one another as the season progresses. The encouraging sign is that the defense looked good and I for one would rather have a solid defense to start the season in order to allow the attack to develop.
Around the League
5 draws, 1 blowout and 1 match that was postponed due to CV-19. The newly promoted sides faired well as Iwate grabbed a nice win on the road at JEF while Roasso Kumamoto earned a point on the road at Renofa Yamaguchi. Yokohama FC was the only team that was demoted from J1 to win in the opening set of fixtures with Tokushima Vortis and Vegalta Sendai both playing out 0-0 draws. The big winners from this round was Fagiano Okayama who decimated Ventforet Kofu 4-1 at home behind a strong performance from Tiago Alves.
Conclusion
Not a bad start to the season considering Zelvia often has their way with FC Ryukyu the past few seasons. Ryukyu will open up their home slate for the 2022 season next week when JEF Chiba United make their way down to Okinawa, which means we will see a familiar face in Koya Kazama.
We are back baby! The J2 season is set to kickoff in a few days and this is the first entry of 2022 for this blog. Much like every offseason here in Okinawa, we saw the departure of some talented players with some lesser known names making their way down south to join the club. FC Ryukyu is coming off their most successful campaign in J2 where they finished 9th overall and looking to continue that momentum for a push to the J2 playoffs. Last season we saw Ryukyu flirt with promotion as they were in one of the two automatic qualifying slots just past the halfway point of the 2021 season. But much like the expected talent drain from this club in the offseason, a semi-reoccurring mid-season slump, coupled with several injuries to key players, ended all hopes for promotion. It also ended Higuchi’s time as manager and he was replaced by Tetsuhiro Kina. So what is in store for this club in 2022? Can they have a repeat performance of last year, or are we facing the very real prospect of relegation back to the J3?
FC Machida Zelvia: Zelvia got the better of Ryukyu last year by easily winning the first fixture 3-0 and then drawing 0-0 on the return leg. Zelvia was a lot of people’s Darkhorse promotion team last season when they added some firepower in Chong Tese and Dudu, but it was their defending that let them down in the end. Not be dismayed in their belief that a good defense is simply and overpowering offense, Zelvia signed former Montedio Yamagata striker Vinicius Araujo to the team for 2022.
Zelvia also brought in veteran goalkeeper William Popp from Oita Trinita. Popp played 14 matches last season posting a 3-2-9 record with 3-clean sheets. Perhaps the step up to J1 from Fagiano Okayama was too much for Popp last season so a return back to J2 might be exactly what he needs.
It is hard to imagine but Ryukyu have not won on the road at Zelvia since 2014 (J3). In fact, in their last 6-matches at Zelvia, Ryukyu have only netted a single point, have been outscored 14-3 while being shut out 4 times. I am not sure what makes Ryukyu play so poorly on the road at Zelvia and I am not sure they reverse the trend in the opening fixture of 2022.
FC Ryukyu: As I mentioned earlier in the introduction, Ryukyu saw their yearly exodus of talent this offseason when central defender Tetsuya Chinen departed for Urawa Reds where he will join former Ryukyu stud, Yoshio Koizumi. Chinen was far and away the best central defender Ryukyu have rostered and his absence will be felt across our back line. Once more it will be a competition between the 3-quality goalkeepers on the Ryukyu roster. Incumbent, and likely day 1 starter, Junto Taguchi will try to fend off a now healthy Dany Carvajal who himself stands a better chance of regaining his starter position with the departure of both Higuchi and goalkeeper coach Masataka Sasaki. GK is the only position on the Ryukyu roster with quality depth as Junto and Dany can push each other throughout training and we saw last year that Kosuke Inose can fill in if an injury were to occur to either of the first two GK choices at Ryukyu.
It was no coincidence that last season’s collapse occurred when both Dany and Taguchi were out injured as both of their health will be huge determining factor in where this team will finish in the standings at the end of the year. It was not realistic to think Ryukyu could dip their toes into the transfer waters and find a one-for-one replacement for Chinen in defense, and like so many of the past seasons, Ryukyu did not address the central defense position by signing any high priced free agents. Instead, they opted for youthful exuberance in the form of loans. Rio Omori (FC Tokyo) and So Nakagawa (Jubilo Iwata) might not be the day one starters, but I am excited to see what the can bring to the table. The likely starting duo at CB for Ryukyu will be Ryohei Okazaki and Lee Yong-Jick. Okazaki has never been able to stay healthy during his time here at Ryukyu and Yong-Jick is a converted outfield player trying to learn the position as he goes. Ryukyu signed a few fullbacks to the roster this offseason making defense the most populous position on the 2022 roster.
