21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu are off to a dream start in 2021 but much like 2019, JEF United Chiba will look to put a quick stop to Ryukyu’s momentum. I certainly did not see Ryukyu achieving four wins from four at the start of the season and was rather content when they had won three in a row to open the campaign. I think Ryukyu took advantage of a strong V-Varen Nagasaki side that are simply struggling to put all the pieces together at the moment but, Ryukyu also looked really good in doing so. However, JEF is another set of obstacles altogether as of all the teams in J2, JEF really has Ryukyu’s number.

Weather Forecast & Match Info
Match Day 4 Recaps
Team Previews
- JEF United Chiba
- FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Match Day 5 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

No complaints here. Looks like a lovely day for football.

Match Day Information from JEF United Chiba Website

2. Match Day 4 Recaps

Matsumoto Yamaga FC 0-1 JEF United Chiba

FC Ryukyu 3-1 V-Varen Nagasaki

3. Team Previews

JEF United Chiba: Where to begin? A team that has a long history? Yes. A team that has a recent history of success against FC Ryukyu? Yes. An organization and fan base with lofty expectations due to that lengthy history but always seem to fall short of expectations? Yes. Has JEF looked good in the 4 games leading up to this match? Not particularly. Can we say the same thing every time leading up to FC Ryukyu facing off with JEF, and yet Ryukyu still manage to lose? Unfortunately yes!

JEF are quite possibly the longest running joke in J2 for some of their past antics but whenever they play Ryukyu all of that is thrown out the window. A side by side comparison shows us that JEF owns roughly the same amount of possession in their past 4 games that Ryukyu’s opponents achieved (54%). However, FC Ryukyu are out shooting JEF by nearly 4 shots per game with at least 2 more of those shots being on target.

JEF has begun 2021 with one win, two draws and one loss under second year manager Jong-hwan Moon. When JEF opened the season at home against Kofu they displayed a bit of lackluster defending that allowed Kofu the freedom of movement and space to grab the early opener. JEF responded with a goal in the second half when Keita Buwanika rose high above the Kofu defense to bury a header. JEF then conceded a late PK but the goalie was able to stop the shot to keep the score line level. JEF were able to grab the early lead the following week at Ehime when defender Daisuke Suzuki sent a thunderous header past the Ehime keeper. But JEF allowed Ehime to hang around all game and once again the defense let them down when they needed them the most.

On match day 3 Blaublitz Akita came to Chiba and absolutely put it on JEF winning 2-0. JEF missed some chances during their counter attacks but they had no idea on how to break down the Akita defense despite the lopsided possession totals favoring JEF 71/39. JEF grabbed their first win of 2021 when they traveled to Matsumoto Yamaga FC by eking out a 1-0 victory in some rather poor conditions.

Averaging less than a goal a game, JEF are not a particularly strong team when you look at their results to date. They’ve only played one game this year when they had less than 50% possession but they are not doing much when they do have the ball. Against Ehime and Akita they were able to muster 10 total shots in each contest but were held to 5 against the stronger Kofu and Yamaga sides. JEF neither controls games or imposes their will on their opposition. They simply hope for breakthroughs to put themselves level or into the lead.

There is little doubt that JEF will want to start fast against Ryukyu by controlling a majority of the possession and chances, but this plays directly into Ryukyu’s strength as they are content on striking teams on the counter. And I am not sure JEF has the firepower to catch up to Ryukyu if they push the score line above 1 goal on Saturday.

FC Ryukyu: The Ryukyu match with Nagasaki was bittersweet. First, Ryukyu looked good allowing the game to come to them and hitting Nagasaki on the counter. Second, they defended well as a unit. But in the end, Ryukyu lost Abe to injury, and have no idea on his status, which could derail the momentum Ryukyu have built up in their first four games.

A lot of talk coming out of the club by the players and manager emphasize that they are not really focused on trying to control games with large amounts of possession like they did last year. Instead, Ryukyu are content on hitting their opponents with counter attacks. This is where Abe will be missed the most as his holdup play as an outlet valve for the team has been phenomenal this year. A lot of Ryukyu counterattacks started and ended with Abe. I am not sure who will step up in his place as he is not easily replaceable. Shintaro Shimizu is the likely candidate as he is the youngest of the 3 remaining strikers that Higuchi dresses each week. There is also an outside chance that Higuchi moves Ikeda into the FWD role but that would mean dressing a new midfielder for the first time all season. And Ryukyu do not have many choices at the moment.

Ramon is likely out a few more weeks while he deals with a soft tissue injury and Nakagawa may not be match fit yet. The only healthy options are Yu Tomidokoro or Shunsuke Motegi. But neither is a true CAM so I think Higuchi needs to stick with Ikeda at CAM and make the adjustment at FWD. There are the remote possibilities of of swapping Shimizu and Ikeda, bringing Tanaka up to RM – pushing Koya to CAM – and starting Makito Uheara at RB. But Higuchi could just as easily dress Hitomi if he thinks that neither Shintaro, Akamine, or Uehara can withstand the rigors of 60 minutes in the starting role.

Ryukyu should remain unchanged behind the front four with Uesato, Koki, Numata, Tanaka, Chinen, and Okazaki. These guys have been great at closing down shooting lanes, stifling the opposition’s attack, and will once again be called upon to do so with what may turn out to be a muted offensive performance by Ryukyu on Saturday. And yet, there are even more injuries that Ryukyu need to contend with.

Dany Carvajal recently went under the knife to repair some stress fractures to his lower leg and will be away from the team for 3-4 months. This means that Tsumita becomes the backup to Taguchi and I hope that he can push Taguchi the way Dany did in practice as we cannot afford for Taguchi to become complacent between the sticks when there are some winnable games on the horizon.

The JEF United Chiba game doesn’t represent a ‘must win’ game in the true sense. It is more for the Ryukyu psyche than anything. JEF are one of six teams – Iwata being the other but Ryukyu have already beat them this year – that FC Ryukyu have never defeated during their time in the J2. You’ve probably heard me say this on a few occasions, to include the fact that they have never scored a single goal against JEF in their entire history, and that is what makes this game so important to Ryukyu. Even more so when you consider that Higuchi’s goal for the season is 80 points for the club. While Ryukyu are a long way off from that total right now, and in spite of the fact of JEF sitting well below Ryukyu in the standings, any points earned in this game will fall squarely inside the Points Over Expectation Table.

It isn’t always about defeating an opponent that is stronger than you on paper that determines the strength of a side. Sometimes it is overcoming the mental hurdles and past failures that can make all the difference. And while that variable isn’t easily quantifiable, it is vitally important for Ryukyu’s overall success.

