Apparently I didn’t see the full picture last week when I mistakenly thought that the half step back that Ryukyu took at Imabari was actually just the beginning of a full on slip into a fall backwards for the club. FC Ryukyu lost 0-1 at home on Sunday to Fukushima United FC after putting in a less than inspired performance in what was a very winnable game. We can clearly see that the battle for promotion in J3 will be a dogged fight all season where FC Ryukyu must take advantage of teams in poor runs of form or risk finding themselves on the outside looking in come the end of the season.
Match Highlights
Talking Points
1. The Lineup: We finally saw the return of Koki Kiyotake to the lineup but at the expense of Mu Kanazaki being dropped. As always, no idea if that was a tactical decision or due to injury since there is so little information regarding the health of any of our players. FC Ryukyu dressed five of our college recruits along with 18-year old Tsusha last night. That doesn’t feel like they’re putting out the strongest lineup rather just what is available. The missing in action list as it currently stands following Match Day 4 for FC Ryukyu: Sulley, Kelvin, Kanazaki, Hitomi, Shirai, Yanagi, and Nakano (5/8 forwards on the roster are out or missing).
2. The Match: FC Ryukyu looked lethargic and fresh out of ideas when trying to breakdown Fukushima. They really lost this game in the middle third of the pitch with the amount of turnovers and sloppy play, especially from our two central midfielders. Ryukyu dodged an early bullet on a Fukushima breakaway that Taguchi managed to save, and with the subsequent rebound shot going wide, but were not so lucky a bit later on. More on that subject later.
Ryukyu eventually came to life in the waning moments of the match after the introduction of Kiyotake who had an open header go right at the Fukushima GK and another shot hit the post. But to be honest there wasn’t any significant adjustments by Kuranuki at the half that contributed to anything positive for Ryukyu. One could argue that any adjustments that Kuranuki did make at halftime benefited Fukushima more than Ryukyu as our opponents nearly doubled their lead on several occasions after the break while looking dangerous and with their tails up. Points dropped at home to a team on the slide isn’t a ringing endorsement for Kuranuki and one that will put him under the microscope a little more than he had hoped this early on. But knowing the club’s track record for instituting change, this will need to be a regular occurrence that can no longer be brushed off before it is addressed.
FC Ryukyu are not generating any offense, nor anything close to quantity and quality shots on net. Ryukyu seem to rely solely on the idea of one of their fullbacks bombing a ball forward in the hopes a forward player can run onto the end of it. Is this how the offense is supposed to flow? Strictly through our fullbacks sending in “prayer balls?” Just look at the amount of passes that were intercepted, turned over, or went out of bounds this game when attempting to break Fukushima’s press. A tactic that many of our opponents can easily employ against us, and one that will continue for the foreseeable future until Ryukyu figure out a way to turn large amounts of possession into goals.
3. Ryunosuke Noda: Didn’t really have much of an impact on this match outside of his angling to get an early send off with some of his ill-timed challenges. The worst being the cross on net when Noda rose for a header but opted to send the Fukushima goalie into the post instead. Indeed a card worthy infraction and Noda’s last contribution to the match for Ryukyu. I can understand the frustration some of our forward players may feel having little support or involvement in games but clearer heads need to prevail when times are rough so as not to put Ryukyu up against it for unnecessary reasons. Have to back up one’s persona with results or else it just looks comical.
4. The Taguchi Special: Junto getting his own section in this recap has become a regular occurrence, but for all the wrong reasons. For the third consecutive week Taguchi put FC Ryukyu in an early hole, one which they couldn’t recover from this time. Taguchi spilled a shot, having failed to corral it, right into a dangerous area that resulted in some panicky defending by Ryukyu, and of course during that fracas the ball found a Fukushima attacker. An ugly goal by every account but one that Fukushima desperately needed and one that Taguchi desperately couldn’t afford. With the indictments on Taguchi’s play increasing each week one has to wonder when, not if, Kuranuki will make the change at GK?
Round 4 in J3
Ryukyu missed a golden opportunity to move into sole position of first place as all the other fixtures had concluded at the time of their kickoff. Instead Ryukyu find themselves in 6th place trailing the teams above them by a single point. (3) Iwate Grulla Morioka required a late PK to muster a draw against (15) Azul Claro Numazu at home and (1) Matsumoto Yamaga FC surrendered a late goal to (16) Tegevajaro Miyazaki also resulting in a draw. (2) FC Imabari once again scored deep into a match but this time the goal resulted in a win over (14) Giravanz Kitakyushu. (8) Vanraure Hachinohe took the most direct route to goal from a single pass from their GK and deposited a blast from close range into the (12) FC Gifu net for their win.
Three of the more exciting fixtures this round all ended in a tie. (5) Kataller Toyama and (13) AC Nagano Parceiro finished 3-3 after Nagano jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second half and looked primed to push that lead to 4-1 when they lined up for a PK. But that is where things went sideways for Nagano as they missed the PK and then conceded two goals within four minutes near the end of the match. (4) Gainare Tottori scored two second half goals just 7 minutes apart and looked in total control of the game until (9) Kamatamare Sanuki scored twice inside five minutes at the very end. Finally, (20) Y.S.C.C. nearly notched their first win of 2023 before an own goal from a set piece ended their match with (11) Nara Club in a 2-2 draw.
Conclusion
No one was under the impression that FC Ryukyu were going to go undefeated all season, or even undefeated at home. But since the slider scale for how some view the club hasn’t moved all the way back to the side of ‘feeling good about the team,’ a performance like this will just engender more frustration from the fans. The only good news is the loss this week isn’t considered fatal at this point in the season and Ryukyu can recover from a minor setback with many other results in the league going in their favor this week. It is back to work for the club with an eye on grabbing some points at FC Gifu next Saturday.
Well my friends we have reached the end of a very disappointing season for FC Ryukyu. Their loss last week at JEF, coupled with Gunma’s win (which is all that really mattered), has relegated FC Ryukyu to J3 next season barring some sort of miracle. That miracle being Iwaki being denied a J2 license for 2023 and FC Ryukyu finish in 21st place. I personally don’t think that is going to happen as indicated by Nacho’s (probably based on managements input) to resign at the end of the season. In other words, I believe the power brokers at FC Ryukyu already knew that Iwaki will be awarded the license and J3 football is in store for FC Ryukyu next year.
Weather Forecast and Match Day Info
The weather forecast for tomorrow is terrible. It is in keeping with how much of the season has gone in that we are playing under poor weather conditions. Does it really matter? No. It just sucks having to fight the weather and a terrible home record all year.
What can I possibly put here this week? What is there for FC Ryukyu to build on following this season heading into 2023? Answer: Nothing really. The signs were there all season for the exact situation that FC Ryukyu find themselves in going into the last game of the season. I am going to treat this section as more of Q&A between myself with some of the questions I believe many of the supporters of this club are currently asking themselves, but Nacho’s departure in the midweek has taken at least one of those questions off the table.
What were the early indications, or consistent indications, this club was doomed for relegation this season? There were many. Ryukyu opened the season with just one (1) win in their first fourteen (14) matches, nine (9) of those games ended up as losses. How Kina wasn’t relieved during that stretch is simply amazing. There were eight (8) games this season in which Ryukyu surrendered a lead resulting in a loss compared to just five (5) games in which FC Ryukyu clawed back into the match for either a win or a draw. Not to mention the dubious Ryukyu track record for surrendering goals late in games.
FC Ryukyu surrendered thirty-five (35) of their goals this season in the second half, sixteen (16) of those occurring in the 76th minute or later. Compare that to just nineteen (19) goals scored for FC Ryukyu in the second half of games without even scoring a single goal in stoppage time. Ryukyu were the only team in J2 to have failed to score in stoppage time at the end of matches this season.
