Weather Forecast: FINALLY! A great forecast for today’s match. Partly cloudy, temperatures in the high 80s with plenty of humidity, but most importantly, no rain!
The second half of the season gets underway today in Okinawa where 13th placed FC Ryukyu take on 10th place Fagiano Okayama. Okayama got the best of FC Ryukyu the last time these two teams met when they were awarded, and then converted, a PK. FC Ryukyu are coming of an uplifting 3-0 victory at home over Tochigi SC last week and Okayama visit the Tapista riding a 2-game win streak. This should be a very entertaining match today as both teams have similar attacking styles and the 2 leading scorers in the J2 face off once more. It was Lee Yong Hae who got on the score sheet the last time they squared off; will it be Suzukui’s turn today?
Fagiano Okayama
Okayama came from behind at home last week to defeat
Kagoshima with 2 very late goals. Kagoshima dictated a lot of the game up till
the end when a bad call by the referee awarded Okayama a PK that ultimately sealed
the fate of Kagoshima. Prior to that match, Okayama had their doors blown off
by Yokohama FC 5-1. The Okayama defense was ripped to shreds several times by
the quick, long through balls by Yokohama and that seems to be a good way to
get behind the Okayama defenders.
They drew twice against Renofa and Machida with 1-1 score
lines where they let both these games slip through their fingers. Their
defending let them down again despite one of the best goals scored in J2 this
season by Okayama. Takeda hit an absolute rocket shot from the top of the box
that found the top corner of the goal but that wasn’t enough against Renofa.
Make no mistake, Okayama have the fire power to score goals
but they are not the strongest side when traveling or facing teams in the
bottom half of the table. While this isn’t to be considered a “must win” game for
FCR, it is an opportunity to grab a win against a side that is near FCR in the
table and could help offset some unfavorable score lines later this season against
stronger sides. FCR are just a better team when they play at home and therefore
have a real shot at grabbing all3 points today.
Fagiano Players to Watch
#9 FW Lee Yong Hae: 12 goals this year but hasn’t scored in
his last 2 games. Scored the last time these 2 sides met and is a tall, strong,
quick striker that FCR had a real hard time dealing with in the first match.
#19 MF Hayato Nakama: 6 goals scored this season. Forms a
very nice strike partnership with Hae and has provided him so excellent service
this year.
#7 FW Seiya Nakano: Third leading scorer on Okayama with 5
goals. Used primarily as a substitute and provides a nice punch when coming off
the bench.
FC Ryukyu
The boys finally decided to put an end to the 3-game losing
streak by completely dismantling the Tochigi side last Saturday. FC Ryukyu
controlled the pace of the game, were lethal in front of goal and really choked
out the Tochigi SC attack. That type of effort is again going to be required
for FC Ryukyu to grab all 3 points today as Okayama are a much better side than
Tochigi.
FC Ryukyu will need Kawai to stretch the defense and allow
players like Yu, Ochi and especially Suzuki to find the running/shooting lanes
for goal scoring opportunities. If FC Ryukyu take the same approach to defending,
they did last week but not holding a high defensive line, then we can limit the
amount of counterattacks by players like Hae and Nakama. The Okayama defense is
nothing special and can be unlocked with quick, accurate passing. If nothing
else, it is likely that FC Ryukyu will draw plenty of fouls in and around the
Okayama box with this type of play and then we could let Yu, Kazama and Uesato
do their thing on FKs.
It is really simple math for FCR; score, defend, reduce
turnovers and you will win. FCR needs to build a little bit of consistency
moving forward and this is a great match to continue a nice run of form.
Injuries
Fagiano Okayama: #10 FW Mineiro – had a sprained MCL but it
looks as if he is past the estimated recovery window of 6-8 weeks.
FC Ryukyu: #5 DF Tokumoto – recovering from an MCL sprain he
picked up while rehabbing from an ankle sprain. Another 3 weeks away from
returning to the lineup.
FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory
1. Set the tone. Okayama undoubtably have two serious
playmakers in the squad but that is about it. The Okayama GK is average and the
defense is like wet toilet paper, effective at times but not the preferred
method.
2. Execute a balanced attack. Stretch Okayama from either side
and don’t concentrate all your efforts on one side. Okayama can be beaten
through the middle and down the flanks so use Kawai’s speed and Yu’s passing to
free up Suzuki in front of goal. Uesato and Kazama should look for nice long
through balls to let Suzuki run at the Okayama goal.
3. Defend in packs. Wolves hunt in packs and FCR should
start defending the same way. FCR are good enough to be venomous on the counter
but need to reinforce the back when under siege. All kidding aside, this isn’t
the time to get cute, defend like you did against Tochigi and everything will
be alright.
Match Prediction
The numbers are there for everyone to see. FC Ryukyu are a
home team as is Okayama. Okayama is not the same team when traveling as evidenced
by the amount of goals they concede. 2 goals could once again prove the difference
for FCR on the day. FCR 2-2 Okayama.
Conclusion
This is big game for FC Ryukyu as they were able to get two
weeks in a row at home and that should recharge a lot of the guys since they were
not forced to travel. FC Ryukyu head out o the road for 2 games starting next
week and a win here would serve them really well. This should be an up and down
match that hopefully see’s Okayama tire in the second half since they are not
acclimatized to the heat/humidity here in Okinawa. It should be a great day to
watch football so hopefully like Okinawa community will come out in full force
for this game.
We have made it to the last installment of the Mid-Season Review. This has been a great experience as a fan to look back and reflect on the half season while keeping an eye on the future. I wanted to provide a brief summation of the players who have featured for FC Ryukyu but please keep in mind, I am never privy to the strategy the manager employs each week or how the players perform while executing that strategy. I merely observe what I can see from the stands and from my TV screen. So, let’s close out the mid-season review with a bang.
Goal Keeper
#1 Dany Carvajal: Yeah, he’s pretty much been awesome. Don’t
think for one minute that because FC Ryukyu have only kept 3 clean sheets that
it is an indictment of Dany’s performances. See the MVP section below.
#23 Ryo Ishii: He was asked to step up and fill in when Dany
was hurt during a tough stretch of matches for FCR. He played really well
against Kanazwa and Kyoto and while those efforts may be overshadowed by Dany’s
performances to date, Ishii did his part to help this club.
Defender
FB #5 Tokumoto: Another young emerging player I fear FC
Ryukyu may lose this transfer window. It’s hard to assess any FC Ryukyu FB as
they are asked to play more like a WB than a FB this season. Tokumoto has
provided 3 nice assists and is developing into a one of the better LBs in the
J2. Currently recovering from an ankle and subsequent MCL injury.
#4 Okazaki: Started almost every match this year and is a
nice compliment to Masutani. Truth be told, I only key on defenders when they
make a mess of things, and in the case of Okazaki, he has only had that happen once.
Some of his mistakes may be covered up due to FCR scoring numerous goals or
winning games so I will need more time to assess this player. In the interim,
we need Okazaki to be a rock back there on defense.
#2 Masutani: A CB in the mold of Gary Medel from Chile. I’ve
been overly critical of this guy at times and that was just rash on my part as Masutani
brings a lot of aggressiveness to the FCR squad. He is good in attack with 1
goal to his name this season and can handle some of the larger, more powerful
strikers in the J2. I will say this, when he had to fill in for Nishioka at RB
due to injury, the FCR attack looked better. Consider that it was simultaneous
with the Nakagawa departure and though I think he may be better suited at FB, I
am a fan and not the Manager.
#3 Nishioka: 2 goals and 2 assists. Nishioka has missed some
time due to an MCL injury (not sure what caused him to miss upwards of 8 weeks)
and struggles at times with defending. Always seems to be in the right spot at
the right time for his goals. Displays toughness as evidence by playing through
a head injury but his game needs some fine tuning. Needs to have more
confidence in the attack, take on the opposition’s defenders near the 18-yard
box – much like when he was brimming with confidence against Yamaguchi with his
step overs – and feed Koji Suzuki quality crosses.
#33 Ryoji Fukui: The Swiss Army Knife for FCR. Versatile in
that he can play all 4 positions in defense and could possibly fill in at CDMF
as well. At times Fukui makes really well timed challenges but he also makes
some questionable decisions in defense. For example, he can turn his back to an
attacker, so as to invite a shot, which often leaves Dany or Ishii to deal with
the danger alone (Tokyo Verdy’s goal). Maybe the GKs have asked the defenders
to vacate the shooting lanes to better see the shots from distance but I will
never know for sure. Has decent speed to make up ground on attackers or get to
contested balls first. Have a sneaky suspicion that one of his challenges will
be rewarded with a Red Card some day and put FC Ryukyu up against it in a
match. Time will tell.
#16 Jumper Arai: Not enough game footage for an accurate
assessment.
Mid Field
#20 Uesato: Local lad, experienced player, 2 highlight reel
goals and team captain. Often lines up for FKs where, truth be told, I think
Tomidokoro could benefit from the added reps to get into a groove. It seems
Uesato prefers to shoot more than cross and maybe that’s due to the angle or
distance from which he’s taking the FKs. Scored in spectacular fashion against
Verdy and Gifu and is aiding with the development of the younger generation of
FCR players.
#8 Komatsu: Was in the starting lineup early and then has
faded. Possibly getting surpassed by talented players emerging.
#6 Kazama: Has a nice touch on FKs and CKs from his Central
Mid Field role. His performances have improved as of late and I hope that
translates into favorable results for FCR.
#19 Ochi: 2 goals from the man who is now Higuchi’s choice
at CAM. At least until someone is ready to take the job over.
#11 Keita Tanaka: Keita has been part of the fabric of this
team for so long. Tanaka is lethal finisher from the right, but much like Yu,
he needs to get some repetitions and get into a scoring groove. He’s scored only
once since rejoining the side but has had 3 other opportunities that either
required a nice save by GK or were just off the mark. FCR need to get this man
firing again as it will increase the potency of the FCR attack and open up more
space of Suzuki down the middle.
#10 Yu Tomidokoro: FC Ryukyu’s FK specialist. Yu has found
some tough sledding this season when it comes to FKs as he has netted only once.
