21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu have equaled their longest ever winning streak in J2 with their 4th win from 4 this past weekend. Ryukyu now sit second in the table, level on points, with Albirex Niigata and have looked a far better side than we’ve seen these past few seasons. The loss continues to add to the struggles of Nagasaki but I wouldn’t count this team out just yet as there is still 38 rounds to play.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Reviewing the Keys to Victory
Talking Points
Prediction
Match Day 4 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu Mid Fielders Ren Ikeda & Koya Kazama: It was to hard to chose either one so I will go with a joint man of the match for round 4. Ikeda opened the scoring on a spectacular one time volley, and then added his 3rd goal of the campaign which ultimately turned out to be the winner for FC Ryukyu. Ren was set up on both of his goals by Koya Kazama with the second assist being the best of the bunch. Koya received the ball deep in the Nagasaki box, and could have rightly tried a shot from that range but instead opted to send a pass all the way back through the box to the streaking Ikeda who buried the goal. These two could have made it a hat-trick in both departments if Ikeda had buried a wide open chance early in the first half.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Uesato/Koki/Ichimaru/Yu have to play one of their best defensive games of their life. Likelihood 2. The entire team played well under the Nagasaki pressure.

2. Be clinical in limited opportunities. Likelihood 4. And that they were. The only miss that stands out was the Koki Kazama shot that rocked the crossbar and would have put Ryukyu up by 2 goals early. But since Ryukyu have been saved a by the crossbar a few times this year, this stuff evens it out.

4. Talking Points

1. Doing more with less. FC Ryukyu were once again out possessed by their opponent but were able to bend, not break, when Nagasaki were attacking. Ryukyu needed to be clinical in their limited opportunities and they did just that. So far, Ryukyu have been playing a majority of their games this year with a lead so they haven’t been forced to chase a game which could possibly expose the back line. Though it needs to be said, Ryukyu have been very good at allowing the game to come to them instead of attempting to press.

2. There were a few nervy moments early on. Nagasaki’s attack was a little too narrow at the start and our central midfielders did really well to crowd out the top of the box when Nagasaki pushed deep into the Ryukyu end of the field. Nagasaki had two really good chances in the first half with one shot barely missing and the other being a wasted opportunity when Kato went at it alone instead of passing to one of the wide-open players on either side. The lone goal by Nagasaki came after Ryukyu had established a 3-goal advantage and there wasn’t much more Taguchi could have done as the ball bounced through a lot of traffic before Edigar Junio redirected it into the far corner. On that note, Junio made an immediate impact on the game when he came on in the second half.

3. The victory comes at a high price. Takuma Abe went down awkwardly in the 80^th minute when he went sliding in for a cross by Numata. Abe’s left knee dug into the turf which then made it look like his hip was either hyperextended or he did some sort of damage to his lower back. He was forced to crawl over the touch line before briefly returning to his feet to make his way to the stretcher. Abe was in serious discomfort and there is no telling what the exact injury is or how long he will be out until the club releases a statement. It is a big loss for this team since Abe adds more than just goals for the team. His hold up play has been excellent this year and a lot of scoring chances begin with Abe getting the ball to one of the midfielders in space. It will come down to either Shintaro Shimizu or Takuya Hitomi starting at FWD with the veterans Akamine and Uehara spelling either of those two. There is one other option. Ren Ikeda could move into the FWD role like he did last year when both Abe and Uehara were out injured but he is not the same player in that role as Abe and that would leave a void in our central midfield as there has been no sign of Nakagawa up to this point.

5. Prediction

I was way off with my 2-1 victory for Nagasaki. Do not mind that at all. Season Record 2-0-2.

6. Match Day 4 in J2

Ryukyu were not the only side with a shock win this round as SC Sagamihara earned their first ever win – while also scoring for the first time this season- when they defeated Omiya Ardija. Zweigen, Jubilo and Mito all thumped their opponents this round and Akita continues to pile up points in a strong opening act to their inaugural J2 season.

7. Conclusion

Heading into this round I said this would be a statement game for FC Ryukyu and they certainly answered the call. It is still to early to jump to any conclusions but the signs are encouraging. Ryukyu are facing a bit of an uphill battle when they travel to JEF United Chiba this week as it will likely be the first time where there are multiple changes to the starting 11 due to the Abe injury. While Nagasaki represented its own unique set of challenges for Ryukyu, JEF has a completely different set of obstacles to overcome. Ryukyu have never earned a single point off of JEF and they have yet to find the back of the net in the four games these teams have played. Heading into this match without your best forward is not ideal so we will now see how Ryukyu responds in the face of adversity.

