21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu had their winning streak stopped at 5 last weekend but will look to overcome that minor wobble when they travel to FC Mito Hollyhock on Sunday. Ryukyu own a good record against Mito having defeated this opponent three out of four times since joining the J2. The last time these two sides faced off it was in the 3rd coldest game ever recorded in the J-League last December and it was also the last win of the season for FC Ryukyu. Ryukyu’s lone loss to Mito occurred in 2019, also at Mito, when FC Ryukyu were forced to start their third choice keeper with an injury to Dany Carvajal and loan restrictions for Ishii. It is time to see how FC Ryukyu respond to their first, albeit minor, set back of 2021.

Weather Forecast & Match Info
Match Day 6 Recaps
Team Previews
- FC Mito Hollyhock
- FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Match Day 7 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information from Mito

I don’t think it can get any better.

Click >>> Match Day 7 Information from FC Mito Hollyhock

2. Match Day 6 Recaps

Tokyo Verdy 2-1 FC Mito Hollyhock

FC Ryukyu 0-0 Omiya Ardija

3. Team Previews

FC Mito Hollyhock: Mito have an even split of three games won, three games lost, this year. They fare slightly better at home owning a 2-1 win/loss record while outscoring their opponents 7-2 at the K’s Denki stadium. They have gone 3-2 over their last 5 games with big consecutive 3-0 wins over FC Machida Zelvia and Matsumoto Yamaga FC. But they also lost their most recent game to Tokyo Verdy 2-1 on the road.

While I was watching the recent highlights of Mito, I found myself asking the question; Are they a better defending team than last year, or have they just been lucky? Last season Mito had the dubious honor of being the highest scoring team, as well as the fourth worst at conceding goals (Something I’ve seen from Ryukyu in my time down here that’s for sure). From what I saw in the highlights, the defense hasn’t really improved all that much. They can be caught out of position, prone to turnovers, guilty of making mental mistakes and just all-around sloppy play. They have survived mostly on luck based on how many shots I saw from their opponents hitting the woodwork or narrowly missing the mark.

Speaking of luck, Mito jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over Zelvia thanks in part to a fluke goal that was originally a cross which ended up being caught up in the wind, and another being a clearance from the Zelvia keeper – that really shouldn’t have been put that high into the air in that wind – which ended up putting Mito on the quick break to score just before halftime of that game. Granted, the Mito player had it all still to do when he had the ball at his feet but it should have never come to that.

Against Verdy Mito surrendered an early first half goal (2′) before looking the dominant team in the first half controlling all the momentum, scoring the equalizer, but couldn’t find the go ahead goal heading into halftime. Then Verdy took control of the game in the second half and bagged the eventual winner in the 73rd minute.

The player to watch out for on Sunday is their captain and forward, #9 Masato Nakayama. He is on a hot streak as of late having scored 4 goals and adding 1 assist in his past 4 games. While Mito’s overall play reminds me a lot of Ryukyu the past two seasons, Nakayama reminds me a lot of Abe as they play a similar style of football and Nakayama can also provide support to the attack with his work rate and holdup play.

FC Ryukyu: Though their 5-game winning streak was snapped last week, Ryukyu are still undefeated sitting second in the table and are one of the best defensive sides in the J2 this year. The resurgence of Okazaki, and emergence of Chinen, coupled with Taguchi playing some of the best football he’s ever played, make Ryukyu a formidable opponent. Yes, we’d all love to see them score like they did in 2020, but I don’t think that is their style of play this season.

There haven’t been any games this year where Ryukyu have gone out and dominated the possession and chances like they did in 2020. They are more comfortable allowing the game to come to them in a bend-don’t-break sort of way and if required, ratchet up the pressure when they fall behind like they did at JEF United Chiba. However, I am not sure that would’ve worked this past round against Omiya had Ryukyu fallen behind as Ryukyu generated very little in the way of chances and accurate shots in the second half of that game.

Ryukyu have relied heavily on crosses into the box from the right and left sides, but when they miss on those chances, and are frustrated by large numbers of defenders in and around the box, their momentum bogs down. Ryukyu had plenty of chances to take the lead in the first half last week but missed the mark on every single one. Hopefully their aim is better this week as we’ve seen Mito take advantage of similar sides when those sides fail to capitalize on golden opportunities.

