(21) FC Ryukyu vs (14) Fagiano Okayama #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu and Fagiano Okayama both enter this match in the midst of a four game winless streak, but from very different perspectives. FC Ryukyu have lost their last four (4) games in a row, have been outscored 14-5 during that span, and have yet to win at home in 2022. Fagiano Okayama started the season off with two wins an one draw before losing and drawing their last four matches, that have counted. Okayama had their recent win over Montedio Yamagata overturned due to a misinterpretation of the rules by the official thus forcing a replay at some point this season. It is anyone’s guess how this game will turn out as neither side has lit up the scoreboard in recent weeks.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

Overcast skies and comfortable temperatures so long as the rain holds off until after the match.

Click>>>> Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: If Ryukyu somehow manage to win their next two games it will only match their worst start to a season since being promoted to the J2. If not, I am sure you can figure out what it means. But we are talking about a relatively small sample size as this is only their fourth season in J2. Ryukyu are rapidly approaching the quarter mark of the 2022 campaign and have equaled their lowest point total to start any season. In 2020, Ryukyu eked out just four (4) draws in their opening eight (8) fixtures but were able to notch consecutive wins on match days nine and ten to finish on ten (10) points. For now, things must change, and in must change in a hurry.

That notion presents a bit of a challenge for Ryukyu as they are down to two healthy strikers while deploying more of a false nine formation with Kiyotake and Ikeda up top. To his credit, Kiyotake was heavily involved in the match last week and with the return of Kusano following his absence last week due to loan restrictions, and the eventual return of Paso from international duty, Ryukyu will be getting back some reinforcements up top. This should provide a little boost to the much maligned Ryukyu attack as Kusano has been one of our best players to start the season.

The bigger problem resides on the defensive side of the house where Ryukyu have conceded the most goals in J2 this year, possess the worst goal differential of any team in the league, and are hemorrhaging goals at the rapid rate the past three weeks. Last week Ryukyu surrendered three (3) goals in rapid succession to find themselves in a massive hole to dig out of at the twenty minute mark of the match. Ryukyu may have been a bit unlucky as one goal stemmed from an errant clearance that fell right to a Yokohama attacker while another was a cross that went through a slew of Ryukyu players before being teed up by Sho Ito thus leaving Taguchi no chance at saving the shot.

Is it a question of talent and skill at the back in defense? Possibly. Is it the tendency to set up the side in order to play it out from the back which results in turnovers in dangerous areas and lack of possession? Quite possibly. Is it a matter of effort on the part of the players? Definitely not. To date, Ryukyu have played from behind and lost in three (3) of their eight (8) games; surrendered a lead twice resulting in losses, drew level and still lost the game once; maintained an even score line to end in a draw one time; and managed only one (1) come from behind win (their only win this year). If you remove the Renofa own goal from that game, Ryukyu have never hit the three (3) goal mark on their own in any game this season.

We pretty much have to deal with this going forward as the winter/spring transfer window for the J-League has closed though I am not sure if loan moves are permitted in between now and summer transfer window opening up. The more concerning part of all of this as a supporter is watching how the players react when they concede goals or find themselves playing from behind once again. So far there hasn’t been too many dropping heads or screaming at one another, but when disbelief and frustration does start to creep in, it can be more lethal to a team than just the goals they concede.

Fagiano Okayama: Okayama have gone 1-2-2 in their last five games. You do have to go back an extra week since their most recent win was overturned but the record is still the same. Knowing that, their last win is further back than Ryukyu’s last win this season but Okayama does have a very good record for getting results against FC Ryukyu (4W3D1L).

Okayama found themselves in a 3-0 hole against Zelvia that included an own goal and then a red card in the 74th minute. Fagiano did pull one back despite being down to 10 men but that was with only about ten minutes and stoppage time remaining. Okayama really controlled the pace of the game against Yokohama FC and were awarded with a 18th minute goal to take the lead. Their lead held all the way till the 88th minute when a YFC corner kick made its way into the back of the net to end this one in a draw.