Match Day 3 Report: Thespakusatsu Gunma vs FC Ryukyu 3/14/21 #FC琉球

Intro

Ryukyu were forced once more to play in some rather poor conditions, but it wasn’t rain that they were fighting this time, it was some strong wind. Both teams struggled with possession and chances yesterday as they tried to navigate the high winds from both ends of the pitch. However, it was Ryukyu who came out on top when they used the shifting winds to their advantage in the second half. Ryukyu have now opened the season with 3 wins in a row, and sit near the top of the J2 table for the first time since the start of 2019.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Reviewing the Keys to Victory
Talking Points
Prediction
Match Day 3 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

Takuma Abe FWD FC Ryukyu: Abe scored his second goal in as many games and was the catalyst behind the second Ryukyu goal on Sunday. Abe was quiet in the first half while the Ryukyu attack was struggling for possession but asserted himself on his goal when he out hustled the Gunma defender to get to the loose ball and struck the ball on a bounce with his left foot. It was a great effort to get into a position to score and provide the spark that led to the FC Ryukyu breakthrough. He almost added a second from what would have been a spectacular goal when he changed directions mid air to get to a header that clanked off the post, but luckily fell right to the streaking Akamine who slotted home FC Ryukyu’s second goal.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Start Fast, Finish Stronger. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu had to battle some poor wind conditions early on and were unable to get anything going in the first half. However, they did finish strong with 2 second half goals, also the first time they’ve scored in the second half of any game this season, to see out the win.

2. The unsung hero. Likelihood 4. Nope, but that is OK. It was our talisman and one of our best, Abe, who propelled this side to a victory.

4. Talking Points from Match Day 3

1. The wind was a major factor yesterday. Neither team really knew how to play under those conditions, either playing into or against the wind, which severely impacted both sides ability to generate or sustain any possession and attacks. Ryukyu made the right choice to play “with” the wind in the second half, though according to Higuchi, Gunma made it quite difficult on Ryukyu with their pressing play as Ryukyu couldn’t utilize the long ball in the prevailing winds to break that press.

You also saw the hesitation on the part of the goal keepers when balls were sent into the box. They were unable to fully commit to balls in the air, and there were plenty of examples where the flight path of the ball changed direction at the last second. Gunma nearly scored when a shot, that may have been sent high and wide under normal conditions, ended up becoming a very dangerous cross that Taguchi was able to get to the back post to stop. Abe’s goal can also be attributed to the wind as the Gunma keeper hesitated to come out, got a slight touch to the ball, but all that did was drop the ball into a dangerous area for Abe to pounce on. Granted, the darting runs into the box by both Ikeda and Kiyoatake probably kept the keeper back slightly, as well as disrupted his movement when he did decide to come off his line.

It was one of those games where Ryukyu came out on top of the first half by not conceding a goal and then played well enough through the elements in the second half to grab the win.

2. A change to the lineup. Yu Tomidokoro made his debut at CM in place of Koki Kazama, but he was replaced at half time by Koki. Not sure what to make of the move, and it was a difficult opening half for Ryukyu so we couldn’t really see anything from Yu. Assuming that Higuchi is looking at things from the perspective of, “if isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” then we should not expect any real changes to the starting 11 or reserves on Saturday.

5. Prediction

I predicted a 2-1 win for Ryukyu, and it it could have been had Gunma not hit the post in the first half. Still, a win nonetheless. Season Record 2-0-1.

6. Match Day 3 in J2

Niigata and Ryukyu remain unbeaten and atop of the J2 table for another week. Iwata grabbed their first win of 2021, Omiya and Kyoto was called off after some heavy rains (rescheduled for the 24th of March), and there were some surprising results from the newly promoted sides as well as Ehime FC against V-Varen Nagasaki. I think most of us expected the Yamagata and Yamaga, Verdy and Zelvia, matches to end in draws.

7. Conclusion

Job done, 9 points from 9 and now it is time to turn our attention to V-Varen Nagasaki this week. The fast start by Ryukyu mean they enjoy a nice 7-9 point cushion over the bottom four sides in the league. But anything could happen over the course of the next few weeks to shrink that total. Still, it is better to be in this position with these points compared to some of our opponents at the bottom.

FC Ryukyu didn’t win their third game last season until Match Day 12, and they never had a winning streak greater than 2 games in a row that year. You would have to go back to the start of the 2019 campaign to find a winning streak of greater than 3 games, and we all remember how FC Ryukyu started out with 4 wins from 4, followed by 2 draws, which also provided a nice buffer from relegation that year. I think we can also recall how we couldn’t buy a win on the road until the final month and half of that season, as well as the mid-season collapse that seems to be coming a regular occasion for Ryukyu.

Right now, all of us Ryukyu fans need to be enjoying the moment for what it is, a string of great results based mainly on good defense, goal keeping, and a bit of luck. That is not meant to take anything away from what the side has achieved, but we are not even at the quarter mark of the season and shouldn’t be focusing on anything other than survival at this point. But man it has been great and I hope the streak can continue on Saturday as well as through the following weeks.

