Shell Shocked! Match Day 14 Recap: Fagiano Okayama 1-0 FC Ryukyu

It was an unfortunate turn of events for FC Ryukyu this past weekend at the City Light Stadium in Okayama. The hosts were able to secure all 3 points after a PK was awarded early in the second half and the boys from Okinawa could not respond. FC Ryukyu’s overall road record now sits at 1 win in 7 with only 2 draws. It seems a long time ago when that free scoring side of FCR was taking it to Omiya in match Day 2 and if FCR hopes to secure J2 football in 2020, the road results need to improve.

Okayama came out in their typical 4-4-2 with FC Ryukyu in a 4-2-3-1 formation. FC Ryukyu did see the return of Nishioka from injury and it was a welcome sign considering that our starting CB, Okazaki, would sit this match out due to suspension from his accumulation of yellow cards. The FCR reserves featured #21, Shinya Uehara FW, for the first time all season and I was certainly interested in seeing what the big man (186cm) could provide up front as well as in defense if needed.

The first half of the match started out exactly as I had predicted. FC Ryukyu came out on the front foot, controlled a majority of the possession and created the most opportunities on net. Unfortunately, FC Ryukyu were unable to take the lead on any of their chances. Ryukyu’s first chance at taking the lead came in the 10^th minute when Koji Suzuki nearly turned a cross into a goal but the outstretched arms of the diving Okayama keeper sent the shot wide. Then it was Okayama’s turn to create some chances and they had three great opportunities to take the lead but luckily, they couldn’t get past Carvajal. Ryukyu’s best chance came in the 39^th minute, again from Suzuki, who struck a ball first time on the volley but the shot was directly at the Okayama keeper from point blank range which meant he was able to parry it over the top of the net.

The second half began with a flurry of action after only 30 seconds from the Okayama side. I had also feared this would be the case in the match preview and Okayama nearly broke the deadlock in the first 2 minutes. They had 2 shots on net in the first 30 seconds requiring top quality saves from Carvajal to keep the score line 0-0. Not one minute later, Okayama had 3 shots on net with the last being saved from Carvajal and the following foul from Okayama on an FCR player was the only thing that slowed the onslaught on the Ryukyu net.

However, a break down at the back from Masutani, who failed to track the run of an Okayama player, resulted in a free run on goal for which Carvajal had to come out and make one of those challenges where it could result in a sending off and/or PK. The resulting Carvajal challenge upended the Okayama player and therefore they were awarded a PK. Lee stepped up and netted his 9^th J2 goal of the season thus moving him into a tie with Koji Suzuki as the top scorers in J2.

FC Ryukyu began to press for the game tying goal with their substitutes of Ochi, Uehara and Wada but they couldn’t find the back of the net to secure a draw. The closest FCR came to tying the match was a diving header by Tanaka that just went over the crossbar. Ryukyu were lucky to not have lost 2-0 since it was only the post that stopped a Okayama shot on net after Masutani failed yet again to track another run from an Okayama player. Truth be told, FC Ryukyu could’ve lost 3 or 4 to 0 if it wasn’t for the heroic efforts of Carvajal.

This has to go down as another lost opportunity for FC Ryukyu to secure vital points on the road. Both teams were evenly matched in this game, I think FC Ryukyu still has the better overall squad, but Okayama just outplayed them on the day. Again, I am baffled how this team responds to the level of competition they face each week and just hope they can start putting teams away when needed in order to avoid a relegation scrap at the end of the season.

Match Takeaways:

1. FC Ryukyu has failed to score multiple goals in a game for the 8^th time in a row and was shut out for the 3^rd time all season. I can deal with the fact that FC Ryukyu will be shut out from time to time but the fact that we haven’t scored more than one goal in any match since Renofa is just inexcusable. The players, the staff, the philosophy and formation of FC Ryukyu is designed for one sole purpose, attack. Well, the team can play some very nice passing football in their own half and just over the halfway line but they are having great difficulty in our opponent’s end. Rarely do I see any penetrating runs from the FCR outfield players into the box when we have possession and our attacking MFs just look confused on where to go with the ball. No one is moving and they simply look to get it wide to a fullback for a cross instead of trying to unlock teams with runs in and around the box. I don’t have many suggestions on how to fix this issue outside of training ground work and a possibly reshuffling the starting 11.

2. FC Ryukyu lacks creativity and conviction on corners and free kicks. FC Ryukyu once again attempted several short corners, none of which were remotely successful against Okayama. I get that maybe we are trying to draw out an extra defender thus leaving someone unmarked in the box with the short corner but we are not fooling teams with these set pieces. It is deflating as a fan to see your team win a corner only to throw away the opportunity with indecisive, poor crosses and passes. If FCR doesn’t have the height advantage on set pieces, then misdirection from headers on low crosses that can shift the ball quickly to the other side of goal maybe the solution. There is not much more I can add on free kicks other than teams rarely feel threatened from any of our set pieces. Yet again, another training ground issue.

3. We need to tighten up the central defense and quit allowing free runs on Carvajal. There have been way too many breakdowns at the back that have created several chances for the opposition. Carvajal has performed admirably on numerous occasions throughout the year in these situations and is why FCR sits 9^th in the table after match day 14 instead of 19th. The worrying trend is that FC Ryukyu loses concentration at key moments in the game and this results in an absolute barrage on net from our opponents. This past week is a perfect example. FCR came out sluggish in the second half and were shell shocked by the Okayama attack. Players were standing around hoping for someone to make a play and alleviate the pressure. That is simply not good enough at this level. Outside of the team working with a sports psychologist I am not sure how you improve the concentration levels of the team so they can begin seeing out tightly contested matches instead of shifting the momentum to the opposition.

FC Ryukyu is returning home to the friendly confines of the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium this Saturday to face a Niigata side who just lost at home to Ehime. FC Ryukyu desperately needs to secure the 3 points at home this weekend so let’s all get out there in full voice and cheer on the boys.