Ryukyu’s longest undefeated streak this year was just five (5) games with only a singular instance where FC Ryukyu won consecutive matches. Of course there was the absolute dagger to the heart for this club in the last quarter of the season where they won only one (1) game in ten (10) matches that included a goal-less streak of seven (7) consecutive games. But that speaks to a much larger problem at this club than just statistical analysis.
FC Ryukyu were marred by poor coaching, injures to key players, untimely CV-19 infections, and perhaps an inability of the players to adapt to a new coaching style under a foreign manager. The loss of Kusano for 3.5 months in the heart of the season sucked the life out of the already limp FC Ryukyu attack. Kiyotake’s face fracture at Iwate during another crucial stretch of games hurt and then the Takuma Abe Achilles injury being the catalyst to kick off Ryukyu’s run of goal-less games.
For as much as I have complained about the refereeing and overall lack of good luck for the club this year, FC Ryukyu did very little to put themselves in any sort of position to generate any luck. Keep in mind that two (2) of our seven (7) wins can be attributed to Own Goals by our opponents. There were definitely a few missed calls by the referees this season, none more crucial than the one last week where Ikeda was fouled in the box but play continued and JEF scored on the counter, but even a draw wouldn’t have mattered. To that end, FC Ryukyu surrendered a league leading ten (10) PK opportunities this season and were tied for second to last with only being awarded two (2) PKs all season. Simply put, the offense didn’t really do much in the opposing end compared to the defense that was prone to being caught out of position, leading to fouls on the opposition in our own end. How many times did we see FC Ryukyu go forward only to arrive there with no idea what to do?
Finally, Ryukyu obviously finished near the bottom of many statistical categories when it comes to goals scored and conceded this season which is largely due to the injury crisis we faced, along with the coaching throughout the season. There is no doubt that FC Ryukyu has some talented players but they were never able to put it all together at any one moment this season leading to such disjointed and disappointing results.
What do you think will happen next season? It is still too early to tell but I would expect a mass exodus from the club, players and staff, when it becomes apparent that the wage bill needs cut while operating on a much more restrictive budget. We all may hope for some of the players to return next season but can the club even afford them now? Could they ever? Who of them would you want to return before we turn into FC Retirement Community vice FC Ryukyu. I wouldn’t expect much difference in attendance levels, though some of the fans we picked up along our J2 journey are sure to leave, as we rarely crested the 2,000 mark all season. The gameday atmosphere will be much more subdued which can be somewhat salvaged if the J-League finally allows cheering throughout the stadium and drops the mask policy currently in place.
Can FC Ryukyu make a quick return to J2? For those of you out there thinking that FC Ryukyu can make a quick return to the J2 after 2023, lets look at the history for those teams that have been relegated since the inception of the J3 in 2014. Out of the fourteen (14) clubs that have been relegated to the J3 since its formation, only one (1) club has ever been relegated and then promoted back to J2 the following season. That honor belongs to Oita Trinita who were demoted following 2014 and won the J3 in 2015. Tochigi SC joined them in relegation that same season but lost in the 2015 J2/J3 playoffs, a tournament that has since been scrapped, and then were promoted back to J2 following their second season in J3 when Akita didn’t own a J2 license as league champions.
Thespakusatsu Gunma is the only team to spend just two (2) seasons in the J3 following relegation. Roasso Kumamoto and Giravanz Kitakyushu each spent three (3) years in the J3 and then it gets a bit frightening. Kitakyushu has since returned from their brief spell in J2 and look set for their second consecutive season in J3. SC Sagamihara and Ehime FC will also enjoy their second season in J3 following their demotion in 2021. Only Montedio Yamaga (relegated in 2021) has a chance of clawing back out if they can sneak back into the promotion zone, which would make for just the second ever instance of a team being relegated and then promoted. FC Gifu and Kagoshima FC will be back in the J3 for their fourth (4) consecutive seasons next year and then there are the two teams, Gainare Tottori and Kataller Toyama, who were demoted following the 2013 and 2014 seasons in J2, and who will be enjoying their 10th and 9th consecutive seasons in J3.
Knowing that it is extremely rare for clubs to rebound quickly, where do you think FC Ryukyu fits in among the teams above? Seems we could be enjoying J3 football here in Okinawa for at least three (3) to four (4) years before we make it back to J2. Maybe even longer, maybe even JFL if there are not drastic changes (at the top) for this club.
What should we look forward to this weekend? FC Ryukyu need to get a look at some of their fringe players against a good Oita team that is likely to be at full strength. We need to see these players against good J2 competition to see who is worthy of receiving a contract next season and who simply is not good enough for this level.
Round 42 in J2
Everything is pretty much finished at the bookends of the table. (1) Albirex Niigata are the champions and (2) Yokohama FC will be joining them in J1 for 2023. (21) FC Ryukyu and (22) Iwate Grulla Morioka are relegated to J3 barring the aforementioned scenario with Iwaki and pending their results this round.
(3) Fagiano Okayama has secured ‘home field advantage’ throughout the promotion playoffs but there is still a little bit to play for amongst the teams currently inside, or just outside, the playoff bracket. (4) Roasso Kumamoto sits one point above (5) Oita Trinita with Kumamoto playing at home against Yokohama FC and of course Oita traveling to face FC Ryukyu. Both teams will likely be at full strength for their games as each is aiming for a win and a loss by the other. Oita still has another way to leap frog Kumamoto if they draw with Ryukyu, and Kumamoto lose, as they would go through on goal difference.
(6) Tokushima Vortis has the toughest fixture this round for any of the teams involved in the playoff race as they travel to (8) Montedio Yamagata who are just one point behind Vortis in the standings. An obvious win or go home situation for both teams and they’d like a little help from (12) Blaublitz Akita who are playing (7) Vegalta Sendai at home. These games should make for some exciting football to watch during the final slate of games this season.
Tomorrow will bring a close to what has been a generally tough season to endure for FC Ryukyu fans. There were so few moments of joy, far outweighed by the disappointing ones, and one that leaves the club in a very precarious position heading into 2023.
For me, my journey with this club will continue. I haven’t decided on whether or not I’ll renew my season pass for what will be my tenth season supporting FC Ryukyu, or, I’ll just casually attend games under the limited covered seating inside the stadium so as to avoid the elements. I’ll continue to blog, but how often is still undecided, as this is one of the best spaces for me to portray my thoughts and feelings about FC Ryukyu, even if no one is listening and reading.
I look forward to seeing you all next season and best of luck throughout the rest of 2022 and into 2023.
It seems that no amount of goals scored by Ryukyu are enough to protect any lead. Ryukyu once again surrendered a late goal that led to another draw at home with points dropped in an extremely tight relegation battle. Not even the usual, momentum shifting, goal right before halftime was enough to carry us over the line. There are just twenty three (23) games remaining this season and Ryukyu will almost need to take 25 points from those matches if they hope to survive.
Match Highlights
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen
1. Execute shots from distance, pepper Vortis with crosses into the box, and for god’s sake, score from a set piece. Likelihood 1. We did and we still didn’t win. The set piece was a PK but both shots from Nakano and Tomidokoro were from distance. It was so great to finally see goals of that quality scored in front of the Ryukyu supporters section and just a shame they were wasted in another draw.
Match Day 19 Takeaways
1. Ryukyu played one of their best games of the season and it still wasn’t enough to get the win. This game was a six-goal thriller with a little bit of everything that included multiple PKs and four nice goals during the run of play. The match was evenly contested by both sides with each team having really good looks on goal. There were also some good player battles between Shinya Uehara and Caca, as well as Keita Tanaka and Kazuki Nishiya. In the opening half, Vortis looked more lethal with their shots on net, but Ryukyu were controlling large portions of play and knocking on the door. After trading PKs in the first half, Ryukyu, for the first time in a long time, were playing some spirited football in the opening twenty minutes of the second half.