Match Day 2 Report: FC Ryukyu 2-1 Renofa Yamaguchi FC 3/6/21 #FC琉球

Intro

Another miserable day weather wise, but a successful one as far as FC Ryukyu are concerned. The rain was once again unrelenting, but FC Ryukyu came out on top in front of the 1,100 fans who braved the elements on Saturday. FC Ryukyu now sit on max points near the top of the table, but also 5 points clear of the drop zone. The win was also significant as it is a 6 point swing over one of the teams tipped for relegation.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Talking Points
Prediction
Match Day 2 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Day 2 Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FWD Takuma Abe FC Ryukyu: Abe accounted for nearly half of the Ryukyu shots yesterday and was involved in both of the goals. It was his shot that required the Renofa keeper to parry it out of the corner and drop it right at the feet of Tanaka.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Better Mid-Field Play: Likelihood 4. We certainly had more possession, which in turn meant they created more chances to score. Some of the players are still working out the kinks, but I think the side showed improvement from one game to the next.

2. Get Abe Firing: Likelihood 4. He was firing yesterday, accounting for one of the Ryukyu goals, and nearly bagged two more. He missed a wide open chance early in the second half, one he usually scores, and then smashed another off the post. It’s good that he was involved early and often as we need Abe firing on all cylinders in a few weeks.

4. Match Day 2 Talking Points

1. A tale of two halves. FC Ryukyu were the better side in the first half as they walked into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Renofa, were far better in the second half and were rewarded with the lone goal. Ryukyu couldn’t find the finishing touch in the later stages of the game, something that also occurred last week, but were able to hang on for the win. The game itself ended in a near 50/50 split as far as possession, chances created, and shots.

2. Kiyotake & Koya made an impact yesterday. Both Koya and Kiyotake picked out Abe amongst the sea of bodies inside the Renofa 18-yard box, which directly contributed to both of Ryukyu’s goals. Koya had a chance to add to his earlier assist when he was alone on the right side of the box, but the shot came from a tight angle and was saved by the keeper. The signs are encouraging, but I still feel they lack the thrust through the middle that a player like Nakagawa can provide.

3. Renofa’s goal was a case of Tanaka getting his feet crossed underneath him. You can see from the highlights that he was slightly unsure of where to go on the play. Either put in a challenge, or mark the run of another attacker. That momentary hesitation allowed the Renofa player to get in behind Tanaka, receive the through ball, then pick out a wide open Renofa player making the run-on goal leaving Taguchi no chance at getting to the shot.

4. The lineup remained unchanged. Ryukyu dressed the four forwards once more, and like last week, used the same four substitutes. I would expect more of the same against Gunma.

5. FC Ryukyu scored first which makes it 6 games in a row that they’ve scored first against Renofa. They also scored inside the first minute for the second straight week. The goal also marks the fourth occasion that FC Ryukyu have scored against Renofa inside the opening 15 minutes of any game.

5. Prediction

Tipped this one to end 3-1 in favor of FC Ryukyu so I’ll give myself credit for getting close to the mark. Season record 1-0-1.

6. Match Day 2 in J2

A very low scoring weekend as there were only 19 total goals scored this round. Albirex took the top slot with their win over Nagasaki, with Akita earning their first ever J2 victory. Jubilo responded from their loss to Ryukyu by suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Zelvia. I think Giravanz committed another own-goal for the second game in a row, that made all the difference this past Saturday.

7. Conclusion

I spoke last week about wanting to track Ryukyu’s point total this year based on what I am calling “Points Over Expectation.” It is a completely subjective scaling system where I separate teams into two categories: Those that FC Ryukyu should beat, and those that they should not. The criteria includes, records against the opponent from the past two seasons, implied strength of the opponent (current position in the table and squad members) with home and away splits loosely factored in. The chart below will be included in each weekly Match Report for FC Ryukyu and has 3 categories.

1. Total points earned to date.

2. Points Over Expectation: This includes points earned from Wins and Draws against tougher opponents

3. Points Under Expectation: Tracks the points that were dropped due to Losses and Draws against perceived lesser opponents.

It is to early to get excited about promotion, but not to early to be concerned with relegation. You can say that Ryukyu are winning ugly, or that the team still has things to work out, but wins are wins, and oh so important at this part of the season.

While two wins from two is a great way to start the season, FC Ryukyu need to continue their fast start with a win over Thespakusatsu Gunma next round to put themselves in a great spot heading into a rough stretch of games featuring Nagasaki, Chiba and Omiya.

Match Day 1 Report: FC Ryukyu 1-0 Jubilo Iwata 2/28/21 #FC琉球

Intro

The J-League season kicked off in earnest this past weekend where FC Ryukyu hosted Jubilo Iwata in the opening fixture of 2021. Despite all the weather forecasts predicting a rather nice day to enjoy football, it was anything but with all the rain here in Okinawa. However, the wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the home crowd, or the team, as FC Ryukyu notched their first points, and first home win of the season by defeating Iwata 1-0 in front of 3,800 fans thanks to a Ren Ikeda first minute goal set up by none other than Keita Tanaka.