It was a different situation the following week at Omiya where the hosts jumped out to an early lead before losing both of their GKs to injury. However, Okayama didn’t level the match until the 5th minute of stoppage time against one of the Omiya outfield players who was filling in at goalie. Against Morioka at home, the newly promoted visiting side seemed to have all the good chances in this game and only needed their 18th minute goal from a set piece to see out the victory of Fagiano. Though their most recent game has since been overturned for a replay, it should be noted that it took Okayama until stoppage time once again to score what would have been the winning goal despite the lengthy man advantage they enjoyed for much of this match.

Okayama do not really concede a lot of goals, but they don’t necessarily score a lot either. They also seem to struggle slightly when playing with a man advantage. I guess this is what you would expect from a side in the middle of the standings. They’ve only conceded more than one (1) goal once this season but have also only scored more than one (1) goal in a game once. They’ve comeback to win, or draw, a match twice, while playing from behind or surrendering a lead two times this season. Okayama has only played one match in which they scored the opening goal and maintained the lead for the entire game. Something Ryukyu have failed to do at all this year.

There is one more thing surrounding this Okayama side, which could be something, or it could be nothing, and that is the amount of controversy or injuries concerning goal keepers in their games. First, the incumbent starter, Togo Umeda, blew out one of the ligaments in his leg during the Zelvia match. Second there were the injuries to both Omiya Goalies in that game and finally there was the most recent incident involving the handled back pass from the Montedio Yamagata goalie that saw him incorrectly sent off to tilt that game. Hopefully the bad luck falls on Okayama this week and not Ryukyu.

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

No change from last week. Win by any means necessary.

The Hot Seat

A loss by Ryukyu this week will match their longest losing streak in the history of the club while in the J2. Ryukyu lost five (5) games in a row back in the summer of 2019 under Higuchi and were outscored 16-2 during those games. In the other two seasons under Higuchi, Ryukyu’s longest losing streaks were limited (?) to just four (4) games. A feat that Kina has already achieved.

While the amount of consecutive losses are always concerning in any season, there is much to be said about the results proceeding, and following, the breaking of those streaks. In 2019 Ryukyu had lost two games in a row, won once, embarked on the five game losing streak, won, then lost another three (3) games in a row without managing a single draw in those twelve (12) weeks. The mid to late 2021 season saw Ryukyu on a bit of a rollercoaster ride where they’d lose one, draw one, and then win one which proceeded, and is included, in the stretch of games that saw Higuchi removed as manager. Higuchi’s worst 10 game stretch as manager that year resulted in Ryukyu amassing five (5) points (1W2D7L) and Kina is nearing this dubious feat every passing week without a win.

J2 Round 9

Not many matches between teams inside the top 6 or top half of the table this round. (4) Vegalta Sendai vs (7) Renofa Yamaguchi stands out as the one match where teams are near each other in the top half of the table with most dispersed between either ends of the standings. Despite there not being as many high profile games on the slate, there are a few matches between teams trying to maintain their position in the table, and those that are looking to continue some of the momentum they’ve recently built up and make their push upwards.

Three teams remain undefeated headed into Match Day 09 (Yokohama, Verdy and Vortis), yet one of those teams is in 13th place! Tokushima Vortis have only managed one win in their opening eight games but have drawn an astounding seven times this season. The free J-League International YouTube broadcast this week will feature our very own FC Ryukyu. It is the second broadcast for Ryukyu this season as well as the second consecutive time they’ll be featured at home. Let’s hope the weather holds and we win. The link can be found under the picture.

J-League YouTube *Click>>>>* FC Ryukyu vs Fagiano Okayama

Conclusion

It is going to be a long, slow, methodical, and at times, painful climb for Ryukyu out of the bottom of the table. A win this weekend maybe not even be enough to pull them out of the relegation zone depending on how thigs shake out in the games with teams both above and below Ryukyu in the standings. But none of that matters right now as Ryukyu need points, and in bunches, as the gap between them and relatively safety continues to widen. Come on Lads!

(1) Yokohama FC vs (21) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

Well here we fuc**** go. Ryukyu get their crack at the top dog in table this week when they travel to Yokohama FC on Sunday. A place of infamy for those Dany Carvajal fans out there as it was there in 2019 that Ibba collided with him, to which he landed awkwardly on his ankle, and pushed him out of the lineup for a lengthy (1.5 year) recovery. It resulted in Dany losing his starting job but that should – but probably won’t – change this week with Taguchi suffering from a serious case of shell shock, and Ryukyu searching for answers to so many problems in the early stages of the 2022 season.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info

Looks like it will be a comfortable day to enjoy football. I cannot provide you the match day info at the moment as there seems to be a problem with official YFC site. No matter.