Ryukyu were rewarded with a spectacular goal from Nakano on the edge of the 18-yard box. Ryukyu followed this up with three close calls on net (Tanaka, Uehara, Kanai) but failed to push the lead to two goals before Vortis equalized in the 85′ minute. But then out of nowhere, Yu Tomidokoro sent an absolute screamer from about 25-yards out into the top corner of the net to once again give Ryukyu the lead. Unfortunately, and so indicative for how the season is going for Ryukyu, they surrendered a goal from a CK on the very last play of the game.
Ryukyu have been extremely poor when it comes to defending, and scoring, from CKs this season which shows us that they haven’t learned much during their time in the J2. It isn’t a matter of defenders not defending, but rather midfielders defending set pieces. Poor Yu, the hero just moments earlier, was caught in no man’s land on the last shot and didn’t know whether to track a runner on the outside or the man directly in front of him who found the space to score. Probably something that stems from the multiple set piece goals conceded by Ryukyu this season were opposing players are constantly getting free near our defensive lines. Heartbreaking for the fans in attendance.
2. Another injury to deal with. Ryukyu finally put out a lineup that seemed to work and work well but Lee Yong Jick, who was having an off night thanks to a foul leading to a PK, was carted off in the 80th minute following a kick to his lower right leg/ankle in the 77th minute. He carried on for a bit but it seemed he was in too much pain to see out the match. No coincidence that Ryukyu conceded a goal a few minutes later and hopefully it is nothing more than a knock that will just be sore for a few days. In the mean time it is back to the drawing board to figure out another lineup. If Yong Jick is set to miss anytime, that leaves with just one healthy CB on the roster, Omori, which could force Makito Uehara, or never used Yusuke Murase into the lineup. Not what we need right now despite the owner promising some offensive reinforcements when the transfer window opens up on July 15th.
3. When results wane, anger and focus shifts to external factors that seem to be acting against you. Ryukyu have found themselves at the mercy of the referee in three consecutive matches. First, they were not allowed to execute a CK at the end of the Kofu match. Second, the blatant handball no-call at Omiya near the end of that game. And lastly, the Vortis CK after the 5 minutes of allotted time had expired. Sure, had anything other than a Vortis players scoring would’ve probably drawn the whistle, but luck is not on our side right now. If we can’t even catch a few breaks along the way, I am not sure we will be able to stave off relegation. Just some consistency from the leagues referee’s would be a welcome sign.
Round 19 in J2
FC Ryukyu got the help they needed from teams at the top of the table, but Tokyo Verdy couldn’t get past Omiya Ardija, who looked the far better side in the second half of that game and should’ve won. Albirex Niigata continued their push for promotion but handing Montedio Yamagata their first loss in nine (9) matches. Lastly, Zweigen kept Morioka at the foot of the table with winner in the 80th minute.
Conclusion
More injuries and questions but the same amount of concern and frustration. It must feel as if the weight of the entire world is on the shoulders of everyone at the club and since we haven’t exactly put ourselves in a position to succeed this year, we are leaving it very late for a miracle. Enter the Emperors Cup match with Omiya on Wednesday. Not sure who is going to play with our current injury crisis, players out on international duty and no news from the club on the status of some of our players. Just what we needed.
Ouch. This one is going to sting for a long time. Ryukyu failed to continue their climb out of the relegation zone by dropping three (3) crucial points at Omiya Ardija last night. Ryukyu controlled nearly every aspect of this game but were not able to convert a single shot, despite the nearly 70% possession. They simply allowed Omiya to hang around all game and grab the win in the second half. The loss drops Ryukyu back into the relegation zone with now a 3-point gap between them and Omiya. This was a must win game for Ryukyu last night and they simply couldn’t get over the line. It is not good and with the season nearly half over, there probably isn’t enough time to recover if the point gap gets even slightly wider.
Match Highlights
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen
1. Win the set piece battle. Likelihood 2. Ryukyu did not, and as predicted, this match came down to a set piece goal where Omiya found the breakthrough. Ryukyu finally won some corner kicks and free kicks in dangerous areas but couldn’t convert a single one.
Matchday 18 Takeaways
1. The attack really missed Kusano. As expected, Kusano was not in the lineup following his injury from the previous match. Without him, Ryukyu looked limp in the attack. Despite some great build up play, shots were sent high, wide or weakly hit directly at the Omiya GK. Omiya, even with such limited chances, looked far more dangerous in the attack and with their shots. Omiya were asking questions of Taguchi whereas Ryukyu seemed genuinely disinterested in scoring at all last night even with Omiya struggling with goalkeeping as we did nothing to test the Omiya GK. The stat sheet says we had eight (8) shots on net but I’m hard pressed to believe it was anymore than two (2). Ren Ikeda and Kiyotake had decent games, nearly scored in the opening half, but it should’ve been Kiyotake receiving the pass from Ren on the fast break, and not Nakano, as Kiyotake scores from that part of the box nearly every time. How can we be so bad at finishing?
2. No room to complain on the blatant missed handball call at the end. The fact is Ryukyu should’ve taken care of business a lot sooner and not merely relying on the luck of a handball deep into the match. Sure, it would’ve been great to see Ryukyu get back into the game with a PK, but it didn’t happen. I believe there was a couple of these no calls on handballs from the referee, Toru Kakinuma, last night. And he really should of sought some assistance from the linesman that was right there when Tanaka took the shot that the Omiya defender raised his hand and deflected out of bounds. But, such is life sometimes when there are some bad no calls that go against your team.
3. 70% possession with over 700 passes and only 2 shots on net. Do we have eleven (11) good players to start each week? Is it coaching or effort at this point? Perhaps the yearly talent drain at Ryukyu has finally caught up to us. Nearly impossible to make wholesale changes with injuries, but Ryukyu need to find a spark from somewhere and it should start with giving some run outs to unproven players who have a desire to crack the starting lineup, play, play well, and succeed.
Round 18 in J2
Tochigi executed another shocker when they defeated Zelvia 1-0 to increase their cushion over the relegation sides to seven (7) points. If Omiya pulls any further away from Ryukyu then it is all but over as there aren’t too many winnable games coming up in that Ryukyu schedule. Also, it seems the best thing that teams can look forward too these days if they suffer a surprise loss to Ryukyu is, you almost go on a little bit of winning streak right after (see Kumamoto and Tochigi). Sendai remained top with their draw but allowed Niigata and Yokohama to inch a little closer with both of their 3-goal performances last night. Kanazawa also had a nice win in which they netted three (3) goals against Tokyo Verdy on the J-League International YouTube channel.
Conclusion
The supporters of FC Ryukyu deserve better, but until that happens, here are some great photos by the supporters at the Omiya match.
Finally some momentum. And this game will be a real test to see how far Ryukyu have progressed as Ventforet Kofu are undefeated in their last four (4) with only one (1) loss in their last eight (8). Kofu, and their fans, definitely come to town with three points on their mind, and why shouldn’t they? They’ve experienced nothing but success against Ryukyu in the past three seasons and now face a Ryukyu side in the midst of a relegation battle. Ryukyu, on the other hand, have done something remarkable by winning two in a row thanks to two clean sheets. Can Ryukyu do the unthinkable and win three games in a row?
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Not a bad forecast for it being the height of rainy season in Okinawa.