Match Day 12 Preview: FC Gifu vs. FC Ryukyu 5/5/2019

Match Day 12 Info: 5/5/2019 (H) FC Gifu vs FC Ryukyu (A) at the Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium, Kickoff at 1800

Weather Forecast: Temperatures will be in the low 70s/High 60s for most of the match. Looks like it will rain prior to kickoff but only a 25% chance of showers during the match. Winds will be at 6-7 mph so it should be a nice cool evening to watch the final match of week 12 in the J2 league.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. FCR is on the road, against an opponent at the bottom of the table who does not score a lot of goals and lacks confidence. I’ve said that at least twice this season in prior match day previews only to see FCR eek out a draw or lose. The situation is no different against FC Gifu. Gifu, like Ryukyu, are targeting this match up for 3 points. Gifu would like to get out from the bottom of the table and FC Ryukyu would like to get that elusive 5^th win and put an end to the tumble down the table they’ve been experiencing the past few weeks. Like @UeYuina and @becutechic in the cover photo, it’s all business this week for FCR.

FC Gifu: 22^nd in J2 with 9 points, 2W3D6L Goal Differential of -4, Current Form LLLLD

Typical formation: 4-3-3 as a diamond and then a more traditional 4-3-3 vs Tochigi this past week.

FC Gifu started the season with 2 wins and a draw in their first 4 matches but since then have only been able to muster 2 draws in their last 7 matches. During that same 7 game stretch, FC Gifu has only scored twice while conceding 13 goals. Gifu are an even split at home with 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses and those results came in that very same order this season.

From what I’ve seen on the game film, FC Gifu is a team who is starting to play as if they have nothing to lose. FCR has seen this before against Kagoshima and that “backed into a corner mentality” has gotten the best of FC Ryukyu this season on several occasions. The FC Gifu draw against Tochigi, that came on a late goal, may be the spark that generates some confidence in Gifu and emboldens them to take it to Ryukyu on Sunday evening.

Players to Watch: #14 Koya Kazama. He is the Gifu leading scorer with 2 goals this season.

#10 Ryan de Vries FWD. A large forward that Okazaki and Fukui will have to deal with during the match.

#16 Yu Togashi FWD. How could he not make the list? Always enjoy seeing former FCR players, especially those from the tittle winning season, so let’s hope he out there tomorrow. Strangely, he hasn’t featured in over a month and I don’t know if it is due to injury or he is unable to break into the starting 11 or the reserves.

FC Ryukyu 7^th in J2 with 17 points, 4W5D2L Goal Difference of +4 Current Form LDDLD

Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1 but was a 4-1-4-1 this past week against Zelvia.

FCR has a chance to put some distance between themselves and the bottom of the table against an opponent in FC Gifu who has failed to fire the past few weeks. The match up against Gifu is the last “easy” match up for a while for FCR if you want to look at match ups based solely on the standings within the J2. However, we’ve seen time and time again this season, that when FCR plays what could be considered an inferior opponent, FCR seems to breathe life back into those squads and not achieve the expected winning result. This game sets up the same way so many have this season and I hope FCR can come out firing to an early lead.

FCRs last match up saw them score very early on from a nice cross into the box from Tomidokoro that found a surging Masutani, who was able to generate some serious power behind the header. At last! Well, at least that is what I thought. FCR had finally scored first again and I thought that the attack maybe firing again. As we all know, that wasn’t the case and FCR saw out a draw against Zelvia after Machida began dictating play and netted the late equalizer.

FCR Keys to Victory: 1.) Score first and Score Often. It goes without saying that it is highly likely FCR concedes a goal in this match up as they’ve only kept one clean sheet all season. Therefore, FCR needs to get going and get going fast against Gifu. FC Gifu can be put out of their misery with some quick consecutive goals and its high time that Suzuki gets back to his scoring ways.

2. Harass the Gifu back line. For whatever reason, FC Gifu’s defense seems to lose concentration at the back and can go missing at the worst times. FCR needs to be making solid runs through the channels in the Gifu defense in order to confuse and pull the Gifu defense apart. This will lead to some breakdowns in coverage and communication for Gifu and should see an FCR attacker alone and open on goal.

3. Weather the FC Gifu strong start and remain calm if Gifu do score first. This game could see FC Gifu coming out to a blazing start and that means that FCR will once again be under pressure and rely heavily on Danny Carvajal to bail out the defense. FCR must utilize its Right and Left Mid Fielders to cover the Right and Left backs who get so deeply involved in the FCR attack. Gifu’s formation suggests that they will try to punch a hole right through the center of the FCR defense but this would be a mistake. FCR is strong through the center but rather weak on the flanks, and even more so now that Masutani is playing RB due to the Nishioka injury.

4. Let Koizumi start over Ochi and Kawai. FCR needs to see more out of Koizumi and this match up would be the perfect coming out party to introduce himself to the J League. Kawai’s speed is likely going to be needed at the end of the match so let’s save him and Tanaka as late subs.

Match prediction: At the end of the day I see FCR dropping points on the road. This could be either a draw or a loss, but I feel that a loss is more likely as FCR seems unable to handle the “caged animal” mentality by those teams at the bottom of the J2 table.

Let’s hope the Bengara boys can go out there and grab that 5^th win and push their point tally a little closer to 42. The schedule is going to get a lot tougher for FCR in the coming months and this match up versus FC Gifu has to be treated as a must win for FCR.

1st Quarter 2019 Season Review for FCR.

We are officially past the quarter mark of the 2019 J2 season and I think it is a good time to reflect back on what FC Ryukyu has accomplished so far along with some of the standout performers in the club, the memorable moments for the team and where this club could improve moving forward.

There are 42 games in the J2 season so in order to break the season down into 4 separate quarters, we will say the first quarter includes the first 11 matches followed by 2 quarters of 10 matches each and then concludes with the 11 remaining matches of the J2 season.

FC Ryukyu currently sit 7^th in the J2 table with 17 points coming from 4 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses in 11 matches this season. FC Ryukyu have scored 17 goals and conceded 13 and are averaging just under 5,000 fans per game, most of who are being treated to some very exciting football along the way.