Of all the games to date, this one stands out as the one where Abe could do the most damage. Abe’s ability to create space in the box, as well as his ability to find open attackers just outside of it, should see our talisman get on the score sheet often on Sunday. There is no defender from Mito that can corral Abe so he just needs the accurate service from the other attacking players to turn him loose.

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. Chinen wins the battle over Nakayama. Likelihood 4. For those of you out there that love a good battle between a dominant CB and an in form FWD who are coming off some of their best games, then look no further than what is in store this week. Chinen has proven to be Higuchi’s choice for man-marking the opponent’s striker as he has the speed, power and most importantly, temperament to handle the task. Chinen has yet to face a forward like Nakayama this season, though he did briefly late against Nagasaki, so this will be his first full test of 2021. For his part, Nakayama has been in top form and is a seasoned veteran who can find the weaknesses of any young defender. This should be the “game within a game” to watch on Sunday.

2. Let it rip. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu cannot expect to leave this game with all 3 points if they don’t take more shots on net. Omiya executed their game plan well but I cannot see Mito being able to do the same at the back. FC Ryukyu need to increase their shot count, and accuracy of said shots, and then pounce on the loose balls when Mito defenders are caught flat footed.

5. Prediction

FC Ryukyu have averaged 2 goals scored on the road this season. Mito have yet to be shutout this year. Mito may own a far superior goal differential at home compared to on the road this year but I feel FC Ryukyu edge FC Mito Hollyhock 2-1 this round. Season Record 3-1-2.

6. Match Day 7 in J2

Both (1) Albirex Niigata and (2) FC Ryukyu have interesting road tests against (16) Montedio Yamagata and (7) FC Mito Hollyhock. (3) Zweigen Kanazawa will look to close the gap between them and the top two sides when they host (21) JEF United Chiba who are coming of two consecutive 2-1 losses. Elsewhere, (14) V-Varen Nagasaki are looking to shrug of their sluggish start by bagging their second win in a row over (13) Thespakusatsu Gunma who sit just one spot above them in the table. (11) FC Machida Zelvia versus (4) Kyoto Sanga FC has some early table jockeying for position implications.

The entire free J-League International YouTube broadcast schedule for April is listed below. Click the link to get to the channel.

Click>> > J-League International – YouTube

7. Conclusion

FC Ryukyu have shut Mito out on two occasions and have shutout their opponents three times in 2021. But no J2 team has been able to shutout Mito this season. Much like how FC Ryukyu have been exorcising some ghosts of years’ past, Mito is probably wanting to do the same this week. In 2019 it was FC Ryukyu who handed Mito their first loss that year, that despite recording 8 clean sheets while only surrendering 5 goals in the previous 12 games. Is it time for Mito to extract some revenge by handing FC Ryukyu their first loss of 2021? Or, is it time we see FC Ryukyu rise to the occasion to remain undefeated through their first seven games? Guess we’ll find out on Sunday.

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

Intro

There was a bit of history made last night:

-Yasuhiro Higuchi notched his 150^th victory

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

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

Match Day Highlights

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

Man of the Match

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

Review of the Keys to Victory

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

Match Day Takeaways

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

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

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

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

Match Day 41 in J2

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

“You Get What You Give” Match Day 41 Preview: (10) Mito Hollyhock vs (17) FC Ryukyu 12/16/20 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu got the better of Mito Hollyhock the last time these two sides met on Match Day 20. Koizumi scored a spectacular goal to open the game, but Mito responded with two of their own before Shinya Uehara’s late game heroics won it for FC Ryukyu in stoppage time.

Match Day 20: FC Ryukyu 3-2 Mito Hollyhock

It is unfortunate that this game will not feature two of the top scorers for each side as Mito’s Yamaguchi is out with a knee injury, and Takuma Abe hasn’t been seen in weeks. This will be Mito’s final home game of the year and they will certainly want to send the fans home with something special in the form of a victory.

Previous Match Highlights

FC Ryukyu vs Ehime FC (6-0)

Mito Hollyhock vs Machida Zelvia (0-1)

Team Previews

Mito Hollyhock: Mito seem to be one of those good, but not great, squads in J2. They’ve made some brief appearances inside the top 10 of the league table this year, but have not been able to put forth any consistent efforts to push higher than 9th. The fact that they lost Kazuma Yamaguchi, their leading goal scorer, to a devastating knee injury, meant they have had a lot of wind taken out of their sails.