Match Recap
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Takeaways from Round 1
Match Prediction
Match Day 1 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Recap

https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3505171

2. Man of the Match

Junto Taguchi GK FC Ryukyu: The man was the sea wall that broke the unrelenting waves of the Iwata attack. 24 shots, 11 on target, and a little help from the framework. Junto continued the fine form he was in at the end of last season and despite my reservations, I think it is safe to say, he is the Ryukyu #1 GK moving forward.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Keep the foot on the Gas Pedal: Likelihood 3. Kind of hard to do this when they had less than 40% possession on the day. FC Ryukyu played on the back foot nearly all game.

2. Score from Set Pieces: Likelihood 2. Seeing how we created so few chances, from such little possession, there was only one clear cut chance to score from a CK, that Chinen sent wide.

4. Takeaways from Round 1

1. FC Ryukyu looked well organized at the back. This despite all the talk of attacking football by the manager. The combination of Okazaki and Chinen worked to perfection and Taguchi has probably earned DAZN first team honors this week with his performance. We will have to wait and see if this trend continues as I think when the game opens up to Ryukyu, so too will our defense to our opponents. The fact that Ryukyu were under constant pressure meant they had to compact their defense and play out from the back, but even then, the Ryukyu attackers didn’t help the cause with turnovers on their end that turned into quick counter attacks by Iwata.

2. Some of the questions surrounding the team were answered yesterday. First, Taguchi is the preferred #1 over Dany Carvajal at the moment. Second, and much to my dismay, Ikeda was given the nod over Nakagawa at CAM. We saw this early last year before Koizumi came on to usurp Ikeda, but Higuchi’s faith in Ikeda turned out to be correct as he was the lone goal scorer on the day. Third, Yong Jick was left out of the lineup and Chinen looked very good in his place. Finally, Higuchi dressed 3 reserve forwards in Uehara, Shintaro and Akamine. Considering the depth we have at MF, this was a bit of a shock. Maybe he expected to need the services of so many attacking players if Ryukyu were to chase the game, but that never happened.

3. We finally saw a Central Defender rise to meet a header on a CK. Chinen came close to pushing the score line to 2-0 on a set piece but it was sent wide. However, it was encouraging to see a central defender get involved on a limited number of set pieces, and I haven’t seen a header with that much aggression behind it in quite some time down here.

4. There were some missed chances that could’ve made all the difference yesterday. Ryukyu narrowly dodged some bullets when Iwata hit the woodwork, and Shintaro had a golden opportunity to seal the game late on for Ryukyu only to come up short. He took possession of the ball just inside the halfway line of Ryukyu, turned on the jets, and somehow made it all the way into the Iwata 18-yard box untouched and alone on goal. Unfortunately, the finish wasn’t nearly as spectacular as the setup, as the shot was stopped by the Iwata keeper. I guess we got a small glimpse into the streaky nature of this player.

5. Prediction

I thought this game would’ve ended 2-2, instead, it was 1-0 to FC Ryukyu. Season record 0-0-1.

6. Match Day 1 in J2

V-Varen Nagasaki asserted themselves early against Kanazawa, and then hung on late to win. Akita lost in their J2 debut match, as did Sagamihara, with the grudge match between Zelvia and Yamagata ending 1-1. Perhaps the warning signs are already there for Kitakyushu and Ehime as they were soundly beaten in their opening fixtures.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/tabelle/wettbewerb/JAP2/saison_id/2020

7. Conclusion

It is always nice getting that first win, that first home win, and it is even better when it is on opening day. Iwata was a far better side in the attack yesterday, and thanks to a bit of luck, were kept off the score sheet. Iwata were one of the teams I mentioned in an earlier blog that FC Ryukyu had failed to beat, and would need to beat, if they wished to achieve the lofty target of 80 points. Time will tell and I will keep a log of all the points over, and under, expectation that Ryukyu net in 2021.

The win on Sunday has really put FC Ryukyu in a nice spot to take 9 points from their first 3 matches of 2021. A fast start, similar to the one we saw from Ryukyu in 2019, could provide the same type of cushion from those teams facing relegation come the end of the season. If memory serves me, FC Ryukyu are now undefeated in games that are broadcast on the J-League International YouTube channel dating back to 2019 with a 3-1-0 record. Well, job done and now it is on to Renofa Yamaguchi this Saturday.

Match Day 42 Report: (16) FC Ryukyu vs (19) FC Machida Zelvia 12/20/20 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu closed the books on the 2020 season with a 0-1 defeat to FC Machida Zelvia. The game itself was very uneventful, as you will be able to tell from the second half highlights. It was also unfortunate that Shinji Ono did not score his first goal for the club.

Match Highlights

Match Day Takeaways

1. FC Ryukyu were wildly off target with their shots yesterday. In fact, they only had two shots on goal all day. That is an awfully low number for this team considering their recent form. The closest FC Ryukyu came to scoring yesterday was a Tanaka shot that hit the post, and header that Koizumi couldn’t quite get down. All of them occurred in the first half as there was almost zero offense for Ryukyu in the second half.