Not many people pegged FC Ryukyu to be in the position they are in right now, least of all me. FC Ryukyu has experienced some serious “highs” and “lows” of the early 2019 J2 season and below are the standout performers for FC Ryukyu as well as the 5 most memorable moments to date and some areas for improvement.

Koji Suzuki

The signing from Zelvia has been in top form so far this season. He currently sits at 8 goals in 11 matches and is the top goal scorer in J2 this season. Granted, he hasn’t scored since the Renofa match but he has been vital in starting counter attacks with his hold up play and is doing everything he can to help this team win.

Danny Carvajal

Danny has been a tremendous signing this season. He has singly handily kept FC Ryukyu in so many matches this year with his efforts between the sticks. One of his best performances to date was against Verdy where he stopped numerous shots on net and made a vital PK save that ultimately allowed FCR to earn a draw. We are lucky to have a player of his caliber on our team and need to provide some better defensive play in front of him so he can begin registering shut outs.

Satoki Uejo

Uejo has been a revelation this season and provided some much-needed spark after the loss of Nakagawa in the transfer window. He currently sits as the joint top 4 goal scorer in J2 with 4 goal. His volley against Reysol was terrific and earned FC Ryukyu a point as well as the J League record 26 home matches played without defeat record.

Going to rely on this emerging player the rest of the season

5. Opening Day: February 24^th 2019

It was a historic day for the club as they would play their first ever J2 game. The weather didn’t cooperate as it was overcast, then raining and windy but that wouldn’t dampen the spirits of the 7,385 fans who showed up to watch this special moment. The team repaid the fans dedication by achieving a 3-1 victory over Avispa Fukuoka behind a brace from newly signed Koji Suzuki. Since no one truly knew how FC Ryukyu would respond in the J2, it was so meaningful that their first ever match ended in a victory. This victory would start FC Ryukyu down a path of 4 consecutive victories in a row to open the J2 season.

4. The first and only road win to date. March 2^nd 2019

The match against Omiya was an amazing spectacle to witness and I am glad I was able to enjoy it firsthand. I tip my cap to the Omiya organization and their fans as it was one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever witnessed during my time as a football fan. Fresh off their first victory, FC Ryukyu came out blazing against Omiya Ardija. Tanaka opened the scoring early on a very nice take and then the second brace in as many games for Koji Suzki pushed the score to 3-1. FC Ryukyu were not done yet as Uejo netted his first goal of the season and FCR were flying with a 4-1 advantage thanks in large part to 3 assists from Nakagawa. Omiya made a late push to bring the match close at 4-3 before FC Ryukyu were able to see it out and hold on for their first ever, and last as of this article, J2 road win. The feelings of joy throughout the match in the FCR supporter end will be something I carry with me the rest of my time as a supporter of this club.

3. The Nakagawa Transfer March 15^th 2019

One of the most painful memories of this early season is the transfer of Kazaki Nakagawa to the Yokohama F Marinos. Nakagawa was an unbelievable player during his time at FCR. His 16 goals and nearly as many assists in J3 last season propelled FCR to the J3 title. His ability to unlock defenses and set players up for success like he did early in the year with Tanaka, Tomidokoro, Uejo and Suzuki really made the FC Ryukyu attack lethal. However, he is gone and we all wish him the best since he rightfully deserves his opportunity at the J1 level. His departure can be measured by the facts that in the 3 games FCR played with him this season, the club netted 9 goals whereas FCR has only managed 8 goals in the 8 games since his departure. FCR must find a suitable replacement fast to keep this team afloat in the J2.

This hurt the club and fans a lot but wish him the best

2. Late Game Heroics: Matches versus Renofa, Reysol, & Verdy.

In each of the three contests listed above, FC Ryukyu required some late game heroics to see out draws and net positive points. Most of the games, on paper, seemed winnable in my opinion but things rarely turn out as you expect. Against Renofa, FCR scored first behind Koji Suzuki’s 3^rd brace of the season. FCR then promptly conceded 2 goals and experienced playing from behind for the first time all year. However, Koji Suzuki would score an 89^th minute equalizer to bring FCR level and allow them to earn a point at home and maintain a 6-game unbeaten streak to start the 2019 season.

FCR would follow up that home performance with an incredible draw against a much larger club in Kashiwa Reysol after a mid-week defeat to JEF. Reysol are early favorites to win the J2 this season and this was be a huge test for the newly promoted side from Okinawa. FC Ryukyu proved resilient after the fast start by Reysol that resulted in an early goal for the visitors. FCR responded with a phenomenal volley from Uejo in the 82^nd minute to see out the draw and it sent the home crowd into a tizzy.

The final match mentioned here was against Tokyo Verdy on the road. FCR left it very late, 95^th minute in stoppage time, when Uesato scored a volley from a deflected clearance and earned FCR a point on the road. The match was a very tense affair and thanks in large part to a Carvajal PK save, FCR were able to muster some positive points away from home.

1. The Record April 7^th 2019 & continuing on still

How could it be anything but the record as the most memorable event to date for FCR? FC Ryukyu entered the match against Kashiwa Reysol requiring only a point to set the all time J League record for consecutive home matches without a defeat at 26. The record looked nearly impossible to achieve against a much stronger opponent but the home side was able to manage a draw after a tightly contested affair. This a huge piece of history for the club and its supporters and one that cannot go unnoticed. Some will argue that a majority of the games occurred against lesser competition in the J3, but I would counter with you can only play the opponent in front of you. FCR and all of Okinawa should be so proud of this record and it continues on still and is now currently at 27 matches after the draw against Zelvia this past weekend.

To wrap this up I think it is imperative we discuss some of the things that FCR may need to improve or change in order to see out the remainder of the 2019 J2 season outside of the relegation zone.