Mito went 2-1-2 in their last five games with some notable wins, as well as forgettable losses. They surrendered the lead on two occasions to Giravanz Kitakyushu and Ehime FC resulting in a draw and a loss. Then followed that up with two hard earned victories over Jubilo Iwata and Tokushima Vortis.

Perhaps it was the emotional and physical toll from those two matches that saw Mito lose 1-0 to Machida Zelvia this past weekend. The Iwata game was played in some poor conditions with each team fighting hard to the end. Then there was the game against Vortis where Mito left everything on the pitch that included saving a potential game tying PK.

Unfortunately, Mito came out flat against Zelvia, who pounced on all the early opportunities resulting in a first half goal for the hosts. But make no mistake, Mito are the leading goal scoring team in J2, sitting on 67 goals scored, and can be relentless in the attack despite missing their talisman.

They also own one of the poorest goals against record, tied with FC Ryukyu at 60, so they are prone to breakdowns at the back. These are two fairly even matched sides, as indicated by the table below, so a slight advantage has to be given to the home side on a short week.

FC Ryukyu: While FC Ryukyu have enjoyed success against Mito at home, on the road is a completely different story. When FC Ryukyu traveled to Ibaraki last summer, it was with a depleted squad that saw our 3rd choice GK, Inose, making his debut due to an injury to Dany, and Ishii’s loan restrictions for playing against his parent club.

FC Ryukyu were soundly beat 3-1 that day, but that followed an earlier 1-0 win for FC Ryukyu in early 2019. That win by Ryukyu also came during a time when Mito was one of the best defensive sides in J2, allowing the fewest goals scored. So what should we look expect in the return match this year?

Against Ehime, FC FC Ryukyu saw the return of some players who had gone missing for quite some time. Namely, defenders Felipe Tavares, and Tetsuya Chinen. On the other hand, we still have no clue as to the disappearance of Takuma Abe and Shinya Uehara.

FC Ryukyu have managed to get by with Ren Ikeda, Takuya Hitomi, and even Yoshio Koizumi up top, and we should expect a similar set up tomorrow. Hitomi needs to see the pitch a lot the next few rounds as that will shape the management’s decisions regarding adding a striker in the offseason.

The midfield seems to be settled with Uesato, Koki, Koya, Kawai and Koizumi but we need to realize that one, or more, of those players will not be on the roster come 2021. Yamaguchi needs a solid performance and it would be nice to see Motegi return to the bench with a shot at a possible substitute appearance. These next 180 minutes will determine the fate of many players and we are running out of time to get a look at them.

In that same vein, FC Ryukyu need to get a longer look at Felipe Tavares, Tatsuya Chinen, and Makito Uehara. Seeing how two of them play the same position as Keita Tanaka, that may not be possible. I wish Higuchi would give Makito a shot at playing CDM next to Uesato for a few minutes, as he could learn from the veteran in some low pressure situations to end the season. As far as Chinen is concerned, he could be our 3rd, if not 1st, choice CB in 2021 and needs some reps these next two games.

The notion of knowing that we are just 2 points shy of our 2019 point total may cloud our judgement for getting some extended looks at the aforementioned players. But Higuchi literally has nothing to lose by playing these guys.

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. Normally this section outlines how FC Ryukyu could exploit their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. But considering that wins are more hollow than substantive these days, let’s just get some guys the playing time they need before 2021. Likelihood 2.

Match Prediction

I wouldn’t fault FC Ryukyu if they came out a little sluggish tomorrow considering the travel, and that the game will be played in near freezing temperatures. It is their last road game of the year, and much like Ehime FC last week, they may just want to get out of there and get back home as quickly as possible. With that in mind, this game has the potential to be a back-and-forth affair ending in a 2-2 score line.

Match Day 41 in J2

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

A win for (1) Tokushima Vortis over (15) Omiya Ardija seals promotion. (2) Avispa Fukuoka will need to win against (21) Ehime FC, and hope for a Vortis loss to keep their title hopes alive. (3) V-Varen Nagasaki draw the toughest opponent in round 41, as they host (4) Ventforet Kofu.

