Vegalta Sendai vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

I am not overly disappointed with the recent Ryukyu loss as I think most Ryukyu fans expected this result. Ryukyu played well enough in the opening 45 minutes to keep them in the game before a pair of costly defensive turnovers led to two Sendai goals. I do not need historical data to tell me that teams who have started as poorly as Ryukyu have this year usually end up relegated. The 5/6 point gap between Ryukyu and safety might as well be 1,000,000 points with the way things are going. Two straight losses following a draw with possibly another two consecutive losses on the horizon this week.

Match Highlights

Match Day 11 Takeaways

1. Ryukyu played far better in the first half. Goes without saying when you conceded two goals in the second half and register just a single shot – off target of course – at goal. Ryukyu were under serious amounts of pressure within the opening few minutes of this match and it looked as if they would conceded a goal very early. I know we are not built to withstand that type of constant pressure so it was slightly encouraging to see them survive that barrage. But our chances were few and far between making the second half a painful watch.

2. Ryukyu went with a 3-4-2-1 again. Makito Uehara got his first start of the season and he did alright considering the situation. No doubt he is still a raw player that probably should have gone out on loan this season to get some valuable playing time, but he flashed a few times to give us a glimpse of what he could be as a player. I’ve said all along that he has a very nice first step, burst, and long distance speed which we witnessed in the first half. I truly don’t believe he should be playing a fullback role as he seems better suited as CDM and lacks the type of touch we see from Tanaka, and sometimes Numata. He took some pretty rough angles when defending, made a costly turnover inside the box that led to a goal, but has the exact temperament and drive you want in a player during a brutal campaign that doesn’t have much else going right. Hopefully we see more of him or at the very least, see him depart on loan in the summer as he needs some time develop.

3. Ryukyu were a bit of a turnover machine on Saturday. Turnovers are inevitable, two were deadly, but there were plenty of careless turnovers by Ryukyu in the midfield that made for some seriously tense moments. No player, other than Tanaka maybe, was safe from turning the ball over and Ryukyu were rightfully punished for their mistakes. I am not sure if Ryukyu will ever break the habit of playing it out from the back, and to be honest, we probably lack the quality players in the back line to successfully execute this style of passing.

Round 11 in J2

Two of the more exciting games this week were Mito Hollyhock versus Renofa Yamaguchi in which there were a couple of lead changes by each side before Mito scored the winner in stoppage time. Then there was the Nagasaki vs Niigata match in which all three (goals) in that game came within a span of eight (8) minutes.

Conclusion

The losses continue to pile up for Ryukyu and now they must face Zweigen Kanazawa and Albirex Niigata on a short week. I doubt very much that we will see the first home victory of the season for Ryukyu this week and heck, we may not see one until deep into July. Despair, disbelief, and discontent among some of the Ryukyu supporters these days. But, that doesn’t stop them from supporting Ryukyu everywhere. With that, I’ll start dedicating the conclusion portion of the match day report to the loyal fans of Ryukyu.

(5) Vegalta Sendai vs (22) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

Ryukyu find themselves in the middle of one of their toughest stretches of games this season, with many fans questioning the longevity of their beleaguered manager Kina, while rolling out some rather uninspiring performances the last six weeks. A couple of weeks ago I talked about the importance of looking at results of the team both preceding and following lengthy losing streaks. Ryukyu snapped the losing streak at four games, but seem to be headed down a similar path once more. On the other hand, Sendai are looking to rebound from their recent loss and continue their push upwards inside the promotion zone.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

Decent weather forecast with no calls for rain. Over to you @tpen18

Match Day Info from Vegalta Sendai

Team Previews

Vegalta Sendai: Sendai started the season out in good form by going undefeated in their first five matches. Since then, they’ve suffered three losses, with a pair of wins, in their bid to make it back to the J1. They lost last week at Yokohama FC after securing the lead in the first half. But a pair of goals from Koki Ogawa within a span of four minutes swung the momentum in Yokohama’s favor.