Team Previews

Yokohama FC: Undefeated, League leaders, what else do you need to know? Below is the video of their recent win over Montedio Yamagata this past Wednesday.

FC Ryukyu: Imagine being the worst defensive team in the league, desperate for goals, and being without your top three goal scorers this week? Oh wait, do not wonder, that is FC Ryukyu on MD 08. Both Abe and Noda suffered hamstring pulls, and though there has been zero indication from Ryukyu as to the extent of their injuries, rest assured that neither will feature on Sunday. And then there is our best player, Yuki Kusano, on loan from YFC, that is prohibited from playing against his parent club. A recipe for disaster.

So, I stated in earlier blogs that Ryukyu need to focus on small areas to improve during training, and no area is more pertinent this week than finishing games strong. Ryukyu have the uncanny ability of simply not showing up in the second half of games which has led us down this current path. But why? Do teams easily adjust to our game plan at half? Do we lose focus? Or better yet, do we fall victim to the old adage of Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance? I am inclined to believe the latter. It is absolutely shocking to watch a side start strong only to limp off after the final whistle. Look no further than our goals scored by each half this season as evidence.

One thing that must be sorted before Sunday, actually starting on Friday, is who will fill in at striker in the midst of our injury crisis. We could easily slot Kiyotake or Ikeda up top but then what? Ryukyu roster 10 defenders and dress about 7 each week yet are the worst defensive team in the league. That seems odd so we need a serious injection of offense sooner rather than later. That maybe hard to come by considering Paso is out on international duty and we have very few options to turn to. Hitomi is the likely candidate to dress with Vinicius right behind him. And I seriously doubt the attacking MF from Vietnam, Vu Hong Quan, who isn’t even registered on the official site (shameful) despite joining the club last week, or Vinicius, will make an appearance.

So many questions with so few answers. The reality of our situation is we now face a daunting, lengthy, ugly, relegation battle so brace yourselves for that roller coaster ride. We are just two points shy of a slew of teams above the drop zone, and while it is still too early to think about promotion for some teams, it is never too early to fear relegation. And trust me, we face that sobering idea right freaking now.

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

It doesn’t make a bit of difference under current circumstances. Simply find a way to win. By. hook or by crook, I really do not care.

The Hot Seat

I am introducing this section, not as a joke, as I certainly don’t champion the notion of another person losing their job, but as a sanity check along the way. Football (soccer), like all sports, is a performance based industry but with football, more than any other sport I know of, teams are keen on changing managers quickly to reverse some of the catastrophes that have befallen a club. With that in mind, let us take a quick look at what Kina has done in charge compared to his predecessor, Yasuhiro Higuchi.

Though Higuchi was relived in 2021 following a run of 7 games without a win (1 draw and 6 losses), 2019 stands out as the worst season in general for the former manager. Between June and September of that year, Ryukyu managed only 2 wins and 2 draws from 15 games. That was the first of the midseason slump we’ve now become accustomed to down here. Higuchi’s longest winless run came at the start of the 2020 season when Ryukyu didn’t notch their first win of that year until match day 9.

This will be Kina’s 16th game in charge of FC Ryukyu beginning in late 2021 when he took over for Higuchi. That year, with relegation pretty much off the table, Kina closed out the season with 3W4D1L record. So far his record this season stands at 1W1D5L. Perhaps we maybe a bit premature in thinking Ryukyu will move on from Kina if the losses continue as they gave Higuchi plenty of leash throughout his time as manager. But Higuchi had two things going for him that Kina does not at the moment. First, Ryukyu started fast and built a nice cushion of points in two of Higuchi’s seasons which buffered Ryukyu from relegation when they began to struggle. Second, despite the 8-game winless streak to open the 2020 campaign, there was no relegation that year so a lot of emphasis was placed on getting through a jammed fixture schedule while dealing with the challenges of playing and traveling during CV-19. Kina does not have either of those luxuries this season and is probably why many of us are greatly concerned as to where this team is heading.