Keigo Numata will have to fend off last year’s mid-season signing, Takasahi Kinai and this season’s signing from Tokyo Verdy, Takayuki Fukumura, but we’ve seen Numata breakdown as the season wears on so perhaps these signings are more to give Numata a break here or there than actually unseating the starting LB. Over at RB it should once again be Keita Tanaka, who has shown how a player can reinvent himself as Tanaka converted from MF to RB, and it has been a resounding success. He was on a scorching pace last season, 2 goals and 9 assists in the opening half of the 2021 season, before injury ended his campaign. Behind him will be Yuki Omoto (signed from Omiya Ardija) and Makito Uehara. None of these two are likely to replace Tanaka barring injury.
I am under the assumption that Kina will continue to employ the 4-2-3-1 formation that Ryukyu have used during their time in the J2. If that is the case, Ryukyu will once more have Kaz Uesato anchoring the central midfield where he will be joined by Yu Tomidokoro. There is not much central midfield depth behind these two and we’ve seen in the past that any midfielder can step into these roles when asked.
If Taguchi/Dany are the anchors at the back for Ryukyu, then Ren Ikeda is the linchpin for the Ryukyu attack up front. Ren really stepped up last season after the departure of Koizumi, but like so many of our key players, he to succumbed to injury where he fractured a bone in his spine after landing awkwardly from an aerial challenge. Flanking Ikeda on either side will be Koki Kiyotake and Katsuya Nakano who is brought over from Kyoto Sanga FC. Kina could also move any of the forwards on the roster into the midfield roles and there is chance, albeit a very small one, we see the two players from Saigon FC who were brought in on loan. But I have no idea if they have made it to Japan and have been training with the team as all preseason activities have been behind closed doors due to CV-19 protocols.
Takuma Abe returns for his third season at Ryukyu but he too has never been able to complete a full campaign. There is no doubt that Abe is a difference maker when on the pitch, but he usually fades quickly down the stretch and we have never received any word on what injuries have knocked him out for the past two seasons. Ryukyu also see the return of Shinya Uehara for his fourth year at the club. Shinya is an excellent late game substitution to be brought on to attack, or defend, set pieces with his height. He is also versatile enough to play RB when called upon.
There are seven (7) forwards on the Ryukyu roster which is the most I’ve ever seen. Sittichok Paso, who returned to Chon Buri FC in the offseason, and then opted to come back to Ryukyu, certainly needs to see more playing time this year. Perhaps his listing as MF on the official club website may see him more on the pitch in that role vice the forward role he had last season. Takuya Hitomi has returned from his loan spell at Nagano and it will be interesting to see how much he has developed as he was quite raw the last time we saw him in 2020. Vinicius will also return to Ryukyu this season but he rarely featured last year outside of a handful of the J-Elite games and is a true unknown at this point.
Ryukyu did bring in two strikers Ryunosuke Noda from Kyoto Sanga and Yuki Kasano on loan from Yokohama FC. Neither player stands out as prolific goal scorer having never reached the double digit mark in their careers but at least they provide a set of younger, healthier legs for the Ryukyu attack.
Match Day 01 in J2
Plenty of matches spread out through the weekend for you to enjoy. I want to see how the teams who dropped from J1 get on as well as the teams (Nagasaki and Niigata) get on as potential promotion candidates. I do not know if the J.League International YouTube channel will broadcast a match this week so please check their channel on YouTube, as well as their Twitter account, @J_LEAGUE_En, for any updates. And of course, tune in and catch up on all the good stuff the boys over at the J-Talk Extra Time, @JTalkET, have put out the past few weeks in the run up to the season opener.
Conclusion
There are lots of questions that need to be answered concerning Ryukyu under Kina in 2022, to go along with lots of excitement from the growing fan base here in Okinawa. Everyone always hopes for promotion, but I would be pleasantly surprised if Ryukyu somehow snuck into the J2 playoffs. I always look forward to opening day here in the J-League and hope for another strong start to the season for FC Ryukyu.
Don’t look now but FC Ryukyu are on a 4-game unbeaten streak heading into the final match day of 2021. Granted, a majority of those results have been draws – three in a row to be exact – but you’d have to go all the way back to Match Days 10-14 to find a similar set of results for the club this season. On the other hand Tochigi SC are also on a streak of their own as they have won their last two un a row heading into what will be the final match in charge for Kazuaki Tasaka. Perhaps there is some extra motivation for Tochigi to send him off with a win which seems a bit troubling as a Ryukyu fan in an otherwise ‘dead rubber’ game.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Round 41 Recap
Highlights
Team Previews
Tochigi SC
FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Round 42 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Info from Tochigi SC
Some really nice conditions for the last game of the year.
Try as they might, FC Ryukyu couldn’t close out the home portion of the 2021 season with a win. Things started out promising for Ryukyu following a phenomenal first half goal from Shunsuke Motegi but Niigata found it way to easy to equalize in the second half when former Ryukyu talisman, Koji Suzuki, put one of his patented one touch shots past Taguchi. I am not even upset that it was Koji that scored against us.