2. Shinya Uehara made a return to the lineup. It was good to see the veteran return to the pitch but he wasn’t able to muster the super-sub performances we’ve seen throughout the year.

Match Day 42 in J2

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/startseite/wettbewerb/JAP2

Both Giravanz and Tochigi lost so there was no upward movement for these clubs on the last day. Avispa achieved the moral victory be defeating the champs at home, but all the glory goes to Tokushima Vortis.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/tabelle/wettbewerb/JAP2/saison_id/2019

Conclusion

Well that is it for 2020. There will be some news of player contract renewals, and cancellations, over the next few weeks for FC Ryukyu so I intend to do a season wrap up for the players before I do one for the team as a whole. Thanks for reading the weekly previews and reviews and I look forward to seeing you in just a few short months for the 2021 season.

Match Day 41 Report: (11) Mito Hollyhock vs (14) FC Ryukyu 12/16/20 #FC琉球

Intro

There was a bit of history made last night:

-Yasuhiro Higuchi notched his 150^th victory

-This was the 3^rd coldest game ever played in the J-League at -3.1 degrees Celsius (if I interpreted that right). The second coldest was also played last night between Matsumoto Yamaga FC and Tokyo Verdy (-3.3C).

-FC Ryukyu achieved 50 points for the first time ever in J2

Match Day Highlights

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3468328

Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu MF Shuto Kawai: Kawai was a handful for the Mito defense last night and his efforts were rewarded with his 4th goal of the campaign. It was also one of the best goals FC Ryukyu has scored this year as Kawai managed to skirt it around and through the Mito defense.

Review of the Keys to Victory

Let’s just get some guys the playing time they need before 2021. Likelihood 2. Chinen, Yamaguchi, Ichimaru, Hitomi, and Tavares all featured last night. In some cases, it probably wasn’t enough, but the fact that they played is all that matters.

Match Day Takeaways

1. Koya and Ren stayed red hot last night, despite the slow start for FC Ryukyu. FC Ryukyu endured an opening 25 minute barrage by Mito before switching things up tactically, and taking control of the game. It was Koya, who won the ball in a dangerous area, that set up Kawai. An then there was Ren adding the second goal, more on that later. All of them continued the momentum they built up against Ehime FC last week with Koya now accumulating 6 points in the past 2 matches, while Ren has scored in back to back games for the first time all season.

2. Koizumi didn’t make the score sheet, but was the unsung hero for this team. His performance last night shows you the type of player he is, and the influence he can have on the game, despite not scoring. He broke up so much of Mito’s possession in defense, it disrupted the Mito attack and prevented them from getting into a rhythm.

3. I said we needed to see more of the players who haven’t featured heavily in the lineup this season, and we got just a bit yesterday. Ichimaru is an interesting player as he has never really stood out for this team, but there are places on a team for role players. Tavares had very little time to make an impact and Yamaguchi flashed his speed, but nothing else. Hitomi won a nice aerial battle, but wasn’t given any opportunities to score.

4. Ren Ikeda goes at it all by himself. And scored a spectacular goal. Ren received his pass from Koki at about 30-yards from goal, and then took it all the way down inside the 18-yard box, all the while surrounded by 7 Mito defenders. He then put a nice curled shot past the outreached arms of the goalie to seal the victory. See the photo below. (Thanks @iritettsu40 for the photo)

Match Day 41 in J2

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j2-league/startseite/wettbewerb/JAP2

Both Tokushima Vortis and Avispa Fukuoka achieved promotion to the J1 last night. Congratulations to them and their fans. Unfortunately, it is commiserations for V-Varen Nagasaki as their promotion dreams come to an end.

Conclusion

Given the travel and weather, this was a surprising result for the boys. Albeit, a welcome one, and also special one for Higuchi. There is only one game left in this turbulent season, so those that can attend, please do (Safely!). And for those that cannot, for what ever reason, please tune in and enjoy this team one final time, as this will be the last time that all of them are together.

Match Day 40 Report: (17) FC Ryukyu vs (21) Ehime FC 12/13/20 #FC琉球

Intro

Wow! A bit unexpected, but what a wonderful surprise yesterday when FC Ryukyu demolished Ehime FC 6-0 at home. FC Ryukyu scored 6 goals in a match for the second time this season and also took a major chunk out of their goal differential by dropping it down to -4. There is an outside chance, if things break right for Ryukyu in the final 2 matches, that FC Ryukyu could actually finish with a positive goal differential for the first time in 2 years.

Match Highlights

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3468327

Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu MF Koya Kazama: Koya scored the first hat trick for FC Ryukyu since Yuta Togashi (now at FC Gifu) back in 2017, and added 2 assists to finish with an incredible 5 points. Koya found himself in the right spot, at the just the right times and really needed a game like this to break out of that little funk he found himself in.