J2 Round 08

(2) FC Machida Zelvia vs (7) JEF United Chiba, and (3) Tokyo Verdy vs (9) Oita Trinita seem like the tasty matchups this week with the free J-League International Broadcast featuring (5) Tochigi SC at home to (12) Zweigen Kanazawa.

Conclusion

Sunday is my son’s birthday, who by the way, is a huge FC Ryukyu fan that has the luxury of not realizing what is playing out in front of him this year. He simply loves to watch the team. Therefore I will follow his lead and simply love the club, like I’ve done since 2014, and just pour my heart and soul into them with no expectations.

Rivalry Week #FC琉球

Intro

The first of two games this season that seem, in my mind, to have a little something extra behind them compared to rest of the schedule. Ryukyu and Verdy, not your traditional derby or rivalry, but one born out of some interesting set of circumstances and results. Ryukyu enter this match in a down state with only one win in their past five games while suffering some heavy, and deflating defeats. Verdy, on the other hand, enter this match with serious momentum having not lost this year and recently securing a heroic draw at Yamagata during the weekend. Maybe we can throw the stats out the window for this one but they are hard to ignore.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info

It looks to be awful this Wednesday night here in Okinawa and I believe we played Verdy in similar weather conditions when FC Ryukyu were first broadcast to the world on the J-League International YouTube channel back in 2020.

Click>>>> Match day 07 Information from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: 1 win and 4 losses in their past 5 games while being outscored 12-7. Conceded the most goals to date and possess the worst goal differential for any team in J2. Sit just one point above the bottom of the table but find themselves squarely entrenched in the relegation zone. That is not the type of script that fans for any team want to read. But that is the reality we live in and one I am not sure will change anytime soon.

Ryukyu were demolished at Oita Trinita last week after losing their third consecutive home game by a score of 2-1 just a few days prior. I mentioned in the recap last week that the results prompted the owner/chairmen of the club to issue a statement. Following that tweet there was an email sent to the fan club members asking for their opinion on certain areas of the club and then a cryptic tweet by former Captain, Kaz Uesato, telling the fans of Ryukyu that support is needed now more than ever. Strange set of events to take place in such a short span of time, or just a coincidence?

I think all Ryukyu fans know that there are plenty of games left this season to turn things around but expectations must be severely tempered as to what we should hope to achieve in 2022. The immediate goal should be to improve small areas of play within training and start seeing some marked improvements in these areas during games. In the interim it should be to start stringing some better results together with the long term goal of pushing themselves far away from the relegation zone. Anything more would just be the cherry on top of the sundae as the goal of promotion seems extremely distant at the moment.

As I have stated throughout the past few years, FC Ryukyu has quasi-established a rivalry with Tokyo Verdy during their time together in the J2 based on some heated encounters and shenanigans from both clubs. While some key members from both clubs that were a large part of this manufactured rivalry have moved on, there is always a set of games that carry a little extra weight each season and tomorrow’s game should be no different.

Tokyo Verdy: 3 wins, 3 draws, have hit the 3 goal mark twice this season and sitting in third place. Probably the best start to any season in recent memory for Verdy as they look to climb out of the J2 and back into J1. A place they haven’t been in 14 seasons. Verdy have 3 wins and 2 draws over their last 5 games with big wins over Tochigi and Zelvia; hard fought draws against Vortis and Yamagata; and a 1-0 win over Gunma who had three goals wiped off the board.

The one thing that stood out from all of Verdy’s highlights is they are absolutely relentless. Not sure if that is due to work rate, attitude, or coaching but it all seems to be clicking for Verdy at the moment. What really makes Verdy lethal is their ability to score from all areas of the pitch and on all types of plays. Verdy are led by Ryuji Sugimoto, who joined from Yokohama FC this winter, and who already has 4 goals and 1 assist this season. Another winter arrival, this time from Vortis, is central midfielder Ryota Kajikawa who is second on the team with 1 goal and 2 assists.

But what I think speaks volumes about Verdy is that eight different players have found their way onto the scoresheet which somehow doesn’t include last year’s top scorer for Verdy, Junki Koike. Toru Takagiwa, yet another winter arrival from the J1, was the top choice keeper up until the last round at Yamagata and was looking in fine form before his disappearance. I am not sure if he is currently dealing with an injury or has fallen out of favor with the manager but his absence could provide a little glimmer of hope for FC Ryukyu this week as Verdy looked shaky in net last week.