FC Ryukyu: For those of you expecting (hoping) FC Ryukyu will win their third game in a row, let me offer this stat. Since they entered the J2 in 2019, Ryukyu have only won three (3) games in a row twice. And yes, you guessed it, those were during the fast start years of 2019 and 2021. Outside of those fast start seasons, and well into the season since that is where we are at the moment, FC Ryukyu have a record of 0-1-6 following a two (2) game winning streak. Not great. But then again, we are in some unchartered territory these days so anything is possible.
If they hope to reverse that trend then they will have to do it against a side in which they’ve only notched one (1) win in the six (6) matches they’ve played. Granted, that lone win did come at home – where this game will be played – but was also inside the early part of last season when FC Ryukyu were beating everyone. A third win in a row largely depends on Ryukyu executing a repeat performance of the last two weeks.
The fact is we need Kusano, Kiyotake, and Ikeda to get into a rhythm as we cannot rely solely on Kusano scoring each match to see out wins because that has happened on several occasions this season, only to be let down by the defending in the end. We need others to step up, especially when we are razor thin at CB these days, so we can continue to take some pressure off the defense. But who? Tanaka cannot fire in crosses from his current position on the bench; we rarely win set pieces – or corners – in dangerous areas; and we rarely get our two central defenders involved on set pieces inside the opposition’s box. I think we need to rethink how we attack teams in order to put us into advantageous situations and not simply rely on luck to see us through. The only thing we have to lose is J2 next year, which should be enough to make us as dangerous as a cornered animal.
Ventforet Kofu: Kofu started the season slow with only one (1) win their opening eight (8) fixtures. Where have I seen that before? Never mind. They then embarked on a four (4) game winning streak that propelled them into the sixth spot of the table. A position, despite some recent wobbles, they still maintain as of match day 17.
Kofu have two (2) wins, two (2) draws, and one (1) loss in the past five (5) matches with wins over Verdy and Gunma; draws with Tochigi and Renofa; and the lone loss suffered at the hands of Mito Hollyhock. One thing that immediately jumps out about this Kofu side is their speed up top and relentless pursuit of rebounds in the box. That kind of makes them a forward leaning side that are extremely vulnerable at the back, which, seems to be the team’s Achilles’ heel at the moment.
Kofu had several moments where they were hitting their opponents on either counter attacks or straight from the center of the pitch with long breakaways. But they also looked extremely poor when playing it out from the back with a bevy of costly turnovers, or simply allowing the opposition to exploit their weakest position in the team. There is no doubt that Ryukyu must respect the speed of Kofu in the attack, but not fear it, because the Ryukyu attack needs to find away to create havoc within the Kofu back line that could lead to turnovers and goals. That also means Ryukyu players in the starting eleven that may not enjoy tracking back in games really need to this game. And since the Kofu attack seems to come in multiple waves, Ryukyu cannot be caught ball watching the initial shot as the on-rushing attackers from Kofu will certainly be there to pounce on any rebound.
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen
1. Take the game to Kofu. Likelihood 3. No frills or messing about here just dictate the terms of play inside the Kofu 18-yard box. We are keen to own loads of possession, yet do very little with it. Change that. Take risks, create chances, ask questions in dangerous areas and let’s see what happens. Otherwise, it is more of the same old drab that got us to where we are right now.
2. Someone steps up in central defense. Likelihood 2. We looked so good to start the season with Nakagawa and Omori in central defense, but that denigrated into something completely different as the season wore on. Perhaps Nakagawa is injured, but we cannot gamble by throwing Makito Uehara to the wolves and think he’ll be OK out there. Yong Jick had a great game last week, but we need consistent performances out of the senior man in defense, not just a singular good game. Ryukyu will have to contend with loads of speed and counter attacks from Kofu, which means defending has to be a total team effort, and we better have the horses out there on Saturday to do it.
Kinain’ Ya Around For Whom the Bell Tolls
Kina gets a bit of a reprieve as he was absent for last weeks win as he will be for this weeks match with Kofu after succumbing to CV-19. However, it still seems that Kina can do no wrong. How he is still here is beyond me. Sure, he was in charge when we won our second game of the season, in week 15! But was it just me or did the entire club enjoy a relaxed, worry free environment last week to earn their third win?
Now humor me as we venture down this loosely cobbled path of logic. We all know that sometimes clubs can experience a bit of a ‘bounce’ when there is a managerial change. Ryukyu saw this last year when we switched from Higuchi to Kina, and we are witnessing it right now with FC Gifu and to some extent, Omiya Ardija when they added Hiromi Hara as head of the Omiya Football headquarters. In the games following these moves, each club experienced a change in fortunes. Some were brief, and some are still going, but how important were those changes for the clubs this season?
In the case of Omiya, it pulled them off the bottom of the table. Something Ryukyu desperately need to do these days. And right now, Ryukyu are in the midst of the slightest of ‘bounces’ with head coach Kazuki Karanuki taking over duties in Kina’s stead. How huge would it be for Ryukyu if we had two, even three (possibly serving as coach for Omiya with such a quick turnaround in fixtures) games with wins and or points? The change may only be temporary, and the bounce brief, but it could be enough to pull us up a little bit and provide vindication that a change in manager is needed. This is especially true if Ryukyu go straight back into the trash bin upon Kina’s return. Just saying, think about it.
Round 17 in J2
We all know that the real excitement in any season is watching how the relegation battle plays out, bit of recency bias down here these days for sure, and not just the boring promotion race (though I do miss that dearly) where a couple of teams pull far away from the pack. The sheer look of disappointment and frustration written across many teams, coaches and their fan’s faces make the battle for survival all the better. However, I should mention that there is a very nice top of the table tilt between (3) Albirex Niigata and (2) Yokohama FC this week that could see those teams swap positions or YFC extend their lead to six (6) points in the automatic promotion zone.
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at those teams struggling at the foot of the table. (19) Tochigi SC, who haven’t won in nine (9) games, travel to (11) Tokushima Vortis. Vortis are coming of consecutive losses (1 in J2, 1 in the Levain Cup), are looking to rebound, and are the best defensive side in the table based on goals allowed while Tochigi is one of the worst scoring sides in J2. (20) Omiya Ardija host (1) Vegalta Sendai after losing to Iwate in the midweek while down their starting GK. Omiya will have played two (2) games inside of a week when Ryukyu come to town so perhaps they rest some players (aka rollover) in order to prepare for the all important 6-pointer with FC Ryukyu next Wednesday. Perhaps Ryukyu does the same this week??
Then there is (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka, who usurped FC Ryukyu in the standings with their 1-0 win on the road at Omiya on Wednesday and who travel to (17) FC Mito Hollyhock. Prior to that victory Iwate were on a seven (7) game losing streak and now they face a Mito side who has won (3) out of their last six (6) games. Omiya and Ryukyu have the toughest path to points this week with Tochigi a close second, followed by Iwate who looked far better against Omiya than they have in recent weeks. But that’s just it, teams down here always seem to look good against each other, which needs to be taken with a grain of salt when jumping to conclusions for any side at the bottom.
The free broadcast this week will feature (8) Blaublitz Akita hosting (9) Tokyo Verdy. This will be Verdy’s fourth appearance on the free broadcast this month, with still two (2) more to go. Perhaps Verdy can make it three consecutive losses in a row on the channel. Click>>>>J.League Int’l YouTube.
Conclusion
I am glad we won our first home game of the season last week as weekly blog entries felt more like obituaries than posts in recent months. But now we need do something different, and that is to win a third game in a row deep into a season marked by strife and setbacks. I’ll be there, the Ryukyu Army will be there, will you join us in spirit?