4. 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. Slay the Dragon. Likelihood 4. It doesn’t matter how JEF have performed the past 4 rounds. It doesn’t matter how Ryukyu have performed the past 4 rounds. Prepare better than JEF. Execute better than JEF. Show the mental resolve to dig this one out. Overcome the challenges that have plagued us in the past and slay this beast once and for all.

5. Prediction

I do not expect Ryukyu to go out there and light up JEF, as they’ve never done that before despite JEF doing some pretty calamitous stuff throughout the years. Predicting a win in spite of the records is even bolder but that is what I am going to do as this isn’t the same team from 2019 or 2020. 1-0 in favor of FC Ryukyu. It won’t be pretty but it will be effective. Season Record 2-0-2.

6. Match Day 5 in J2

(3) Ventforet Kofu hosting (10) FC Machida Zelvia and (8) Montedio Yamagata against (9) Fagiano Okayama stand out as the two fixtures with the most top half, and promotion, implications this round. Not to be outdone, (4) Zweigen Kanazawa and (5) Blaublitz Akita, will look to continue their hot starts to 2021. This will be Akita’s first home game of the 2021 season and quite possibly their toughest fixture to date. Elsewhere there are some bottom of the table clashes that could have big impacts for these clubs late in the year.

No J2 action this weekend as the J-League International YouTube channel will broadcast a Levain Cup match between Tokushima Vortis and Oita Trinita.

YouTube Broadcast: Tokushima Vortis vs Oita Trinita

7. Conclusion

In 2019, it was JEF who ended Ryukyu’s unbeaten run of 6 games to open the season. Then they defeated Ryukyu to open the 2020 season. You know all the history between these two clubs. Well then…

Match Day 4 Report: FC Ryukyu vs V-Varen Nagasaki 3/20/21 #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 4 Preview: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (10) V-Varen Nagasaki 3/20/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu will look to continue their fast start when they welcome in V-Varen Nagasaki this weekend. Ryukyu are in the midst of their longest winning streak in two seasons, while Nagasaki are looking to rebound from a rough start to the season. The match for FC Ryukyu is certainly their toughest to date, but at this point, a majority of the matches in the opening quarter of the season represent their own unique set of ‘firsts.’ First game of the year with a newly formed team; first road game; first game against a tougher opponent; first game against a weaker opponent; first game playing from a deficit; first game coming off a loss; and so on. Some may wonder if this Ryukyu side is for real. Well, we should have some idea at the end of this round.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Match Day 3 Recaps
Team Previews
- FC Ryukyu
- V-Varen Nagasaki
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Match Day 4 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information

Possibly the best weather forecast for Ryukyu this season. Slightly overcast, but the off chance it rains once again. Be prepared either way.

FC Ryukyu Match Day Information : The link will provide all the information you need if you plan on attending.

2. Match Day 3 Recap

Thespakusatsu Gunma 0-2 FC Ryukyu

V-Varen Nagasaki 1-1 Ehime FC

3. Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: When your team is on a 3-game winning streak, it is hard to find many faults as they’ve risen to the occasion every single time. Look no further than FC Ryukyu’s total time playing with a lead compared to playing from behind. 227 minutes played while leading, 64 minutes at an even score line, 0 minutes playing from behind. Granted, when you score two goals in the opening minute of two consecutive games that number is naturally going to be inflated. But they still kept Iwata and Gunma completely off the score sheet and prevented Renofa from scoring in the final 38 minutes.

In 2019, 5 of Ryukyu’s 13 wins came in the form of a shutout. That number jumped to 10 out of 14 in 2020. That can be attributed to the difference in the amount of goals conceded between those two seasons and so far Ryukyu are off to their best start defensively of any season in the J2. And that, as I stated in the first preview of 2021, will be the telling sign for the overall fate of the team this year. There is no doubt that Chinen benefited from his first season at the J2 level last year, and somehow, Okazaki has started to put it all together after what seemed to be a career trending in the wrong direction. At least for now we haven’t seen the poor judgement, consistently out of position play that plagued us at the back for much of the past few seasons.

Abe will continue to get his goals and eventually Ryukyu will start to dictate games from their mid-field, but for now, they are winning through defense. Even more so, they are winning with the same combination of players. Ryukyu remained roughly in tact through the transfer window despite the departures of Koizumi and Kawai that many expected and maybe, just maybe, these players have the experience required in Higuchi’s system to make some real noise in the J2 this year.

When you view the lineup each week you wonder how some of the better players are left off the bench, but I would argue that the sum of this team is much greater than the individual parts. In 2019, we had talented players in Suzuki, Nakagawa, and Uejo. In 2020, it was Abe, Koya, Koizumi and Kawai. But this side could never put it all together on both ends of the pitch. Perhaps the end of 2020 – with Taguchi, Tanaka, Okazaki, and Chinen starting – was actually the beginning of what Higuchi had hoped to create all these years. And now we are seeing the benefits of playing as team rather than a group of talented individuals.

V-Varen Nagasaki: I am happy to welcome in Daniel, author of the Nagasaki Blue & Orange Blog, for this week’s preview. Daniel has been one of the best English bloggers out there these past few years and his weekly previews/reviews are a must follow. So there is no better source on the state of Nagasaki and what we can expect from them this round.

Q. Great to talk with you once again my friend. I know things haven’t gone according to plan so far, but I guess that comes with the territory when there are high expectations surrounding the team. Personally, I think Nagasaki are too good of a team to be down for to long, and I also fear them busting out in a big way this week, but it seems they were a bit frustrated in the attack last week against Ehime. What do you think is holding them back?

A. Thanks for having me again, Geoff! Especially in the game against Ehime and even in the win against Kanazawa, the poor usage with our chances was the biggest issue. Had V-Varen won this game 4-1, I do not think anyone could have said that it was undeserved because we really were dominant for most of the game and only allowed Ehime to have four shots on target, of which two came in the moment they scored their goal. I am quite confident that we can turn this problem around as there are many decent offensive players in the squad and some of them (Edigar Junio, Ibarbo, Yamazaki) have yet to make an appearance this season.

What may be the bigger issue, is some of the decisions made by the new manager, Takayuki Yoshida. His substitutions have had a rather negative impact in every game so far. Against Niigata, players were all over the place, but not in the positions in which they have played their best football in the past. Against Ehime, we needed to score another goal and the team kept on attacking, but from the moment Caio and Togashi were subbed, V-Varen lost their momentum. I also wasn’t a big fan of the formation he used in Niigata.

Q. We are not even remotely close to the ¼ mark of the season, but what is your impression of Nagasaki through their first 3 games?

A. Overall, quite positive. Defensively, I think we may be even better than last season. The team was a bit unlucky in the situations that lead to Niigata’s and Ehime’s goals and in general, our opponents have had very few decent chances. Offensively, we just need to start scoring. The chances have been there already, the players just need to take them.