It doesn’t look like there is a free broadcast for the J2 in the midweek as the J-League International YouTube channel has opted for a J1 game instead.

Conclusion

I have come to enjoy several mid-week games this year, but hopefully we will be returning to a sense of normality with the fixture list in 2021. Ryukyu have played a total of 15 mid-week games in 2020, with 5 of their last 6 occurring on the road. I always hoped we’d see FC Ryukyu playing in December, but that was for the promotion playoffs, not match day 41.

Ryukyu will end their 2020 season road slate with this final trip North to Ibaraki, but they haven’t played in temperatures this cold since a game in Yamagata some 20 months ago. And though a win would be enjoyable, I guess “you get what you give” in these times.

FC Ryukyu Week in Review #FC琉球

Intro

2 wins from 2 for FC Ryukyu this past week. First, they earned a come-from-behind victory over Mito Hollyhock 3-2 this past weekend and then followed that up with a 6-1 drubbing over Matsumoto Yamaga on the road.

FC Ryukyu have now scored a total of 16 goals over their last 4 games and this comes as quite shock considering they never exceeded more than 2 goals in any game prior to round 18 this season. As I mentioned in an earlier post, much of this could be due to the amount of fixtures J2 teams are required to play coupled with the facts that fatigue and the realization of failed promotion hopes starting to take hold.

Match Day 20 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs Mito Hollyhock

Grit, determination and a bit of luck. Probably the best way to sum this one up as FC Ryukyu went ahead early from a beautifully taken Koizumi goal, only to concede 2 goals from Mito in the second half. Then the late game specialist in Shinya Uehara made his presence known with two goals deep into the game (87’&93′) to tilt the match in favor of Ryukyu. Fans of FC Ryukyu, and followers of this blog, will know that Uehara has this uncanny ability to come on late and turn things around for Ryukyu but also can go missing for stretches when the team needs him the most. Luckily for FC Ryukyu, he came up big again.

Match Day 20 Takeaways

1. This team is always going to be a ‘work in progress’ with the constant roster churn each season but we see glimpses of what it wanted to be at the start of the season, and what it could’ve been if things played out differently this year. If we could only put it all together at one time to make a serious run, it would have been something as the team has talent, experience, and the ability to win; but they have never matched talent with opportunity or luck this year.

2. Koizumi has moved from a relative unknown name to someone who is appearing on the radars of much larger clubs. What he offers in the attack has far surpassed the days of Nakagawa and he is one of, if not the most, dynamic players in J2 this year.

Match Day 21 Recap: Matsumoto Yamaga vs. FC Ryukyu

FC Ryukyu continued their winning ways by traveling North and completely decimating Yamaga 6-1 in front of their fans. FC Ryukyu enjoyed so much possession and freedom of movement I often wondered during the match if the Matsumoto manager had watched any film on Ryukyu this year. It didn’t matter as Ryukyu had space, time, and precision passing to completely tear the Matsumoto defense to shreds on way to their second highest goal tally all time for the club. It was also the second highest margin of victory and goals scored for FC Ryukyu in J2 since the Omiya match the week prior.

Match Day 21 Takeaways

1. Many points to get to but let’s start with the obvious. Keita Tanaka is far and away the comeback player of the year for FC Ryukyu as he has completely transformed himself into an absolute stud at RB. He scored his first goal of the season, after chipping in another assist this game, when he found himself all alone on net and sent an absolute screamer from close range into the top corner. He has been simply magnificent at RB this year and is a treat to watch each week.

2. Takuma Abe reached double digit goals for only the second time in his career in the J-League and I said at the start of the season that he may score between 14-16 goals this year. He looks primed to absolutely smash that total.

3. Dany Carvajal with the poker face after swatting a clear goal from Yamaga out of the net was great. Thank goodness for no VAR down here in J2.

4. FC Ryukyu reduced their goal differential by half (!) with that victory and are now back down in the single digits for the first time in a very long time (-5).