1. How the club is using Yu Tomidokoro.

Tomidokoro is a player known for his quality on FKs and accurate shots. He is never going to be the top goal scorer for FCR but he will provide plenty of service to the attacking players and offers tremendous upside on set pieces. If you recall from last season, he was nailing FK after FK for goals and it was a thing of beauty. This season is a much different story. Tomidokoro is rarely used on set pieces in and around the 18-yard box. Those duties are falling to Uesato and Kazama. Uesato opts to shoot from long range more than he does to provide service to our attackers and I don’t see much in the delivery from Kazama that leads me to believe he is better at taking those types of kicks compared to Tomidokoro. The bottom line is Yu needs to be taking a majority of the FKs and CKs in order to restore some of that swagger and confidence he had from last season which will ultimately lead to more goal scoring opportunities for our attackers.

2. A suitable replacement for Nakagawa in the Central Attacking MF role.

FCR hasn’t been able to find a suitable replacement up front since the departure of Nakagawa. It was always going to be unlikely that there would be a direct one for one replacement in our current lineup but at the very least, FCR needs to get someone behind Suzukui that can provide the same level of service Nakagawa once did, albeit, at a much lesser rate. I think a change in formation is required because that CAM role is so vital to a 4-2-3-1 and FCR simply doesn’t have an answer for the missing piece.

3. Change the formation from a 4-2-3-1 to more of 3-4-3, 3-2-4-1 or 3-5-2.

When you combine the loss of Nakagawa and the injury to Nishioka that has forced Masutani out wide, the FCR attack has gone missing the past 8 matches. I think FCR should experiment with a back line of 3 and get more players into the lineup such as Koizumi and Kawai. Maybe we should also get a strike partner up front with Suzuki so he isn’t forced to constantly drop back to assist on defense only to be the starting point for counter attacks that he can never join in on later.

4. Make some summer transfer window signings.

The summer transfer window for the J League begins July 15^th and runs through August 14^th. FCR should take a long look at the J3 talent that is out there as well as across the J2 for unused players and finally ask J1 clubs to loan out their unused talent. One player I think would be an interesting fit here at FC Ryukyu would be Joao Gabriel from SC Sagamihara. Having watched this player all last year I think there are several ways FC Ryukyu could employ him as a FWD. First, he is not a direct replacement for Suzuki but could help his fellow strike partner out by executing the holdup play that Suzuki does so well so as to allow Suzuki some free release as part of the counter attack. Second, he can be a player FC Ryukyu brings on late in matches than can provide some strength, height and tenacity. Gabriel plays with a bit of an edge and can make life very difficult for teams that are trying to win a match or see out a draw. His height would be beneficial for set pieces during both the attack and defense. Having a player that can help clear balls while defending leads or ties as well as the ability to rise up and meet set pieces for headers late would provide FC Ryukyu more opportunities to see out some low scoring affairs or win matches outright. Finally, if it looks like SC Sagamihara are not going to be promoted and are stuck in the middle of the J3 table this year, it’s worth the risk to sign a young player of his quality.

Using his height to reach out and bury a header

5. Improve the visibility of the club.

FC Ryukyu desperately needs to increase the visibility of the club both on island and off. They may be hamstrung by laws and regulations from the Okinawa City office but there are some small steps they could take to mitigate these hurdles. There are plenty of free marketing vehicles out there for the club and they need to maximize those outlets early enough to get more fans to stadium for the remaining home matches in 2019. Lastly, and I do not read enough of the JLeague news articles that are in the Japanese language to know for certain, but they could be one of the first clubs that is truly open and transparent in the J League. This would mean disclosing things such as finances, which they’ve done, player injuries with expected recovery times, player signing values, wages and issues surrounding the club. This type of transparency would appeal to much more than just the Japanese football fan and would allow to the club to generate more fans and followers on both a regional and global level.

It has been an amazing start to the season and I hope FC Ryukyu can reach the 42-point threshold to secure J2 football in 2020. I am sure there will be more memories throughout the remainder of the season and I look forward to sharing them with all of you.

Match Day 10 Recap: Derby Day! Kagoshima United FC 1-0 FCR 4/21/2019

The comeback kids unfortunately could not do it again this weekend against Kagoshima United FC in the newly touted “Western Japan Derby.” FCR failed to score for only the second time all season and it was a particularly hard loss for FCR as at the start of the match Kagoshima was at the foot of the table and had failed to score in their previous 7 matches. As I eluded to in the match preview, I felt that the Kagoshima goalless drought was due to end against FCR but I wholeheartedly believed that FCR would walk away from that match with all 3 points. However, as we all know now, that just didn’t happen.

Masutani got the start once more in the RB position due to a lingering injury to Nishioka. I still have no idea as to the mechanism of the injury or the length of time he’s expected to miss but, in any case, it seems Masutani has reacquainted himself with his former RB/LB position and is performing very admirably. Kawai also got the start over Uejo but more on that later.

The game started out very fast for both teams with each having an early opportunity to grab the lead. FCR nearly scored after Kawai won the ball back in the Kagoshima end but Tanaka wasn’t able to get a boot on the ball from the Suzuki pass. Not sure if Tanaka should’ve attempted to head that ball but the height of the ball was awkward in that it was too low for a header, unless he dove at it, and too high to take a touch or strike in stride. Kagoshima quickly followed that up with a chance of their own where a very dangerous cross from the right went straight through our defense and across the mouth of the goal. Luckily, no Kagoshima players were able to get on the end of that ball.

FCR had a Suzuki goal disallowed for an off-sides call in the 8^th minute and the replay angle doesn’t really lend itself well for me to say that the call was correct or incorrect by the linesman. Kagoshima had two chances to score shortly thereafter but their first shot was right at Carvajal and the second header by Nildo sailed over the bar. It was then FCRs chance when in the 33^rd minute Masutani had the first of two really good chances to give FCR the lead. His first shot went straight at the keeper after having acres of space down the right and making a penetrating run into the Kagoshima box. The second made the Kagoshima dive for a save in the 42^nd minute but he may have done well to pass the ball instead of shooting in that situation. The only other notable first half moment was that Tanaka was subbed off for Uejo and I couldn’t tell if it was from injury or the FCR game plan wasn’t working. Regardless, having bumped into Tanka at the airport he said he is OK so we’ll see this Saturday if that holds true.