He does have 2 goals and 3 assists and the FK goals will come with time and
reps. Needs to be given more opportunities on FKs. Remember, at his height,
defenses never knew when Yu was going to cross or shoot from the FK spot and
that is what made him so successful.
#28 Koizumi: The man featured in 6 games within a month
before doing a Houdini. He never scored but he flashed some real talent. His limited performance against Verdy was
something of an eye opener as he made some nice passes, hit the post and
displayed a bit of pace. He could very well be the 3rd piece to a
formidable FC Ryukyu MF with Uejo and Kawai in the near future. WHERE IS HE?
#7 Nakagawa: HAHAHA wouldn’t do it to you, too painful. Next!
#13 Kawai: Has one goal and 2 assists this season. Is
turning into a real playmaker for FC Ryukyu. Has another gear he can use to get
past defenders and is fine tuning his game with each performance, specifically,
his body & ball control while making cuts or getting up to speed. Maybe
replacing Nakagawa can’t be done with just one player but rather a combination
of players. If that is the case than Kawai’s introduction to the side is
starting to fill that void. Kawai’s speed really opens up the attack for FCR
and he has rightfully earned his spot in the starting 11.
Forwards
#14 Uejo: See Below, but seriously, I do not know why he
doesn’t start. Is it due to fitness, immaturity, health concerns or the
manager?
#21 Uehara: Has height, scored an important goal for FCR to
beat Niigata. Didn’t see much from him prior to his goal and less so after.
What happened? Injury?
#15 Wada: Played really well as a substitute versus Nagasaki
but hard pressed for playing time with the leading J2 goal scorer ahead of you
on the roster. His time will come.
#22 Gibo. I saw one appearance where Gibo displayed a lot of
hustle. Subbed into an attacking MF position but then was moved to a FB
position in the same game. He needs more playing time and I missed the Emperors
Cup match for FCR to see how he performed and what are his strengths and
weaknesses.
#9 Koji Suzuki: SEE BELOW.
Mid-Season MVPs
1A. Koji Suzuki. The man’s stats speak for themselves but if
you peel back the curtain a little more, you see that he has scored crucial
goals at very crucial times of matches for FCR. Yamagata, Yamagauchi, Kanazawa,
Omiya and Mito all come to mind. He is also one of the most unselfish strikers
I’ve ever seen. He puts in a shift every match. He does the hard work of hold
up plays, winning contested balls and drawing fouls from the opposition while never
complaining and rarely displays any outward frustration at his teammates. I
have no idea what compelled Zelvia to let him go but I do not care at this
point. He has proven to be an absolute steal in the transfer market.
1B. Dany Carvajal. Strong at the back and lethal up front is
what makes any team great. Yes, of course, strong through the middle is another
essential part but having the best striker and one of the best goal keepers in
the league on your squad is pretty good as well. Dany has been a revelation for
this side. He always seems to be in the right position, at the right time, to
make the right type of save. And let me tell you, there have been some
spectacular ones; against Omiya there were 2 to seal the win, the PK save
against Verdy, resisting the Reysol bombardment, Vortis, Yamaguchi, Mito and
list goes on and on. The FC Ryukyu front office did really well by signing Dany
this offseason.
2. Satoki Uejo. This man has come out of nowhere and turned
into quite the player. He has scored 6 times this season and is improving every
time he steps out onto the pitch. He has some signatures goals to his name;
Reysol, Vortis, Ehime, Nagasaki and Renofa (Emperor’s Cup). He also looks like
he has packed on some muscle the past few months in order to fight off larger
defenders. He needs to be out there every week for this side.
Looking Ahead
FC Ryukyu will play 10 games at home and 11 games on the road in the second half of the season. Within those 11 road games they will play 3 series of two consecutive road matches starting next week with Mito and Niigata. The next series is at the end of September with Machida and Fukuoka and finally to end the season against Ehime and Kofu. They also have 3 series at home where they will play consecutive home matches. The first wraps up this week with Okayama (started with Tochigi last week), the second is in August with Nagasaki and Yokohama and the third is at the end of August/early September with FC Gifu and Kagoshima. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the second half fixtures, make some predictions and then review the remaining fixtures for the bottom 4 clubs in J2.
Red denotes MUST WIN games for FCR.
It would be nice to see FCR earn wins against Tochigi and Ehime on the road as those 6 points could go a long way to helping secure J2 football for FCR in 2020. None of us know how the results will shake out considering we cannot predict the transfers in/out of clubs, injuries, managerial changes and plain old luck (good or bad). FC Ryukyu’s make or break month will be October with favorable matches against Avispa, Tochigi and Verdy. They need to be well clear of the relegation zone after that point because November could prove fatal if the road performances by FCR don’t improve. They face a surging Renofa side on the road, host a promotion seeking Kyoto side at home and wrap up the season with 2 road trips with a possible relegation battle against Ehime and potential promotion seeking side in Kofu. Even though I am targeting Ehime as a must win game for FCR, that will depend largely on FCR showing that they can win on the road when needed in the second half of the season.
With this in mind, lets look at teams who are currently sit 18-22 in the J2 table and examine their crucial months and critical match-ups in the second part of the 2019 J2 season.
#18 JEF Chiba United. JEF have a tough October where they face 3 sides who are likely going to be in the top 7. Depending on how those results play out, JEF could be dragged into the relegation battle. Their final match against Tochigi is huge for both sides.
#19 Kagoshima. The October and November schedule are not kind to Kagoshima. 3 road matches in October followed by a run of Kofu, Okayama, Reysol and Mito. They end on the road versus Fukuoka in another final match day matchup that could determine who gets relegated.
#20 Tochigi. The outcomes of their September fixtures will most likely determine their fate. They face FC Gifu, Fukuoka, Kagoshima and Ehime all in a row. That is a total of 4, 6-point match-ups in a row that could really doom any of those sides. As mentioned earlier, Tochigi end with JEF Chiba in what could be a win or go down to J3 match.
#21 Fukuoka. October and November are also not kind to Fukuoka. They are hoping that some of the sides around them perform poorly the rest of the year so as to give Fukuoka a chance at the end. Avispa end versus Kagoshima in a game we already mentioned that has massive relegation implications.
#22 FC Gifu. The schedule is kinder to FC Gifu in so much as there isn’t any one month remaining where they face multiple top sides in quick succession. The end of July/beginning of August will be rough on them but there are winnable games. But like Fukuoka, FC Gifu are hoping that things go terribly wrong for the few sides just above them in the table. Will it be the Vortis or Kofu match that ultimately dooms this side, or will it happen much sooner?
At the end of the day, FC Ryukyu need to go out there and handle their business without concerning themselves too much about the rest of the table. It is simple math for FCR: Beat the teams below you in the table especially those at the bottom, Get points off of teams just above you in the table, and win some games on the road. If they can do that, then they are going to be alright. I’d estimate that another 18 points are needed and FCR could achieve that any number of ways in the second half of the season.
I know I did not focus on which team may win the J2 title and which sides are likely to be promoted to the J1 in 2019 so I’ll save that for a later date.
Well folks, that is going to do it for the final installment of the FCR Mid-Season Review. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. I’ll be adding two more entries this week with the Second Transfer Special of the year coming out on Thursday and the normal Match Day Preview coming out on Friday.
We begin Part 2 with the Top 5 Memorable Matches for FC Ryukyu in the first half of the season and conclude by remembering some of the best goals so far with a Top 10 list. This was an interesting entry to write because there were so many games, good and bad, and so many goals that could’ve made the list. Seeing how that is the case, I will provide a small Honorable Mention section for those matches that couldn’t quite crack the Top 5. Let’s begin.
#5 Avispa Fukuoka 2/24/2019 Match Day 1
Starting our top 5 is the Home Opener for FC Ryukyu that
also happened to be the inaugural match for FC Ryukyu in the J2. It may have
been a sign of things to come as far as the type of conditions FC Ryukyu would
face in all their home games this season as the weather that day was absolutely
brutal. There was intermittent rain that looked like it might hold off for the
match but ultimately it ended up raining the entire second half. Despite those
conditions, the second largest crowd this season of 7,385 turned up to see how
FC Ryukyu would get on in the J2.
New FC Ryukyu manager Higuchi introduced a 4-2-3-1 lineup that featured new joins; Carvajal in goal, Okazaki in defense, Uesato, Kazama and Tanaka in mid-field and the new FC Ryukyu talisman up front, Koji Suzuki. Suzuki got the game/season rolling in the 23rd minute thanks to a nice play by Nakagawa. His shot, that he seemed to hit as he was falling backwards, was misjudged by Serantes from Avispa and FC Ryukyu were out in front. Fukuoka answered rather quickly from a bullet header by Matsuda as he rose over Nishioka in defense. In the second half, Tanaka drew a foul in the box in the 71st minute after a nice pass from Nakagawa had him all alone with only the keeper to beat (to think, Nakagawa could’ve had 5 assists in 3 games, what could he have achieved, as well as the club all if he were still here?). Suzuki stepped up and added his second goal of the game for a brace and 2-1 FCR advantage. The last goal from Tomidokoro was a deflection off a Kazama shot and FC Ryukyu would go on to win 3-1. The win would be the beginning of a 4-game win streak, and 6 games unbeaten, that allowed fools like me to chant, “Top, Top, Top of the Table,” at every FCR match. Historic firsts for the club.
#4 Omiya Ardija 3/2/2019 Match Day 2
FC Ryukyu’s first away game was also the first away match
I’ve ever attended for FC Ryukyu. The weather conditions were absolutely
perfect, it was crisp, but not freezing and coupled with one of the best
footballing stadiums in the country, it set a fantastic scene. It was great to
meet new FC Ryukyu fans who live on mainland Japan and I was shocked to see how
many turned up to see FC Ryukyu play that day.
The boys did not disappoint and they once again started the
scoring early with a 16th minute goal from Keita Tanaka. Omiya
turned the ball over in the midfield where Uesato found Nakagawa, who made a
nice run right at the central defenders of Omiya. This freed up Tanaka to make
an unmarked run down the right. Nakagawa passed it off very nicely to Tanaka who
let the ball roll across his body before making a nice strike, low and hard,
past the Omiya keeper. Omiya would answer 3 minutes later with a goal by Delgado
and the half ended 1-1. However, the real fireworks were about to begin.