FC Ryukyu are fresh off their first win of the season and looking to double that win total when last placed FC Mito Hollyhock travel to Okinawa on Saturday. Ryukyu had to battle back twice from deficits at Renofa Yamaguchi last week but hopefully that performance has calmed some nerves of the fans as well as steeled the reserve of the Ryukyu players. Mito enter the match in the midst of a four game winless streak which makes this a bit of a trap game for Ryukyu who may be feeling their oats after their last win.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
The forecast calls for partly covered skies with little chance of rain. That is banking on the fact that a pretty nasty storm front clears out on Friday. We all know how weather works down here in Okinawa so prepare for the worst and enjoy better conditions if they should occur. Or just drink more to forget about how terrible the weather (hopefully not the match) actually is while you’re standing outside.
FC Ryukyu: That first win should provide a little sense of relief, as well as some boost in confidence, for Ryukyu heading into match day 5. We all wanted to see a Ryukyu performance indicative of their first game last Saturday, obviously not the previous two rounds, and we got just that last week. Now it is time to build on that momentum from the Renofa match and notch another win in what could be Ryukyu’s first home victory of the season.
Last week it was the ‘old guard’ of FC Ryukyu that pulled them through so perhaps we need a bit more of that this game. Abe’s goal from a corner was spectacular; Kiyotake’s header looked accidental (but we’ll take it); and Ryunosuke Noda’s first goal in over a year and half was a well taken shot from a breakaway. Speaking of Kiyotake, he had an interesting game last week in that he scored the equalizer, assisted on the winner, but was a bit off the mark for parts of the match. He nearly allowed Renofa to take control of the game when he sent a misguided pass directly across the top of the Ryukyu box and onto the foot of a Renofa attacker. Luckily Taguchi was up to the task and parried it away from danger thus keeping the one goal deficit in tact.
Heading into this matchup it is anyone’s guess as to who Kina will start as Ryukyu have been pretty consistent on rotating players in and out of the starting eleven all season. Ikeda returned last week from a one week absence, Yu Tomidokoro seems to have secured one of the starting CM roles over Kazuto Takezawa, Abe and Kiyotake both started, Yuki Omoto made his first start at RB, and Rio Omori has gone missing the past two weeks thus allowing Yong-Jick a return to the bench. It is great to have all these options but it likely leaves the side a little unsettled. Perhaps Kina is deploying a strategy of forcing players to earn the starting role each week compared to that of his predecessor who based it solely on name brand recognition, which is a good thing. What isn’t a good thing is needing the offense to get going and shifting many players around who cannot get into any sort of rhythm. I guess we’ll see this week.
Hopefully we see a return of Keita Tanaka at RB this match as he was seen at practice throughout the week but there is no telling how is rehabilitation from last season’s injury is progressing, or if he is ready to go. If he does play, I would expect a limited appearance until he gets back up to match fitness. One player that Ryukyu will definitely be without for the extended future is Sittichok Paso who will be joining the U-23 Thailand national team for the Dubai Cup in the U.A.E. Personally, I think Ryukyu are wasting a great opportunity to capitalize on having a Thai player in the squad when it comes to marketing and actual playing time. We need to find a better way to incorporate him or else we shouldn’t be wasting his, or our, time by rostering and failing to market a player like Paso.
FC Mito Hollyhock: Here is the tale of the tape so far: (1) Mito have suffered two defeats by a score line of 2-3 and have only managed a single point from their first four matches. (2) Mito can be prone to both fast starts, 4 of their 5 goals have come within the first 15 minutes of games, as well as lackluster finishes, 6 of the 8 goals conceded have occurred in the second half. That is the reality facing Ryukyu on Saturday.
Mito’s season was delayed by a week due to a CV-19 outbreak at Oita so they opened their campaign during week 2 at home to Sendai. Mito controlled the majority of play to open the game and their efforts were rewarded with an early goal before a handball/PK wiped out that lead in the 32nd minute. Sendai went ahead in the 74th minute but Mito quickly equalized two minutes later when Kazuma Takai took the most direct route ever seen inside the box to put it into the top of the net. However, Mito switched off near the end by conceding a goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. Against Akita the following week both sides traded numerous chances before some nervy run of play from both teams saw Akita score the eventual winner.
Mito played Oita in the midweek to make up for the previously postponed round 1 and once again they looked the better side to start the match. Mito opened the scoring in the 7th minute from a good nice run of play but, in keeping with Mito’s luck to date, Oita equalized from a very nicely taken shot inside the first half. Finally, and probably the most deflating performance to date, was Mito’s 2-3 loss at Yokohama FC where they surrendered a two goal lead in that loss.
Mito’s most lethal player is Kosuke Kinoshita, who joined from the Urawa Reds this offseason, and who has two goals and one assist this season. Mito has only defeated Ryukyu twice in the short span of their time together in J2 with their most recent win occurring at Ryukyu back on matchday 25 last year when Ryukyu were beginning their too often predictable mid-season collapse.
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen
1. Weather the early Mito storm. Likelihood 2. There is no doubt that Mito start matches very fast as indicated by their goals scored/conceded ratio mentioned in the team preview section. Mito are very adept at hitting teams on the counter attack, which means Ryukyu need to survive the first 15 minutes of this match in order to take control of the game. Easier said than done for Ryukyu as this exact type of pressure caused us to concede early in the game last week at Renofa.
2. Harass Mito inside the box. Likelihood 3. A preponderance of Mito’s conceded goals have occurred in and around the 6-yard box. Ryukyu need to put more quality shots on net to cause some chaos and confusion in the Mito defense as well as inject some better crosses into the attacking players who should find space to operate on Saturday.
J2 Round 05
A couple of tilts at the top of the table this week with (5) Fagiano Okayama looking to rebound from a heavy defeat at Zelvia when they host league leaders (1) Yokohama FC, with (2) FC Machida Zelvia traveling to face (3) Tokyo Verdy in a bit of a derby match. Most of the other games this round see a lot of teams in the bottom third of the table squaring off in order to jockey for positioning. There is the lone, albeit odd, Monday afternoon kickoff this week between (13) Roasso Kumamoto and (14) V-Varen Nagasaki.
The free J-League International YouTube broadcast this week will feature (12) Albirex Niigata at home against (12) Ventforet Kofu and the link can be found below the picture.
So it is kind of a big weekend for both the club and the supporters. First, it is Jin-Beno Day (the official mascot of Ryukyu) and there are a ton of giveaways and special seating at the stadium. Who doesn’t love J-League mascots? Second, Yu Tomidokoro, aka Mr. Ryukyu, celebrates 250 matches in his J-League career along with Yuki Omoto celebrating his 100th game in which commemorative plaques and towels are available for purchase. Third, a win here for Ryukyu could be a nice launching pad to further success along with an uplifting first home win for the fans.
But finally, and most importantly, this is the first match of the season that I will be able to attend in person. So brace yourself Okinawa, the Commander of the Ryukyu Army is inbound!
Well we’re back, sort of. It has been quite some time since I’ve released anything on this blog and much has changed during my sabbatical. Ryukyu dropped way out of the promotion race following a run of poor results beginning just before the Olympic break and continuing through to October which led to the firing of Manager Yasuhiro Higuchi after 7 games in a row without a win (1 draw and 6 losses). Shintaro Shimizu was released by the club following several violations of the team’s rules and policies and then of course the injuries to several key members of the squad really sucked the life blood out of the team. While there hasn’t been much to be excited about down here in Okinawa these days, nothing recharges the batteries like a match with one of your heated rivals, or at least that’s how I view Tokyo Verdy.
Weather Forecast
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
Tokyo Verdy
FC Ryukyu
Rivalry Week
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 40 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast
I really do not care what the weather is like for this match as it is the first away game I will be able to attended in over two years. But for those of you that may be in attendance, the forecast looks decent.
