The J-League season kicked off in earnest this past weekend where FC Ryukyu hosted Jubilo Iwata in the opening fixture of 2021. Despite all the weather forecasts predicting a rather nice day to enjoy football, it was anything but with all the rain here in Okinawa. However, the wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the home crowd, or the team, as FC Ryukyu notched their first points, and first home win of the season by defeating Iwata 1-0 in front of 3,800 fans thanks to a Ren Ikeda first minute goal set up by none other than Keita Tanaka.
Junto Taguchi GK FC Ryukyu: The man was the sea wall that broke the unrelenting waves of the Iwata attack. 24 shots, 11 on target, and a little help from the framework. Junto continued the fine form he was in at the end of last season and despite my reservations, I think it is safe to say, he is the Ryukyu #1 GK moving forward.
3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Keep the foot on the Gas Pedal: Likelihood 3. Kind of hard to do this when they had less than 40% possession on the day. FC Ryukyu played on the back foot nearly all game.
2. Score from Set Pieces: Likelihood 2. Seeing how we created so few chances, from such little possession, there was only one clear cut chance to score from a CK, that Chinen sent wide.
4.Takeaways from Round 1
1. FC Ryukyu looked well organized at the back. This despite all the talk of attacking football by the manager. The combination of Okazaki and Chinen worked to perfection and Taguchi has probably earned DAZN first team honors this week with his performance. We will have to wait and see if this trend continues as I think when the game opens up to Ryukyu, so too will our defense to our opponents. The fact that Ryukyu were under constant pressure meant they had to compact their defense and play out from the back, but even then, the Ryukyu attackers didn’t help the cause with turnovers on their end that turned into quick counter attacks by Iwata.
2. Some of the questions surrounding the team were answered yesterday. First, Taguchi is the preferred #1 over Dany Carvajal at the moment. Second, and much to my dismay, Ikeda was given the nod over Nakagawa at CAM. We saw this early last year before Koizumi came on to usurp Ikeda, but Higuchi’s faith in Ikeda turned out to be correct as he was the lone goal scorer on the day. Third, Yong Jick was left out of the lineup and Chinen looked very good in his place. Finally, Higuchi dressed 3 reserve forwards in Uehara, Shintaro and Akamine. Considering the depth we have at MF, this was a bit of a shock. Maybe he expected to need the services of so many attacking players if Ryukyu were to chase the game, but that never happened.
3. We finally saw a Central Defender rise to meet a header on a CK. Chinen came close to pushing the score line to 2-0 on a set piece but it was sent wide. However, it was encouraging to see a central defender get involved on a limited number of set pieces, and I haven’t seen a header with that much aggression behind it in quite some time down here.
4. There were some missed chances that could’ve made all the difference yesterday. Ryukyu narrowly dodged some bullets when Iwata hit the woodwork, and Shintaro had a golden opportunity to seal the game late on for Ryukyu only to come up short. He took possession of the ball just inside the halfway line of Ryukyu, turned on the jets, and somehow made it all the way into the Iwata 18-yard box untouched and alone on goal. Unfortunately, the finish wasn’t nearly as spectacular as the setup, as the shot was stopped by the Iwata keeper. I guess we got a small glimpse into the streaky nature of this player.
5. Prediction
I thought this game would’ve ended 2-2, instead, it was 1-0 to FC Ryukyu. Season record 0-0-1.
6. Match Day 1 in J2
V-Varen Nagasaki asserted themselves early against Kanazawa, and then hung on late to win. Akita lost in their J2 debut match, as did Sagamihara, with the grudge match between Zelvia and Yamagata ending 1-1. Perhaps the warning signs are already there for Kitakyushu and Ehime as they were soundly beaten in their opening fixtures.
It is always nice getting that first win, that first home win, and it is even better when it is on opening day. Iwata was a far better side in the attack yesterday, and thanks to a bit of luck, were kept off the score sheet. Iwata were one of the teams I mentioned in an earlier blog that FC Ryukyu had failed to beat, and would need to beat, if they wished to achieve the lofty target of 80 points. Time will tell and I will keep a log of all the points over, and under, expectation that Ryukyu net in 2021.
The win on Sunday has really put FC Ryukyu in a nice spot to take 9 points from their first 3 matches of 2021. A fast start, similar to the one we saw from Ryukyu in 2019, could provide the same type of cushion from those teams facing relegation come the end of the season. If memory serves me, FC Ryukyu are now undefeated in games that are broadcast on the J-League International YouTube channel dating back to 2019 with a 3-1-0 record. Well, job done and now it is on to Renofa Yamaguchi this Saturday.