5. Koizumi’s destruction of J2 defense continued with a goal and an assist on Wednesday. I enjoy watching him, but hate tweeting and writing about him as you cannot help but feel that he is on to bigger and better things next year. Just not at FC Ryukyu and that is completely justified. He is a massive talent and deserves a bigger stage to shine and I my only wish is that it isn’t on a bench of some middling J2 side, or J1 team. I would love to see him go to Europe and gets a chance to test his mettle against some of the best talent in the world. I’d would also be great to see him play for the Samurai one day as it would be a nice feather in the cap for this club and I think he has the talent to do it. He just needs a stronger CV than FC Ryukyu can offer at the moment and that is something we Ryukyu fans have become accustomed too these past few years.

J2 After Match Day 21

FC Ryukyu never rose above 18th place despite their two wins this week but the reduction in their goal differential could prove vital if they continue to pile up the positive results.

The recent slip up by Giravanz has allowed Tokushima Vortis and Nagasaki to close the point gap with Fukuoka shooting up the table in recent weeks. Omiya’s fall may not have been unexpected to some, though it is shocking to see them fall so far for a team that was near the top early on this year.

Half way done and plenty of drama left here before we crown the champ and send one more up to J1.

Looking Ahead

Ryukyu return home this Sunday to face a struggling JEF UTD Chiba side with Nagasaki and Fukuoka squaring off at the top.

Conclusion

It has been a party for the FC Ryukyu faithful this past week, but there is plenty of work still to be done. Ryukyu are getting healthy, despite some injuries to the back line, and are playing better than we’ve seen in a long time which has made watching them oh so enjoyable these past two rounds. But September has always been a favorable month for the club and one can only hope they end the month on a strong note.

“Snake Charmers” Match Day 13 Review: FCR 1-0 Mito Hollyhock

FC Ryukyu was able to extend their J League Record home unbeaten streak to 28 in front of a crowd just shy of 4,000 against the top team in J2, Mito Hollyhock, this past Saturday at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium. It was also a historic day as it marked the 350th match for Uesato as well as handed Mito it’s first loss of the season. As I mentioned in the match day preview, both teams were on a very different glide path; Mito were soaring while FC Ryukyu were tumbling down the table, and if FCR wanted to keep the record intact, a top-class performance would be required.

Mito came into the match having never surrendered more than one goal in any of the matches that they actually conceded a goal. They were undefeated and simply choked the life out of the oppositions teams attack. FCR, on the other hand, have yet to score more than one goal in a match since match day 6 against Renofa. Considering that FCR rarely keep a clean sheet – only one all season – the task of scoring two goals against the best defensive team in the league seemed a tall ask for the fledgling FCR attack.

FCR have started out matches fast ever since the Tokyo Verdy in match day 9 and look to control a lion’s share of the possession each week. In past matches the possession is maintained in our own half as the attack tries to break out and make its way down field. FCR are very good at maintaining possession and they usually execute this quite well. there is, however, one glaring problem. FCR cannot translate all this possession into goals. There are quality opportunities and shots on net but FCR haven’t put up a crooked number on the score board in quite some time.

FCR started out very fast against Mito and wanted that early goal that this team is so very accustomed to scoring. Again, this suites FCRs playing style as they want to force the opponent into making mistakes and start chasing the match. Mito are not the type of team that need to chase games as evidenced by their record so if FCR wanted to really open up the opponents on the day, then they would need that second goal.

FCR achieved a breakthrough in the 8^th minute when a perfectly weighted and placed cross from Tokumoto found a wide-open Koji Suzkuki who buried a bullet header for his J2 league leading 9^th goal. First, the set-up play and cross are exactly what FCR need more of in future matches; feed Koji “The Shredder” Suzuki and let him punish the opponent. Second, Suzuki’s header was top class. He could have chosen to send it straight into the net but instead opted for a powerful header low, that would bounce, into the right side of the goal that gave the keeper no chance. Finally, the fact that FCR scored first against Mito really buoyed the spirits of the boys and breathed some much-needed confidence into the squad.

FCR nearly doubled their lead when Suzuki was open in front of net on a low cross as he attempted a toe poke but it was deflected over the top of the net by the defender. It was a nice piece of defending by Mito but that would have been something to see a second goal that early by FCR.

Mito had a few chances of their own in the first half as FCR will always invite pressure and opportunities for the opponent to score. Danny Carvajal was there once again to answer the call and keep FCR relevant in matches as he has done so many times this year. Danny was able to save two good chances in the 16th and 26th minutes by Mito that would have leveled the match for the opponent and make life very difficult for FCR.