Q. I see that the formation changes week-to-week under Yoshida and that Luan has played across 3-MF positions already. This has to be somewhat unsettling for the players in the squad. In your opinion, is Yoshida attempting to bend the squad around his preferred 3-4-2-1, or is he coming around to utilizing the players that he inherited in their natural positions?

A. The formations used against Kanazawa and Ehime were quite similar – with four defenders and one target man up front. Just the midfield was arranged differently. Against Niigata, however, V-Varen started with five defenders and that meant that Yoshida replaced an attacking player with a central defender. Defensively, it worked well considering that Niigata only had a couple of chances from open play and they were shots from about 15-20 meters out, but offensively, the team was not able to really bother Albirex. Also, V-Varen have been very good defensively with four defenders (only 39 goals conceded last season), so I did not think it was necessary to weaken the offense just to have an extra defender on the pitch. And it became worse with all the substitutions in this game.

Luan started on the left, then moved into the center and finished the game on the right. Otake has played in right midfield or behind the striker for most of his career, but when he came off the bench against Niigata, he played on the left. Sawada, a winger, is very good going one-on-one and can take on several defenders, but Yoshida brought him on as left back and had him sit back as protection in case Albirex would go on a counter attack. Akino is a defensive midfielder and he is the best passer on the squad and has initiated many attacks with long balls, but he finished the game as central defender. Meanwhile, Shinzato, a central defender, played most of the second half as defensive midfielder.

None of this made sense to me and I was shocked by how the manager, who already spent last season with the team and should know the players’ strengths, just shifted them back and forth and into (for them) untypical positions. I hope the Niigata game is a one-off because to me it was chaotic. In the end, it all goes back to the question of whether a managerial change was necessary or not and if different tactics are needed. The team collected 80 points last season and finished with a goal difference of +27. I understand that every manager wants to implement his own ideas, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! V-Varen have a very decent squad and almost all key players remained at the club. If Yoshida can get his tactics sorted, we have a very good chance for promotion.

Q. Nagasaki is still waiting on some reinforcements who haven’t entered the country yet correct? Where do you think they will fit in?

A. As of now, all players, who are under contract, are there, but Edigar Junio and Victor Ibarbo arrived in Nagasaki relatively late and they have not been included in a matchday squad so far. Once he is ready to go, Edigar Junio should be our first-choice striker and from the comments I saw on Twitter, many in our community expect him to score 15-20 goals. As for Ibarbo, it is complicated. He was supposed to be one of the best players in the league as well, but last season only got six starts. I can only guess that he did not put in enough work in training to deserve more playing time, but he still made quite an impact with one goal or assist every 116 minutes of playing time. If he is ready to go to work, he is also a candidate for a starting role, but I think that is a big “IF”.

The club is also still trying to sign a winger called Wellington Rato from Brazilian Serie A team Atletico Goianiense and their president said last week, that V-Varen had matched the transfer/loan fee requested by Atletico, but a few days later he said that the deal was off due to a disagreement regarding the payment, which V-Varen apparently requested to split into two instalments. A few months ago, V-Varen were also trying to sign Winger Jaroensak Wonggorn from Thai League team, Samut Prakan City, but the clubs could not come to an agreement. However, last week there was news about V-Varen and a few J1 clubs, including Kashima, still being interested in him.

Q. Who has been the best Nagasaki player to date?

A. First name that comes to mind is Cayman Togashi. He works relentlessly and got his first goal of the season against Ehime. The second player is Luan and I think he will also play a big role throughout the season. He accumulated six goals and three assists last year while only playing 1084 minutes. That means he contributed a goal or assist every 120 minutes of playing time. In my Season Preview I mentioned him as candidate for team MVP and I think his ambition needs to be a candidate for league MVP.

Q. For some unknown reason V-Varen Nagasaki always seem to be a team that FC Ryukyu play well against. We’ve traded 3-2 home wins in 2019, then drew during the monsoon last year, and then ended with the 1-0 win in Nagasaki that dented your promotion hopes last year. In our case, we sometimes (on rare occasion) play up to our competition, but mostly we play down to lower competition. What do you think is the case when Nagasaki face Ryukyu?

A. What I noticed is that six of the seven goals FC Ryukyu scored against us in the past two seasons came in the 69^th minute or later. V-Varen are not a team that concedes particularly many goals late in games, but even when we were up 3:0 in the first meeting of 2019, you guys still scored two beautiful goals in the final ten minutes and gave us quite a scare. Last season, when many teams just sat back against V-Varen and waited for counter attacks, FC Ryukyu were willing to take a risk and attack and they rewarded themselves with four points. So, I think that FCR just have a stubbornness and mental strength to them, which has helped them to surprise V-Varen and capitalize on their mistakes in the past four meetings between the two.

Q. What are your thoughts/predictions for this week’s game?

A. Before I started working on this preview, my prediction was a 1:0 win to Nagasaki, but because of what I just wrote in my reply to the previous question, I feel like we are going to need a two-goal lead in order to finally get an away win against you and that will be difficult. I expect both teams to have 15-20 strong minutes in each half and it is probably going to end in a 1-1 draw.

It was great to reconnect Daniel, I wish the best for you and your team this year -just not this week- and look forward to seeing Nagasaki in the thick of the promotion race. Cheers!

Thank you, too, Geoff. I really enjoyed answering your questions and am looking forward to a decent game. Good luck to you guys for the rest of the season!

4. 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. Uesato/Koki/Ichimaru/Yu have to play one of their best defensive games of their life. Likelihood 2. V-Varen is extremely good at sucking defenders deep into their own box before finding an outlet pass to an unmarked player near the top. They also seem to have guys flying into the box from all directions when they are in possession at the opponent’s end. The outcome of this game hinges on our 2 central midfielders’ ability to track, and close down, those runs and crosses.

2. Be clinical in limited opportunities. Likelihood 4. Echoing what Daniel said about Nagasaki’s defense limiting their opponent’s scoring chances, Ryukyu will need to be lethal from limited chances. Ryukyu are not even close to maintaining the same levels of possession they enjoyed last year so quick counters, and finishing those counters, will be key. Hopefully all of those near misses the past few weeks will start to fall for Ryukyu.

5. Prediction

This is definitely a statement game for FC Ryukyu as well as a chance for V-Varen Nagasaki to right the ship. As Daniel mentioned, these two sides share a unique history especially when it comes to late goals scored by FC Ryukyu, but last week against Gunma was the first time all year that Ryukyu scored in the second half. Factoring in Daniel’s perspective for how Nagasaki are better defensively than last year, and limit scoring chances for their opponents, Ryukyu may have few scoring opportunities on Saturday. A 1-goal loss to Nagasaki would be considered respectable, any type of points earned by Ryukyu will fall into the green section of the Points over Expectation table I produce for each Match Report. I think Ryukyu put up a fight, but ultimately fall 2-1 to Nagasaki. Season Record 2-0-1.