Welcome back! And it is really good to be back. The crazy 2020 season meant we had a shortened offseason compared to years past and I hope it finds you, your friends, and your loved ones, doing well in these difficult times. FC Ryukyu will kickoff the 2021 campaign against Jubilo Iwata, last season’s 6th place finisher, and a team who is looking to get back to the J1 after suffering relegation in 2019. For Ryukyu, it is a season filled with many questions that will hopefully be answered – in a positive way- in short order.
Weather Forecast& Match Day Info from FC Ryukyu
Review of Last Season’s Matches
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu
Jubilo Iwata
Keys to Victory
Match Prediction
Round 1 in J2
Invaluable Resources of the J-League English language community
Conclusion
1.Weather Forecast & Match Day Info from the Club
Not at a bad forecast for opening day. It maybe a little bit hotter than some of you are used at this time of the year so stay hydrated (Water, Orion, or other).
These two sides played to a 2-2 draw in their first ever meeting. In that game, FC Ryukyu squandered the lead on two occasions with the Lukian goal at the 86′ proving to be the equalizer.
On MD 36, Jubilo Iwata blew FC Ryukyu away to the tune of a 3-0 score line.
3. Team Previews
FC Ryukyu: This is going to be a critical season for FC Ryukyu for a couple of reasons. Already operating on one of the lowest budgets in all of J2, Ryukyu did little to bolster a side that finished 16th in spite of their highest ever point total in J2. FC Ryukyu has committed to Higuchi, and If the team doesn’t finish higher than last year, or happens to drop completely out of J2, there will be no consolation in the firing of our manager. We all expected the departure of Yoshio Koizumi in the offseason, but the loss of Shuto Kawai was also a tough pill to swallow. Ryukyu first reached out to Fagiano Okayama for 3 replacements; FWDs Shintaro Shimizu and local boy Shingo Akamine, and they also added an attacking mid fielder in Koki Kiyotake. It has been said that Kiyotake has a penchant for the flair, but can also be quite streaky at times. Ryukyu then added Mizuki Ichimaru on a permanent (1 year) deal after his loan from Gamba Osaka last season. I think this was a good move for a side that is aging at CDM, but Ichimaru has yet to reach his full potential. Ryukyu next brought in 3 college players to go along with the return of Ramon from loan, and the re-signing of 22 players from last season’s squad.
Two of the biggest signings for the club were the return of Kazaki Nakagawa on loan from Kyoto Sanga FC, and Sittichok Paso from the Thai League side, Chonburi FC. We will need to wait a few weeks to see Paso at training, but the Nakagawa signing provides a bit of cover from the Koizumi departure, as well as a lot of hope for the Ryukyu attack. However, one area that FC Ryukyu failed to address, and which has been their achilles heel the past two seasons, is the defense. Ryukyu have been an attacking team ever since Kim Jong Song took over in 2016, but this season will largely be determined by the performance of their defenders.
It is really anyone’s guess as to who will comprise the starting 11 for Ryukyu on Sunday since no one was able to attend the preseason training matches to see first hand how this team was set up. Ryukyu may not possess worldly talent up front, but they have a lot of quality players to choose from. Last year’s leading goal scorer, Takuma Abe, will likely start at FWD, with some combination of Koya (last year’s leader in points), Nakagawa, Kiyotake, and Motegi joining him. It will be interesting to see how Motegi responds to a lost 2020 season from CV-19. Behind him, the only real question is whether or not Ichimaru did enough in the preseason to unseat either Koki Kazama or Kazumasa Uesato at CDM. Next, we will see who won the goal keeper competition between the incumbent, Dany Carvajal, and Junto Taguchi who seemed to be Higuchi’s top choice down the stretch last season with several strong performances.
What isn’t in question though, is who will be starting in defense for Ryukyu. Keita Tanaka, who reinvented himself as the starting right fullback/wingback, will be joined by Keigo Numata on the left. Then there is the likely pairing of Lee Yong Jick and Ryohei Okazaki at CB. Or what I like to call, FC Ryukyu’s ‘Critical Vulnerability.’ If teams are able to stifle the Ryukyu attack, better known as the ‘Center of Gravity’ from which this team derives all of their strength, then we are in for a bumpy ride. I may have been a bit harsh when judging Yong Jick last season, as he was played out of position from the start, and prone to making mistakes, but I have no idea what to say about Okazaki. Who, is also getting up there in age without asserting himself at this level.