Sendai’s two wins also saw them scoring early in games but they were able to hang onto leads in those matches. In the losses prior to the pair of victories Sendai surrendered three (3) goals in consecutive weeks. Their performances seem to be a bit all over the map this season, but I’d take that any day compared to what we are experiencing here at Ryukyu. Sendai have recorded three shutouts this season, but none since match day 4. They’ve also allowed their opponents, in which some could have been meaningless times of the match, to score two or more goals five (5) times. This is likely a very nice ‘get back on track’ game for Sendai with an opponent not offering up much resistance these days.

FC Ryukyu: “Uh-Oh, we’re in trouble. Somethings come along and burst our bubble. Yeah-Yeah.” I cannot get that 90s JPOP song out of my head the last few days and it seems frighteningly poignant. Ryukyu are 0-1-4 over their last five games in which they’ve surrendered sixteen (16) goals while scoring seven (7) of their own. The only question these days seems to be how bad games will end for Ryukyu? Sure, stranger things have happened but based on past performances any outcome this weekend that isn’t disappointing seems a long way off.

The Hot Seat For Whom the Bell Tolls

Though all of Ryukyu’s troubles may not fall squarely on the shoulders of Kina, he will likely be the one that has to answer for the failings of the club. That is, if Ryukyu decide to move on. Clearly things are not going according to plan with the 1-2-7 record being the biggest indicator. How much longer will we need to wait for change? If change doesn’t occur, then what are we led to believe as fans? The clock is ticking and the window to recover the season is slowly closing. Perhaps Kina has been told by management that if he doesn’t win the next few games, he will be gone. But then again, we no nothing of the internal discussions at the club.

Round 11 in J2

A couple of matches already kicked off this week’s schedule with Zweigen Kanazawa defeating Oita Trinita on the road and Tokushima Vortis defeating Iwate at home to the tune of 5-0. There is another game kicking off today with Roasso Kumamoto hosting Fagiano Okayama before the big slate of games on Saturday. The lone Sunday game features Thespakusatsu Gunma hosting Blaublitz Akita which just so happens to be the free J-League International YouTube broadcast.

Click>>>> JLeague Free YouTube Broadcast

Conclusion

Not really expecting a lot from this game but I would like to see some aggression, passion, and a general sense of frustration at the way things are going from some of our players. I do care about whether or not we win, but if we don’t, I’d be perfectly content seeing a player run through a Sendai player, dusting him, just to earn a straight red card. At least we’d know they are alive and pissed off about their current situation.

FC Ryukyu vs Thespakusatsu Gunma #FC琉球

Intro

There just isn’t a lot to be excited about these days. Ryukyu lost their fifth home game of the season 0-1 to Thespakusatsu Gunma on Saturday evening and are now last in the standings. Ryukyu have only earned a single point in six (6) home games this year and have lost five (5) of their last six (6) games. They own the worst record, the worst goal differential, have conceded the most goals and there seems to be no end in sight to the suffering.

Match Highlights

Takeaways from Match Day 10

1. Possession stats mean almost nothing for Ryukyu. People only notice the possession, and shots taken, statistics when they are a bit lopsided and the dominant team loses. Several sites reported different shot totals for Ryukyu but out of the eleven (11) total shots, from nearly 70% possession, I truly believe that only two (2) made it on net. I have stated in the past that teams can happily afford Ryukyu all the possession they want as they do very little with it. Playing it out from the back, moving the ball between the defenders and goalie doesn’t necessarily equate to controlling a game for Ryukyu. Teams who have far less possession than Ryukyu just create better chances, and score, on fewer touches.

2. Some fans believe the team lacked passion this round. If that is true, then it would seem Kina has lost the locker room. There was no real response from Ryukyu following the early goal from Gunma outside of a Kusano header that went just wide in the 75th minute despite the aforementioned possession. The system deployed and the tactics inside of it are simply not working. Changing the formation hasn’t worked; rotating players hasn’t worked; so what else can be done? I think we all know what the answer is.

Round 10 in J2

Yokohama FC won the big match this round with a 2-1 win over Sendai to remain top of the table. Zelvia leapfrogged Verdy thanks to a draw and loss by Verdy at Renofa Yamaguchi. The biggest news was Omiya grabbing their first win of the season to edge slightly ahead of Ryukyu, yet still remain three (3) points back of 20th place.