Review of the Keys to Victory

1. Hit Ehime with our speed. Likelihood 4. Yes. Koya’s first goal was set up by Kawai out running the Ehime defense.

2. Take Niwa out of the equation. Likelihood 2. He never really factored in this game and Ehime only registered 4 shots on net.

3. Do not switch off. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu definitely did not switch off as they kept their foot on the gas for the full 90 minutes.

Takeaways from Match Day 40

1. This was a match where everything clicked, and everything worked to perfection. FC Ryukyu simply dominated Ehime in every category that included a staggering 26 shots, of which 19 were on target. Ryukyu could have easily scored more on a day when it seemed that everyone in the starting 11 was getting on the score sheet.

2.Koizumi’s play was one again phenomenal, and it was his opening goal that provided the early breakthrough for this team. Not really looking forward to see where he signs this offseason, I just hope its for a J1 club in need of central playmaker.

3. There were some visible “sense of relief” moments on many of the faces of the Ryukyu players during this game. In particular, Ren Ikeda broke his 30-game scoreless drought with a thundering header and you could see an enormous weight being lifted off his shoulders in his post goal celebration. These little things near the end of the season matter so much to some players as the small boosts in confidence will carry them heading into 2021.

4. FC Ryukyu tried to get Shinji his goal, but couldn’t. It’s a bit of a shame that Ono couldn’t get on the score card in front of the largest home crowd of the season (3,246) and I really hope he can score one goal on the final home game against Machida Zelvia.

5. Felipe Tavares made his first appearance in over 9 months for the club. We also got some longer looks at Yamaguchi and Hitomi. Tanaka has been red hot as of late so its understandable why Tavares cannot crack the starting 11, but I hope we see a bit more of him before we end the year as I think he could serve a purpose with this team in 2021. Hitomi almost pushed the score line to 7-0 when his ambitious shot from range with the Ehime GK out position, but it bounced off the crossbar. It would be nice to see him get the start up top in the last two games of the year. Yamaguchi almost added an assist, and while he looked good in doing so, I think a majority of that can be attributed to how poorly the Ehime defense played.

6. I am not sure if we witnessed a player voicing his frustrations on social media for the first time here at Ryukyu, but something clearly upset Dany Carvajal before the lineups were released yesterday.

I am slightly concerned about this GK controversy that seems to be materializing in front of us.

Match Day 40 in J2

The promotion race continues and it was a thrilling weekend of action for the neutral fans who tuned into the games for the top 3 sides. (1) Tokushima Vortis were stymied by (13) JEF UTD Chiba at home. The draw allowed both (2) Avispa Fukuoka and (3) V-Varen Nagasaki to make up some ground on the leaders as both sides won 2-0 on Sunday. I said in the last review, that if the loss to Mito by Vortis was anything more than a little stumble, they could lose out on the title when they travel to Fukuoka to end the season.

Conclusion

The result, while impressive, also occurred in front of the largest crowd this season which should help boost some ticket sales for next year. More on the sharp increase on season ticket prices in the offseason, but for now, this was a great result for the club and was very enjoyable to watch.

FC Ryukyu have two games remaining in 2020 and will play their final road game when they travel to Mito Hollyhock on Wednesday evening. Now only two points off their 2019 point total, FC Ryukyu have a realistic chance to surpass that total with some positive results over their final slate of games.

Match Day 39 Report: (18) FC Ryukyu vs (15) Fagiano Okayama 12/6/20 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers this Sunday when they drew one all with Fagiano Okayama at home. FC Ryukyu looked the better side yesterday but could not get the offense firing on a day when Okayama offered nothing in the attack. The notion of cracking the top half of the table this year for FC Ryukyu is officially is dead and buried.

Match Day 39 Highlights

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3468307

Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu LB Keigo Numata: Numata provided the assist on the Hitomi goal but also sent a lovely cross into the box in the first half that Koya Kazama really should have buried for the early lead. Yes, he was also responsible for the handball that led to the PK for Okayama, but he recovered well to set up the tying goal.

Review of the Keys to Victory

1. Brace the left with Speed and Tenacity. Likelihood 3. Yes. Tanaka and Koya did a great job of limiting the impact of Uejo, and Tokumoto, which in turn isolated Yong Jae. Yong Jae was subbed off after 60 ‘ and he never really factored into the game. Uejo and Tokumoto each had one good look on net but that was about it. There were no dangerous crosses from Tokumoto with the lone goal for coming from a PK after a fluky handball by Numata in the box.

2. Pepper the net with shots. Likelihood 4. Yes. Ryukyu managed 11 shots yesterday but only 5 were on target. Once again they started fast in the first half but couldn’t find the breakthrough.

Takeaways from Match Day 39

1. It was encouraging to see FC Ryukyu cut down on the turnovers, but the ones they did commit, were nearly catastrophic. On roughly four occasions, an FC Ryukyu player passed the ball directly to one of the outfield players for Okayama. This led to several quick counters and one dangerous shot on goal but luckily, none of the turnovers actually resulted in a goal. Just elevated blood pressure. I would expect the turnovers to decline with the regular starters back in the lineup, but we cannot afford to live that dangerously in our last three games.