Ryukyu may hold the slight advantage when it comes to the overall record between these two teams (3 wins, 2 draws and only 1 loss) but as stated earlier, these two teams are on a completely different trajectory right now. Verdy’s only win between these two sides happened back in 2019 in Okinawa to the tune of 5-1 and I fear we could see a repeat performance of that disaster tomorrow.

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. Boot & Blast. Likelihood 2. Ryukyu cannot afford to get cute, especially in their own penalty area, as Verdy punish teams that fail to ‘clean up the garbage’ in front of goal. Though Ryukyu prefer to play it out from the back, they shouldn’t take any chances on clearing balls in dangerous areas as it is better to live and fight another day then find yourselves in a massive hole.

2. Ryukyu must be clinical on limited opportunities. Likelihood 1. We saw both Gunma and Zelvia fail to capitalize on some limited opportunities and they both paid the price. Ryukyu haven’t generated a lot offense as of late and therefore they must score on what little chances Verdy affords them on Wednesday night. This may only come in the form of set pieces and CKs which seems to be one of the weaknesses for the overall strong Verdy squad.

J2 Round 07

I don’t think there is any one game that stands out above the rest as a must watch this round but there are several intriguing matchups on the slate. Can league leaders, Yokohama FC, remain undefeated when they host Montedio Yamagata who themselves are coming off a heartbreaking draw in extra time against Verdy? Okayama v Iwate and Kanazawa v Kumamoto could be tasty for the neutral viewer and can Oita, Kofu, Nagasaki and Ryukyu reverse some of their fortunes this week?

The free J-League International YouTube broadcast this week will feature FC Ryukyu at home to Tokyo Verdy. The link to the broadcast can be found under the picture.

***Click>>>>*** FC Ryukyu v Tokyo Verdy J.League Int’l YouTube

Conclusion

I love the games between Ryukyu and Verdy and I am eagerly awaiting how Ryukyu responds in the face of so much adversity. A win tomorrow would certainly ease some of that pressure as well as provide a much needed boost to the supporters who have yet to see their team win at home in 2022. All hands on deck for this one!

(21) Oita Trinita vs (20) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

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.

Click>>>> Match Day 06 Info from Oita Trinita

Team Previews

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.

***Click>>>>*** J-League Int’l YouTube Channel

Conclusion

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!

(16) FC Ryukyu vs (22) FC Mito Hollyhock #FC琉球

Intro

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.

Click>>>> Match Day 05 Information from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

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.

Conclusion

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!

(6) Renofa Yamaguchi FC vs (21) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

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.

Click>>>> Match Day 04 Information from Renofa Yamaguchi FC

Team Previews

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.

Conclusion

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.”

(10) FC Ryukyu vs (19) JEF Chiba United #FC琉球

Intro

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.

Match Day Info and Weather Forecast

Looks very favorable for this weekend.

Click>>> Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

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.

MD 01: FC Machida Zelvia vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

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?

Match Day Info and Weather Forecast

Rain all day to open the season.

Match Information from FC Machida Zelvia

Team Previews

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.

MD42: (14) Tochigi SC vs (9) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

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.

Click>>> Match Day 42 Info

2. Round 41 Recap

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.

Looks like the J-League chose a good one to broadcast to close out the season. Click>>> J.League Int’l YouTube channel

7. Conclusion

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!

Come on Ryukyu!

MD 41 Preview: (9) FC Ryukyu vs (6) Albirex Niigata #FC琉球

Intro

Oh what could’ve been! Many fans, both Ryukyu and Niigata, may have earmarked this game at Match Day 21 as a potential title decider, but alas, it is not the case. Both of these sides screamed out of the starting block, both will ponder where it all went wrong. But here we are nonetheless on Match Day 41 with nothing on the line short of another win in what is, for both teams, a lost season.