Conclusion

On to the next game I suppose. Ryukyu are four (4) points back from the team just above the drop zone and have a murderous run of fixtures ahead of them. The gap will continue to widen as we struggle for answers in both the attack and defense.

(21) FC Ryukyu vs (6) Thespakusatsu Gunma #FC琉球

Intro

This game for Ryukyu begins a stretch of matches where they will play six (6) games inside of twenty three (23) days. Make no mistake, this is a hugely important run of games for both Ryukyu, and their manager Kina. Because if they don’t come out of this with a decent amount of points, then we may see the earliest managerial change for in the history of Ryukyu. On the other hand, Gunma is enjoying one of their better starts in the J2 this season on the back of some impressive defensive performances. They are probably feeling pretty confident this week and will look to continue their current winning streak against a side that has yet to win at home all season.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

Cloudy, no too hot, but always the prospect of rain on Okinawa despite the low probability of it actually raining. I usually try to post these previews about 48 hours out from the match and though I’ve been wrong on the weather before, rightfully called out on this – thanks @stuartcw and sorry about the YFC weather lol – if I could predict the correct weather I’d also predict our scores each week. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst is the safe bet.

Click>>>> Match Day Info from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: By the time this run of games is over, Ryukyu will have played more than one-third of their matches this season. Can we realistically expect Ryukyu to earn double digit points over their next six games? Would we consider it a failure if they didn’t? It will be no easy task as Ryukyu’s next four games are all against teams currently ranked 4-7 in the table, followed by one of our longest road trips of the season during the mid week, and finally against a team inside the top 10 that is enjoying the new boy bounce in the J2. It seems like a very large ask of Ryukyu to earn a decent amount of points over the next three and half weeks.

There is no doubt we are in a bit of striker injury crisis at the moment but that is not to say that Kusano cannot do the job while awaiting the return of those who are injured, or so we suspect are injured sine we have no news from the club on their status. Kiyotake has also been playing really well on the offense side of the house but has that unfortunate thing going for him where he seems to be indirectly involved in the areas where the opposition scores their goals against Ryukyu. Kanai played well against Yokohama FC, obviously as he scored our only goal and had another lovely chance, and perhaps that is because we cannot find a way to get both Ikeda and Kiyotake into the lineup at the same time. Ikeda never looked comfortable playing out wide in the 4-4-2, and is better suited as a CAM, but Kiyotake is doing so well there these days it is hard to imagine him being unseated if we stick to a 4-2-3-1.

One thing for certain was we definitely needed to see a change at LB as I think the days of Numata as a regular starter have come to an end as what we really need there is a little more pace and stamina to support us on both ends of the pitch. Now, what do we do in the central defending areas of Ryukyu? We made a change in central defense following the loss to JEF when the young duo of Nakagawa and Omori were replaced with a combination of either player and Okazaki, but we do not know if that was due to injury or lack of confidence in those players by the manager. We haven’t even seen Nakagawa since the Renofa match and Omori seems to only be an emergency central defending substitute at this point.

Sure, Yong Jick has put forth the effort, but as I said at the start of the season, we cannot replace Chinen’s skill, but we can replace his tenacity and drive. And I believe that is what we have with the young defenders on loan. The problem is we (Kina) haven’t shown any faith in these players through the growing pains that will naturally occur to allow them to develop into better players. And to what end? It is not as if we are shutting down teams on a consistent basis to see out leads for wins with our current central defending pair. A change at CB must be made to allow Omori and Nakagawa to develop, which will not be an overnight change, as we already know what we’ve got back there these days based on the last five games. Then again, Nakagawa may be injured and since the club has released zero injury news this season for any of our players and therefore this might just be wishful thinking.

Thespakusatsu Gunma: Gunma started the season with a win and two draws before a streak where they had two straight games with a 1-0 score line (1 loss and 1 win), followed by consecutive 2-3 defeats, but then won two (2) games in a row heading into their matchup with Ryukyu. All four of Gunma’s wins this season have been by one (1) goal and they have already recorded four (4) shutouts this season. Gunma are a team similar to Okayama in that they haven’t scored a lot of goals – zero games with more than 2 goals scored – but they certainly don’t surrender a lot either.