The second half started out with a bang when one of the rarest plays in football occurred. The Kagoshima goal keeper spilled an easy save and as the FCR players where crashing into the box, one of the Kagoshima defenders touched the ball with his foot and sent the ball back to the GK. This is known as a “back pass” and the infraction results in a free kick for the opposition from the spot where the foul was committed. Uesato lined up just outside the 6-yard box while all 11 of Kagoshima’s players were spread across the width of the goal. Unfortunately his shot was saved by the large blue wall that rolled out of the goal like a wave crashing on shore. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to get elevation on the shot but failed to achieve it because of the distance and angle was too great, or he was hoping to find a seam in all that carnage. I was under the impression that he should’ve aimed as high as he could and struck the ball with as much power as he could muster. I know I wouldn’t want to put my face or head in front of a rocket shot from that distance but oh well, chance wasted and the score remained 0-0.

Suzuki had one more decent chance on net for FCR but Kagoshima started to generate some momentum near the end and they were able to score in the 92^nd minute in stoppage time to secure the 1-0 victory. It was a huge win for the club and their supporters as it has been a long time since that side achieved a favorable result. On the other hand, it left all the FCR supporters who traveled to the match completely dejected and in disbelief that we got nothing out of that game. In games where the FCR opponent was near or at the bottom of the table in J2, they have failed to achieve any victory and in fact have lost twice in those games. You have to be able to beat the teams beneath you and not play to the level of your opponent if you want to succeed in this league. FCR has two favorable match ups on the horizon before they get into a very rough stretch of fixtures with some very good opponents.

There are some troubling signs emerging for FCR from this match and it doesn’t bode well for the team moving forward. FCR has only managed to score 5 goals over their last 6 games compared to the 11 they notched in their first four matches of the season. They have also conceded 7 goals during this stretch resulting in 4 ties and 2 losses. FCR has lost the momentum they had at the start of the season and they need to find it quickly before we join Kagoshima down there at the bottom as the honeymoon period is officially over for FCR in the J2.

FCR has also not found a sustainable solution to the void created by the Nakagawa transfer. Uejo and Tomidokoro, while excellent players in their own right, are not who we need orchestrating the FCR attack. FCR is relying on crosses and attacks from the wings with players like Tokumoto and now Masutani to generate some chances but we need a CAM who can penetrate and unlock the central defense of opponents. This will allow Suzuki to find space in the defense and make those free runs into the box where he can get onto the end of passes instead of hoping for a well-placed cross from the flanks. We want our attacking forwards to be taking the majority of chances on net and not the guys who are designed to provide them the service. The only options I see is either pushing Tanaka into the CAM role and allowing Uejo and Tomidokoro to play out wide or give Koizumi the start and see what he can do up there. If he doesn’t work out, we could always make the change at half time and bring on Uejo. It is also telling that we are bringing on Uejo late in games vice having him start. Either the injury is not fully healed and therefore he can only push himself for a limited time or this is the manager’s strategy. Personally, bringing on Kawai late with his speed and reckless abandonment is far better than giving him the start but the manager has to account for injuries that his players are dealing with and that we have no knowledge on or about as fans.

Well, I am going to go enjoy some mid-week Asian Champions League and Levain Cup games while in Tokyo so if you’re in the area, I’ll be at the Kawasaki ACL match on Tuesday and the Yokohama F Marinos match on Wednesday. Later!

Have to admit, it is one of the best backdrops to a stadium in the J League!

Match Day 9 Recap: Tokyo Verdy 1 – 1 FCR 4/13/2019

Well the “comeback kids” did it again this past weekend, and they did it in style. FCR was able to earn a draw against Tokyo Verdy at the Ajinomoto stadium behind a thunderous Uesato volley in the 95^th minute in stoppage time. The 1-1 result ultimately dropped FCR to 6^th in the J2 table at the weeks end but it is another vital point earned away from home for this newly promoted side.

Unlike the previous 8 matches FCR has played this season, the boys came out of the gate flying to open the match. FCR controlled a lot of the play and created several early chances. Masutani had a very nice shot on net but unfortunately it was directly at the Verdy GK. Tomidokoro was almost able to convert a header from a Tokumoto cross but the Verdy GK was once again up to the task. FCR’s best opportunity of the first half came when Keita Tanaka was set free in the right part of the Verdy 18-yard box and had a wide-open shot on net. If you recall, he converted a similar situation against Omiya by placing it low and hard back across the keeper but this time Tanaka opted for power that sent the shot high and wide of goal. 9 times out of 10 Tanaka will convert these opportunities but it just wasn’t the case today.

Verdy quickly responded with two chances of their own around the 32^nd and 39^th minute. A Verdy cross found a wide open #19 Junki Koike on the edge of the FCR 6-yard box who miss judged the bounce of the ball on the volley and sent it over the net. It didn’t matter though as Verdy would convert their next chance when a very penetrating run by Verdy went undefended, followed by a clever back heel to set up Kota Watanabe’s 39^th minute goal. FCR looked lazy tracking back on defense and there were a few notable mistakes on the play. First, the FCR midfield afforded too much space and time to Verdy and when Kawai finally stepped up to challenge the Verdy player, he over committed and created a gap in the defense. The second one was when Fukui turned his back to the on rushing player assuming that he had defensive help in support and the Verdy player let rip with a very nice shot, through a wide-open shooting lane, that went past Carvajal to the right and into the back of the net.

The second half ended with Verdy up 1-0 but FCR was creating all the chances, however, they weren’t able to convert any of them. These things happen from time to time so it would be interesting to see how FCR would respond in the second half.

Things didn’t start out so great for FCR as they were allowing Verdy to dictate the flow of the game and nearly found themselves down 2-0 when Fukui made an unsuccessful rash challenge that sent #11 Hayashi free on goal with only Carvajal to beat. You knew the Verdy striker was going to attempt to round the keeper after Carvajal closed down the distance and you also knew it was one of those plays where if the FCR GK miss times the challenge, its surely a PK and possibly a sending off. Well, there was a PK following the Carvajal challenge as he brought down Hiyashi in the box but it was only a yellow card and Carvajal took the worst of it as he was bleeding profusely from his nose. Carvajal was able to continue and eventually ended up saving the PK to keep FCR in the match.