I will close this section with a couple of quotes. The first is from Yasuhiro Higuchi from the recent event the team hosted for their sponsors and season ticket holders this past weekend. “I would like to stick to our style and produce results based on what I have accumulated so far. Defensive soccer does not suit the blue sea and blue sky of Okinawa. I want aggressive style to fascinate the viewers of soccer.” Obviously time will tell just how well this quote ages, but in the meantime….
“Damn the Torpedoes. Full Speed Ahead” – Vice Admiral David G. Farragut
Jubilo Iwata: Slightly challenging to write a preview for a team that has yet to take the field this season. In the three preseason games I could find for Iwata; they went a 0-2-1. They drew against both Azul Claro Numazu and Shimizu S-Pulse, with a 2-6 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima mixed in the middle. They only managed 3 goals this preseason, with one coming from an U-18 player. While that may offer some hope for us Ryukyu fans heading into the opening round, I still think Iwata are to good to simply overlook.
They will be lead by new signing, Fabian Gonzalez, from the Colombian Top Tier where he bagged 2 goals and 3 assists. Gonzalez takes over for their striker from last season, Lukian, who seems to be dealing with the same herniated disc issue that saw him miss the final weeks of the 2020 season. Joining Gonzalez up top in Iwata’s 3-4-3 formation will be Koki Ogawa, and Kotaro Omori. Ogawa scored 9 goals and added 2 assists last season, with Omori adding in another 4 goals and 8 assists.
Behind the strike trio sits Masaya Matsumoto and Daiki Ogawa who combined for 3 goals and 6 assists. In the central midfield, Iwata will once again pair their captain, Kosuke Yamamoto, with J-League legend, Yasuhito Endo. Yamamoto scored one goal with four assists across 41 games last season, but it was Endo’s 2 goals and 2 assists in only 15 games for Iwata after coming over from Gamba Osaka, that was more impressive. There is little doubt about where the Iwata attack starts, and Endo in particular, could easily carve up the Ryukyu back line.
At the back it will be Hiroki Ito, and Norimichi Yamamoto, on the flanks, but I am not sure if Yasuyuki Konno will be asked to drop back into the central defender role from his central defensive mid field position. Perhaps this was on purpose last season with Iwata pushing 7 players into the attack with Konno left to cover the two CBs. Finally, in net, it will be Naoki Hatta who allowed 30 goals in his 27 appearances last season.
Besides Yamamoto and Gonzalez, Iwata brought in Yuki Otsu from Yokohama F Marinos; Yuto Suzuki from Kawasaki Frontale; Kato – a LB – from the Finnish leagues, Kanuma from SC Sagamihara, and a university signing. Otsu has never been a prolific scorer during his time in the J-league so perhaps he is better known for his set up play and defensive skills. However, Suzuki made the most of his time at Matsumoto Yamaga last season where he scored 3 goals and set up another 6. Perhaps Suzuki pushes Ogawa or Matsumoto from the starting 11 of Iwata.
4.Keys to Victory
For those of you that are new to the blog, I employ a scale that rates the chances FC Ryukyu will execute any of the keys to victory that I come up with. I usually take into account the recent performances by both sides heading into the match, and then put my own spin on things.
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. Keep the foot on the Gas Pedal: Likelihood 3. Seeing how this is the opening fixture, and we have no data points as of yet, there are very few keys to victory that I can think of right now. FC Ryukyu will have to be one of the most aggressive, possession based, teams in the J2 in order to cover the back line and stave off relegation. We certainly have the horses to do it, but these guys have had little time together so we may not see the attack fully clicking for some time. Also, Higuchi needs to be extremely efficient this year when it comes to the timing of his substitutes. Something we haven’t always seen in the past.
2. Score from Set Pieces: Likelihood 2. This was an area where Ryukyu struggled last season as there were few goals from either Corner Kicks or direct Free Kicks. If FC Ryukyu are under a consistent barrage on Sunday, their only chance of stemming the tide will be from goals on set pieces. While it is likely that our CBs may account for some of the goals scored against Ryukyu on Sunday, it sure would be nice to see them involved in the scoring for Ryukyu this weekend.