Gunma has three (3) wins and two (2) losses over their last five games. In two of those losses they surrendered three (3) goals in consecutive matches. Which is roughly three quarters of the entire goals they’ve conceded all season. Masatoshi Kushibiki was outstanding in net versus JEF where he made save after save to give Gunma the win after an early 7th minute goal. Gunma’s defending let them down the following week in which Niigata jumped out to a two goal lead within the opening twenty minutes. This was followed by both sides trading goals and then a stoppage time goal by Gunma to finish 2-3.

It was almost a similar story the following match against Nagasaki where Gunma found themselves in similar territory being down two goals by the twenty minute mark. But Gunma were able to draw level midway through the second half before a mishandling of a Cristiano shot by Kushibiki found its way over the line. Gunma were able to turn things around after the two heavy losses in quick succession the following week against Mito. Gunma opened the scoring before a handball by one of their defenders allowed Mito back in the game with a PK goal. Gunma utilized some excellent penetrating runs from their attackers, which seems to be an enduring trait of this side, to grab an 80th minute goal for the win.

Gunma’s most recent win came on the road at Morioka where Kushibiki regained the good form he was enjoying against JEF when he made a beautiful double save to keep the score level before an 89th minute goal secured the victory for Gunma. So what can we expect from Gunma this match? If you fail to run at them, in order to find space in their defense, an instead opt to slowly build your attack, Ryukyu will most likely suffer the same defeats of JEF, Mito and Morioka. Gunma looked good defending set pieces in some of their recent games and if Kushibiki is once again in form, it will make life very difficult for Ryukyu. If you attack them like Niigata and Nagasaki did, with diagonal passes and quick changes in direction, we should be able to create enough chances on net to score goals. But keep in mind, the same things can be said about Ryukyu’s defense and we could easily see Gunma tearing apart our backline with the quality runs into the box by their attacking players.

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. Maintain Focus. Likelihood 1. Definitely the most important one as when Ryukyu check out of games, goals are scored, momentum is lost and points are dropped. Ryukyu’s preferred style of playing it out from the back seems to invite more pressure on a team that already concedes loads of possession and chances to the opposition. In fact, it feels as if there are large stretches of games where Ryukyu barely touches the ball and affords their opponents multiple chances on net with no Ryukyu answer in return. Starting fast and finishing strong our extremely important in games, but right now it seems that Ryukyu need to win the middle third of matches where they seem to be the most vulnerable right now.

The Hot Seat

Last week I wondered if Ryukyu failed to win against Okayama, would it be their worst start to any season since joining the J-League in 2014? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding yes. Even if Ryukyu win the match on Saturday, it is their lowest point total in the opening ten fixtures of any season and the first ever season to register less than double digit points by this point of a season. Also, a win would only tie the least amount of wins in the opening ten fixtures for any year they’ve spent in the J2.

Ryukyu’s lowest win total to open any season was two (2) back in 2020 but they did manage to earn ten (10) points by their 10th game in a non relegation year. Ryukyu’ previous point totals in ten matches since 2014: 11 points (2014 and 2015), 18 points (2016), 13 points (2017), 15 points (2018) while in the J3, but the stakes were not nearly as high as there was no fear of relegation, and the competition was not nearly as tough. Ryukyu grabbed four (4) wins from their opening four (4) fixtures in 2019 and had reached sixteen (16) points by match day ten, but managed only five (5) more wins the rest of the season. And we all recall the blistering pace Ryukyu were on in 2021 when they had twenty four (24) points by match day ten. Basically, Ryukyu are in some unchartered waters these days.

The point mark that usually symbolizes relative safety in the J2 hovers between 40-42 points. 2020 was an anomaly as there was no relegation that year but that total would’ve needed to be closer to fifty (50) points. Ryukyu currently sit on five points and don’t necessarily end seasons on the highest of highs. In fact, we usually succumb to a mid season slump which, if were repeated this year, would be the final nails in our coffin. There are thirty three (33) games remaining in which Ryukyu must somehow make it to at least 42 points. And when you are struggling for wins at this point of the season, there is no such thing as a let up in your schedule based on your opponents current standing in the table.