Omiya dominated the early opening minutes of the first half,
much like they did in the waning minutes of the first. Carvajal made a nice
save on a headed shot before FC Ryukyu took the game to a whole new level. Koji
Suzuki bagged two goals within two minutes for his second brace in as many
matches. FC Ryukyu were out to a 3-1 lead and looking unbeatable. I couldn’t
believe what I was seeing from this FC Ryukyu side on the road against an
opponent many had tipped to be in the J1 promotion battle. Koji’s first was a
result of two nice passes from Tanaka and Nakagawa with his second being a very
cheeky nutmeg of the Omiya keeper. Koji celebrated that goal by raising his
finger to his lips to insinuate that that the home crowd should quiet down
(naughty!).
Just 3 minutes after Koji’s second goal, Uejo added a
fourth, his first this season and it was assisted by none other than, Nakagawa.
This was an unbelievable time to be a FC Ryukyu fan. This team was making light
work of opposing team’s defenses, it looked as if the form that won them the J3
title was intact, albeit with a new group of players, and some of us briefly
got ahead of ourselves assuming that the J2 would be a cake walk. It has proven
anything but since the Omiya match.
Omiya were not finished on the day as they responded with 2
very late goals of their own. First there was a PK that sent Dany diving in the
wrong direction with the second being a nice change of direction across the FC
Ryukyu box that stretched our defense. The score was 4-3 with a few more
minutes of extra time to play. This is the moment when Dany Carvajal really
announced his presence.
It would be cynical to assume he played a bad game based on
the score line since Omiya scored 2 nice goals and were awarded a PK. What you
won’t see in the DAZN highlights is the last-minute diving save Dany made to
keep the score line 4-3 and ensure victory for FC Ryukyu. Imagine if he hadn’t
made that save and FC Ryukyu had drawn the game instead of won? We’d be at 26
points with zero road wins at the half way point, very bleak.
All in all, nothing but respect for Omiya and their fans as it was the best stadium I’ve experienced here in Asia.
#3 Zweigen Kanazawa 6/08/2019 Match Day 17
FC Ryukyu were sitting on 29 consecutive games at home
without a loss when Zweigen visited Okinawa for this first time since they won
the J3 back in 2014. FC Ryukyu were coming off two wins in a row at home over
Mito and Niigata and wanted a 3rd. FC Ryukyu were also dealing with
an injury to first team Goal Keeper, Dany Carvajal, who was out with an ankle
injury.
The game couldn’t have got off to a worse start for FCR as
Kanazawa grabbed the early lead in the 6th minute off an FC Ryukyu
turnover in their own half. Okazaki had a chance at stopping the play but was
caught between what he wanted to do to stop the Zweigen attacker. It looked
like he couldn’t decide between sliding in for a challenge, or disrupting the
players run by dispossessing him. Instead, he ended up tripping over himself
and the attacker thus leaving the Zweigen player a free look on net. Tanaka
nearly leveled it for FC Ryukyu but his shot was directly at the Zweigen
keeper, unlike the one versus Omiya. Ishii ended up making a very fine save
near the end of the half from a free kick and without his effort on the play,
FC Ryukyu would’ve never been able to get back into the match.
Kanazawa had two more opportunities to put the game out of
reach but luckily for FC Ryukyu, the shots were just wide. Finally, in the 69th
minute, Koji Suzuki tied the game with his 11th goal of the season after
an Uesato pass found him wide open at the top of the box. Suzuki calmly slipped
past his marker, made the GK go to ground and sent it past him and Kanazawa
defenders. The play really began when Zweigen were trying to break out of their
own end but pressure by Kawai on the Kanazawa player prevented him from
clearing the ball and this allowed Uesato to step up and steal possession.
It was not the prettiest of results but it showed the grit and determination of this team. The windy, wet conditions made for an awful atmosphere and FC Ryukyu were playing at less than 100% strength. However, they pushed through all of that to grab a crucial point at home and push the undefeated streak to 30, where it would ultimately end.
#2 Kashiwa Reysol 4/07/2019 Match Day 8
FC Ryukyu welcomed the newly demoted J1 side, Kashiwa
Reysol, to the Tapista on Match Day 8 with a chance at achieving immortality in
the form of setting the new J.League Home Undefeated Streak at 26. At this
point in the season FC Ryukyu had only suffered one defeat and took points in 7
out of 8 matches. This was going to be a very tough test at home for FCR against
an experienced group of Reysol players.
From what I saw leading up to this match, Reysol really
liked starting fast and getting out to an early lead. It seemed that if they
couldn’t get the early advantage, games would bog down for them and results
would be mixed. Well they got their wish in the third minute. The goal came off
a set piece where the initial cross was redirected to the opposite side of the
FC Ryukyu net where Gabriel was charging and able to deflect the shot past an
outstretched Carvajal and rising Suzuki and into the top corner. Reysol didn’t
let up and Carvajal was called into action several times in the half but he
prevented any further Reysol scoring.
FC Ryukyu began to grow into the match a little by little as Reysol were unable to grab the 2-0 lead. Tanaka had a shot at leveling the game just before half time but Nakamura made a fine save. Tomidokoro’s point-blank within the 6-yard box was unfortunately right at the Reysol Keeper or FCR would’ve leveled. It wasn’t until the 82nd minute when a Tokumoto cross found a wide open Uejo who smashed home the volley. It left the Reysol keeper stunned as well as the 7,913 fans who showed up. FC Ryukyu continued to hunt for the winner when they very easily could’ve packed it in but they never found the go ahead goal. The match ended 1-1 and FC Ryukyu became new J.League record holders. This was another huge signature performance for FCR.
#1 Mito Hollyhock 05/11/2019 Match Day 13
Mito visited Okinawa as the top team in J2 with quite an
impressive defensive record. FC Ryukyu on the other hand were coming off of two
defeats in 3 weeks to Kagoshima and FC Gifu and had only scored 4 goals in
their previous 5 matches. All it would’ve taken for the streak to end was a
Mito goal as the side had not lost all season up to this point and hadn’t
conceded more than one goal in any of their 12 prior matches.
Then the unthinkable happened, FC Ryukyu scored the opening
goal within the first 10 minutes. Tokumoto picked out an unmarked Koji Suzuki
who sent a header, hard and low, that the Mito keeper couldn’t save. Suzuki
nearly got on the board again but his toe poke was defected over the bar by the
Mito defenders. FC Ryukyu were in complete control of the match but that didn’t
really matter as Mito were never a side who chased matches regardless of the
score line.
Tokumoto hit the post in the second half and that would’ve really put the game out of reach. Mito never really got things going in this game and that can be attributed to the fine defensive performance by the FC Ryukyu back line. It was another shocking result for FC Ryukyu who seem to really play really well against the top 3 or 4 sides in the J2. The win also pushed the streak to 27 matches without a loss but it was the 3 points at home and their first win in nearly two months that made all the difference for FCR.
Honorable Mentions
1. Montedio Yamagata 3/24/2019 Match Day 5. FC Ryukyu earned
a draw on the road versus what looks to be the potential J2 champion. FC Ryukyu
remained undefeated on the season and got their longest road trip out of the
way early which will pay dividends later on this season.
2. Tokyo Verdy 4/13/2019 Match Day 9. FC Ryukyu pulled off
quite a comeback to level the match in the 5th minute of stoppage
time off a Uesato strike. In a game where Carvajal busted his nose stopping an
attacking Verdy player, and then saved the PK, was just amazing. Uesato’s
strike was so well taken, and so unexpected, it left everyone in shock. It was
a great point earned on the road for FCR.
3. Kyoto Sanga 6/15/2019 Match Day 18. Maybe you are
noticing a trend with these honorable mentions. They are all the draws FC
Ryukyu have earned on the road. FC Ryukyu went behind twice in this match and
battled back to draw with goals from Koji Suzuki and Kawai. Kyoto are a strong
team and no one gave FC Ryukyu much of a chance in this match as they were a
visiting side in poor form. The draw was big because FCR ended up suffering
defeats in the following consecutive weeks and really needed the point.
Top 10 Goals for FC Ryukyu
10 (TIE).
10A. Tanka’s early goal against Omiya: The way he let the
ball roll onto him and his low hard strike was great.
10B. Kawai’s game tying goal against Kyoto on the road was a
massive goal from a well taken shot.
9. Uesato’s goal against FC Gifu: Top Right corner from the
top of the box.Oh!
8. Masutani’s bullet header against Mito: Came from the way
back to get into the attack and send a low, hard header to the bottom corner.
Watch and enjoy.
7. Koji Suzuki’s diving header against Yamaguchi: Power and
Placement.
6. Uejo’s goal on the break versus Nagasaki: Frightening how
good this kid could be one day, and how good he is right now.
5. Koji Suzuki going top shelf versus Yokohama FC: The man
wanted to blow open the top of the net with that much power in his shot.
4. Tomidokoro’s free kick versus Niigata: Love watching Yu
do his thing, go on son.
3. Kazama’s free kick versus Kofu: Gave the GK no chance at
saving that one, top drawer.
2. Uesato’s strike on the volley against Tokyo Verdy: Could
watch that over and over and over again.
1. Uejo’s strike on the volley against Kashiwa Reysol: Young
player putting one past an experienced International capped Goal Keeper. On the
volley, into the top corner, none better so far.
I hope you all enjoyed the second installment of the
mid-season review. We will conclude tomorrow with a review of the players, the
mid-season MVP and the way ahead for FC Ryukyu.
Welcome everyone to the FC Ryukyu mid season review. I will provide a 3-part series for the FC Ryukyu mid-season review beginning today. In Part 1 I will focus briefly on the current state of the team, what changes have occurred at the club from the end of last season until now that have affected attendance numbers and then I will switch gears and review the Top 5 story lines. In Part 2 we will review the Top 5 matches for FC Ryukyu this season as well as the Top 10 goals scored by individual players from FC Ryukyu. Finally, in Part 3 we will conclude the mid-season review with some player reviews, discuss the FC Ryukyu MVPs up to this point and end the series by looking forward into the remaining fixtures for FC Ryukyu. Enjoy!