5.Match Prediction
As some of you may know, I participate in a weekly pick em’ league over that Transfermarkt.com web site with fellow J-League fans. If you are interested in joining in, please contact @Tobias and he will get you set up. On that note, I do have a rather poor track record when it comes to predicting the outcome of games, and their associated scores. However, it is quite fun to make these weekly ‘dart throws.’
FC Ryukyu have the ability, albeit at times, to play really well against much stronger competition. I wish I could say that it is when they are at home, but that isn’t the case 100% of the time as sometimes they put in quality performances on the road, with a good bit of poor performances against lesser competition everywhere. I feel this match will end in a 2-2 draw as FC Ryukyu will be aided by it being the home opener, and Jubilo Iwata will also be learning to play together for the first time this season.
Everyone’s predicted league winner, V-Varen Nagasaki, open the season at home against Zweigen Kanazawa, with fellow predicted front runners, Kyoto Sanga FC, traveling to newly promoted SC Sagamihara. Matsumoto Yamaga FC, who some may consider for a promotion slot, are also on the road facing Renofa Yamaguchi. Fellow promoted J3 side, Blaublitz Akita, will play their first game ever J2 game – after missing out on automatic promotion in 2017 due to a lack of a J2 license – when they travel Thespakusatsu Gunma. However, the game of this round will be FC Machida Zelvia, some people’s darkhorse team of 2021, hosting another potential promotion candidate, Montedio Yamagata, at the newly renovated Machida Gion Stadium.
Well, well, well. You all are in for a treat. FC Ryukyu and Jubilo Iwata are gifted the curtain raising broadcast of 2021 on the J-League International YouTube channel. Enjoy!
7. Invaluable Resources of the J-League English language community
Per a new tradition started last year, I’d also like to include some of the other great content (in English) for the J-League. The @JTalkET podcast is THE SOURCE for all the goings on around the J2 & J3 leagues. It is in an invaluable resource for those of us whose first language isn’t Japanese. If J1 is more your speed, then the J-League English Podcast that started it all is what you want. Head over to the @JTalkPod and they’ll get your sorted. Available on Apple, Spotify, Podbean, and YouTube. They also have great perks if you are a Patreon.
@JSoccerMagagazine has over 25 years of writing about J-League football in English and produces a great reader available in hard or soft copy over at jsoccer.com. Also a purveyor of J-League kits at @JLeagueShirts.
@J_League_EN is the official English Twitter account of the J-League and provides the information regarding the free weekly broadcasts on YouTube. JLeagueInternationalYouTube.
The table below are some of the other great writers, blogs, podcasts and people of the J-League English language community.
Short of your team lifting the champions trophy at the end of the year, there isn’t a more exciting game than the home opener. Mainly because we have built up so much anticipation for the new season these past few weeks that is filled with hopes of our team winning it all, or at the very least, putting in a strong season to build upon. And we also all realize that these feelings could quickly dissipate in an abrupt manner by Golden Week here in Japan. But for now, the excitement for the FC Ryukyu opener is palpable, and I am really looking forward to this one. So sit back and enjoy the FC Ryukyu, or the team you support, opening weekend.
This was a painful match to watch last night as FC Ryukyu were pipped for 3 goals while failing to score one of their own. FC Ryukyu were without a true striker last night as both Abe and Uehara were left off the team sheet.
The first two goals FC Ryukyu surrendered were a bit fluky but Taguchi should have fully committed to the first one if he was going to come that far off his line. The same cannot be said about the third goal by Lulinha as it was absolutely spectacular.
The loss means nothing in the grand scheme of things as FC Ryukyu remain 19th. But the fact that we couldn’t muster any offense last night, only 2 shots on target, is more concerning heading into the final six games of 2020.
Jubilo Iwata FWD Seiya Nakano: He bagged his 7th goal of the campaign and was wreaking all sorts of havoc on the Ryukyu back line last night.
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Exploit the space in the central defense of Iwata. Likelihood 4. Um, no. In fact, it was Iwata who exploited the gaps in our central defense.
2. Do not give any hope to a team that is down on their luck. Likelihood 3. We did the exact opposite last night. Iwata’s luck finally took a turn for the better as their opening 2 goals were semi-busted plays were the rebounds fell favorably to the Iwata players in the attacking area.
Match Day Prediction
Went with 3-1 to FC Ryukyu and failed miserably.