The next six (6) fixtures should really determine the fate of Kina as it is probably too condensed of a schedule to make a managerial change inside of that run of games, but does leave enough (hopefully) time in the fixture list to find a suitable replacement. Any replacement will likely need at least 5-7 games to install their system but will still have the opportunity to seek reinforcements in the summer transfer window. That is assuming the club is thinking the same thing and preparing to do as such.

J2 Round 10

So we get a taste of a top of the table clash between two of last seasons relegated teams when (1) Yokohama FC take on (4) Vegalta Sendai at home. And it also happens to be the featured match of the week on the free J-League International YouTube channel. What a treat! For the rest, it seems like a pretty straight forward fixture list of teams in the top half of the table against those in the bottom half with a few games interspersed among teams close to one another in the table. (17) Tokushima Vortis lost their first game of the season last week, have not scored a goal in four (4) games and face (20) Mito Hollyhock on the road in a game that some Ryukyu fans will probably be keeping a close eye on the results.

Click>>> Yokohama FC vs Vegalta Sendai

Conclusion

We can hope, pray, and wish Ryukyu to victory all we want as fans but at the end of the day it comes down to the physical and mental preparations of the team as well as the desire and will of each member of the squad to succeed. Players may have great performances individually, but the entire team must put forth a good effort this weekend. Turnovers are inevitable in any game, but cannot be costly due to players losing focus. Conceding goals will happen, but cannot be treated as if we’ve already lost the game. Leads can, and have been, lost in games so we should never get complacent regardless of the score line. What we need is for a few veterans, on a team full of veterans, to take charge on both ends of the pitch. Yeah, the low point total sucks, but you need to start the climb up and out somewhere. We put our foot on the first rung of the ladder last week. Let’s take the first step up it this week.

FC Ryukyu vs Fagiano Okayama #FC琉球

Intro

It’s a good change! It’s a good change. Well, they didn’t lose, but FC Ryukyu once again surrendered a two (2) goal lead at home and then salvaged a 3-3 draw vs Fagiano this past Saturday night. Ryukyu are now off to their wort start to a season since, and I haven’t checked, their time in the J3. We know it isn’t going to be pretty trying to climb out of the cellar, but this side cannot afford to continue to drop points, especially at home.

Match Highlights

Takeaways from the Match

  1. No lead is safe with Ryukyu. For the second consecutive home game Ryukyu managed to squander a two goal lead. I am sure there were some at the club, including all of the fans in attendance, that thought there is no way we can have a repeat of events the last time we had a two goal lead. And yet, there we go. 15 goals conceded in 4 games. The point gap widening is one thing, we now face the risk of losing a relegation battle between other teams based on goal differential. The defense needs to be fixed somehow, someway, and soon.
  2. We have our moments, but they are fleeting. We could do damage. We could be good. But we are not at the moment. We score off turnovers, yet commit the same mental errors to allow our opponents to score. I still don’t know how you suffer the same fate at home by giving up the momentum killing goal just before halftime. Each goal conceded seems to really rock Ryukyu these days.
  3. Enjoyed the Uesato FK goal. Straight out of the top drawer and into the top corner.
  4. The losing streak has come to an end. Now we need to round into some sort of form as Ryukyu have six (6) matches in their next twenty three (23) days. If we cannot start winning, it becomes extremely difficult to believe Kina makes it out of the month of May as manager of FC Ryukyu.

Round 09 in J2

Roasso Kumamoto handed Tokyo Verdy their first loss of the season and Yamaguchi couldn’t pull off the comeback against 10-men Sendai. Omiya’s pains continue with both them and Ryukyu squarely entrenched in the relegation zone. No change at the top of the table as both Verdy and Zelvia lost but Yokohama FC also didn’t win as they lost the early lead with a very late goal at JEF to finish in a draw.