2019 To Date
FC Ryukyu have now reached the half way point of their
inaugural J2 season. They sit 13th in the table with 28 points and
are 11 points clear of the relegation zone. They started the year out very fast winning 4
out of their first 4 matches and then drawing the next two to sit at 14 points.
FC Ryukyu’s first loss didn’t occur until a mid-week match up against JEF Chiba
on Match Day 7. They responded really well after that loss as they came home to
earn a late draw against Kashiwa Reysol thus setting the new Home Undefeated
Record for all of the J.Leauge with 26 in a row. FC Ryukyu would ultimately
make it to 30 before Kofu ended their undefeated run with a 5-2 defeat.
In my opinion, there are couple of different ways to view
the first half of the FC Ryukyu season. You could break it down by quarters or
in halves.
If we broke it down by quarters, we see theses type of
results: Matches 1-5; 4 wins and 1 draw, matches 6-10; 3 draws and 2 losses,
matches 11-15; 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw and finally, matches; 16-21 1 win, 2
draws and 3 losses. Right away we see a team that wins in bunches and then goes
thru stretches of bad results.
By Halves: Matches 1-10; 4 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses and,
matches 11-21; 3 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses. This paints a more ominous picture
as the losses really piled up for FC Ryukyu in the second part of the first
half of the season.
What has greatly impacted FC Ryukyu’s point total this
season is their inability win on the road. FC Ryukyu have not won on the road
since Match Day 2 against Omiya and have suffered defeats to lower sides FC
Gifu and Kagoshima. Luckily for FC Ryukyu, the fast start with 4 wins from 4
has produced the nice 11 to 12-point cushion between them and the drop zone area
with teams 20-22. The expected point total to avoid relegation is between 42-46
points and FC Ryukyu are about 17 points shy of the sweet spot. This means FC
Ryukyu will need at least 5 wins in the second half of the season while mixing
in some draws.
A quick glance at the FC Ryukyu stat sheet this season.
2019 Changes
FC Ryukyu have averaged 4,480 fans in their 11 home games to
date and those numbers are probably impacted by the poor weather that has
befouled FC Ryukyu in the first half of the season. FC Ryukyu have played at least half of their
home games this season in wet and windy conditions that makes life very
difficult on the FC Ryukyu fan base. As some of you may know, there is only a
small covered area on the West of the stadium and it truly doesn’t protect many
of the fans against the elements. While all football clubs have to deal with inclement
weather from time to time, keep in mind that FC Ryukyu are in the midst of
trying to build and established fan base that can generate revenue and
ultimately player transfer/salaries. Though FC Ryukyu have greatly improved
their attendance totals from last year, ideally this club would like to average
upwards of 7,000 fans per game. Realistically, I think 5,000 is the mark that
FC Ryukyu could hit with their remaining 10 home games.
So, what has changed for the club and the fan base that has caused an average increase of about 1,000 fans per match this season compared to seasons past? There is no single answer I can come up with and I believe there are several factors involved. Before we get into the details as to why, let’s see the attendance records from FC Ryukyu’s past season in the J3.
*3 fewer home fixtures in 2016 compared to 2015
So, right away we see that FC Ryukyu has slowly been increasing their fan base since their inception in the J.League. FC Ryukyu began their push up the table in 2016 and followed that up by finishing 6th in 2017. It should be no coincidence that the uptick in attendance coincided with a managerial change that brought a more attacking style of football to Okinawa. Not to mention, more goals. Of course, we’d expected to see the sharpest rise in attendance figures during the championship season but if we are going to draw one conclusion from these numbers, its fans appreciate exciting football on the pitch. Maybe the average fan just wants to see some goals and is not overly concerned with the end result. So now let’s see what has changed this season.
First, the fact the FC Ryukyu won the J3 title last season
really helped pull the club out of the shadows and into the light for the
Okinawa community. The crowd on hand for the title clinching game is one of the
largest in FC Ryukyu history and it really helped put this team on the map.
Second, the increased coverage of FC Ryukyu on television, on radio and in print,
really increased the visibility of FC Ryukyu and this has almost certainly
brought more people to the grounds.
Third, the front office staff for FC Ryukyu has really
engaged the community on their website but more importantly, through social
media. There is a more concentrated effort by the club to target new fans and
expose this team to the local community. While some free attendance events have
been hampered by bad weather, it is nice to see the club continually running
shuttle buses for both home and away supporters to the stadium. The 3,000 Yen
fee is definitely cheaper than a taxi or daiko back to Naha but I’d like to see
the club offer discounted tickets for those people utilizing the shuttle since it
increases the minimum cost to attend the match up to 4,000 Yen for an adult. The
club has done well to offer a free parking and a shuttle from the Awase port
area as the parking situation is deplorable, and outside of the control of the
club, at the stadium as it is located inside a huge community park. FC Ryukyu
also offer a child care program to attract parents who wish to attend but maybe
reluctant because they are concerned, they’d spend more time looking after
their children than enjoying the match. I believe that based on numerous
personal experiences at the Tapista with my kids. The fact that you can find
the president of the club, Mr. Mikami, in the A Section of the stadium each
week interacting, and more importantly listening to FC Ryukyu fans, means the
management and club are really trying to understand their customer and not
force feed the fans what they don’t want.
Fourth, I think the fact that FC Ryukyu are playing in the J2 instead of the J3 has resonated with the local community that the club is playing in a more established, more respected, better covered tier of the Japanese Football pyramid. The notion that FC Ryukyu could be playing J1 football in the near future is very real in the minds of people here as the distance between the J1 and J2 is much shorter, both literally and figuratively than between J3 and J1. Fifth, there have been some nice improvements to the match day event. Food and drink vendors have increased, there are food vendors on the opposite side of the stadium and pre-match events are very well received by the local community. Sixth, the traveling fans. There is no doubt that the large numbers of fans from Reysol, Niigata and others have propped up the overall attendance numbers. Remember, Okinawa is a holiday destination for most mainland Japaneses so syncing up your teams match with your holiday plans isn’t a bad idea.
Seventh, the home unbeaten record helped immensely as it gained both local and national attention. It really brought people to the Tapista who may have never attended a match in their life but wanted to be a part of something special. Finally, there is just a different aura surrounding the club. I have witnessed some very sparsely attended matches in FC Ryukyu’s history and even joked that they were counting the players, front office staff and stadium support staff in their overall attendance numbers so as not to come across as team that no one bothers to watch. But all of that is in the past. Match day events are better planned, better presented and better executed. There is a much different atmosphere inside the stadium of seasons past and I am just having a hard time describing it in detail. You just have to be here to feel it I guess.
The club has been steadily improving its numbers every season and this is encouraging. The club cannot expect an average of 7,000 fans per match every week as it looks like it will take them about 2-3 more season to hit that number based on the statistical trends in the table above. It takes time to build a fan base and not everyone here in Okinawa is able to attend all the matches on a regular basis. Let’s assume that the club has set their operating budget based on average attendance rates of 3,000 per match. If that is the case, then the 4,200 fans they currently averaging each match means they will have some ability to make subtle changes within the club this season and that is very important to their overall success.
There are 10 home games remaining for FC Ryukyu against some serious opponents. Yamagata, Kyoto and Nagasaki to name a few so FC Ryukyu will need all the fan support they can garner to navigate these tough fixtures at home at such a crucial part of the season. I hope the weather for these matches improves as it is understandable that no one wants to bring themselves, let alone their family to watch a football match in rainy, windy conditions (despite the prevailing trend of poncho fashion). I’d like to see FC Ryukyu hit the 5,000-average mark by seasons end but that will take a concerted effort from the players performing each week, the management executing an affordable and targeted marketing campaign and with those of us at the grass roots level spreading the word about FC Ryukyu however we can.
Top 5 Storylines of the 2019 Season So Far
#5. The Transfer of Kazaki Nakagawa to Yokohama F. Marinos
after Match Day 3.
One polarizing story emerging from the early part of this season was the transfer of Nakagawa to the J1 side, Yokohama F Marinos. Nakagawa had featured for FC Ryukyu since 2017 when he joined Ryukyu from Betis San Isidro in the 4th tier of Spanish Football. Nakagawa’s breakout season occurred in 2018 when he netted 16 times while adding 16 assists. Nakagawa started the 2019 J2 season on fire by contributing 4 assists and it was the main reason FC Ryukyu looked like world-beaters so early on in the season. FC Ryukyu scored 9 goals in their first 3 games with Nakagawa and then it took them another 9 weeks to match that scoring total.
FC Ryukyu have really struggled to fill the void left by the Nakagawa departure and continue to tinker the lineup by inserting Uejo, Kazama and Ochi in his vacated spot. They have yet to find the right combination or get back to their free scoring ways they enjoyed early on. Keep in mind, FC Ryukyu had failed to score more than 2 goals in match since Nakagawa’s departure, until this past weekend, and this is a team designed for the attack. It was always going to be hard to replace a player of Nakagawa’s quality so it will be interesting to see if FC Ryukyu can pull off a loan with Yokohama in order to reacquire the temporary services of such an iconic FC Ryukyu player.
#4 FC Ryukyu’s Away Record this Season
FC Ryukyu started out the season brilliantly on the road by earning a massive 4-3 victory over Omiya and then followed that performance up with a draw against top side Yamagata. You may be thinking I am about to tell you how great this side has been on the road but it is quite the opposite. FC Ryukyu have not won on the road since Omiya and have been outscored 12 to 17 in those games. There are some instances of bad luck, when they lost Carvajal to injury during the Yokohama match in which they were winning, but for the most part the team has really failed to fire on the road. They salvaged some nice draws at Tokyo Verdy and Kyoto with late goals by Uesato and Kawai but otherwise have failed to get over the line with a win.
It will not get any easier for FC Ryukyu with trips to Kashiwa, Kofu and Mito ahead of them, but ideally, we’d like to see this side grab 2 more road wins this season. Considering FC Ryukyu have only earned 6 points on the road in the first half, 2 wins and 3 draws in their remaining 11 road wins should be more than enough to ensure relative safety.