Match Day 36 Takeaways
1. There weren’t just holes in our defense last night. There were massive canyons. You can see acres of space between our defenders on every goal in the highlights that Iwata exploited. FC Ryukyu played a bit of high line and when asked to recover, they didn’t have the pace to close down the Iwata attackers.
The third goal saw Yong Jick come up for another mistimed, misjudged, challenge on a pass that left Fukui and Uehara all alone on an island. Defending is a real issue here at FC Ryukyu and can no longer be ignored for sake of the attack if they ever wish to move out of the bottom third of the table.
2. Higuchi’s system requires a true striker up top. If we don’t have one, the attack fizzles out. Koizumi was listed as the FWD but dropped back into the CAM role forcing Ikeda to move up. Koizumi did his best to try and unlock the Iwata back line but couldn’t quite find the last pass to do so. There was one play in which he slotted Kawai through on goal, but Kawai couldn’t separate from his marker.
Tokushima Vortis moved 4, and 7, points clear of Avispa Fukuoka and V-Varen Nagasaki with their win over Machida Zelvia. Fukuoka and Nagasaki both drew 1-1. Fukuoka were saved by a Tokyo Verdy own goal just one minute after Verdy had scored. The draw for Nagasaki was heartbreaking as they conceded in the 5th minute of stoppage time which still keeps them 3 points shy of second place Fukuoka.
If you look at the cover photo this entry it paints a very accurate picture for what is occurring at the club. Some players are displaying visible frustration. Others look like they’ve lost hope as they’ve given it their all and cannot seem to get this team over the line on a consistent basis. Not what you want to see from your side, and something that needs to change heading into the 2021 season.
Now, I’d like to end this on a more positive note. Today is the American Holiday known as Thanksgiving and whether or not you celebrate this holiday; agree with the holiday in the first place; or just use it as an excuse to partake in some gluttony; I think we can all agree that coming together every once in awhile to show our appreciation for others is a good thing.
I am personally grateful for all of you who read this blog and show your appreciation by communicating with me over social media as you make watching, reading, writing, and tweeting about football very enjoyable for me. I am also thankful that the season has been able to progress to this point when it seemed all but lost in early March.
Though we can all voice our frustrations about our club when they are not performing well. I think we all should recognize the sacrifices these people go through everyday that allows us all to enjoy our passions, and we should thank them whenever and wherever we can.
Enjoy some Turkey if you can, and I’ll see you all on Friday with the Match Day 37 Preview.
Only two away games remain for FC Ryukyu this year with finally a bit of let up in the schedule. FC Ryukyu will face off against Jubilo Iwata on Wednesday night, a team that has slowly tumbled down the table after the half way point of the season. These two sides have only ever faced each other on one other occasion, the 2-2 draw at Ryukyu on Match Day 8, in which FC Ryukyu surrendered their one goal lead twice.
Match Day 35 Highlights: FC Ryukyu vs Giravanz Kitakyushu (1-1)
Jubilo Iwata: This is not the type of season that Iwata was hoping for in their attempt to quickly rebound back into the J1. In fact, there are some similarities between these two sides when it comes to their overall performance this year. Both FC Ryukyu and Jubilo have endured a stretch of 8 games without a win. Each side has been ravaged by injuries but it is Iwata who currently has 7 players, including their leading scorer and 3 on the COVID-19 list, sidelined as of today.
Since the halfway mark of the 2020 season, FC Ryukyu has earned 20 points compared to Iwata’s 19, but FC Ryukyu have two more wins (6) than Iwata (4). If nothing else, Iwata has experienced some of the worst luck I’ve ever seen in the 5 matches I reviewed. They must have hit the post nearly a dozen times and simply couldn’t catch a break on either side of the ball.
Iwata are winless in their last 5 games going 0-4-1. They were eviscerated by Tokushima Vortis (3-1) due in large part to a woeful performance on defense from the two center backs. Iwata managed to rescue two consecutive draws against Ehime FC and Albirex Niigata thanks to some late equalizers. But the bad defending, and bad luck, continued for Jubilo over their next two games.
Jubilo ended this five game stretch with another set of 1-1 draws against Fagiano Okayama and Ventforet Kofu. The lone goal they surrendered against Kofu on Match Day 35 really typified their bad luck as it was an own goal, stemming from what looked more like a rugby scrum than football, on a deflected shot.