2. Previous Match Highlights
FC Ryukyu 2-2 JEF United Chiba
Zweigen Kanazawa 0-4 Tokyo Verdy
3. Team Previews
Tokyo Verdy: Verdy have been hanging around the mid-table of J2 for much of the season. They have a near equal home road splits as far as points, but have found success on the road more favorable these days as Verdy has lost 5 out of their last 6 home games. And haven’t won at home since September 11th. Verdy also had to suffer through a stretch of 8 consecutive road games, with 4 losses and 4 draws, to accommodate the Tokyo Olympics. That is possibly the reason why they are enjoying so many road wins as of late as they had so many attempts at road wins during the summer.
Verdy went 2-1-2 over their last five games with wins over Montedio Yamagata and Zweigen Kanazawa; losses to JEF Chiba and V-Varen Nagasaki; and the lone draw to Ventforet Kofu. JEF absolutely destroyed Verdy at home to the tune of 5-1. Though Verdy managed to level the game in the opening half, they went into halftime down 3-1. By the time Verdy finally came to life in the second half, it was already 5-1 for JEF. Strangely, Verdy rebounded from that trouncing to put in a spirited effort at home to Kofu where both sides played to a 0-0 draw. Each team had a chance in the waning minutes of stoppage time to win, yet neither could find the back of the goal.
Verdy’s strong form carried over into the next round when they defeated Montedio Yamagata 2-1 on the road. Verdy capitalized on an an early PK, from a Yamagata handball in the box, and followed that goal with a second goal in front of halftime. However, Yamagata scored a PK of their own, from a Verdy handball, but were never able to find the equalizer. That was Yamagata’s first loss in four games and has sent them into a bit of a tailspin as of late. But all that hard work by Verdy was for not as they were beaten by Nagasaki the following week.
Verdy managed to hang in for most of this game despite having one of their players sent off in the first half. It took Nagasaki until the 75th minute to open the scoring but once they did, the flood gates opened up. Nagasaki put another two past Verdy in stoppage time through two breakout plays where the Nagasaki attackers ran the better part of half the pitch untouched. Verdy’s most recent game was a dismantling of Kanazawa, on the road, where they scored two goals in each half.
Like Ryukyu, Verdy had a much better start to the season compared to the second half. They own nearly identical records in both parts of the season with both sides only accruing four wins since match day 22. Like Ryukyu, Verdy had a stretch of games (7 for FC Ryukyu & 8 for Tokyo Verdy) without a win shortly after the restart from the mid season break. I guess you could say that these are two evenly matched teams squaring off on match day 40.
FC Ryukyu: It has been one heck of a rollercoaster ride this season supporting FC Ryukyu. There were the high points of being near the top of the table and playing outstanding defensive football; the low points with all the injuries and of course another mid season collapse. The firing of a manager and player during the season – something I’ve never seen Ryukyu do before – as well as having to refrain from attending games four months due to the COVID situation in Okinawa, but ultimately returning to the grounds a few weeks ago really typifies the ride we’ve been on as supporters. Though there isn’t much left to play for, besides pride and possibly a job next season, Ryukyu will undoubtedly end 2021 as their most successful season in J2.
Ryukyu hit the halfway point of 2021 in 2nd place on 13 wins, 4 draws, 4 losses while outscoring their opponents 36 to 19. They managed to shutout their opponents 9 times while only being shutout 5 times. In the second half of the season Ryukyu have dropped to 8th place while mustering 4 wins, 5 draws and suffering 9 losses. They’ve scored 17 goals in the past 18 games yet have conceded 25. Ryukyu have been shutout 9 times since the break and have registering a single shutout of their opponents. Pretty much an unprecedented fall from grace for this team, but one that occurred quite regularly under Higuchi.
Unlike last season when Ryukyu had two players in double digit goals, Ryukyu’s top goal scorer has been Kiyotake (8). But just like last season, Abe has gone missing near the end of the campaign and there has been no word as to why. Abe has surpassed his 2020 total of 2 assists with 6 this season and though he isn’t scoring as much as he was last year, his contributions were felt across the flailing Ryukyu attack with his workman like rate throughout the summer.
Another player that has had a rough go of it lately is Koya Kazama. Koya had 3 goals and 7 assists by the midway point of the year but has managed only 1 goal since. It was always going to fall on Abe and Koya to shoulder the load of the attack when Ryukyu lost Ikeda and Tanaka to injury, but they’ve only accounted for 3 goals and 3 assists in this half of the season. What was also a position of strength for Ryukyu, goal keeping and defending, became their Achilles heel during the abovementioned collapse.
First, Okazaki could never get healthy after his injury in May which left it all to Chinen in central defense. Second there were injuries to Taguchi, and Dany, forcing Inose – Ryukyu’s 3rd choice goalie – to play behind a weakened back line. Third, Ryukyu lost Keita Tanaka, pretty much the engine driving the Ryukyu attack for the season. Fourth, Numata suffered an injury forcing FWD Uehara to play LB and finally (most heartbreaking), there was the season ending injury to Chinen. Though Numata, Okazaki and Taguchi have since returned from injury, it just isn’t the same set of players that propelled Ryukyu to their blazing start of 2021.
So yeah, it was a lethal combination of the lack of goals, and shots to be quite honest, coupled with a makeshift back line that sealed our fate in 2021. Though it is unlikely that we will ever know if it was the hard training and heat that contributed to the collapse, we’ve seen similar results from Ryukyu during the past summers in J2. The change to Kina as manager was probably a necessary healing process for the club but they have yet to regain the confidence we saw from them to open the year.
4. Rivalry Week
We all know that FC Ryukyu do not, at least for the moment, have the traditional cross town rival that so many other clubs in the J-League enjoy for your typical ‘derby day.’ However, over the past three seasons Ryukyu have some interesting history with Tokyo Verdy as these sides produce some heated moments when they clash.
Though it is not a lengthy history between these two, the match on Sunday will only be the 6th time that Ryukyu have played Tokyo Verdy, it still has seen its fair share of fouls, sending offs, and dust ups. Ryukyu own the all time series advantage with 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. The first ever meeting between these clubs occurred in 2019 where Dany Carvajal had his nose broken attempting to stop Ryohei Hayashi on a break away, resulting in a yellow card for Dany and PK for Verdy. Dany, bloodied and with gauze hanging out both nostrils, saved the PK, which allowed Uesato to smash home his first ever goal for Ryukyu on a volley deep into stoppage time ending the match one all.
Dany bloody and broken, but stopped that PK
The return leg in Okinawa that year saw Verdy put 5 past Ryukyu behind Junki Koike’s hat trick. Verdy marked that momentous occasion in an otherwise uneventful season by releasing T-shirts commemorating Koike’s achievement. Ridiculous, but, we don’t have a leg to stand on as Ryukyu also did the same when Kiyotake netted a hat trick this season. Can we just get some better schwag at the good store instead of novelty t-shirts? Anyways, at the end of 2019, this wasn’t really a rivalry as Verdy had gotten the better of Ryukyu and embarrassed them in front of their home crowd.
High point in another lost season for this once proud club
2020 is when things began to really heat up. Ryukyu earned their first ever win over Verdy on MD10 when Shohei Takahashi took umbrage with an aerial challenge from Uehara. Shinya landed – as what normally happens when two players get tangled in the air – on Takahashi. Shohei decided it was a good time to bust out the mule kick to Uehara’s mid section, the problem was that foul occurred in the Verdy penalty area, and was seen by the linesman. After several minutes (10 to be exact) of some disgusting scenes by the Verdy players, Abe stepped up and netted the winner on the PK.