#3 Emerging Talents
There are some very talented players coming into their own this season. Specifically, the emergence of Uejo, Kawai, Tokumoto and Koizumi. Uejo has scored some huge goals for the club this season and has all the makings of a great attacking mid-fielder. Kawai has been putting on a display the past few matches with his speed and ability to generate goal scoring opportunities. Tokumoto can produce some great crosses from the FB position and it is no surprise that larger clubs are looking to acquire his services this transfer window. Koizumi has only featured in 6 matches but has flashed some talented play and movement. All these players are under-25 years old and they look to be the future for FC Ryukyu. Maybe by the end of the season we will see all 3 midfielders in the starting lineup with Kawai and Uejo out wide and Koizumi playing the CAM role. In any case, this a group of talented young players that FC Ryukyu needs to hold onto for the next few seasons.
#2 New Players
There is no doubt that the signings FC Ryukyu made this offseason have paid off. First, FC Ryukyu lost GK Park – and eventually Nakagawa – to Yokohoma F Marinos and we lost Togashi to FC Gifu. It was never going to be easy to replace 32 goals but Koji Suzuki seems to want to make up that number all by himself. He currently sits on 14 and I wrote very early on after one of his braces that he may hit 26 for the season. Well he is more than halfway there and has been a phenomenal signing for the club. Dany Carvajal also joined the club in the offseason and has become one of the best GKs in all of J2. Dany’s play at the back has been nothing short of spectacular and has contributed to many favorable outcomes for FC Ryukyu. His performance late against Omiya to earn a victory, his PK save against Verdy after a bloody nose is the stuff of legends and his ability to keep FC Ryukyu in matches with timely saves has been great to watch.
Uesato has been a good central holding mid-fielder, team captain and contributed two beautiful goals. Ochi has chipped in 2 goals in 3 games that he has started while Kawai has become a starter with enormous potential. Kazama has also provided some electric moments with his free kicks and corners. All in all, these were really good signings by the club this offseason.
#1 The Home Undefeated Record
The number one storyline for the 2019 season so far was the 30-game home undefeated record for FC Ryukyu. The home unbeaten streak lasted 643 days dating back to September 30th 2017. Some may argue that a majority of those games were against lesser opponents in a lower league. While that is a valid point, it also should be noted that FC Ryukyu could only play the opponents in front of them and that 9 of those 30, almost 1/3, occurred in the J2. Nobody, including me, knew what to expect from this team at the start of the season. If we look at the 9 unbeaten games this season, we see a nice mix of dramatic finishes, dominating performances and a bit of luck. FC Ryukyu took Reysol’s best shot and earned a draw, they beat the league leaders at the time in Mito at home and they pulled off a last-minute draw against Yamaguchi that would’ve ended the record before they could break the previous one. The fact remains that they are now holders of a very prestigious record for the J.League and no one can take that away from this club or its supporters.
Well that is it for Part 1 of the mid-season review. I hope you’ve enjoyed it so far and up next is Part 2 where we will discuss the Top 5 Matches and Top 10 Goals for FC Ryukyu this season. See you tomorrow.
FC Ryukyu ended the first half of the season on a high note with a resounding 3-0 victory over Tochigi SC last night at the Tapista. FC Ryukyu controlled much of the game and Tochigi had no answer for the FC Ryukyu attack last night. The victory puts FC Ryukyu on 28 points at the halfway mark and depending on the outcome of the remaining J2 fixtures this week, they will be either 12th or 13th in the table. Not bad for a newly promoted side.
FC Ryukyu began asserting themselves very early in the match and achieved the breakthrough in the 19th minute when Yu Tomidokoro sent a through ball to Koji Suzuki who then put one past the Tochigi GK for his league leading 14th goal. Kazama also deserves some credit for this play as it was his initial pass that found Yu, who then was able to find Koji streaking through the middle of the Tochigi defense. FC Ryukyu really never let up the remainder of the first half as they were constantly bombarding the Tochigi defense and winning some nice FKs and CKs. In the 40th minute Koji Suzukui’s hold up play near the top of the box allowed Kawaii to gain the positional advantage on the defenders and Suzuki was able to find the wide open Kawaii with a nice pass in heavy traffic. Kawaii was able to round the Tochigi defenders and pick out Nishioka in front of the net who deflected it into the back of the goal for 2-0 FC Ryukyu lead. As I had mentioned before, 2 goals would be enough to get past Tochigi as this is a side that doesn’t score that many goals and scores even less on the road.
FC Ryukyu ended the first half with 54% possession and a 9/3 advantage in the shot department. Tochigi never really threatened the FC Ryukyu net and none of their shots in the first half were on target. If you were able to watch the full match on DAZN you would see that FC Ryukyu were not holding a high defensive line as they’ve done in the past and the FC Ryukyu attack was more evenly distributed down either side whereas in the past a lot of the attack came from the right side. Tochigi’s player tracking was shocking in that it seemed all their players were in line, spread evenly across the halfway line. I’ve never seen something like that before.
FC Ryukyu came out quickly in the second half and a Yu Tomidokoro free kick was just slightly ahead of the charging FC Ryukyu attackers or else we would’ve been ahead 3-0 at this point. Starting in the 60th minute Tochigi made a better push on the FC Ryukyu net. Their best chance came in the 65th minute when a cross narrowly missed the extended foot of Hamashita and had he connected, they would’ve surely scored. After about 10 minutes of action by Tochigi, FC Ryukyu took the game back over and saw Ochi bag is second goal of the season on a nice chipped cross from Koji Suzuki. FC Ryukyu were up 3-0 and there was not much more action to report on for the rest of the match.
Review of the FC Ryukyu keys to Victory
1. Dominate the Possession Battle: PASS. Though the match ended with an even 50/50 possession split for both sides, FC Ryukyu created the better chances with their possession. FC Ryukyu had 14 shots, 10 on target and 3 goals compared to Tochigi’s stat line of 7/3/0.
2. Cap off Drives with Goals: PASS, with flying colors. 3
goals all from open play. Well done boys.
3. Crowd the Tochigi Goal on all Set Pieces. Pass. They did but they were rewarded by this tactic from the two deflections by Nishioka and Ochi. FC Ryukyu didn’t score from any set pieces yesterday but there were two narrow misses from both Yu and Uesato. There was plenty of confusion on the part of the Tochigi defenders yesterday with FC Ryukyu getting in front of goal often unmarked.
4. Play Sound Football. PASS. Of course, it’s very hard to
find fault with a side that just won in convincing fashion at home. Turnovers
were down dramatically, defending in and round the box was very good and the FC
Ryukyu passing in the attack was spot on.
Man of the Match
1 Goal & 2 Assists
Koji scored his 14th goal of the season and added 2 assists on the FC Ryukyu goals (depends on how they are scored but I give an assist starting with two passes back from the score). The man put in a serious shift yesterday. First, his goal was superbly taken and really relaxed the FC Ryukyu squad as a whole. Second, his hold up play generated so many FC Ryukyu attacks and directly led to the Nishioka goal in the first half. Third, he was generating free kicks in dangerous areas for FC Ryukyu by winning the positional battle over the Tochigi defenders who ended up fouling him instead of letting him through on net. Finally, his passing was lethal. He should be credited with 2 assists yesterday as his first assist found a streaking Kawaii who eventually found Nishioka and his second was a deft little chip that Ochi was able to turn into the back of the net.
Honorable Mention: The FC Ryukyu back line. I have been a staunch critic of their performances at times this season but they played really well as a whole defensive unit last night. They were reinforcing each other all around the box and broke up several Tochigi passes in the box. Their performance, along with Dany’s, allowed FC Ryukyu to earn their 3rd shutout of the season, but most importantly, it has propelled FC Ryukyu’s goal differential back into the positive which now sits at +2.
Match Day 21 Takeaways
1. FC Ryukyu really needed a performance like this after
suffering 3 defeats in a row. As I said in the match day preview, this was
going to be a “slump busting” match for one of these two sides and I am glad it
was FC Ryukyu who were able to break out of their funk. They played sound,
fundamental football and were rewarded with their first win in 5 weeks. Tochigi
were definitely a lesser opponent compared to Kyoto, Kofu and Nagasaki but it
is crucial for FC Ryukyu to beat these teams and take maximum points.
2. Kawaii has rightfully earned his spot in the starting 11.
Kawaii’s speed pulls apart the oppositions defense and creates running lanes
and shooting lanes for the FC Ryukyu attack. I am very excited that he is in
the lineup because speed, like height, is one of those things you cannot
teach/coach. Players either have it or they don’t and Kawaii definitely has
speed.
3. Fukui and Nishioka played great in the defense but their crosses/passes into the box were off yesterday. Just one of those games I suppose so just keep sending them into the box and they’ll eventually find an open FC Ryukyu player.
4. Uejo cannot crack the starting 11, but he may, beginning
with next week. Ochi had a large ice bag on the inside of his left knee but he
wasn’t walking with any noticeable limp after the match. I think the FC Ryukyu
attack will really come into its own if we can get Uejo and Kawaii in the
starting 11 at the same time. Their speed, passing and Uejo’s finishing will
really trouble opposing defenses and I hope Higuchi employs them next week
versus Okayama.
5. Ochi played in his 200th game last night if I am to believe DAZN. What a nice little achievement that may have gone unnoticed. He started, and usually they hand out some flowers and bring the guys family onto the pitch before the match. Did I miss that yesterday?
6. Tochigi SC may make a managerial change soon, much like the teams around them at the bottom have done this season. They are not generating anything in attack and conceding a lot of goals.
Conclusion
Job done, ended the halfway point with 28 points and a nice lucky stat line of 7 wins, 7 draws and 7 losses. No time to rest though as a tough Okayama side travels to Okinawa this week and if you all recall, they handed us a 1-0 defeat a couple of months back so its high time for a little payback.
FC Ryukyu tasted defeat at home for the fist time in 643 days. The loss was a bitter pill to swallow and made worse by the fact that FC Ryukyu were up 2-0 at one point during the match. The loss does more than end the impressive 30 game home unbeaten run by FC Ryukyu, it indicates that FC Ryukyu have serious issues that need to be addressed quickly before FC Ryukyu falls into the relegation zone
How the sides came out. The reserves.