Despite the poor run of form, Iwata still possess a good record when playing at home. They are unbeaten in their last 6 home games, with having lost only once in their past 10. They also outscored their opponents 2 to 1 during that run. FC Ryukyu enter a point in their season where they will only face teams with nothing more than pride left to play for. Nothing is more important to these sides than earning wins in front of their home crowd, or winning on the road in front of ours before the season comes to a close.
FC Ryukyu: The biggest question on everyone’s mind these days is; what has happened to the offense? Ryukyu have only managed 4 goals in their last 5 games compared to the 8 they scored in their 5 games prior. The system Higuchi employs is predicated on attacking, possession based, football and is one we’ve all grown accustomed to over the past two years (and one we will continue to see in 2021 with his recent extension). If we cannot get the offense going, then we are in real trouble down here.
The remainder of this season should be focused on player evaluations heading into the 2021 offseason. This means getting longer looks at some of the youth players as well as those “fringe” players this team may wish to renew their contract before next year. FC Ryukyu opted for more veteran experience this year compared to the youth movement we had in 2019 and it has been a mixed bag of results. The aim is always promotion, but that seems a long way off for this squad at the moment.
This is FC Ryukyu’s second to last away game for 2020 but not the last time they will need to travel in the midweek. Luckily the weather is favorable for this one so that shouldn’t be much of a factor. However, fatigue and lack of goals could make this an arduous trip for the boys from Okinawa.
FC Ryukyu will need to see the continuation of strong play from Koizumi as well as a return to the starting CDM position for their captain, Uesato, to right this ship. This game should favor the attacking style of FC Ryukyu and is one in which Abe should be able to get back on the score sheet. In fact, if things break right, FC Ryukyu could bust out in a big way on Wednesday.
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. Exploit the space in the central defense of Iwata. Likelihood 4. This game sets up well for Koizumi and Abe to punish the two center backs of Iwata. Iwata’s defense has been torn to shreds of late and the casual viewer will notice the acres of space that exists in the Iwata defense on a daily basis. Abe has the skill to create space, with Koizumi able to unlock defenses with phenomenal weighted passes to his attackers. These two, barring the final lineup decision by Higuchi, should feature heavily in the Ryukyu attack tomorrow.
2. Do not give any hope to a team that is down on their luck. Likelihood 3. Every shot that has hit the post, bounced of a defender, narrowly missed, coupled with those that seem to break just right for the opposition, have taken their toll on the overall morale for Iwata. They are riddled with injuries and suffer from defensive break downs at the back which makes them ripe for the picking. Do not allow this side to gain any semblance of confidence by finishing off attacks with goals, and preventing the lackluster Iwata attack from scoring.
Match Day Prediction
I am quite terrible at these, and FC Ryukyu always seem to lose whenever I favor them so I am hesitant to do so. But, perseverance pays off in the end right? 3-1 to FC Ryukyu this round.
(2) Avispa Fukuoka has the toughest draw among the top three sides this round as they will travel to (7) Tokyo Verdy. (1) Tokushima Vortis host (18) Machida Zelvia and (3) V-Varen Nagasaki welcome in (17) Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. Anything short of a win by Fukuoka will allow Nagasaki to get within 1 point, that is, assuming Nagasaki can win their match this round.
Only seven games remain for FC Ryukyu to match their 2019 totals of 13 wins, and 49 points. Ryukyu have drastically reduced their overall number of goals surrendered from 2019 (54 compared to 80 with 7 games to go) and they are just 12 goals shy from matching the total goals scored in 2019 (45 to 57). So far, it looks like FC Ryukyu have made some strides in their second year in J2, but they did not take the major leap forward they might have expected.
With both these teams continuing down the long road to nowhere in 2020, let’s see FC Ryukyu inflict a bit of scorched earth by burning the Yamaha stadium to the ground with an impressive multiple goal victory. Welcome to “Life During Wartime J2”.
Another game, another draw for FC Ryukyu. We’ve pushed the win less streak to 8 games this season but as a whole, the performances we see each week by FC Ryukyu are improving. Therefore, we should be encouraged moving forward despite the numbers in the points and win columns.
Match Recap
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Match Day 8 Prediction
Match Day Takeaways
Round 8 in J2
Top Goals from Round 8
Conclusion
1. Match Recap
Another hard earned, heart breaking draw for FC Ryukyu. Goals from set pieces by Iwata wiped out the lovely goals from open play by Ikeda and Uehara. It was unfortunate that the final goal of Iwata came after a blatant foul on Tanaka, and even more unfortunate that Uesato tipped it in to the back the net after he got a foot to the shot.