2. The attack was evenly distributed down the flanks. FC Ryukyu prefers to muster the attack down the left with Kawai and Numata, but by evenly spreading the attack down both sides, the offense looked much better compared to the game against Kanazawa. The game progressed in fits and spurts for the most part with FC Ryukyu controlling nearly 60% of the possession. The problem was they ended most drives with shots off target. Still, FC Ryukyu out shot Okayama by a 2 to 1 margin.

3. Shinji Ono had a clear chance to net his first ever FC Ryukyu goal, and he missed it. Maybe Ono is not known for his aerial prowess, but he was unmarked on a corner kick, and had a free header from just outside the 6-yard box. Unfortunately, it looks like he took his eyes off the ball at the last moment leading up to the header, buried his head, and pushed the shot wide of the mark. There are only two home games left this year and I think there will be a very concerted effort on the part of the coaching staff, and team, to get Shinji at least one goal.

Match Day 39 in J2

A shocking loss by Tokushima Vortis to Mito Hollyhock means the leaders will need to wait at least one more week before they can secure promotion. It also opens the door for both Avispa Fukuoka and V-Varen Nagasaki to possibly catch Vortis if this turns out to be more than a momentary stumble by Tokushima. At nearly the exact moment when V-Varen Nagasaki scored the go ahead goal to bring them within 1 point of Avispa Fukuoka, Fukuoka equalized in their own game. Avispa battled back from a two goal deficit to earn a point against the plucky Zweigen Kanazawa for a huge result that allows them to maintain a two point lead heading into the final three games of 2020.

Conclusion

FC Ryukyu need six points from their remaining three games to equal their point total from 2019. A very doable prospect based on the strength of their final three opponents, but considering that they have failed to win at home in two consecutive games, it’s definitely not a given.

It was great to see Hitomi score his first ever goal for Ryukyu yesterday as it helps soften the blow from the loss of both Abe and Uehara just a little bit. Ryukyu will have a full week off before welcoming in 21st Ehime FC and hopefully the recent CV-19 case at the club is a mild one that can be contained without further spread.

Match Day 37 Report: (17) FC Ryukyu vs (9) Tokyo Verdy 11/29/20 #FC琉球

Intro

The 4-0 drubbing of Tokyo Verdy by FC Ryukyu was a bit unexpected considering Verdy were in the midst of a slight surge up the table. But the boys from Okinawa controlled every facet of this game that saw Koizumi bag a brace, Kawai slamming home a top corner bullet, and Numata bouncing one off the cross bar – and then the head of the Verdy Goalie – for his second goal of the campaign.

It was also the first time we saw FC Ryukyu sporting their #OneOkinawa Blue kit. A bit unfortunate that they didn’t have the shorts to match. In any event, FC Ryukyu ended the tough schedule of November with 4 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses, which is by far their most productive month of the season.

Match Day 37 Highlights

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qny3bl3PWw0

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3468279

Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu MD Yoshio Koizumi: 2 goals, created chances everywhere, an outstanding total performance on Sunday.

Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Play Mistake Free Football (or close to it): Likelihood 2. I think we would all have to agree that FC Ryukyu did exactly this on Sunday.

2. A Healthy Strike Duo of Abe and Uehara: Likelihood 2. Neither featured, but Koizumi, Kawai and Numata stepped up in their absence.

Match Day Prediction

Tipped it 2-1 for FC Ryukyu and they went above and beyond at 4-0.

Match Day 37 Takeaways

1. Koizumi put on a clinic. He bagged two goals but was far more lethal in the set-up play. It was a shame that Abe wasn’t in there as he would have scored a brace himself with the way Koizumi was playing. He nearly added an assist but Ikeda and Koya couldn’t match Koizumi’s pace on the fast break, as they both failed to get on the other end of a pass that was begging to be buried.

2. That was a shockingly good defensive performance yesterday by Ryukyu. After losing 3-0 to Iwata we should have assumed that FC Ryukyu were going to be vulnerable at the back. But no Verdy attack materialized on Sunday. Suzuki started over Fukui but Higuchi stuck with Taguchi after that brutal loss to Iwata. And well, it paid off.

3. I am not sure what is going on at GK for FC Ryukyu. We locked Dany up for at least 2 more seasons yet it seems Higuchi prefers Taguchi at the moment. Taguchi played well, made some nice saves, but none that Dany couldn’t make either. This is a strange development moving forward and I am not sure what to make of it.

4. Injuries are mounting once again. Abe and Uehara were not fit enough to make the bench so Hitomi got his shot up top and made his 2020 debut. Getting a longer look at Hitomi is good idea as both Abe and Uehara are in the twilight of their careers. But I’d still like to see Abe return to the lineup to add to his goal tally.