First Half
FC Ryukyu played a magnificent first half that saw them dominate
Kofu in every facet of the match. FC Ryukyu had 67% possession, out shot Kofu
9/1 with a 6/1 ratio of shots on target. FC Ryukyu maintained great shape when
they controlled possession with wide open passing and running lane open in the
attack. Kawai, who stated in place of the suspended Tanaka, was causing all
sorts of problems for the Kofu defense with his speed. FC Ryukyu dominated so
much of the game in the first 20 minutes that it felt like a goal was coming with
all signs pointing towards an FC Ryukyu victory.
In the 22nd minute, Ryukyu were awarded a free
kick from about 40m out, which promptly turned into another free kick from
about 28m when the Kofu defender committed a handball from the original Uesato
shot. Kazama stepped up for the 2nd FK and delivered and absolute
top draw shot. Kofu’s keeper couldn’t get to the curling shot into the top
corner and it gave FC Ryukyu the early 1-0 lead.
Kofo’s first chance in the match didn’t occur until the 27th
minute but even then, they never really threatened the Ryukyu net for much of
the first half. 10 minutes later, Kawai took a pass just inside his own half
and made a darting run at the Kofu goal. Kawai’s speed proved too much for the
Kofu defender who allowed Kawai to get past him and find a wide-open Ochi who slotted
home a goal past the Kofu GK. FC Ryukyu were absolutely cruising at the 38
minute mark up 2-0 and I thought the side had finally turned a corner in their
development, but I was soon mistaken.
I mentioned in the match day recap last week how a goal near
the very end of halftime can really turn the fortunes of a football team. It inflates
hopes of the scoring team while deflating the hopes of the team who was just
scored upon simultaneously. This proved to be the case for FC Ryukyu because
they surrendered a goal to Kofu near half time. Mind you, Kofu had no chances
on net for nearly 44 minutes of the first half. There were no less than 3 errors
committed by FC Ryukyu on the Kofu goal as surmised below. First, Masutani was
caught way out of position and then took a bad angle in his tracking back to
defend the attacking Kofu player. Second, Ishii was way too timid on his “attempted
save of the cross” and this allowed the ball to sneak past him, Utaka, and a
diving Okazaki that ultimately found the Kofu attacker at the far corner. Fukui
offered nothing in defense as the Kofu attacker was well passed him at that point.
This late first half goal proved to be the catalyst that would propel Kofu past
FC Ryukyu.
Second Half
Kofu needed exactly 2 minutes to tie the match when their strategy for attacking the Ryukyu defense finally paid dividends. Kofu’s long ball approach was evident very early on and even an amateur manager could’ve seen what Kofu were trying to do and make the necessary adjustment. Instead, the 3rd attempted long ball by Kofu found a wide open Yokatani while Fukui, who was desperate for an offsides call to bail him out of trouble, was caught out. The linesman was correct in that there was no offsides and rightly allowed the play to continue. While Ishii did well to get a hand to the shot, the shot itself was too powerful for Ishii to handle and the deflection curled into the back of the net for a 2-2 score line.
Ryukyu dodged a bullet in the 49th minute when Utaka
was able to get past Masutani and then round Ishii for a free look on net in
the 6-yard box. Luckily for Ryukyu, Uesato was scurrying back to aide in
defense and he was able to dispossess Utaka right at the moment of truth. It
ended up turning out that Uesato’s defending was just delaying the inevitable
as Kofu went ahead in the 53rd minute from a busted CK.
The CK was earned after the prior CK was defended by Ryukyu
but Masutani was caught out of position and allowed for a Kofu attacker to make
a penetrating run into the box that required another Uesato clearance. The second
corner was defended again but the clearance landed at the feet of a Kofu
attacker who sent a great cross into the box where Utaka delivered a bullet
header, low and hard, that Ishii probably could’ve done better at defending.
Regardless, Kofu were up 3-2 at this point and Ryukyu were reeling.
Kofu were able to put the match out of reach 3 minutes later when Masutani was pulled out of position by being forced to make an attempted heading clearance due to a cheap Nishioka giveaway near mid field. In this instance, Utaka was able to find a streaking Mori and deliver a nice pass that saw him slot a shot past the diving Ishii who was forced to come off his line in order to cut down the angle. Kofu were up 4-2 and they were cruising.
The remainder of the 2nd half for FC Ryukyu was marred by bad passing and missed opportunities. Uejo came on for Ochi in the 62nd minute but his contributions flashed high and wide. Kofu was then able to add a 5th goal in the 6th minute of stoppage time, as a very nice “up yours,” to push the score line to 5-2. More importantly, it put Ryukyu’s total goal difference for the year at 0 as they have now scored and conceded 27 goals. This is a huge deal for a side seeking to stay in the J2 next season as goal difference is the second determining factor for standings in the table. Final score, Kofu 5-2 over FC Ryukyu.
Score Line
FC Ryukyu dominated every facet of the match except for the most important one, the goal tally. Kofu also converted 5/6 shots on net.
Man of the Match
Peter Utaka was a strong consideration since he netted once as well as provided an assist, but the man who put in the best shift yesterday was Shuto Kawai from FC Ryukyu. Kawai created all sorts of problems for the Kofu defense and he committed very little of the normal “Kawai errors” such as dribbling out of bounds or losing possession due to lack of bodily control.
For the day, Kawai created a total of 6 goal scoring
opportunities for Ryukyu. There were at least two instances where a Kofu
defender should’ve been shown a card, and on one in instance, a red card. On
that particular play, Kawai won the positional battle and was streaking past
the last Kofu defender when the Kofu defender put an arm out, grabbed Kawai and
then brought him down needlessly. This type of
“professional foul” is soon going to be awarded as a penalty kick in the
English Premier League and should’ve been a straight red card for the Kofu
player. That could’ve swung the momentum to Ryukyu by putting Kofu down to 10
men but instead it only resulted in a free kick that Ryukyu couldn’t convert.
So even though he didn’t score, Kawai created 6 goal scoring
opportunities, is credited with one assist, and was a difference maker for
Ryukyu. Kawai has more than earned his spot in the starting 11 of Ryukyu and it
will be interesting to see who he forces out of the lineup.
Review of the FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory
I understand the irony with the section title but we need to see what, if anything, Ryukyu did right or wrong each match.
1. Press the Kofu back line into making mistakes. FAIL. Ryukyu do not press back lines. Instead, they opt to send defenders into the attack and leave themselves exposed to counter attacks.
2. Know where all the Kofu attackers are at, at all times.
SPLIT Decision. One could argue that the Ryukyu defenders did know where the
Kofu attackers where at all times. They were either marked, early on, or they
were way past the defense or in better positions later in the match. More on
this later.
3. Attack the Kofu back line with quality crosses and
passes. FAIL and not even close. We cannot truly fault Fukui for his attempts
as he seems a better fit at CB, but Nishiokoa’s attempts should be considered
as borderline pathetic. Suzukui got absolutely zero service until the 82nd
minute and that is inexcusable.
4. Mark Sato. PASS. Only because he didn’t do anything of
note outside of earning a yellow card.
Match Day 19 Takeaways
1. There is no excuse for surrendering 5, unanswered, goals
to a weakened Kofu side at home. Ryukyu defenders seem to be tired, lacking
pace to deal with the opposing attack and seem to be consumed with attacking more
than defending. Committing our Full Backs to the attack only weakens the already
fragile Ryukyu defense. FC Ryukyu’s season J2 hopes both lives and dies with our
defense and goal keeping.
2. Nishioka had plenty of opportunities to make plays but
missed far too often. Nishioka had no less than 6 instances of poor crosses or
bad plays. His crossing to Suzuki was way off and this was on a day when the
Kofu defenders allowed Nishioka space and time to make plays. He made poor
decisions in the attack and seemed to have no idea what to do when he was alone
down the right side. Some may argue that was because no other Ryukyu player was
making any runs and if that truly was the case, then he should have attempted to
crash the box and draw a foul or at the very least, a corner kick. The 2 turnovers by Nishioka sprung the Kofu
attack loose and led directly to a goal by Kofu.
3. Masutani was caught out of position on a couple of occasions and some of those instances could be directly tied to Nishioka’s careless turnovers. Masutani has played every minute of every match this year and I truly don’t think Central Back is Masutani’s best position. I think he is better suited out wide as a full back as he is better at starting, and finishing plays, vice trying to defend them. In any case, the man needs some rest.
3. The passing that plagued Ryukyu versus Kyoto emerged once
again against Kofu. Unfortunately, it came at the worse time when Ryukyu were struggling
to get back in the match. Careless turnovers and needless passes ultimately doomed
the Ryukyu attack. This problem may exist all season.
4. The reserve players. Uejo came on and offered some
semblance of hope for the Ryukyu attack but I am unsure on how to judge Wada or
Gibo. Gibo maybe an interesting prospect but he was shifted to RB later on in
the match and I couldn’t get an accurate read on his skill set.
Conclusion
The streak is over and now it is time to move on. FC Ryukyu sit roughly 20 points from relative safety and will need to do all they can to avoid relegation. Home wins and draws will be key until this Ryukyu squad can muster a victory on the road. So let’s all spend a little time reflecting on the massive achievement for FC Ryukyu, as I intend to spend more time studying football in order to understand all the phenomena, but never forget, the near-term goal for FC Ryukyu is staying in the J2 for 2020.
Match Day 19 Preview: (H) FC Ryukyu versus Ventforet Kofu (A) at the
Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium, Kickoff at 1800, 6/22/2019.
Weather Forecast: Thunderstorms starting earlier in the day with scattered thunderstorms throughout the match. It will most likely be raining the whole time during the match so come prepared with ponchos, umbrellas, towels and bags to keep you items dry.