6. Match Day 4 in J2

Another interesting round of fixtures with Niigata looking to extend their undefeated streak to 4 when they host Gunma, and then there are plenty of teams sitting just outside the top two who have a good shot at improving their position in the table based on their matchups this round.

J-League Int’l Free YouTube Broadcast: SC Sagamihara v Omiya Ardija

7. Conclusion

Thank you to Johnny (gambaosakaenglish.blog) and Daniel for their contributions to the preview this week. Their input has been invaluable and if you are not already following these two, you need to be.

Pretender or Contender? That is what we want to know about Ryukyu. Time to go out there and make a statement.

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 2 Preview: (8) FC Ryukyu vs (13) Renofa Yamaguchi FC 3/6/21 #FC琉球

Intro

It is to early to say FC Ryukyu are off to a fast, but I would say they got off on the right foot. Their 1-0 win over Jubilo Iwata last week, while unexpected, has set FC Ryukyu up for what could be a nice start when considering their next two opponents, Renofa and Gunma. 9 points from 9 would be a very nice floor from the bottom, but first thing first, they need to get the job done against Renofa this Saturday.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Match Day 1 Recap
Team Previews
- FC Ryukyu
- Renofa Yamaguchi FC
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Prediction
Match Day 2 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information from the Club

Though it says it will be overcast the whole match, there is a chance of rain. And if we learned anything from last week, even if there is a 1-2% chance of rain, be prepared for the worst. Bring the poncho, umbrellas, and plastic coverings to keep your stuff dry in the event it does rain on Saturday.

Match Day 2 Info: Normal stuff, but good info nonetheless. Also, there is no away fans allowed yet and the club made it a point to mention NOT WEARING VISITOR SUPPORT GOODS during the match. This was a change from last week when some fans were seen wearing Iwata kits and other items inside the AA section of the stadium. The club is probably looking to avoid any problems with the league so please comply, even if you’re from Yamaguchi and living in Okinawa.

Match Day 2 Info

2. Match Day 1 Recap

FC Ryukyu 1-0 Jubilo Iwata

Renofa Yamaguchi 0-0 Matsumoto Yamaga FC

3. Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: A couple of questions we were wondering about were answered this past Sunday when FC Ryukyu defeated Jubilo Iwata. First, Junto Taguchi has become the clear cut FC Ryukyu #1 GK. Second, Tetsuya Chinen looked good in place of Yong Jick at CB. That still leaves us wondering about the statuses of Nakagawa and Motegi, both healthy (?) scratches. Ikeda did get the first goal of the season for FC Ryukyu, but if you recall, Ikeda scored a few goals early in 2020 before embarking on a 32 game goalless streak where he was ultimately replaced by Yoshio Koizumi. I truly didn’t see enough of Kiyotake to make any judgement calls just yet, so that is something I will focus on this weekend as I thought Motegi may have earned his starting spot back at LM.

Then there was the decision to dress 4 Forwards instead of any of the abovementioned midfielders. Obviously everything worked out in the end, but I think FC Ryukyu will have a better chance at controlling the tempo of this game, so we may see a different lineup on Saturday. Then again, we may not as Higuchi likes to stick with players long after he should have swapped them out.

FC Ryukyu Injuries: None listed at the time of publication.

Renofa Yamaguchi FC: I am not sure there are to many teams in J2 that had a higher turnover of personnel than Renofa did this offseason. It looks like they brought in 19 new players, while clearing another 17 off their books. Perhaps this isn’t the same team as the past few seasons, but there is no telling that any of the changes in personnel have made an impact at this point in the season. Despite some of the recent woes by Renofa, they own a pretty decent record against FC Ryukyu the past 2 seasons. They have an even 2-1-2 record, that includes the 2019 Emperors Cup match, and one of those wins was a 4-1 blowout of Ryukyu last year. Here is another interesting fact, in the past 5 meetings between these two teams dating back to 2019, FC Ryukyu has scored first in every game. With 3 of those goals occurring inside the first 15 minutes (2′,7′ & 15′).

In their last game with Matsumoto, it was Renofa who got off to a fast start but failed to crack the goal despite Yuki Kasano finding himself alone with only the keeper to beat in the 80′ minute. Then there was the almost win on the last play of the match where it looked like Renofa had scored the winner, only for it to be ruled out on a hand ball. We should expect a fast start from both of these teams on Saturday, with Ryukyu a good bet to score first.

Renofa Yamaguchi FC Injuries: Starting attacking mid-fielder Yatsunori Shimaya injured some ligaments in his ankle and will be out 4 weeks.

4. 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. Better Mid-Field Play: Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu couldn’t control the tempo of the game last week, and there were to many easy turnovers committed to prevent the offense from getting into a sort of rhythm. That needs to change this week.

2. Get Abe Firing: Likelihood 4. I know you’ve heard me say this before, but he is a player that can quickly change the fortunes of this team when he is firing on all cylinders. He couldn’t do much in last week’s game, but I can see that changing on Saturday.

5. Prediction

Season Record to Date: 0-0-1. I think FC Ryukyu come out firing, and continue to fire throughout the match. 3-1 win for FC Ryukyu on Saturday.

6. Match Day 2 in J2

There is an interesting mix of games this week featuring several matchups against the early season promotion candidates, and those seeking to avoid relegation. First up, and probably the matchup of the week is (1) Albirex Niigata hosting (7) V-Varen Nagasaki. Next we have (2) Tokyo Verdy hosting (9) Montedio Yamagata; then there is (3) Kyoto Sanga FC welcoming in (13) Matsumoto Yamaga FC. The (6) Omiya Ardija v (12) Ventforet Kofu should be a tightly contested affair, and then we all want to see how (18) Jubilo Iwata responds after their loss to FC Ryukyu when they face (11) FC Machida Zelvia at home.

(5) Thespakusatsu Gunma, like Ryukyu, will want to continue their fast start – as well as create a cushion between the bottom teams and themselves- when they travel to (20) SC Sagamihara. The other games with some early relegation implications are (22) Ehime FC hosting (10) JEF UTD Chiba; (21) Giravanz Kitakyushu v (16) Mito Hollyhock; and (19) Tochigi SC against (15) Blaublitz Akita.