The first half would end with FCR leading 1-0 but they were definitely on the front foot.

The second half started out in similar fashion to the first with FCR creating a lot of chances. FCR were not able to unlock the Mito defensive wall and as every fan probably felt, there would eventually be a shift in momentum for Mito.

Mito have never really had to stretch themselves to chase a match, with the exception of match day 4 when they got a late equalizer against JEF in the 92^nd minute and therefore, Mito rarely panics. Why should they? They have the best defensive record in the league. When the Mito attack started to pressure FCR beginning in the 75^th minute, surely this was going to be the time when the FCR defense would collapse and allow a goal. However, that wasn’t the case, the FCR defense proved to be resilient yesterday and for only the second time all season, FCR shut out an opponent.

Prior to the change of momentum by Mito, FCR nearly doubled their lead late in the second half when Tokumoto made a very nice penetrating run near the 18-yard box after a turnover but his shot hit the post. This meant that the Ryukyu faithful would have to see out a very nerve-racking 20 minutes for the very elusive 5^th win of the season.

Key Takeaways: 1) FCR set pieces need an overhaul. FCR attempted too many short corners early that fooled no one. Also, Suzuki earned FCR a nice FK in a dangerous area in the first half but it was Uesato, not Tomidokoro, who took the kick. Yu is someone who teams cannot easily game plan for on set pieces with his ability to shoot or pass, unlike Uesato, who everyone who reviews any FCR game film knows will always opt to shoot. It is terrible how the coaches have used Tomidokoro this year on set pieces and since FCR are no longer generating multiple goals from open play, it is time they allowed Yu his opportunity.

2) The FCR attack. FCR has not been able to find a suitable replacement for Nakagawa in the CAM role and instead of changing their formation to suit the strengths of the players, they’ve opted to alter the strategy for who will finish off attacks in the opposition’s end. Here is a typical FCR set up play. First, we start with a pass from one of our central defenders to one of our defensive or holding mid fielders. Next, either of those players will look to get the ball to Tomidokoro or Tanaka who will then get the ball to either Suzuki or the CAM in the central areas. Third, our attacking forwards will pass back to either of the Left or Right Mid Fielders who will look for an on rushing RWB/LWB in the form of Tokumoto or Masutani. The last two players have taken a lot of the “quality” shots on net the past few weeks but are not the players we want finishing off plays. I can only hope this is a temporary solution to our CAM problem.

3) FCR have failed to score multiple times in a game for 7 weeks in a row. Maybe this could be taken with a huge grain of salt as Mito were the best defensive team in J2 but FCR needs to be scoring multiple goals against opponents near them in the table to secure the vital points to keep them in J2 next season.

In closing, this was HUGE win for the club this weekend. Many, including yours truly, tipped FCR to lose and see the streak come to an end. FCR has a very strange way of both playing up and down to the level of competition each week. FCRs record against teams at the bottom half of the table as of this writing is 3 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses with those losses occurring against teams that were at or near the foot of the table. Against opponents in the top half of the table, FCR have earned 2 wins and 3 draws, 2 of which, were on the road in tough conditions.

It is hard to make any sense of the FCR season to date after their blazing start and subsequent stagnation. I truly believe we are looking at the real FCR team, based on current squad and system, for the foreseeable future. This team, and Higuchi’s system of 4-2-3-1, requires a CAM that can strike fear in opponents with his ability to score or assist and FCR need to find that in the next transfer window. For now, let us all revel in this massive win and then prepare for a tough road match against Okayama.

“The Mito Boa Constrictor” Match Day 13 Preview: FCR vs Mito Hollyhock 5/11/2019

Match Day 13: (H) FCR vs Mito Hollyhock (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium, Kickoff at 1800.

Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy with temperatures in the mid-70s all match with a 5% chance of rain. Winds will be calm at 7-mph so all in all it should be comfortable all match.

The Mito “Boa Constrictor” is coming to town this week to take on FC Ryukyu who are looking to keep their home undefeated record intact. These two teams find themselves on two different trajectories at the moment. Mito are on an ascending track having not lost all season while also not surrendering more than one goal in any of their matches. FCR, however, on a downward spiral at the moment as the attack has failed to fire over the course of the last 9 matches which has seen FCR tumble out of the top 6 and into 9^th place.