Danny has been a revelation for FCR back there this season and, in my humble opinion, is battling with Koji Suzuki for FCR MVP. I wish there were more shutouts for him but he is always in the right spot at the right time and you cannot fault the GK when the defenders in front of him don’t’ close down players to prevent shots.

FCR almost conceded another goal to Verdy shortly after the penalty kick, but once again Carvajal stepped up to block the shot with his chest and keep the score line at 1-0. Outside of a Tomidokoro chance that went harmlessly wide, there wasn’t much for FCR until stoppage time.

During stoppage time FCR would create 3 notable chances to tie the match. First, #28 Yoshio Koizumi sent a screamer on goal that went just wide of the post. Shortly thereafter Koji Suzuki had a chance to equalize but his attempted volley sailed over the bar. However, it was the FCR captain Uesato, who achieved the breakthrough for FCR in the 95^th minute. There was a lot of extra time this half due to the Carvajal injury and that really helped FCR out as they were building a lot momentum leading up the goal.

Uesato was able to hit the ball first time after a Kawai shot was deflected by the Verdy defense, and then the clearance landed in front of Uesato, who hit it with power and placement past the diving Verdy GK. You could see how much the goal meant for Uesato ,and for FCR, but even more so for the FCR fans. You could hear our supporters cheering very loudly on the television and the place where I was watching the match erupted. It was a great moment and one I am glad to have shared with some new FCR fans.

The match would end 1-1 and push FCR up to 4^th before the final results of the J2 were registered for the week’s matches.

Match Takeaways: 1.) FCR ended up with 54% possession on the day and dominated a lot of the open play. They were attacking the right side of the Verdy defense early, as I suggested as a key to success in the preview article, but the goal would ultimately come from the left side. In fact, they started attacking more down the left in the second half. FCR would also register 21 shots on the day with 14 of them on net. Nice to see these statistics from FCR and the goals will start falling eventually if they keep it up.

2.) It seems Higuchi is opting to start Kawai and then bring Uejo on in the second half of matches. Kawai definitely has speed to burn, and it can trouble the opposing team’s defenders, but Kawai needs to develop better ball control. There were a few times when he lost control in developing situations for FCR that would derail our attack.

3.) FCR needs more work on the training ground for their set pieces. FCR had a lot of corner kicks in the first half and none of them amounted to any real chances. They were either too low and easily cleared by the Verdy defense or were unable to pick out any FCR players in the box. It is vital to the success of this team this season to start converting some of these CKs and the FKs just outside the 18-yard box.

4.) #28 Yoshio Koizumi had a good 20 minutes of play near the end of the match and it will be interesting to see if he is preferred to Kawai next week versus Kagoshima. He created a few chances in stoppage time and generally looked good on the ball during his first run out. He also isn’t afraid to shoot and nearly notched the tying goal for FCR. I’d like to see more of him before I get too far ahead of myself and suggest that he could be the potential Nakagawa replacement that FCR has been missing these past 5 weeks. Let’s also not forget FCR has another blossoming talent in Uejo and hopefully he’s match fit for a full 90 minutes next week.

5.) The overall depth of our back line is surely to be tested for the next few matches until Nishioka returns. Tokumoto looks tired and his crosses don’t nearly have the same height or venom compared to earlier in the season. FCR needs reliable reinforcements back there that can spell our starting 4 defenders because they are one injury away from having to answer some very though questions.

Well, I really enjoyed watching the match with some new friends and fans of FCR, especially Shimabukuro. I will see all of you later this week with the Match Day 10 preview.

Match Day Recap: FCR 2 – 2 Renofa Yamaguchi FC 3/30/2019

FCRs first match of 3 in 8 days was another tightly contested battle that required a late goal by Koji Suzuki to secure a point. On a day that saw FCR dominate the possession, as well as the shots on net, FCR were unable to come away with the full 3 points.

FCR came out in their typical 4-2-3-1 with one notable change up front. Uejo started in the CAM role and Tomidokoro started out wide as he did earlier this season. Unfortunately for FCR, Renfofa employed the same CB paring from their last match that limited the freedom of movement in the back that so many of Renofa’s earlier opponents enjoyed.

Once again, the first 15 minutes of this match saw FCR starting slowly and affording Renofa all the early opportunities to take the lead. FCRs best chance in the opening half happened in the 18^th minute when Uejo was set loose from a pass by Tanaka but he couldn’t get it past the GK while getting closed down by the Renofa DF.

FCR started the second half quickly by creating multiple chances on net followed by the opening goal of the game in the 52^nd minute. This was the 6^th time this season, and 6^th in a row, that FCR scored first. The play started with Uesato sending a cross field pass to Nishioka, who then did a very nice step over to get past the Renofa defense, and then sent a cross into the box. The cross landed near Tomidokoro, whose shot was deflected by the Renofa Defense but eventually ended up on the head of Suzuki. There have been multiple occasions this year when FCR was on the wrong end of deflected crosses/shots and it was nice to see us capitalize on the misfortunes of our opponent. This joyful feeling would be short lived as Renofa quickly equalized.

Just 4 minutes later Carvajal had a momentary lapse in judgement and casually turned the ball over to a Renofa FWD while attempting to fool the Renofa player,instead of clearing it. The Renofa player easily slotted it home in a wide-open net. In America, this would be called a “brain fart.” Renofa was able to add to their lead 2 minutes later when Nishioka made a horrible giveaway in the MF and then followed that up by failing to track the run of the Renofa FWD who was able to get past him and put a header past Carvajal. This would be the first time all season that FCR would be forced to play from a deficit.

Uejo nearly tied the match in the 66^th minute when a fortuitous bounce landed at his feet with only the Renofa defender on the line to beat for an equalizer. However, his shot went right to a defender and FCR was still down 2-1 requiring the boys to press for a goal.

When your football team is forced to play from behind, you always hope that the team has the ability to score. This is hardly the case with several teams in the J2 this year, and is a massive strength for the FCR team. I know that no matter what, FCR has the firepower and skill, to press for goals when called upon. This will inevitably lead to some matches where FCR will over commit and get caught out but also allow FCR to grab a late equalizers and winners. This could be considered the “Razors Edge.”