YouTube Broadcast: LIVE | Tokyo Verdy vs Montedio Yamagata | Matchweek 2 | 2021 | J2 LEAGUE – YouTube

7. Conclusion

It is to early to deem this game a must win, or even a should win game for FC Ryukyu, but it is a winnable game nonetheless. Three points on Saturday will go a long way come the end of the season and FC Ryukyu need this win with games against Nagasaki, JEF and Omiya on the horizon.

FC Ryukyu Squad Review Part 3: Forwards and Goalies #FC琉球

The final installment of this series will look at the FC Ryukyu forwards and goalies. FC Ryukyu entered the year with only 3 strikers on the books, but never had more than 2 of them healthy at any one point. In goal, there was a 2-1 split for games played between Dany Carvajal and Junto Taguchi. But it was the decision to start Taguchi over Dany in 8 out of the last 9 games that really raised some eyebrows down here.

Forwards

Takuma Abe: Abe made 31 appearances, scoring 13 goals and adding 2 assists, before succumbing to some unknown injury that prevented him from completing the season. Signed from Vegalta Sendai in the offseason, there were many questions surrounding the then 32-year-old striker. Namely, had his skills diminished? Abe hadn’t reached double digit goals since 2012 when he was with Tokyo Verdy, but one thing we should understand about FC Ryukyu, more importantly, the system Higuchi employs, is that the man up top will have plenty of chances to score.

Abe scored in his second ever game for FC Ryukyu, and had two separate stretches where he scored in 4, and 3, games in a row. Prior to his unknown ailment, Abe had played in nearly every game for Ryukyu and looked to be on pace for +15, if not 20, goals. I stated at the beginning of the season that FC Ryukyu were extremely thin at FWD, and the sheer number of matches in such a short span certainly took its toll on Abe. Perhaps it wasn’t an injury that took him down, it could have just been a case of dead legs.

Whatever the case, Abe was in excellent form for this club in the games he did play. Besides scoring some fantastic goals; like he did against Fukuoka on Match Day 2 by going at it alone for 70 yards and beating Serantes; Match Day 12 with his signature left footed tap in; or his best game – and ultimately the last he’d score in- against Omiya with a brace where one was another left footed tap in from a long cross.

Shinya Uehara: Shinya, like Abe, was not on the roster for long spells of the season. When he did feature, it was always in a substitute role. This is a far cry from how he finished 2019 where he was filling in at RB, and playing the full 90’, due to so many injuries. But when Shinya did come on, he played the role of a “super sub” as his goals would tilt games in favor of FC Ryukyu.

Shinya notched a brace in 2 of the games he came on as a sub. And his penchant for scoring timely goals is incredible. Against Tochigi SC on Match Day 13, Uehara came on to score two times after the 75’ to level the game twice. Then against Mito on Match Day 20, he scored 2 goals in the final 6 minutes to give FC Ryukyu the win.

Takuya Hitomi: Like Ikeda, Hitomi joined from a University in the offseason but was sidelined for the better part of 8 months following knee surgery. He returned to the team on Match Day 24 but did not feature until Match Day 26. Hitomi scored his first ever goal for Ryukyu on Match Day 39 against Okayama, but was only ever included in the starting 11 once in 2020. But there is a bit of optimism surrounding this player as he possesses some nice traits, and flashed some talent in his limited opportunities. If anything, Hitomi looks more natural in the striker position than Ren Ikeda, and we may need Hitomi to start up there if FC Ryukyu hemorrhage a ton of talent in the offseason.

Keep: There is no question we need to keep all 3 of these players since FC Ryukyu have little depth at the position. Abe and Hitomi could split starts throughout the year to stay fresh, and we already know how effective Uehara is in brief appearances as an aerial threat and poacher inside the box. FC Ryukyu undoubtedly need to acquire a fourth striker in the offseason as none of these players showed they can stay healthy for a full season, but I feel Abe has plenty left in the tank for at least one more season at FC Ryukyu.

Goal Keeper

Coming into the season, Dany Carvajal was the clear first choice keeper for FC Ryukyu. Junto Taguchi was signed from Albirex Niigata to be the backup, but ultimately usurped Dany at the end of the season. The situation that FC Ryukyu faces moving forward at goalie has both good, and bad elements to it. There is nothing wrong with a little competition, but you also don’t want to take it too far where it engenders discontent among the ranks.

Dany Carvajal: Dany was not able to start the season for FC Ryukyu as he was still recovering/rehabilitating from ankle surgery in the offseason. He did return at the restart of the season and ended up playing in 28 total games. Dany began 0-1-2 in the first three games against Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, and eventual champions, Tokushima Vortis. That rough start prompted Higuchi to make a switch to Taguchi, who did not fare any better in his next two starts going 0-1-1.

For the season, Dany’s record was 9 wins, 5 draws, 14 losses, while registering 5 shutouts. Unfortunately, none of those shutouts occurred against the top competition in the league as they were against, Verdy, Gunma, Renofa, and Omiya twice. Dany seemed to be relegated to the bench after the 2-0 loss to Zweigen on Match Day 38, and never featured again this year.

That was a bit harsh to stomach considering Dany played really well in some games, and at times, he was let down by the players in front of him. Both offensively, and certainly defensively. He also had a bit of bad luck on several occasions were shots were deflected, or tipped, which caused them to change direction, and get past him. Sure, these things happen to all goal keepers, but when the coach is waffling between who to start, and who to sit, these little things do not help.

Junto Taguchi: Taguchi had bounced around between 4 clubs before settling in at Ryukyu this year. Prior to joining Ryukyu, Taguchi only made 2 starts for Albirex Niigata in 2018, with zero appearances in all of 2019. He was the first-choice keeper at Fujieda MYFC in 2017 when he was on loan from Yokohama F. Marinos, where he recorded 6 shutouts in the J3.

Taguchi’s first game was one to forget. First, FC Ryukyu surrendered a goal within the opening 30 seconds of the match, not all Taguchi’s fault, but then he made a mental mistake which nearly cost Ryukyu. If it were not for Yong Jick, of all people, bailing Taguchi out after his giveaway, things could’ve ended much worse. Taguchi still had the trust of Higuchi when on Match Day 5 he earned the start and drew with Nagasaki. But after Match Day 6, Taguchi wouldn’t start until a rest day for Dany on Match Day 22.

Higuchi opted for Taguchi moving forward after Match Day 34, which was a bit strange considering that Dany had won 4 of the previous 7 games before this switch. But it was the Nagasaki game that was a turning point for both Taguchi, and the team. Taguchi would then go on to start in 8 out the last 9 games for Ryukyu earning a 4-2-2 record. He recorded 4 of his 5 total shutouts in that run, and I have to say, he looked good in doing so. If you’re wondering, Taguchi’s shutouts came against: Yamagata, Nagasaki, Verdy, Ehime and Mito.