Takahashi putting the boot to Uehara in the box
Ryukyu returned the favor from the 5-1 loss in 2019 by defeating Verdy by four goals on MD 37 of 2020 while also shutting them out for the second time in a row. 2021’s series started off with a bang when, to everyone’s surprise, Yuhei Sato from Verdy decided to impale Yu Tomidokoro’s testicles with the heel of his boot. Yu went after a loose ball from a challenge by the now laying on his back Sato, but Sato wasn’t going to allow a Ryukyu player the advantage of collecting the ball and heading into attack. Instead he opted for a less than professional foul. Too bad that challenge occurred in front of the referee, fourth official, Higuchi and pretty much everyone watching at home. That resulted in a red card that reduced Verdy to 10 men and allowed Ryukyu to score two goals towards a 2-0 victory. The second Ryukyu goal, a PK, came from another infraction inside the penalty area by Verdy.
Yuhei Sato channeling his inner Vlad the Impaler
In just five games, there has been 3 penalty kicks, 1 sending off, 1 bloody nose, fouls on both sides for unsportsmanlike behavior and a t-shirt. But here is one final fun fact. Since Koike’s third goal, and fifth for Verdy on match day 36 in 2019, Verdy have yet to score a goal against Ryukyu. Perhaps this is just my way of manufacturing something out of nothing in order to replicate the so called derby day, or it is just a way to put a little something extra on a rather meaningless game between two midtable teams. I’ll let you be the judge.
5.Keys to Victory
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen
1. More shots equal more chances. Likelihood 1. The clear and obvious key to victory this week but also the least likely to happen. Ryukyu are not generating the attempts on net that can lead to scoring outbursts. Verdy are so vulnerable to spilled balls, rebounds and second chances as evidenced by the video footage for their past five matches. We often see Ryukyu players in possession in the opposing end only to witness them pass the ball back and restart the attack from our central defenders thus allowing our opponents time to regroup in defense. Good things will happen when you put quality shots on Verdy’s net so let’s hope that Ryukyu can do that on Sunday.
2. Avoid the “Ryukyu Double.” Likelihood 2. Last week Kiyotake and Kanai were responsible for both Ryukyu goals. However, they were also involved in both the opposition’s goals. Kiyotake was caught ball watching instead of man marking which led to the JEF equalizer, while Kanai completely whiffed in an effort to clear the ball from danger inside the Ryukyu box leading to the second goal for JEF. So that was actually more like a Ryukyu Double-Double. This feat has occurred on more than one occasion this season and if we intend to depart Tokyo with a win, then Ryukyu need to stay sharp throughout the entire 90 minutes.
3. Get on the scoreboard first. Likelihood 3. Verdy looked good when they took the early lead in their past two wins, and lifeless when they conceded the first goal. It is vital that Ryukyu start fast, and score (unlike what they did against Renofa), as that could lead to even more opportunities and goals for a side struggling in the atatck. Ryukyu have not won by more than two goals in any game since match day 20, which was also the last time they’ve scored more than two goals in a game. However, 11 of Verdy’s 16 losses have been by more than two goals this season. Perhaps this provides a little glimmer of light at the end of an abysmal goal scoring tunnel for Ryukyu.
6.Prediction
I am done doing these as I am usually wrong. I just want a Ryukyu win.
7. Round 40 in J2
Jubilo Iwata has already booked their ticket back to the J1 and with only 9 points up for grabs, Kyoto Sanga can book theirs if they maintain their 7 point lead over V-Varen Nagasaki. Seeing how the promotion race, without any playoffs, is nearly complete, all eyes will be on the race to escape relegation to J3.
Matsumoto Yamaga, a team in the J1 just two seasons ago, is likely headed to J3 next year. They are bottom of the table, only five points behind 18th Kanazawa, but haven’t won in 7 games. Yamaga will host Renofa Yamaguchi who have pulled themselves out of the relegation zone but are themselves only six points above the drop. 21st Ehime FC will host 20th SC Sagamihara in what should be an exciting match to watch for any neutral. A draw helps neither side so someone will need to win and move up at the expense of the other. Kitakyushu travels to Chiba with hopes that the hosts will be looking to close out the campaign without suffering any needless injuries.
Zweigen heads to Tochigi in another battle to stave off relegation as Kanazawa sits just above the drop with Tochigi only four points clear from safety. Omiya will look to secure safety with a win over their neighbors to the east in Mito while Gunma face a real test at home to Niigata.
There are two free international broadcasts this week on the J.League International YouTube channel. Both matches are on Saturday November 20th and feature Jubilo Iwata hosting V-Varen Nagasaki followed by Kyoto Sanga traveling to Fagiano Okayama. Perhaps Jubilo could lift the trophy on Saturday but it seems more likely that will occur at a later date. Click>>>>J League Int’l YouTube Link
8.Conclusion
It feels good to be back and I apologize for the lengthy absence. Right, you’ve read it all so you know the only thing left to do is for Ryukyu to go out there and get the win. Enjoy your weekend and stay safe.
Both FC Ryukyu and Omiya Ardija need this win on Sunday. Ryukyu, currently fourth, are circling the drain and risk falling out of the promotion race with another loss, or dropped points, to a bottom four side. Omiya, who are starting to get something going on the heels of some recent strong performances by Kurokawa and Ibba, could climb out of the relegation zone for the first time in months with a win over Ryukyu and some results in the league going in their favor. These two sides played to a 0-0 draw the last time they met, but that was the old Omiya with Ken Iwase in charge and Ryukyu fully fit. Ryukyu has reached, or exceeded, the three goal plateau every time they have traveled to Saitama and that would be a welcome sight after last week’s results and before heading into the summer break.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
Omiya Ardija
FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 23 in J2
Conclusion
1.Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from Omiya Ardija
With the priority prevention measures in Saitama, as well as the state of emergency in Okinawa, this game will be capped out at 5,000 fans with no visiting fans allowed to attend. Click>>> Match Day 23 Info
2.Previous Match Highlights
V-Varen Nagasaki 1-1 Omiya Ardija
FC Ryukyu 0-1 SC Sagamihara
3. Team Previews
Omiya Ardija: Pretty much left for dead, Omiya Ardija have turned things around the past few weeks. They’ve earned 6 points from their last 5 games, a point total that took them 13 weeks earlier in the season to match, and won their first game in over three months. Omiya are also on their third manager this season after parting ways with Ken Iwase in May, and then caretaker manager Norio Sasaki making way for Masahiro Shimoda. Last week I mistakenly thought that SC Sagamihara were ripe for the picking when truly it was Ryukyu who were the ones ready to be plucked for points and things are shaping up to the same way this week.
After suffering three consecutive defeats, Omiya took the early lead over Tochigi SC in the fifth minute but conceded the equalizer inside the first half. Against Matsumoto Yamaga they had a chance at breaking the 0-0 deadlock but Ibba’s shot right on the doorstep ended up hitting the post. That first win in over three months for Omiya came at Renofa Yamaguchi when Kurokawa scored his first goal this season. Omiya nearly doubled their lead at the end but were denied by their own player, whose momentum took him into the net, and was subsequently hit on the backside by a Nermin Haskic shot to deny the goal.
At home to Montedio Yamagata the following week Omiya once more took the early lead from an Ibba goal, only to see them lose a lead for the second time inside their last five fixtures. On the road last week at V-Varen Nagasaki, Omiya clawed their way back into the game and scored an 87′ minute equalizer from Atsushi Kurokawa who has now scored two goals inside of his last three games. Both Kurokawa and Ibba look to be the most dangerous players for Omiya that Ryukyu need to concern themselves with on Sunday as each is in fine form. And both players have a limited history of scoring against Ryukyu as Ibba has notched two goals and Kurokawa one in these fixtures.