Mito Hollyhock: 1^st in J2 on 26 points, 7W5D0L GF14 GA4 Goal Difference of +14 Current Form DWWDW

Typical Formation: 4-4-2

Record vs Common Opponents of FCR: 3W4D

The statistics for Mito are both impressive and staggering. As mentioned above, Mito are still undefeated this season and they have yet to surrender more than one goal in any of their matches. Here is a snapshot of the FCR opponent this week: 1.) Mito have earned 5 wins and 2 draws while playing away from home this season, 2.) Mito have scored 8 goals while conceding only 2 in all road matches, 3.) Mito have scored first in 8 of their matches and in only two instances did those games end in a draw after the opponent scored very late, 4.) Mito has conceded the opening goal of the match only twice all year and they were still able to earn a win and a draw in those games and most impressive, 5.) Mito have shut out the home team 5 times this season while traveling.

So, what does all this mean? Quite simply, Mito chokes the life out of the opponents attack similar to the way a boa constrictor does with their prey. It also means Mito never panics when they are playing from behind and they have the ability to see out tightly contested matches when they have a small lead. This really does not bode well for FC Ryukyu this week since the attack has gone missing since match day 4.

Players to Watch: #32 Atsushi Kurokawa MF & #14 Shintaro Shimizu are the joint top scorers for Mito with 3 goals each.

The entire Back Line of Mito and their GK. It will be something to see if the FCR attack can get going because we will then see an unstoppable force versus an immovable object.

FCR: 9^th in J2 on 17 points 4W5D3L GF18 GA15 Goal Difference of +3 Current Form DDLDL

Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1

Record vs Common Opponents of Mito: 2W2D3L

FCR is coming into the match having conceded two late goals on the road against the bottom team in the J2 table at the time, FC Gifu. FC Ryukyu were able to grab an early lead off of a nicely taken shot by Uesato but were unable to net a second goal for the remainder of the match. FC Ryukyu came close on several occasions by hitting the post early but the ball simply didn’t break the way it needed to for FCR on the day.

FCR maintain a perfect 3W3D record at home and they have scored 11 of their 18 goals this season at home while conceding 6 at the #fortressryukyu. As a reminder, FCR are now on their 27^th undefeated match dating back to 2017 but this is going to be one of the hardest tests so far to maintain that record.

FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory: 1.) Score multiple goals, something they have not done in 9 weeks and something that Mito has never done all season. We have no idea how Mito will react if they concede a second goal and possibly try and chase the game. Mito never panics and by jumping out to a 2 goal lead they may pull themselves apart at the back and allow FCR some running room. Mito are well coached and play really well at the back and it is a monumental ask of the FCR attack to score multiple goals against a superior opponent.

2.) FCR needs to throw everything it has at Mito all match and not worry about the result until it’s over. It is almost cliché to say that FCR will concede a goal in their matches but it is a very likely outcome. FCR should set themselves up to constantly bombard the Mito defense and run them ragged all game. This will open FCR to several counter attacks but a back line of 3, instead of 4, that doesn’t push wing backs up into the attack should be able to cover the Mito counter.

3.) Change the FCR lineup and set up. 3-4-3 with Uejo and Koizumi flanking Suzkui up front, Uesato and Tomidokoro down the middle and Tokumoto and Kawaii out wide. Come out firing with speed from the flanks, quality passes through the middle by Tomidokoro and penetrating runs into the box from Uejo and Koizumi.

4.) Stop mucking about on Free Kicks and Corners. Tomidokoro needs to be more involved in set pieces, period.

Match Prediction. It has proven very challenging the past few weeks to remain positive when it comes to predicting the outcomes of FCR matches. They have faced several inferior opponents yet they either drew or lost those games. The most likely outcome is FCR loses the match 2-0. I cannot see Mito conceding a goal despite the fact that FCR prides themselves on their attacking prowess. Unfortunately, this means the undefeated record will come to a close.

If what I am seeing on twitter is any indication, then I believe Bando will make an appearance at the stadium this week to cover the match. I hope he takes a tour of the grounds and meets and greets some of the fans either prior, during or after the match. See you all out there on Saturday night.