Strangely enough the coach opted to sub out Tanaka (70’), Uejo (76’) and Tomidokoro (88’) prior to the equalizer. This indicates to me that the JEF United match may see these guys as short-lived starters or late subs so as to save their energy for Kashiwa. Either way, Koji Suzuki’s second goal of the match, and 8^th on the season, was an absolute gem.

Kawai, who came on for Tanaka, sent a beautiful cross into the box that Suzuki was able to run under and then put a header past the Renofa GK. This was definitely considered a “strikers’ goal” and was so massive for the squad and the 3,800 people that showed up for the match. From them on, Carvajal was called upon to make several nice saves to keep the draw intact.

Match Takeaways: FCR came close to taking the lead on several occasions but couldn’t capitalize. FCR also had some serious lapses in judgement when it came to defending and passing. Carvajal was guilty of the first blunder but Nishioka was very culpable on the second goal. If FCR wishes to do anything, mental errors need to be squashed as we need every single point we can get.

Looking back to my match preview article I hinted at a few keys for this game: 1. Suzuki should feast, and did with 2 goals! 2. FCR should control the MF and they did with 60% possession. 3.) The Renofa GK has an injury that FCR should exploit. FCR did not exploit as much as I was anticipating. 4.) This could be a trap game for FCR and it was. No doubt we should’ve taken 3 points so we are only left to wonder what could have been.

Well I hope the boys are already on mainland Japan and getting some rest for the quickly approaching fixture vs JEF. I am very interested in the starting lineup next match and will put this out there for any followers. If you predict the starting lineup with greater accuracy than me, I’ll make a $100.00 donation in your name to a charity of your choice. There are 11 players you need to select correctly on a short week so choose wisely. I’ll provide mine on Monday with the JEF match preview so please DM me on Twitter or post to this blog.

See you in a few days.

Match Day 4 Recap: FCR 2 – 1 Tokushima Vortis 3/16/2019

FC Ryukyu did not disappoint the 3,500 fans with their performance on a very cool Saturday night at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium. The result has once again thrust FCR to the top of the J2 table, prior to the remainder of the J2 matches today, but more importantly it has moved FCR one step closer to remaining in the J2 for the 2020 season.

FCR came out in their typical 4-2-3-1 formation and we welcomed back Masutani and Tomidokoro to the starting lineup. It was a very nice gesture by Nakagawa to say thank you to the fans and good bye prior to the match but it can’t be understated that his presence will be sorely missed throughout the season.

As expected, Tokushima got off to a fast start in their 3-4-3 formation, which lasted 2/3 of the first half. The opening 15 minutes provided a few moments of action when Tomidokoro was gifted a free shot on net by Vortis in the 7th minute when their goal keeper slipped on a free kick, however, Tomidokoro hit the post. Vortis had a tremendous opportunity in the 16^th minute to take the lead but Okazaki made a well-timed slide tackle in the 6-yard box preventing an open shot on net. In the 30^th minute Vortis almost took the lead again when they hit the post but after that the momentum swung in the direction of FCR.

FCR broke the deadlock in the 34^th minute with another opening Uejo goal. Initially I thought it was a lovely little chip over the head of the keeper but after watching several replays, I see he was once again trying to send a cross into the 6-yard box similar to his goal against Ehime last week. I don’t care though as it put FCR up 1-0 heading into half time and it was a vital goal.

Vortis started out fast again in the second half and they were able to equalize in the 47^th minute from a set piece. FCR defends well against the run of open play but seems to struggle from set pieces this season. This is something they can fix on the training ground but we’ll have to watch closely all year to see if they improve. It seemed inevitable that Vortis was going to score from a set piece in this game since FCR conceded 9 corner kicks and 16 free kicks throughout the match.

Both teams had some opportunities and chances from then on but it was FCR that again broke the deadlock in the 75^th minute and went ahead. Kawai was able to get around the left side of the defense and take a hard shot on net that led to a rebound off the keeper followed by the thunderous tap in by Nishioka. He was visibly excited to score and it all but made up for his poor performance last week vs Ehime, as evidenced by his celebration.

The remaining 15 minutes of the match were very intense and Carvajal made some nice saves to see out the FCR victory.

Some Key Takeaways from the Match: 1.) I mentioned in the preview that we needed to apply pressure to Vortis when they are playing out from the back and it nearly paid off when Yu was gifted a golden opportunity early on that we couldn’t convert. 2.) As expected, we had to weather the early Vortis storm and it resulted in FCR scoring in the 34^th minute. 3.) I wrote that FCR needed to use speed to get cause problems to the Vortis defense down the left side, and it was Kawai who provided the much needed change of pace and attacking down the Vortis left side that resulted in the winning goal. 4.) Uejo seems to have hurt his foot when he scuffed a shot late in the first half and needed to be subbed off early in the second half. Let’s hope for a speedy recovery for this rapidly developing player. 5.) Kawai needs to use his speed more when taking on the opposing players. There were a few times when he had possession that he could’ve drawn some fouls or at least made life difficult for Vortis but he opted to pull up and pass. In the end it didn’t matter because he made it count when FCR needed the breakthrough. 6.) What may go unnoticed in this match, since he didn’t score, was the hold up play and passing in the box by Suzuki. The effort he put in to constantly battle the Vortis Center Backs and gain possession for FCR was outstanding. On a day where he only got free for a few shots it was his hold play and passing that set Kawai free down the left side for the winning play.

Well, that’s it from me as I head out on holiday. FC Ryukyu has a chance at writing their name into the J League history books next week on the road against Yamagata if they win. A fifth victory in a row by a newly promoted side will be the first time that feat has ever been accomplished in the J League. Teams that have had similar starts to their season as FCR have gone on to be promoted to the next league rather quickly a majority of the time; but before we get ahead of ourselves, please keep in mind that Yamagata will present the hardest challenge yet for the early FCR season. This will be no easy match for FCR so I hope a lot of FC Ryukyu fans on the main island of Japan show up to support our boys. Later!