2. Man of the Match
FC Ryukyu MF Ren Ikeda: Ren added his second goal of the season yesterday but he also put in a very workman like performance while in defense. The same could be said about Koizumi and Dany who is playing inspired these days.
3. Review of the Keys to Victory
1. Play relaxed: Likelihood 2. I would say that they did. Jubilo had a massive amount of possession, and FC Ryukyu never pressed to go out in front or recover from a deficit. They simply let the game come to them and capitalized on the opportunities presented to them.
4. Match Day 8 Prediction
I said 2-1 to Iwata and it ended 2-2. 0-2-6 for the year.
5. Match Day 8 Takeaways
1. The New Formation: FC Ryukyu switched to a 4-1-4-1 last night and I must say, they looked much better than they have the past 5 weeks. Yes, Jubilo out possessed us by a very wide margin, but the defending was far better. Jubilo was often frustrated by blocked shooting lanes which forced them into long range desperation shots that Dany was easily able to track and stop. In fact the two Iwata goals came from set pieces. I am glad the switch has been made as it will allow some rest for the players as we move forward.
2. The timing of our substitutions was a bit off: It was evident during last nights game that FC Ryukyu need to rest Numata at some point. This would probably mean Fukui is back in the lineup but Tanaka has shown that it really doesn’t matter who plays the FB roles these days.
3. Uehara is lethal in the air and valuable asset if he can get service: We’ve seen this out of him before but he struggles with the ball at his feet. He is best used in brief spells where he can make an immediate impact which means we are still in need of a 3rd striker soon.
4. The refereeing was abysmal: This obviously sounds like something a fan would say after their team was done in by a bad call near the end that drastically changed the outcome of the match. While the team cannot dwell on what happened, as they need to focus on Okayama in less than 48 hours, we as fans can. There were a few missed calls from the refereeing crew last night but none more blatant than Tanaka being shoved out of bounds on the touch line which rewarded Iwata with the CK that they equalized on. There are countless times you that you see this same exact play in leagues around the world, and it is called a foul in favor of the defender almost all the time. The shove was pretty blatant and caught on film. You have to wonder what the ref and his crew were focused on at that moment. Granted, Iwata did not score on that play and FC Ryukyu still had the ability to defend the CK, but we all know how it ended. It is hard enough to end a win-less drought when you are struggling for form. Its even harder when the refs act as a 12th man for the opposition. Enough said on that.
田中恵太を山本康裕が押し倒してた獲得したCKから生まれた得点 CLUB J.LEAGUEのアプリでの試合速報では競り勝って左CK獲得って書いてるけどJリーグは押し倒すのは競り勝つって認識なんですね このプレーがちゃんとしたプレーでファールじゃないって認識なら今後選手が押し倒されてもファールとるなよ https://t.co/2njDqjbUZTpic.twitter.com/t38pvLI9Jj
5. You should be excited as a FC Ryukyu fan for the abundance of youthful talent in the squad. Ikeda, Koizumi, Yamaguchi, Suzuki, and Motegi are a tremendous foundation from which to build. They all require some polishing but that will come with more game time. Throw in the recent contract extension of Dany Carvajal through 2022 and we may see a much better squad next year.
Nagasaki remains top; Giravanz continues to surprise; and Kyoto are struggling for wins. Also, it seemed like this round had a lot of late goals to change the outcome of several matches.
FC Ryukyu head out for a 2-game road trip starting with Okayama Fagiano on Saturday. This will mean that many FC Ryukyu fans will get to see Uejo and Tokumoto facing their old team for the first time.
The performances by Ryukyu have been getting better, now it is time the results started to go our way. Despite not winning this season, the current win-less drought is not similar to the one we were experiencing at this point last year. We still need to score more than one goal per game, but I think that we will see more multiple goal games very soon. As it stands, FC Ryukyu close out July with an 0-3-3 record. Good enough for 21st place in the table. I’ll see you tomorrow with the Match Day 9 preview against Okayama.
Time for the second of fifteen mid-week games for FC Ryukyu. This week Ryukyu welcome in Jubilo Iwata fresh off their 2-0 loss to Tokushima Vortis this past Saturday with FC Ryukyu returning to Okinawa after their 1-1 draw in Ehime.