The Way Forward: Dany is under contract through 2021. Taguchi just renewed his contract with FC Ryukyu today. Both are quality keepers, so there will be serious competition for playing time next year. It was hard to tell if Higuchi was attempting to play the “hot hand” with his selections at the end of the season, or, if he prefers Taguchi over Dany. Dany has definitely recovered from the ankle surgery, and was playing some inspired football at times, even when it seemed that others around were not. But Taguchi’s strong finish speaks volumes at this point. Here is the rub, as they say. FC Ryukyu doesn’t have the strongest defensive unit in front of these guys so it is hard to get a true gauge on just how good they both could be.

We all have seen what happens when the #1 GK goes down. Usually, it is a steep drop off in talent with the second choice, so FC Ryukyu are some what blessed with 2 keepers that can play at a relatively high level. It will be interesting to see how Higuchi selects his keeper for each match next year. And this is something to follow in the weeks leading up to the start of 2021.

Conclusion

That does it for the player series. I will be back after the Christmas break to wrap up the season as a whole. Please enjoy your Holiday, and I know that may not be easy in these difficult times. If you’re feeling alone, isolated, or depressed, please reach out to someone. And if you have no luck, feel free to reach out to me in my DMs on Twitter. I’d be happy to chat with you or even share a beer over Zoom.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all, Stay Safe.

@okinawaozzy

Match Day 9 Report: (17) Fagiano Okayama vs (21) FC Ryukyu 8/1/20 #FC琉球

Intro

What a relief! FC Ryukyu finally grabbed their first win of the 2020 campaign, thus putting to bed the streak of 258 days since FC Ryukyu last won a match. The win comes at a heavy cost though as Koki Kazama went off injured in the 6th minute due to knock on his knee. It is likely he will be joining Shinji Ono on the sideline for quite some time as he was seen sporting a brace and crutches in the post match photo. But FC Ryukyu looked good in the match as they dominated Okayama in every single offensive category.

Match Recap
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Match Prediction
Match Day 9 Takeaways
Match Day 9 in J2
Top Goals from Round 9
Conclusion

1. Match Recap

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu FWD Takuma Abe: He was involved in both goals for FC Ryukyu as he drew the foul that Uesato scored from a FK, and he pounced on the rebound that put FC Ryukyu in front 2-1. He was something to watch on Saturday with his excellent hold up play and breakouts on the counter attacks.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory

1. It all starts in the Locker Room. Likelihood 3: This one almost didn’t happen as Higuchi reverted back to the 4-2-3-1 instead of sticking with the 4-1-4-1 that worked well against Iwata. However, the team came out and played really well despite conceding an early goal. The look of relief, and belief, on all their faces after the game sums this up nicely.

2. Substitutes and their timing are Key. Likelihood 3: Unfortunately, FC Ryukyu suffered another injury to one of their CM in Koki Kazama. Uesato came on early but Higuchi made only 2 more changes in the 70th minute and opted to leave a majority of the team out their the whole match. The 92nd minute changes did not really mean anything other than getting guys some limited game time to stay fresh.

3. Create some chaos in the Okayama Defense. Likelihood 4: This one was crucial as it was Abe’s goal after a punched save from a Tanaka shot that caught the Okayama defenders flatfooted.

4. Match Prediction

Like Ryukyu, I finally got the first W of the year with my 2-1 scoreline prediction. W1-D2-L6.

5. Match Day 9 Takeaways

1. FC Ryukyu have now been bitten hard by the injury bug and are facing a selection crisis. The injuries to Koki and Ono, along with the sudden departure of Lee Ji Seong back to Korea, have shrunken the ranks of available players for Higuchi to build his lineup. Ryukyu have 9 healthy MFs on the roster as I expect the reason Motegi didn’t feature against Okayama was merely due to maintenance, not injury, but keep in mind that Tanaka’s primarily been an LB the past few weeks.

If Higuchi sticks to the 4-2-3-1, that will put a heavy tax on the current crop of MFs whereas a 4-1-4-1, may provide some level of rest for the squad. Of course, reintroducing Tavares, Numata, and Torikai could relieve some of the pressure and there is a possibility that Fukui could be called upon to serve in the CDM role vacated by both Ono and Koki’s injuries. We also have Chinen, and possibly Okazaki, to call upon for extra defenders.

FC Ryukyu should be strongly compelled to dip into the transfer market and sign 3-4 players on loan before it is too late and they are forced to dress some of the youth and special designated players.

2. While the game of “paper, rock, & scissors” between Yu and Uesato seemed like a funny moment, I hope that is not the preferred method for determining who takes free kicks. Uesato did comment after the game that he saw how the Okayama wall was constructed and that a left footed shot was preferable to that of Yu’s right. It was a good call as he scored our first dead ball kick of the season.

3. I am not sure why we have such a hard time picking out Yong Jick on set pieces? It could be a combination of poorly taken corners/free kicks or that Yong Jick isn’t aggressive enough to put himself into position to take a header. I mean, the man is usually the tallest player on the pitch and you merely need to be within his vicinity with the placement of your attempt.

4. FC Ryukyu will probably have the fewest number of clean sheets of any J2 team this season but Dany has been playing some inspired football the last three games. He made some quality saves on Saturday and even stopped the initial shot from an Okayama player that got in behind our defense. Unfortunately, the blocked shot fell at the feet of a wide-open Okayama player that easily slotted it home but there was nothing anyone could have done about it. I think the stronger Dany gets with each game, the more likely it is we can pull of some victories in some low scoring affairs.

5. Shuto Kawai’s return to the team was a welcome sight and it will be exciting to watch the way he integrates with Koizumi, Ikeda and Motegi moving forward.

6. Koizumi has some of the best balance I’ve seen in a player. He is constantly knocked around and in the middle of fracases all the time but still remains upright and in control of the ball. He will be the engine that drives the Ryukyu attack from now on.

6. Match Day 9 in J2

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

Omiya v Fukuoka was called off after a suspected case of CV19 was confirmed at Avispa Fukuoka. Kitakyushu continue their ascent to the top while Gunma shocked everyone, including JEF, with a last second goal.

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

7. Top Goals from Round 9

#1 Uesato’s FK that found its way over the wall and into the net off the near post. (0:23)

#2 Keiya Nakami’s bullet shot from distance that left the Kitakyushu keeper stunned. (2:15)

#3 Pitbull’s (not the one you’re thinking of) chip over the Kanazawa keeper for the Mito win in the 94^th minute. (4:08)

8. Conclusion

Well, we got that all important first win the books and now it is time to march on. We may have to become accustomed to long stretches of games without any wins this season but the most important thing that came out of the match on Saturday is the belief within the locker room that they can win. It is especially impressive to get that win on the road on a short week though there is something to be said about Okayama not fielding their strongest side due to injury. Such is life and these are the breaks teams need from time to time. Up next is a trip to Tokyo Verdy for FC Ryukyu after a nice six day break between games.