Conclusion

The late goal scored by Ryukyu should at least provide a boost of confidence heading into this weekends matchup. I also thought the same thing right after the Renofa Yamaguchi match where we then proceeded to lose four games in a row. We are very much a first half team this season with some of our fast starts that somehow seems to fade in games when it matters most. Sometimes we can pull off some moments of brilliance at the end of games but that has been the rare occasion more than the norm this year. Hard to believe we are at the point where games are becoming ‘must wins’ for Ryukyu, however, I think that is where we are at right now.

(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!

Yokohama FC vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

Not an unexpected result. Unless you felt, and rightly so, that we’d lose by more than 2 goals. Yokohama FC busted out to an early 3-0 lead before Ryukyu sprung to life. Some fans are encouraged about how Ryukyu finished the match. That is up for debate as Yokohama FC had already administered the knockout blow by the 20th minute of the game and needed to do little else. It was great to see the return of Keita Tanaka to lineup and hopefully that can spark some future results.

Match Highlights

Match Day 08 Takeaways

  1. I was a little concerned for how Kiyotake would perform after watching his pre-match warm ups. You could tell by the expressions on his face, as well as wearing the full baclava during warm ups, that Kiyotake was not digging the weather in Yokohama. I thought that he would be mentally checked out for this game, but to his credit, he put in the best performance of any of the Ryukyu players on Sunday. The same can be said about Keita Tanaka who made his return to the lineup after a lengthy 7-month rehab from a multitude of injuries suffered in late 2021. His crosses were crisp and well placed into dangerous areas. We just didn’t have anyone to run onto them.
  2. 3 goals inside of 15 minutes. Prior to Ryukyu’s only goal of the match, they had conceded a total of 8 goals in succession stemming from the last match. Some of the bounces were a bit lucky for Yokohama, but they did what needed to be done and put those shots away. The first goal was probably a massive blow to the psyche of Ryukyu which directly contributed to the following face shot and ultimate knock our blow at the 20-minute mark. Ryukyu were completely dusted down their left side as Yokohama were able to easily move past the Ryukyu defense and into positions to put passes and shots on net. I think Ryukyu will wear every goal in the subsequent matches extremely hard until they can get a win to break this 4-game losing streak.
  3. I truly don’t think it is a matter of effort on the part of the players, just the system in place is not working. Perhaps we have a bunch of players better suited for a 4-2-3-1 formation than the 4-4-2 we’ve rolled out the first 8-matches. It cannot hurt to try something new at this point.

Round 8 in J2

Akita stormed out of the gates to a 2-0 lead before surrendering a goal to Iwate. But an early goal in the second half secured the 3-1 victory for Akita. Kumamoto also grabbed the early lead against Niigata before the visitors equalized, and then won, thanks to a Koji Suzuki goal in stoppage time. Okayama and Montedio will replay their match following an overturning of the results stemming from a controversial sending off for the Montedio GK. Zweigen made it easy on themselves this week by scoring a goal in each half and shutting out Tochigi SC in their own stadium.

Gunma rescued all three points following a PK that tied the game against Mito. Zelvia finally edged out in front of JEF UTD Chiba but the visitors leveled the match just 3 minutes later. Kofu couldn’t complete the comeback at home to Sendai and fell 2-3. It took Renofa 71 minutes to get out in front of Omiya, who like Ryukyu, are struggling mightily for results. Verdy scored the winner just before halftime to keep all three, loosely based, Tokyo teams at the top of the table.

Conclusion

(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.

Click>>>> Tochigi vs 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.

FC Ryukyu vs Tokyo Verdy #FC琉球

Intro

Super-awesome-fun-happy-time! Or not. Losing is one thing, getting flat out embarrassed by a rival at home (and broadcast to the world on YouTube) is something completely different. For about 45 minutes there was hope that Ryukyu may be turning things around. But that was not to be the case as Verdy scored a momentum shifting goal right before half time and then the flood gates opened up. Ryukyu, like they’ve done so many times this year, completely disappeared during the second half and were steamrolled by 4 second half goals resulting in a humiliating 5-2 defeat at home. Ryukyu remain winless at home, short on ideas and looking very much like the worst team in J2 this season.