Koizumi also took a knock to his right foot and was seen with a visible limp after the game. It is likely he’ll be rested against Kanazawa on the short week, but hopefully he can return against Okayama the next weekend.

Match Day 37 in J2

No change at the top as all 3 of theses sides won this round. V-Varen Nagasaki briefly moved into second place with their win over Niigata on Saturday, but Delgado’s goal against his former club allowed Avispa to hold serve this round. Tokushima Vortis won 4-3 but only after allowing Zweigen Kanazawa to score 3 goals to level the match, before finally netting the winner in the 80′ minute.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHqZFT6kv0Y

Conclusion

FC Ryukyu end the month on a very positive note while also embarking on a stretch of 4 consecutive home matches. Next up is Zweigen Kanazawa. This team just took Tokushima Vortis to the brink this past weekend so it will be no easy task to beat them on Wednesday.

Match Day 36 Report: (9) Jubilo Iwata vs. (19) FC Ryukyu 11/25/20 #FC琉球

Intro

This was a painful match to watch last night as FC Ryukyu were pipped for 3 goals while failing to score one of their own. FC Ryukyu were without a true striker last night as both Abe and Uehara were left off the team sheet.

The first two goals FC Ryukyu surrendered were a bit fluky but Taguchi should have fully committed to the first one if he was going to come that far off his line. The same cannot be said about the third goal by Lulinha as it was absolutely spectacular.

The loss means nothing in the grand scheme of things as FC Ryukyu remain 19th. But the fact that we couldn’t muster any offense last night, only 2 shots on target, is more concerning heading into the final six games of 2020.

Cover Photo courtesy of @DAIZAKI_

Match Day 36 Highlights

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaF0pdK1qog

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3468276

Man of the Match

Jubilo Iwata FWD Seiya Nakano: He bagged his 7th goal of the campaign and was wreaking all sorts of havoc on the Ryukyu back line last night.

Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Exploit the space in the central defense of Iwata. Likelihood 4. Um, no. In fact, it was Iwata who exploited the gaps in our central defense.

2. Do not give any hope to a team that is down on their luck. Likelihood 3. We did the exact opposite last night. Iwata’s luck finally took a turn for the better as their opening 2 goals were semi-busted plays were the rebounds fell favorably to the Iwata players in the attacking area.

Match Day Prediction

Went with 3-1 to FC Ryukyu and failed miserably.

Match Day 36 Takeaways

1. There weren’t just holes in our defense last night. There were massive canyons. You can see acres of space between our defenders on every goal in the highlights that Iwata exploited. FC Ryukyu played a bit of high line and when asked to recover, they didn’t have the pace to close down the Iwata attackers.

The third goal saw Yong Jick come up for another mistimed, misjudged, challenge on a pass that left Fukui and Uehara all alone on an island. Defending is a real issue here at FC Ryukyu and can no longer be ignored for sake of the attack if they ever wish to move out of the bottom third of the table.

2. Higuchi’s system requires a true striker up top. If we don’t have one, the attack fizzles out. Koizumi was listed as the FWD but dropped back into the CAM role forcing Ikeda to move up. Koizumi did his best to try and unlock the Iwata back line but couldn’t quite find the last pass to do so. There was one play in which he slotted Kawai through on goal, but Kawai couldn’t separate from his marker.

Match Day 36 in J2

Tokushima Vortis moved 4, and 7, points clear of Avispa Fukuoka and V-Varen Nagasaki with their win over Machida Zelvia. Fukuoka and Nagasaki both drew 1-1. Fukuoka were saved by a Tokyo Verdy own goal just one minute after Verdy had scored. The draw for Nagasaki was heartbreaking as they conceded in the 5th minute of stoppage time which still keeps them 3 points shy of second place Fukuoka.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRUdFj83Bjs

Conclusion

If you look at the cover photo this entry it paints a very accurate picture for what is occurring at the club. Some players are displaying visible frustration. Others look like they’ve lost hope as they’ve given it their all and cannot seem to get this team over the line on a consistent basis. Not what you want to see from your side, and something that needs to change heading into the 2021 season.

Now, I’d like to end this on a more positive note. Today is the American Holiday known as Thanksgiving and whether or not you celebrate this holiday; agree with the holiday in the first place; or just use it as an excuse to partake in some gluttony; I think we can all agree that coming together every once in awhile to show our appreciation for others is a good thing.

I am personally grateful for all of you who read this blog and show your appreciation by communicating with me over social media as you make watching, reading, writing, and tweeting about football very enjoyable for me. I am also thankful that the season has been able to progress to this point when it seemed all but lost in early March.

Though we can all voice our frustrations about our club when they are not performing well. I think we all should recognize the sacrifices these people go through everyday that allows us all to enjoy our passions, and we should thank them whenever and wherever we can.

Enjoy some Turkey if you can, and I’ll see you all on Friday with the Match Day 37 Preview.