Match Day 4 Report: (21) FC Ryukyu vs. (3) Tokushima Vortis 7/11/20 #FC琉球

Intro

Another match, another disappointing result for FC Ryukyu as they lost 3-1 to visitors Tokushima Vortis on Saturday. The loss drops FC Ryukyu to 21st in the table and sees them with one of the worst goal scoring differentials in the league. Still with more questions than answers at this point, FC Ryukyu will need to quickly rebound from this loss as they face the number two side in V-Varen Nagasaki on Wednesday night.

Match Recap
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Match Day Prediction
Match Day 4 Takeaways
Match Day 4 in J2
Top Goals in Round 4
Conclusion

1. Match Recap

FC Ryukyu made a few changes to the starting 11 with Koya returning to LM; Koizumi in at CAM; and Chinen making his debut at CB. FC Ryukyu started the match pretty fast as there were two nice shots by the Kazama brothers that nearly broke the mold. Unfortunately, a deflected shot got past Dany to open the scoring before Abe pegged one back with another highlight reel goal. FC Ryukyu pressed hard for a winner but after Chinen slipped, allowing his man to get round him and get alone on goal, the game was all but over.

2. Man of the Match

Tokushima Vortis FWD Masaki Watai. His first goal was all that was needed to seal the victory on Saturday and then he added a second just five minutes later.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Frustrate the Vortis Attack. Likelihood 2: Did not happen as they out shot, out scored and out possessed FC Ryukyu last week. The deflected shot and slip by Chinen are sort of excusable but Vortis put themselves in so many good opportunities to win it really didn’t matter in the end.

2. Generate some offense. Likelihood 3: FC Ryukyu did accomplish this on Saturday and I think the combination of Koya and Koizumi could definitely pay off in the near future.

4. Match Day Prediction

I said 2-0 to Vortis and it ended 3-1 leaving me with another draw and an overall record of 0-2-2.

5. Match Day 4 Takeaways

1. Koizumi was electric in the #10 role and has rightfully earned his place among the starting eleven for FC Ryukyu moving forward. He was a constant threat to the Vortis defense which opened up the offense for the first time in weeks. His assist on Abe’s goal was a thing of beauty.

2. Another multiple goal conceded game is worrisome. FC Ryukyu have 5 CBs on the roster and they need to find a combination that works in addition to reviewing the tactics they currently deploy in defense.

6. Match Day 4 in J2

Kitakyushu shocked everyone on Friday night when they traveled to Okayama and defeated the hosts 2-0. Kyoto won their match up over Fukuoka 2-0 and Nagasaki and Omiya both remained top after their wins.

7. Top Goals in Round 4

#1 Kazuma Yamaguchi of Mito Hollyhock (3:33 mark)

#2 Lukian from Jubilo Iwata (4:45 mark)

#3 Takuma Abe from FC Ryukyu (2:30 mark)

8. Conclusion

Once again there is another bitter pill to swallow for fans of FC Ryukyu. Maybe no one expected FCR to win this match, let alone earn a point, but yet there were times when it seemed that they could have. That little sense of false hope is enough to drive you mad and make you wonder if things will get better any time soon. Well, there is a real possibility that FCR may not notch their fist win until August and even that is coming into question now as we simply cannot score, or defend, with any conviction. And now the schedule becomes a factor to contend with as well.

We have our first of fifteen mid-week games this season in two days and it happens to be against an undefeated opponent in V-Varen Nagasaki. On a short week, with little prep work and rest, means it will be anyone’s guess how this team will respond after two straight losses. If we cannot score from open play, off of set pieces or defend our own goal, then we may have to settle in for a string of disappointing results for the foreseeable future.

“Here We Go!” Match Day 1 Preview: JEF UTD Chiba vs FC Ryukyu 2/23/2020

Intro

My oh my, the time has flown by this offseason. Nevertheless, here we are at the first Match Day Preview for FC Ryukyu in the 2020 season. Last year I found that Match Day Previews became much richer and more deeply involved as the season evolved over time. Of course, this is to be expected when story lines start to unfold, players get injured, teams experience a dip or rise in form and statistics allow us to conduct some level of critical analysis. But at the start of each season, teams are relatively unknown commodities and often playing together for the first time. Surely last season stands as a perfect example when FC Ryukyu got out on the front foot quickly with such a blazing start and took everyone by surprise.

The same notion holds true for 2020 as teams will spend the better part of a month learning to gel when game speeds increase and matches begin to count. By starting fast early last year, FC Ryukyu scored a major advantage over teams that struggled out of the gate. I am not sure we will catch many by surprise this year, and in fact, I think FC Ryukyu have a very tough opening 11 matches to begin the year. This could cause some early tense moments this spring as well as stressful ones come this fall.

With that in mind, we open the Match Day Previews for this season with a road trip to Chiba where FC Ryukyu will take on JEF United Chiba on the opening day of 2020. If you recall last year, JEF got the better of FC Ryukyu on two separate occasions. A 1-0 win in Chiba on the first Wednesday night game of the year back on April 3^rd followed up by a 2-0 win in Okinawa at the end of July. The loss in July was number 4 in the midst of a 5-game losing streak for FC Ryukyu which really piled the pressure on the squad and the manager Higuchi. FC Ryukyu were in complete freefall at that time and were tumbling down the J2 table with each consecutive loss. But despite suffering setbacks to JEF along the way, FC Ryukyu would go on to finish higher than JEF in the J2 table in 2019.

But a lot has changed since these sides last met nearly 7 months ago. Players have changed teams, JEF has changed their manager and there are different expectations for both clubs heading into 2020.

Weather Forecast

JEF Chiba United

JEF made some wholesale changes to a side that finished 17^th in the table on 43 points in 2019. Often the punch line of several jokes stemming from numerous howlers and blunders, JEF has addressed the GK position this offseason by signing a veteran player from J1. Shoto Arai (Kawasaki Frontale) will look to sure up the final line of defense for JEF that only mustered 11 clean sheets from 42 matches in 2020. It is not as if clean sheets tell the whole story as there were probably a couple of occasions where a goal was conceded that either leveled or titled matches for JEF last season after they had already conceded.

Kleber will lead the JEF line up front as he did for much of last season. Kleber will be partnered with either newly signed Keita Yamashita (Renofa Yamaguchi) or Takayuki Funayama. Kleber banged in 17 goals in his 38 starts last season with Yamashita and Funayama each chipping 11/12 respectfully. Keita is 9 years younger than Funayama and perhaps the new coach favors a more aggressive style of play, with more gut busting runs compared to last season, and that may favor the younger Keita. JEF also signed Alan Pinheiro from Tokyo Verdy, a 17-goal scorer from just 2 seasons ago, to add to their firepower up front.