Weather & Match Day Info
Previous Match Day Highlights
Round 40 Summary
Team Previews
- FC Ryukyu
- Albirex Niigata
Keys to Victory
Round 41 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Info

I am going to try and re-introduce the notion of tailgating to the Okinawan faithful so screw the weather. FC Ryukyu will also try a CV-19 Vaccinated only supporter section. Probably no cheering but at least no masks. But hell. It will be windy. Match Day info from FC Ryukyu

2. Previous Match Highlights

Tokyo Verdy 1-1 FC Ryukyu

Thespakusatsu Gunma 0-0 Albirex Niigata

3. Round 40 Summary

FC Ryukyu achieved something remarkable this past Sunday. Taguchi saved two PKs in a single match and though I cannot locate the J-League stats, that feat has only been accomplished 7 times in the entire history of the English Premier League. The unremarkable part was we couldn’t muster a single shot on net the entire second half while Higuchi was besieged ala Verdun circa 1916. The sheer amount of shots on net is enough to give any man shell shock yet he stood his post until the 89:45 mark. Well done for him, sad for those that couldn’t support that tremendous feat.

4. Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: Today is a tough day for this blog. Hiro Ikema, @cafedecampnou, has decided to hang up his boots as the head of the FC Ryukyu supporter group after nearly 21 years at the helm. Something he told me on Thursday but did not make official until Friday. I want to spend a little bit of time talking about what he has meant to me and the club.

The man hails from Miyako-jima, came to Okinawa for high school, and picked up the mantle as the head of the Ryukyu sappo in 2003 when FC Ryukyu first came into existence. His first ever encounter with the club happened when he approached the club in 2003, when they thought he was a sponsor, when he was simply seeking info on the club. He has been a staple, more like an ambassador, for this club since that time appearing in numerous printed articles, interviews, providing meals to players, teaching supporters how to cheer, and one of my good friends. It was “Hiro,” as I know him, that brought me into this fold when the only thing red I had to wear at games was an Arsenal kit. He greeted me at every home game despite our language barriers, adopted me into the Ryukyu family as one of their own, and was the driving force behind this blog. When I voiced my frustrations about the lack of English language coverage for this team on the way home from Omiya in 2019, he simply said, “start an English blog.” Genius! I know many of you because of him, all of which I am thankful for.

I have been lucky, more like fortunate, to know this man and share with him many memories. My memories include the J3 title lifting game; the Tanaka missed PK in 2016 when I shouted WTF; joining him and supporters on the pitch that same year to take a photo with the team after an Emperor’s Cup match win; breaking bread at my house; but most importantly, when I was new to the club he asked me and my family to partake in a group photo at the end of 2014, my first season supporting FC Ryukyu. A photo I seek to obtain to this day.

The man’s legacy can never be matched down here because it can only be carried on and celebrated.

Albirex Niigata: Whatever hit Ryukyu has also hit Niigata. Going 1-3-1 in their last 5 and with one of their best players linked to a move to J1, what ya got on Sunday Niigata? It so unfortunate that, yet maybe not unexpected, Niigata feel from the top. Like Ryukyu, Niigata are prone to fast starts and mid-season collapses. Yet, this is not an entry to talk about failures, it’s more to applaud what each other has done.

I always thought Ryukyu and Niigata were playing with house money at the start of the campaign. Could they keep the pace? No, and that sucks.

5. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

At this point my expectations are managed. Are yours?

6. Round 41 in J2

Likely trophy lifting time for Iwata while the relegation battle hits its crescendo. (18) SC Sagamihara hosts (22) Matsumoto Yamaga in a death match to determine each others fate. Lose, and go home, if Sagamihara win, enjoy J2 in 2022. (21) Ehime FC have one last shot at redemption on the road at (11) Mito Hollyhock or else they’ll be enjoying the rainy nights in Gifu next year. Same could be said about (20) Giravanz Kitakyushu when they host (15) Tochigi SC. Which leaves us (19) Zweigen Kanazawa with it all left to do at home to (7) Montedio Yamagata. The promotion/relegation battle could be done and dusted come Sunday evening but there maybe a free broad cast on the J.League Int’l channel I just can’t locate it though. Click>>> J.League YouTube Channel.

7. Conclusion

The last time we will see this team for at least 8 weeks while they go on break and head into 2022. And they will do so with Kina taking over the permanent managerial duties. Let’s just get loose in the stands while celebrating some goals FFS. Miss that feeling so much (less time in the bathroom I suppose, or more?).