Yuck! The weather forecast will not help the Ryukyu attendance numbers
Intro
Kofu enter match day 19 after suffering a 2-0 loss at home to Tokyo Verdy. Kofu looked sluggish in that match and they rarely generated much going forward. FC Ryukyu, on the other hand, enter this match having come from behind twice to Kyoto on the road that saw Ryukyu earn a draw and return home with a point. I initially though this was going to be a very tough match-up for FC Ryukyu to walk away with any points, but the game footage for Kofu tells a different story.
Ventforet Kofu
Kofu come to Okinawa having won 3 out of their last five matches, in convincing fashion mind you, as well as earned a draw against Yamagata by coming from behind twice with one of those goals occurring very late in stoppage time. This team was firing on all cylinders prior to the Verdy match but since then, Kofu have suffered key injuries to their attacking front line.
Against Yamagata, Kofu had to sub off Dudu mid-way through the first
half due to what looks to be a dislocated shoulder or damage to one of the
ligaments. Dudu didn’t dress for the last match and I am not sure if he’ll be
healthy enough to face Ryukyu tomorrow. The following match against Verdy saw the
second strike partner up front, Soneda not even dress. That was massive as
Soneda and Dudu have accounted for 9 of Kofu’s 26 goals, roughly one third, and
pair nicely with Utaka up front. Their absence was very noticeable during the
Verdy match as the once potent attack of Kofu has stalled out.
There are basically 3 scenarios facing FC Ryukyu tomorrow. First, if Dudu and Soneda do not dress, then we can expect to see a similar performance against Verdy from Kofu. If either Dudu or Soneda dress, then we can expect a back and forth match and will need to pay very close attention to Utaka. Finally, if both play, then Ryukyu face an uphill battle as these players will be well rested and this is a team that scored 9 goals in the four games prior to the injures. If scenario number one holds true tomorrow, then FC Ryukyu stand a very good chance of taking all 3 points in the match since the Kofu defense is rather poor and they lack any real attack. If either of the last 2 scenarios comes to fruition tomorrow, then FC Ryukyu are in a real tough spot with injuries to Carvajal and Tokumoto, as well as the suspension for Tanaka.
Kofu Players to Watch
L to R: Utaka, Uchida, Sato & Yokotani
I have already mentioned what Dudu and Soneda bring to the table for
Kofu so let’s turn our attention to some other notable players in the Kofu
squad.
#9 FW Peter Utaka. Leading scorer for Kofu with 8 goals and 1 assist so far this season. He seems to have a penchant for scoring braces as he’s had 3 games this season with 2 goals. He can overpower weaker defenders and will punish any stupid mistakes by the defender during open field challenges for the ball or in 1v1 situations. FC Ryukyu need to know where Utaka is at all times when he is in the 18-yard box.
#18 FW Koichi Sato. Comes on a substitute for most matches but has
scored 4 times this season as a sub. More on that later. Can add some height to
the Kofu attack and there is an outside shot he starts tomorrow.
#14 MF Shigeru Yokotani. Plays a central/defensive mid fielder role for
Kofu and has 3 goals this season.
#39 DF Kenta Uchida. The defender has 3 assists on the season and can
take a nice free kick for Kofu. I don’t know if Uchida is also the corner kick
taker for Kofu but he can certainly deliver a nice ball into the box.
#26 MF Kazuhiro Sato & #28 MF Yuki Hashizumi. These two make the list as they are the replacements who have filled in for Dudu and Soneda the past 2 matches. Both have started 7 matches this year but do not offer the same upside to the attack that Dudu and Soneda do.
Expect changes to the FC Ryukyu side and possibly the Kofu squad as well.
FC Ryukyu
FC Ryukyu are dealing with their own unique challenges this weekend so though it may seem they have the upper hand on paper, in reality, things are probably even between both sides. First, Tokumoto picked up a non-contact ankle injury last week against Kyoto that will see him miss 3-4 weeks. Second, Keita Tanaka will serve a 1 match suspension for the accumulation of yellow cards. This means FC Ryukyu will have to make 2 changes to a starting lineup that was starting to gel and get back to the scoring ways from earlier this season.
Tanaka will most likely be replaced by either Uejo, Kawai or Ochi but I am not sure who will feature on the bench for Ryukyu this week as I haven’t seen Koizumi’s name since Gifu. Tokumoto will be replaced by Fukui which means we will need to dress another defensive player this weekend. I appreciate that Fukui can play both in and outside defense but certainly FC Ryukyu has some real defensive depth issues if they are more willing to move both Fukui and Masutani to the FB position instead of leaving them inside and bringing up reserve FBs. I guess we will not only find out tomorrow but also during the Emperor’s Cup next month.
Aside from the unknown, Ryukyu are coming into the match having drawn twice, lost twice and won once in their last five matches. However, FC Ryukyu are a very difficult team to beat at home, as evidenced by the 30-game home unbeaten streak, and they just play better at the Tapista. Ryukyu’s last few home matches have seen them battle back against Kanazawa, overcome a late goal from Niigata to score one of their own to win and beat the number one team in J2 in Mito. This offers some hope going forward as Ryukyu is making life difficult for the visiting J2 sides.
Key Injuries or Suspensions
FC Ryukyu: MF Keita Tanaka (SUS), GK Danny Carvajal (INJ) & DF Shuhei
Tokumoto (INJ)
Ventforet Kofu: FW Dudu (INJ) & MF Yutaka Soneda (INJ)
FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory
1. Press the Kofu back-line into making mistakes. The Kofu defense is not that great and #22, Yuta Koieda, is a pretty bad CB. FC Ryukyu needs to press the Kofu back-line when they are in possession as they are very unsure of themselves and often make poor decisions that can lead to turnovers . With so much attacking power on Kofu they have yet to learn how to play the ball out from the back and Ryukyu should exploit this weakness. The horrible mistake by the defenders last week against Verdy led directly to Verdy’s second goal.
2. Know where all the Kofu attackers are at, at all times, but especially when they are in or just outside the 18-yard box. The Kofu attackers have the uncanny ability to lose their markers at key times and then score goals. Ryukyu cannot afford to cede an otherwise easily defended goal to Kofu tomorrow. Kofu’s formation allows the squad to crash the box once they gain possession down either flank in the deep ends of the opposition which can then overwhelm the defense. Uesato and Komatsu have to stay on top of this tactic and aide the Ryukyu back line.
3. Attack the Kofu back line with speed and misdirection passes. Koji Suzuki should have his way tomorrow with Kofu defenders so long as Ryukyu feed him quality passes. Kofu defenders don’t seem to mark well which means Ryukyu players should find plenty of space to maneuver inside the Kofu box. Kofu also doesn’t defend corners all that well so this is another opportunity for Ryukyu to get on the front foot.
4. Mark Koichi Sato in the final minutes of the match. Sato has scored an eye popping 4 stoppage time goals this season as a sub. He has earned 3 points for Kofu in those 4 matches since 3 of the games ended in draws. FC Ryukyu must maintain their focus at the end of the match and not allow Sato any time or space in the box.
Match Prediction
If this was the same Kofu squad
that was brushing aside opponents from earlier in the season than I would have
predicted a loss for FC Ryukyu. However, this is a weakened Kofu side that
comes into the match in poor form and lacking any real punch up front outside
of Utaka. Sound defending by Ryukyu coupled with a ruthless attack should see
Ryukyu prevail tomorrow. FC Ryukyu 2-1 Ventforet Kofu.
Conclusion
FC Ryukyu will once again be playing in less than optimal weather conditions this weekend. Thankfully Ryukyu are becoming accustomed to playing in such poor conditions as this will be at least their 6th time this season that they have had to endure rain and wind in a match. That fact, along with Kofu’s injuries, recent poor form and not so great record for matches started in the evening hours, sets FC Ryukyu up nicely to grab all 3 points at home tomorrow and provide a massive boost to their point tally.
See you all out there tomorrow and
let’s do our best to stay dry. Come on
Lads!
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 9th place.
Mito Hollyhock: 1st 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: 9th 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 27th 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.
Not much to surmise here folks, the Bengara boys started
fast, and faded late, per the usual. The lack of concentration in defense has
cost FCR dearly this year and may ultimately see them plummet to the foot of
the J2 table and out of the league. Make no mistake, the manager Higuchi needs
to start answering some serious questions when it comes to his lineup selection,
formation choices, half time speeches and lack of results. I have seen this
time and time again when a manager steps into a situation set up nicely by the
outgoing manager and just bumbles it. Higuchi is bumbling it and so are the
players.
FCR started out fast as we had hoped and netted and early goal from Uesato in the 20th minute but could not get that all important second goal. FCR had several chances throughout the first half but the FC Gifu goal post proved to be the best defender early as Suzuki hit it at least once if not twice.
FCR came out fast in the second half as well but they lack some serious creativity when it comes to the final third of the pitch. It got so bad that once any FCR player received a ball in the box, they would take a wild stab at it an end up sending the ball out wide or way off target. One decent takeaway from the match was the shift Kawai put in at the end. He made excellent runs and good passes but also created a few opportunities for Gifu heading the other direction. It was smart to bring him on late but there are more pressing issues at hand for FCR.
Gifu was able to equalize in the 75th minute from, once again, a set piece. Let me provide you this analogy for how FCR defends set pieces. FCR are like a little child who has lost their parents in Saan A and are hoping for the best possible outcome of someone bailing them out and leading them to safety. On the corner kick shortly after they conceded I saw nothing but FCR players standing around looking tired and lost. The second Gifu goal stemmed from FCR being shell shocked and lacking leadership at the back. Again, nothing positive to takeaway from this match as the result speaks for itself.
It is high time that Higuchi answer some tough questions and I hope these come up at press conferences as well as through the frustrated fan base.
1. Where has the FCR attack gone? FCR are averaging 1 goal a game but when you also average conceding 1 goal a game that is not good enough. You promised attacking football but haven’t adequately adjusted to the loss of Nakagawa, why?
2. FCR clearly doesn’t have a CAM that can direct traffic and create opportunities up front so what are you planning to do to solve this problem? Nothing you’ve done since the Nakagawa departure has worked. Time for a formation change?