Match Day 4 Preview: FCR vs Tokushima Vortis

Match Day Info: 03/16/2019 (H) FCR vs Tokushima Vortis (A) at the Tapic Stadium (Okinawa Comprehensive Park) Kickoff at 1800.

Welcome everybody to the Match Day 4 preview. This week we see FCR taking on Tokusima Vortis at home. FCR is riding high with a 3-game winning streak while Tokushima is reeling from a recent loss at home to Omiya.

Weather Forecast: One word, Perfect! Kickoff will see temperatures around 64 degrees with a slight Northeast wind between 8-10 miles per hour for most of the match and no rain in the forecast. Temperatures will stay in the mid 60’s all game so a light jacket is probably all you need.

Tokushima Vortis: 14^thin J2 W1D0L2, Current Form LWL

Typical Set Up: Depends on where you do your research. On the JLeague website, it lists them as always setting up in a 3-5-1 but on the DAZN broadcast it has fluctuated every week this season; Started 4-1-2-3, then 3-4-2-1 and the last match was more of a 4-5-1.

Tokushima seems to be searching for the right combination at the back. They switched goal keepers after the first match, and rightfully so, as his poor play directly contributed to 3 of Kagoshima’s goals. Also, against Kagoshima, they were very disorganized at the back. Despite erasing both of Kagoshima’s leads in the game, the Tokushima defense let them down once again for a late winner.

Against Gifu in their second match they were much better in the attack but had two horrible giveaways in their own box from free kicks that almost resulted in Gifu scoring. #13 Kiyotake made an acrobatic kick in the last minute of extra time, on what was a very chaotic play, to give Tokushima their first victory.

Tokushima once again started out fast against Omiya but they were unable to score. They asked some questions of the Omiya keeper early on but ultimately it was a very nice take by Babunski from Omiya that handed Vortis their second loss of the season.

Players to Watch: #13 MF Koki Kiyotake. He’s their leading goal scorer and has a very quick powerful shot from distance. He needs to be marked and dealt with when roaming the MF as he’s not afraid to shoot from distance. #3CB Jordy Buijs. He’s not on the list because of his superb defensive skills, but because of his offensive skill. He won a ball against Kagoshima at the center circle, carried it all the way to nearly the top of the box; and I guess Kagoshima assumed he wouldn’t shoot but he unleashed a tremendous shout with pace, accuracy and a curl that beat the keeper. So FCR shouldn’t be encouraging him to take any shots is what I am saying.

FC Ryukyu: 1^st in J2 W3D0L0, Current Form WWW, typical formation 4-2-3-1

FCR is bringing some serious momentum into this match after taking maximum points from all 3 games this season. They have displayed the ability to win at home despite the fact that we didn’t have a majority of the possession as well as the ability to win big on the road in a tough atmosphere.

Similar to Tokushima attempting to get the right combination at the back, FCR has been forced to change their lineups each of the past 2 matches. This is mostly due to injures to Tomidokoro and Masutani but now they will face an uphill battle to replace one of the top goal scorers from J3 last season and a player I was very excited to watch develop. Unfortunately, FCR has sold (assuming that’s the case but I never see anything on JLeague transfers) Kazaki Nakagawa to the Yokohama F Marinos. He will be sorely missed and I wish him all the best but that begs the question, who will take his place as the attacking central midfielder?

My suggestion would be to slide Tanaka into the CAM role and put #13 Kawai into the Left Mid Field position. We saw what Kawai did late on vs Ehime FC last week and I believe his speed could cause real trouble for Tokushima at the back. Tanaka is an excellent service provider for through balls and passes and he’s probably the best player to take over that role until Tomidokoro returns.

With that in mind we’d still assume to see Tanaka flanked by #14 Uejo as the Right Mid Field with the leading J2 League Goal scorer, #9 Suzuki, up front. That would leave #20 Uesato and #6 Kazama as our two holding Central Defensive Mid Fielder. At the back, barring any injuries, is #3 Nishioka, #4 Okazaki, #5 Tokumoto and #33 Fukui. This line was solid last week and I hope that continues because it is so vital to have a cohesive unit back there that is just stopping all attacks and clearing the danger away from goal.

Danny Carvajal will once again man the posts for FCR and what an outstanding signing he has been. The clean sheet last week was amazing and the man continually puts himself in the right place at the right time to stop the shots. We’ll once again require his strong performance to bring home the three points.

Keys to the Match: 1. Weather the early attacking storm from Tokushima. They will likely start fast and create a few chances within the first 20 minutes of the match.

2. Close down their attacking Mid Fielders when they have the ball outside the top of the box. The Tokushima MFs are not afraid to shoot from distance or outside the box. FCR can not allow them space even 30 yards out as they have no fear striking from that distance or greater distances. I believe this is due to the fact that Vortis hasn’t created a lot of chances, nor provides any good crosses or service, to their strikers.

3. Attack from our Left side, the Vortis Right side on Defense. This is a weak spot for Vortis and FCR should do everything they can to exploit them out there. Use Kawai’s speed and get behind the Vortis defense. While they scramble to deal with that pressure, its most likely that an FCR player will be unmarked in the box and get a free shot on net.

4. Pressure the back line of Vortis and take lots of shots. Vortis is usually disorganized at the back and has made several lineup changes meaning, the players are still getting to learn to play as a unit. Applying pressure from Free Kicks or when Vortis tries to play out from the back may see FCR get a cheap takeaway in the Vortis end that they can convert into a goal or two. While the Goal Keeping play has improved the last two matches, the Vortis keeper can be beat rather easily so long as we keep the shots at the posts and not down the middle.

FCR should just continue to attack, attack and attack the Vortis defense and GK. If Uejo, Kawai and Suzuki can find some space in the Vortis end with Tanaka unlocking the defense to set them on the way to goal, then FCR should easily beat Tokushima at home.

Game Prediction: Goals, hopefully more for FCR than Vortis. See you at the match in Section A with the big England Flag, you can’t miss me!