Jubilo will be looking to climb back up the table at the expense of an FC Ryukyu team who are currently lacking confidence and wins. It is likely that we see many teams drop points during these mid-week fixtures as the season progresses and I hope that this is the week that FC Ryukyu exorcise their demons, and grab that first win of the year.
Weather Forecast
Match Day 7 Recap: FC Ryukyu
Match Day 7 Recap: Jubilo Iwata
Team Previews & Injury Report
Keys to Victory
Match Prediction
Match Day 8 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast
Nice weather is finally in the forecast for a change.
2. Match Day 7 Recap: FC Ryukyu
A hard-fought draw that nearly was a win if we didn’t hit the woodwork, narrowly miss a FK and have the last shot on net just squeak wide after rolling across the mouth of goal.
FC Ryukyu: The pain and frustration of not winning is written all over the faces of the team. Each missed shot, missed opportunity, and conceded goal feels like a millstone around the neck of a drowning team. It is certainly not from a lack of trying as all the players are giving maximum effort in search of that elusive first win. So why are they failing?
I would venture to guess that it is a mix of the current system and a bit of bad luck. In the two years under Higuchi, I have never seen him make any changes to the 4-2-3-1 formation. I am sympathetic to the fact that a change to the system is no easy undertaking, or a solution to your current problems. But I do not feel we are leveraging our greatest strength at FC Ryukyu; the quality and depth of our mid field players.
I wrote a piece on Sunday about switching over to a 3-4-3 so please check that out if you wish to read more details pertaining to the argument for a change in the current system. In the meantime, let’s see if FC Ryukyu can defeat a team that is looking quite average for just having come down from the J1.
FC Ryukyu Injuries & Suspensions: MF Shinji Ono is likely out for a while and we are waiting for the injury diagnosis for his right knee. Still no word on Shuto Kawai’s return.
Jubilo Iwata: I guess you could say that Jubilo lost to the teams you’d expect them to loose too; drew with a team that you’d expect them draw; and beat the teams you’d expect them to defeat. They have 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses over their last five games with an even 5/5 goals scored, goals conceded record. In other words, average.
But that is still far better than what FC Ryukyu have achieved up to this point. The eye test sees a team that has the same type of struggles FC Ryukyu are experiencing when it comes to scoring and conceding and nothing in the past 5 Jubilo matches really jumps off the screen. They failed to score against Okayama when Fagiano went down to 10 men; they made a costly mistake against Fukuoka (ala Daisei Suzuki vs Renofa); they had a PK saved against Giravanz; and they had no answer for Vortis this past weekend.
If anything, FC Ryukyu need to be concerned with Lukian who is Jubilo’s leading goal scorer bagging 3 goals in his past 4 games. Since his brace against Renofa, Lukian looks to be getting into a nice rhythm and he definitely seems like the type of player that out central defenders will struggle to contain on Wednesday.
Jubilo Iwata Injuries & Suspensions: None to the incumbent starters though they reported an injury to one of their defenders, Kentaro Oi, this week. He hasn’t featured since the opening day in February so nothing really to report.
5. 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 it happens 1- Requires a Miracle to happen
1. Play relaxed: Likelihood 2. If Ryukyu press too hard without success, the pressure will mount and then mistakes will be made. I doubt we are going to stop Jubilo from scoring tomorrow so it is best to not place any additional pressure on the already slumped shoulders of this team. Few are expecting us to win, therefore, play with a little bit of reckless abandonment and enjoy yourselves.
6. Match Day 8 Prediction
This one feels like it could end in a 1-1 draw but i’ll err on the side of caution and say that Jubilo win 2-1.
7. Around J2 on Match Day 8
All the games kickoff at 1900 this week so some of you will have some tough choices as to which one(s) you are going to watch. The tasty ones seem to be (8) Kitakyushu vs (3) Tokushima; (11) Zelvia vs (13) Matsumoto and (8) Kanazawa vs (2) Omiya.
8. Conclusion
So many of the past entries displayed a negative tone with FC Ryukyu in the midst of a win less drought since the restart. If anything, the players need our support, a boost of confidence and to get the monkey off their back with a win. For a team like us, in places like this, we need all the hope we can get. Personally, “I still believe” in the potential of this team and hope that a change in their fortunes comes quickly.
ryukyuarmy.com 