3. Why are FCR always conceding late goals? Does this stem from a lack of concentration or coaching? Are the FCR fitness levels not where they need to be as players look exhausted and confused on set pieces and late in games? Do we not have adequate reserves who can provide some rest to our starters or do you not trust these off-season signings? This is far and away FCRs biggest problem and is direct byproduct of coaching wouldn’t you agree?
4. Why is FCR not employing Yu Tomidokoro to his strengths. Yu no longer takes free kicks or corners and Kazama and Uesato are not that great from set pieces. The latter opts to shoot more than he does to send crosses into the box from ridiculous long ranges and that is a waste. It is absolutely criminal how Tomidokoro is used this season and should be a determining factor if/when we let Higuchi go as manager in my opinion.
5. FCR concedes so many of their goals from set pieces, how do you coach that at practice? I appreciate you may remain attack focused but as we’ve seen, that attack is no longer there. It is painfully obvious that whoever runs the defending of set pieces part at practice needs to be fired. See all the points above for evidence. This is FCRs weakest link and second reason why they are where they are in the table after 12 weeks.
6. Defending is poor, rather, it is wretched. How does FCR
intend to strengthen this glaring weakness in the transfer window?
7. What are FCR s transfer window plans?
8. FCR needs leadership at the back in order to help Carvajal, where or who will that come from?
Alright, enough venting for one night. FCR faces off against Mito Hollyhock next Saturday and this will be a massive test for the boys. Mito does not concede goals and now it seems that FCR cannot score goals. Troubling times ahead for the club.
Golden week special #1 will focus on the FC Ryukyu attack, or
better yet, what has happened to the FC Ryukyu attack the past few weeks. We
will examine some possible formation changes and see if FCR has the personnel
to execute any of these proposals.
1. The FC Ryukyu 4-2-3-1.
You are probably accustomed to this formation now even though it has some of its pieces swapped out over the course of the first 11 games. The were only a couple of times this season when we got a glimpse of what could’ve been with this formation. The opening match against Avispa Fukuoka saw the lineup that Higuchi was hoping to run out each week. It featured the starting 11 above and cruised to 3-1 victory. Week 2 against Omiya saw the first change due to a Tomidokoro injury but no one really noticed as Nakagawa and Uejo were on fire that day. We’d eventually get Tomidokoro back into the lineup but not before Nakagawa departed for Yokohama F Marinos. All in all, we had 1, just 1 match this season with the original 11 starting lineup.
In subsequent weeks FCR had to find replacements due to a Nakagawa transfer, injuries to Uejo, Nishioka and Tanaka and the short week match up against JEF that required some much-needed rest for some of the starters. Because of all these factors FCR has only scored 8 goals over the last 8 matches compared to the 9 they scored in the first 3 games of 2019. Higuchi promised to continue the attacking style of play that FCR was so famously known for when he took over this off season, well now he needs to find a way to restore it to its former glory.
The remainder of this article will focus on some of the well-known formations that exist in football as well as those that may not, and how FCR could employ them. A football team cannot simply change their formation at a moment’s notice and expect it to net results right away. This is due in large part to the facts that the manager usually has a preferred style and sets his team up to support that style in addition to having conducted so much on the training ground in the preferred formation. Keep in mind, this is the real world, not FIFA19, you cannot alter formations and starters and drop the difficulty settings to achieve the results you want. Instead, I am proposing that the club to take a hard look at the assets they have on hand, or could possess later, and really think about how to make the FCR attack lethal once more.
2. 3-4-3
Uesato would drop back slightly to support the back 3.
“Using a 3–4–3, the midfielders are expected to split their
time between attacking and defending. Having only three dedicated defenders
means that if the opposing team breaks through the midfield, they will have a
greater chance to score than with a more conventional defensive configuration,
such as 4–5–1 or 4–4–2. However, the three forwards allow for a greater
concentration on attack. This formation is used by more offensive-minded teams.”
Straight out of Wikipedia and sounds exactly like FCR. We rarely keep clean
sheets so there should be little concern about conceding as it seems every team
has been attacking our original 4-2-3-1.
I think FCR could set up with a back 3 of Fukui, Okazaki and Masutani. The MF would consist of Tokumoto on the left, Uesato slightly deeper as a holding MF, Uejo pushed slightly forward to control the attack and finally a player like Koizumi out wide to the right. Up front would see Tomidokoro, Suzuki and Tanaka. Tokumoto and Koizumi would bear the most responsibility when it comes to back tracking and assisting in defense but this seems logical as Tokumoto already plays in an RWB role in the current formation and Koizumi has not had a lot of playing time this season so his legs should be fresh. It is unrealistic to ask the skill players of Tanaka and Tomidokoro to take on the task that Tokumoto and Koizumi will play and Uejo has just become a full 90-minute match fit this past weekend. Since FCR conducts so much of their attack down the flanks anyways, we could run Tokumoto and Koizumi ragged for about 60-75 minutes before bringing on Kawaii, Nishioka or Ochi to keep the attack fresh. There are several variations to this formation that FCR could tinker with but I believe FCR should only bring a player like Kawai on later in matches so we can maximize his speed.
A more traditional 3-4-3 set up. Tanaka drops back to provide service to the attacking players. Koizumi comes in as RWB/RMF to provide a spark.
3. 3-3-2-2
Putting some serious thrust forward.
I have not seen much out there on this set up so I am not
sure of all the nuances for players responsibilities but from the small visual representation
here, it seems FCR would have to be very careful with possession in order to
prevent too many counter attacks. Also, this formation may already exist under
a different numbering system but boy do I like the way it forces FCR to lean
into the attack.
I believe FCR would need to start with the speedy players and
then alter or change their set up later in the match. This formation seems to
send the message that you want to get out in front quickly in order to build a
lead and then continue pounding the net until the players are exhausted.
I think in this formation we’d ask our back line to hold
their positions and for players like Kawai and Tokumoto to “pinch” into the
Central Mid Field areas when defending.
4. 3-4-1-2
This formation may see Tomidokoro providing better crosses/passes into the 18-yard box.
“3–4–1–2 is a variant of 3–5–2 where the wingers are more withdrawn in favor of one of the central midfielders being pushed further up field into the “number 10” play maker position.” Wikipedia again with this quote.
The last two formations have seen FCR put an additional forward up front to provide some relief to Suzuki. There is no doubt he is outstanding at the holdup play but someone needs to be making dangerous runs into the box so Suzuki can start finding open space in which to operate. By dropping Tomidokoro a little bit farther back I think FCR gains a play-maker that can put some very dangerous crosses and passes into the box.
5. 3-2-3-2
If FCR wanted to get out on the front foot quickly.
In this set up FCR would sacrifice some of the speed required for defending in order to put maximum pressure on the opposing defense. We would deplete the energy levels of Uejo and Tokumoto rather quickly as they’d have so much to do when tracking back on defense but this puts all of the FCR play makers forward in the attack.
6. 3-1-4-2
Allow some space for Suzuki and Uejo to run into.
Assuming we could cover and prevent all counter attacks with a back 3 and Uesato over top, FCR could play to its strengths by attacking from the flanks. By dropping Suzuki and Uejo back slightly from the more forward wingers in Tomidokoro and Tanaka, we may see better service into the box for our attackers. As evidenced by this past weekend, when Tomidokoro has time to pick out players in the box he can deliver and this formation will push him and Tanaka slightly wider to provide a little more precise crosses to Suzuki and Uejo.
The other option would be to swap Suzuki and Uejo out wide to where Tomidokoro and Tanaka were at in the previous formation. We know how lethal Tomidokoro and Tanaka are and this may free up some space for Suzuki and Uejo to create some mismatches running laterally into the box.
Allow Suzuki and Uejo to attack the 18-yard box from the flanks.
7. 3-2-2-3
That;s a lot of firepower orientated forward.
FCR would be asking Kawai and Koizumi to track back on
defense while allowing Tomidokoro to pick out the runs made by Tanaka, Uejo and
Suzuki up front. Assumption would be that Uesato still provides top cover to
the back 3 and doesn’t get sucked into the attack without recovering back on
defense.
8. 2-1-4-3
End of the match and FCR need an equalizer or the all important winner.
This formation is probably best reserved for some serious last-ditch efforts on net instead of how you want to start the match. 5 attackers are really 7 with the support provided by Tokumoto and Kawai down the flanks. Those two would need fresh legs to support all the defensive back tracking requirements so again this is probably best left to the end of matches when chasing an equalizer or winner. With that said, there are 5 of the best FCR players up front who can score from anywhere.
It was great experimenting with some of the formations FCR could employ with their current squad and I want to leave you all with one more. This one requires a transfer fee to be paid, contract to be signed and for those funds to be available.
So please bear with me as we travel down this fantasy path.
9. Defending set pieces with a player that has serious height.
Joao Gabriel is an interesting player for SC Sagamihara. He has all the traits you look for in an outfield player but if we think bigger than that, we see a player that can help see out tough match ups as well as provide chances at equalizing games or winning them very late. Keep in mind, Gabriel is not a direct replacement for either Suzuki or Wada, rather, he is there to provide a certain skill set that FCR desperately requires. It is obvious a lot of our matches will come to last minute equalizers, winners and losing goals so this guy could either prevent or provide those required services.
Imagine what it would be like defending corners or set pieces late with Joao’s presence. Suzuki could drop back into a counter attacking position,and since he is one of our best finishers, he should be the one getting on the end of counter attacks instead of having to start all of them.
Nothing like a little height at the back that can feast on high crosses sand clear them out of danger.
10. Set pieces late in games with the same player.
Instead of having to be pinpoint accurate with all the crosses coming into the box, FCR just has to be in the “general area.” What I mean by that analogy is that there is a lot more forgiveness in the errors of the cross if it is too high or off target with a player of Joao’s height roaming the area. FCR could be more inclined to send crosses into the box at higher elevations vice trying to maneuver into the box and attempt one more pass that may prove to be one more pass too many and derails our attack.
Set piece delivery from Tomidokoro or Uesato, That front line looks menacing to defend with Joao’s height up there. Could prove difficult for teams to defend late in games and gives FCR a chance to equalize or win late.
Again, this was enjoyable but I don’t know if any changes will occur down here in Okinawa to revitalize our attack. Until the next time, enjoy your Golden Week.
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