I cannot speak volumes on the defenders that JEF signed this offseason but it seems a majority of the issues that plagued this side in 2019 may very well continue into 2020. All in all, this looks like a club that wants to execute a very aggressive attacking style of play and run the opponent into the ground. But can they can keep opponents off the score sheet?

FC Ryukyu

Last year’s opening day starters for FC Ryukyu included Koji Suzuki, Kazaki Nakagawa, Keita Tanaka, Yu Tomidokoro, Kazumasa Uesato, Koki Kazama, Taishi Nishioka, Ryohei Okazaki, Shuhei Tokumoto Kosuke, Masutani and Dany Carvajal. From that group, only 6 remain, and of those 5, only 2 are likely start the opening match of 2020. This is nothing new to the fans of Ryukyu as many of us have seen some violent roster churn every season for this club. The question now becomes, can FC Ryukyu survive or thrive with this new group of players?

Up top will be Takuma Abe or Shinya Uehara for FC Ryukyu. Either will be flanked by Keita Tanaka, Koya Kazama, Shuto Kawai or Shunsuke Motegi with recent college graduate, Ren Ikeda, possibly leading the charge from the #10 slot. The youngster believes he is in the poll position to start the year there and that would come as a big surprise considering he beat out the likes of Koya and others to take over the CAM role. But whatever, name brand recognition is nice, results are so much better. So, if he can indeed prove his mettle out there, then I am all for it.

FC Ryukyu has made whole sale changes to back line that conceded a J2 league leading 81 goals last season. Tokumoto, Masutani, Nishioka have departed and Ryohei Okazaki is out injured. In comes newly signed North Korean National Team Player, Lee Yong Jick, and on-loan defender from Tokushima Vortis, Daisei Suzuki. At full back there is Felipe Taveras (RB), signed from a Brazilian Club this offseason, as well as (LB) Keito Numata who transferred in from Zweigen Kanazawa to replace Tokumoto. If Tavares can produce, or Torikai can get healthy and return to his top form, defense could all of a sudden become be a hidden strength for this team. There is an off chance that Ryoji Fukui starts in place of Suzuki, as he was Highuchi’s preferred choice all last season when there was an injury anywhere cross the back 4, but Suzuki seems to have the demeanor you want in a CB and I hope he is in there come Sunday.

Finally, we come onto the goal keeping crew. With Dany out rehabbing from offseason surgery, FCR are left with some unproven options on the roster. Inose started one match for FC Ryukyu last year at Mito and Tsumita has never featured for the club at this level. Then there is Junto Taguchi who signed from Albirex Niigata but I believe hasn’t featured in a competitive match in well over year. The closest I could find was a loan spell at Fujieda MYFC. For a side that only kept 7 clean sheets in all of 2019 (all 7 from Dany) there are many questions and concerns heading into the season opener.

Player Injuries

JEF UTD Chiba: MF Tameda (Cannot locate the injury) Return 8-10 weeks.

FC Ryukyu: GK Carvajal: (Ankle) Expected Return-4weeks. DF Okazaki: (Foot Fracture) Expected Return-3 weeks. MF Tomidokoro (Ankle/Foot) Expected Return-4 weeks. MF Yamaguchi: (Calf/Hamstring Pull/Tear) Expected Return-6 weeks.

Keys to Victory

Going to add a twist for 2020 to this section and provide a level of confidence after each key to victory indicating the likelihood that I think it will happen. The scale below:

5. An almost certainty: 4 Fairly Certain: 3 Somewhat Certain: 2 Very Unlikely: 1 Miracle

1. Stifle the JEF attack and do not expose the FCR goal keeper. I think FC Ryukyu may have the advantage on defense (words I would have never uttered in 2019) so this is a real possibility and necessity on Sunday. I cannot speak to how Higuchi split the preseason reps between Taguchi, Inose and Tsumita but the last thing FCR needs to do is turn this game into a shooting gallery back there for our goalie. Likelihood: 2

2. Exploit the JEF back line. The JEF defensive unit, much like the FCR back line, is newly formed and learning to play together for the first time. This is probably the weakest link in the JEF side which should allow FCR to get some shots on net which leads to point #3. Likelihood: 4

3. Capitalize on whatever opportunities are afforded by the JEF defense. JEF’s goalkeeper is a step up from last year and a proven shot stopper so weak, ill-advised and off-target shots will not help FCRs chances of victory. Especially if we only have 2-3 quality scoring chances that day. Abe seems dialed in from the amount of pre-season goals he scored so hopefully he can bag a brace on the weekend and give FCR the win. Likelihood: 3

Match Prediction

JEF is stronger on the ends of the pitch at GK and FWD with FCR having the advantage through the middle (MF/DEF). JEF has 3 proven double-digit goal scorers from last year whereas FCR have none. FCR also lack the experience in goal compared to that of JEF. However, FCR are slightly stronger across the back line and loaded with talent through the MF.

Each side is orientated to the attack and therefore this game will boil down to who has the most cracks at the back. Unlike last year when FCR failed to fire in any of their matches against JEF, I think this year will be different. However, I also feel that JEF will capitalize on their opportunities more than FCR and therefore will edge out FCR on the opening day.

Match Day Prediction: JEF UTD Chiba 2-1 FC Ryukyu.

Match Day Information

Please see Lost in Football’s website for information on how to purchase tickets and get the match at JEF UTC Chiba. http://lostinfootballjapan.com/club-profiles/jef-united-chiba/

JEF: https://jefunited.co.jp/event/2020/0223/. Can translate into English if using Google Chrome.

FC Ryukyu: http://fcryukyu.com/news/23000. List of goods on sale at JEF’s stadium.

J Soccer Magazine also has a ton of information on these clubs as well as all the J League sides. http://www.jsoccer.com/new/j2

Check out the latest J2 podcast, J-Talk Extra Time Ep.121, on iTunes Podcasts as well as Podbean where Stuart and Jon cover the opening round of fixtures for J2 this weekend. @sushi_football & @J2KantoBites

Conclusion

It is truly anyone’s guess how the opening day fixture will play out as we’ve never seen these sides face each other with this current crop of players. Will the occasion be too much for Taguchi in net for FCR? Does FCR have the firepower to get into shootouts this season? Can the back line for FCR morph from a position of weakness in 2019 to one of strength in 2020? All good questions that will be answered in short order. But for now, let’s enjoy the opening fixture of the 2020 season as we’ve all waited long enough for it to finally come around.