3. Previous Match Highlights
Giravanz Kitakyushu 1-2 Tochigi SC
FC Ryukyu 1-1 Albirex Niigata
4.Team Previews
Tochigi SC: Tochigi started the season with three straight losses followed by a 7-game unbeaten streak before the wheels really came off the car starting on Match Day 16 with Tochigi going 11 straight games without a win. Somehow their manager survived that barren patch and even managed to win three games in a row following that disaterous run. Tochigi also have this weird thing going where they seem to bunch (3) wins in a row. That has happened twice so far this season with the only other wins over Matsumoto sticking out like sore thumbs in the schedule. As mentioned in the intro, Tochigi enter MD42 on the back of two straight wins which is a bit of an ominous sign for Ryukyu if Tochigi continue this streak of bunching wins together.
Tochigi have earned 20% if their total wins in their last five games with wins over Giravanz and Zweigen which were preceded by losses to JEF and Nagasaki and a draw to Akita. A majority of their leading scorers are on loan and the fact that a CB has the most goals in the side might not be instilling a ton of confidence in the Tochigi fans heading into 2022. The last time these teams met on MD 14 FC Ryukyu were in the midst a four game unbeaten run and defeated Tochigi 4-2 to make it 5 games in a row. I would definitely like to see history repeat itself once more this week.
However, the home side in the last two fixtures has scored 4 goals so with all the streaks occurring for both of these clubs, something has to give on Sunday.
FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu have scored first in every one of their last four matches during this unbeaten run. However, they’ve also conceded first half goals in each of them. Ryukyu managed to regain the lead, or go level, with second half goals against Kanazawa and JEF, but that trend has swung the other direction with Ryukyu allowing their opposition to score in the second half while also failing to grab a potential winner. I am not really sure what to make of that and simply hope Ryukyu can turn things around in their last game to close out 2021 with a victory.
Ryukyu have gone 2-4-1 since the managerial change to Kina and that is certainly a better record than their previous 7-games that saw Higuchi released from his duties. It is still to early to tell how Kina will get on next season as most of Ryukyu’s competition during Kina’s final run in didn’t really have much to play for other than pride. We will need to see how Ryukyu reinforces the squad next season and how Kina sets up a side that was one of the strongest offensively and defensively to open the year.
I would expect that many of the notable players that have already been released to feature on Sunday. Fukui and Torikai for sure, with the smallest of chances for Ichimaru and Tavares. Kina could also go a different direction and give a run out to some of the players the club is considering resigning in the offseason. Maybe, just maybe, we even see Abe make a return to the squad.
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
1. Don’t let Tochigi score from set pieces. Likelihood 3. The Tochigi game plan is clear and obvious to anyone that looks at who is their top goal scorer. They simply play for the set piece and hope to bang one home from the center back.
6.Round 42 in J2
Jubilo Iwata were crowned champions of J2 this past weekend and Kyoto Sanga FC will join them in J1 next season. Matsumoto Yamaga, Ehime and Giravanz Kitakyushu have all been relegated. Yokohama FC, Vegalta Sendai and Oita Trinita will be dropping down to J2, with one relegation spot still to be decided in J1. There is also one relegation spot up for grabs in J2 that potentially hinges on what shakes out in J3 this weekend.
There are four teams heading into this weekend that could be relegated to J3 as indicated by the table above: (16) Thespakusatsu Gunma, (17) Zweigen Kanazawa, (18) Omiya Ardija and (19) SC Sagamihara. Gunma only require a draw at Omiya to avoid the drop but the hosts will want all 3-points to ensure their own safety. Zweigen are hoping that a post-promotion hangover occurs at Kyoto (which we sometimes see from teams ala FC Ryukyu 2018) in order to cruise to an easy victory because a draw, coupled with an SC Sagamihara victory at Tokyo Verdy, will send them packing. Short of a win, and a couple of things breaking in their favor, SC Sagamihara look all but cooked heading north into Tokyo.
Ideally Sagamihara would need Gunma to win/draw, and Zweigen to do the same based on goal differential. But they also need to win on Sunday. However, they also have a small chance to escape relegation if Tegevajaro Miyazaki remain inside the top two promotion spots of J3. Miyazaki do not own a J2 license and therefore are not eligible for promotion. SC Sagamihara’s fate is in their own hands. Win and likely in. Lose and hope either Roasso Kumamoto or Iwate Grulla Morioka fail in their promotion bid.
This will be the last time we see this team together as we know some players are set to move on with more to follow in the coming weeks. Ryukyu has given us so much to cheer about this season and though it has been one crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions for the fans, I have enjoyed every minute of it. It is always a strange feeling coming to the end of a season. Especially one in which you are neither being promoted or relegated. Sometimes you just want the season to end quickly in order to regroup for next year, I certainly felt this way after promotion was off the table, while at times dealing with the fact that there will be no football in Okinawa for another three months. What do you think?
In any event, thank you for taking the time to read this blog throughout the year as well as stick with me during my hiatus. I wish you all the best of health and continued success in the upcoming year. But I especially look forward to seeing you all next year for what should be another interesting, stressful, gut-wrenching, and exciting season in the hell that is J2!
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