Match Highlights

Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen

1. Boot & Blast. Likelihood 2. Sort of, but not really. Ryukyu did clear some balls in dangerous areas but they seemed like half-hearted attempts that barely went past the 18-yard box.

2. Ryukyu must be clinical on limited opportunities. Likelihood 1. They were inside the first half but then there was nothing in the attack in the second half so I guess they did achieve this task?

Match Day 07 Takeaways

1. The rivalry is alive and well. For the fifth time in seven games, this matchup featured a penalty kick. It was also the second game in a row in which Verdy had two PKs in one game against Ryukyu as well as the second time they’ve reached the 5 goal plateau in Okinawa. Plenty of fouls and chicanery (like Kanai from Ryukyu trying to rub out the PK spot with his cleats) that pretty much sums up this rivalry which will only make the return leg tastier later this year.

2. Kusano and Noda are quite the tandem. These two strikers pair really well together. Kusano has excellent burst and long-distance speed that defenders must respect and do fear. I love how he can dribble his way out of trouble and he has nice touch on the ball. Noda’s hold up play was excellent last night. He was able to shield many defenders and continue attacks for Ryukyu prior to his injury. Seeing how he was gripping his left hamstring after a challenge he put in, I would expect a lengthy absence for the striker which really hurts this team. What these two can do is what we hoped Uehara and Abe could do and what we’ll have to rely on, minus Abe, for the foreseeable future.

3. Ryukyu simply melt away after halftime. Ryukyu had 9 total shots with 7 on net prior to the break. They looked really good up until the quarter hour mark of the first half and then found a bit of fortune on the Noda goal to go ahead 2-0. But then it all went downhill after Noda’s injury. Ryukyu conceded the dreaded goal before halftime when Verdy found space, and so did the cross, in between the Ryukyu defense. Then Ryukyu only managed a single shot, not even on net, in the second half at the 90-minute mark. That is truly poor and there is no excuse for teams making adjustments against us at halftime and Ryukyu failing to respond in kind. To date, Ryukyu have scored 6 of their 8 goals in the first half. The only thing that did increase in the second half was the amount of fouls they committed with Yu’s reckless challenge and Yong Jick’s handball in the box as the biggest killers.

4. Taguchi’s play maybe more to deal with stress than anything. You have to say the man’s confidence is slightly shattered. And who wouldn’t be after the barrage he suffered through last night and prior matches. A lot of his long clearances sailed out of bounds. Others were very short passes to central defenders which naturally allowed teams into a pressing mode since Ryukyu prefer to play out from the back. Then there was the own goal that was both unlucky and should never have been as he should have just booted it out of danger. But seeing how many of those types of clearances by Taguchi went out of bounds, you can see why he tried that back heel. There also seems to be a bit of hesitation and indecision in his process which could make him a liability if he were to be thrown back to the wolves this weekend. Dany needs to make another appearance on Sunday.

5. The only real hero last night was the mother of three young boys sitting behind us in the stands. Cheers to her for braving the expected terrible elements and we salute all the moms that bring their children to the grounds!

Round 07 in J2

I guess Ryukyu were a bit lucky to have Omiya suffer a similar fate last night or else they could’ve found themselves at the bottom of the table. V-Varen Nagasaki secured a nice win after surrendering a two goal lead at Gunma, Oita seems to be getting going with an impressive 3-1 win on the road at Sendai, and Kanazawa and Kumamoto traded goals in each half on their way to a 2-2 draw.

Conclusion

Things are looking pretty, pretty grim these days in Okinawa, and they won’t get any easier on Sunday when Ryukyu travel to league leaders Yokohama FC. A match in which Ryukyu will be without three of their top scorers: Abe (Injury), Noda (Injury), and Kusano (Loan Restriction). That means Ryukyu will have to dress either Takuya Hitomi or Vinicius at FWD in the reserves, or not considering we roster 7 defenders each match.

There has been an outpouring of calls for support by the fans following this recent defeat, but in all fairness to them (us), how much more can we take without change?

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!