Omiya’s track record against the top four clubs this season is not good, as one might expect from a team currently sitting in 21st position. However, the lone point they have earned against these sides came back on match day six when they traveled to FC Ryukyu and held the hosts to a 0-0 draw. That game also happened to occur after Omiya had a strong performance against V-Varen Nagasaki the previous week and perhaps the recent run of form, coupled with the early success against what is now a much weaker FC Ryukyu side, might just be enough to buoy this team to their first home win in four months.
FC Ryukyu: We know Omiya’s track record against the top four sides in J2 isn’t that great, well, FC Ryukyu’s record against the bottom four isn’t something to boast about either. In the five games this season against the bottom four clubs, FC Ryukyu have managed 8 points out of a possible 15 with 2 wins, 2 draws and the lone loss occurring last week at home to SC Sagamihara. Oh, where would Ryukyu be with even some of those dropped points?
Though Ryukyu are not quite out of it yet, and with the top sides squaring off against one another this week, Ryukyu must get the job done in Saitama. During the past week FC Ryukyu played another reserve match against Kagoshima United FC which saw some of our injured players return to action. Most notably, Dany Carvajal in goal, and Ryohei Okazaki in defense. Each player played one half of that game and hopefully that is enough, for Okazaki at least, to enter the starting eleven this round.
Ryukyu has the uncanny ability to both play up, and down, to their competition this season. A trend that cannot continue in the short term as they need all three points this week. Most of Ryukyu’s dropped points this season have occurred during games when the opposition affords Ryukyu the majority of possession, frustrates Ryukyu in attack, and then hits us on the counterattack. Both coaches and players lament this fact after each of these games and if that is Omiya’s game plan this week, then we need to adjust quicker to Omiya’s tactics instead of sticking with what we though would work at the start of the match and hope for a lucky breakthrough.
For me, that means Abe taking this team on his back like he has done so many times in the past and pulling the team across the finish line. Possibly without both our starting fullbacks, as Numata wasn’t on the matchday roster last week, we also need Koya and/or Kiyotake, Shimizu and Nakagawa to be heavily involved with penetrating runs in and around the box and not simply laying the ball off back to Uesato and our center backs.
4.Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen
1. Respond to Omiya’s fast start: Likelihood 3. Omiya seemed to really go after their opponents in the opening 15’ minutes of games as evidenced by the Ibba goals inside 10 minutes against Tochigi SC and Montedio Yamagata. If Omiya do take the lead, expect what we’ve seen in the past with teams packing the defensive box so we better figure it the heck out on offense.
2. Help Abe out: Likelihood 2. Abe scored three goals in the first five games of 2021, which FC Ryukyu were undefeated, but has only managed 1 goal over his last 15 games, with none in his last five. Though, he has chipped in three assists the last three weeks, but this man needs to be scoring goals more than setting them up. He is too good of a striker to be sitting on such a low goal total. But he also needs support from the cast surrounding him. Abe can create space by drawing defenders in and it is time some of the other players do the same for Abe.
5.Prediction
Omiya sort of have the same thing going for them this week that SC Sagamihara had last week, and earned a quarter of their total points all season when they played Nagasaki and Ryukyu in back-to-back weeks. I think this one ends in disappoint for FC Ryukyu to the tune of 2-1 to Omiya. Season Record 6-5-11.
6.Round 23 in J2
There are some big games at the top of the table this week as (1) Jubilo Iwata host (6) Montedio Yamagata and then (2) Kyoto Sanga host (3) Albirex Niigata. Really makes those dropped points by Ryukyu last week hurt even more now. The free broadcast this week will feature Omiya Ardija and FC Ryukyu. Tune in and enjoy (maybe). Click>>> J.League International YouTube Channel.
7. Conclusion
This is the last time we will see FC Ryukyu in action until August. I honestly have no idea which FC Ryukyu team will show up on Sunday and we can only hope it is the one that secures all three points and not the one that drops us out of the promotion race before the break. Come on lads!
FC Ryukyu sit just outside the promotion zone in third place at the halfway point of 2021. Considering they’ve nearly matched their single season win total (14) in only 21 games, it is pretty amazing to see how far Ryukyu have come in only their third season in J2 under Yasuhiro Higuchi. For the most part, Ryukyu have been getting it done on the backs of some seasoned veterans with really strong performances by a select group of young players. Unfortunately for this side, they’ve also been required to deal with multiple injures to key starters that puts the notion of outright promotion in jeopardy.
I was not able to to do a midseason report last year with the condensed fixture schedule so I really wanted to get back to writing something other than the normal match day previews and reports. We will look at the state of the team heading into the halfway point as well as the biggest storylines of the season, the J2 league as a whole and the way forward for the club. I hope you enjoy it.
Squad Overview
FC Ryukyu rank third in the league with 13 different players having scored for this side in 2021. Most of the goals have come from our midfield players which FC Ryukyu ranks 1st in the league with 22 goals. However, they rank 14th in goals scored from forwards. Ryukyu has scored a total of 14 first half goals, good enough for 6th in the league, but their 22 second half goals is only behind Albirex Niigata’s 25. Ryukyu have surrendered 8 first half goals on the season which puts them in 6th place for that stat category, though the 12 goals they’ve conceded in the second half of games ranks 11th in the league.
Biggest Victory: 5-1 defeat of SC Sagamihara (Round 11)
Biggest Loss: 0-3 loss to FC Machida Zelvia (Round 9) & 0-3 loss to Fagiano Okayama (Round 19)
Most Important Win: 1-0 defeat of Jubilo Iwata (Round 1)
Most Deflating Loss: 1-2 loss to Albirex Niigata (Round 16)
The Games that got Away: 0-0 draw with Omiya Ardija (Round 6) & 1-1 draw with Ehime FC (Round 13)
Mid Season MVP
The short list included Junto Taguchi, Tetsuya Chinen and Keita Tanaka. Junto’s emergence began last year but he has been a revelation this season when he recorded 7 shutouts in the 16 games he played going 10-3-3 during that time. Unfortunately Taguchi suffered an injury that has kept him out the past 5 weeks and his play began to dip after the departure of Ryohei Okazaki at CB. Tetsuya Chinen has featured in every single game for Ryukyu this season and has been our best defender. He has yet to score from a set piece this season, but his defensive performances are some of the best in all of J2.
FC Ryukyu Midseason MVP Keita Tanaka Photo Credit: jleague.com
Prior to his recent injury, Keita Tanaka was on a torrid points pace having already contributed 9 assists and 2 goals before the halfway point. His pinpoint accuracy on crosses from the right side add another element to the already lethal FC Ryukyu attack. We desperately need him healthy before the month of September.
Young Player to Watch
Despite the strong performances from the veterans of this team, Ryukyu do have a nice pool of youthful talent. Junto Taguchi, Shunsuke Motegi, Mizuki Ichimaru are just 24 years old, with Tetsuya Chinen, Ren Ikeda at 23 years of age, and then there is Makito Uehara, only 22, and current Ryukyu goal keeper Kosuke Inose at just 20 years of age. If Ryukyu can lock these players up for the next few seasons they will have a very strong nucleus to build around in the coming seasons.
Much like the mid season MVP, both Junto Taguchi and Tetsuya Chinen made the short list here. Tetsuya is one of the most exciting young players we’ve had in our ranks in recent years as this side has never been know for producing defensive talent. He played sparingly in 2020 after joining from Kindai University but has taken his game to a whole other level this season. He can play contained while maintaining an aggressive streak; can win aerial duels; and is always making plays for this side when they need it the most. But the young player that everyone needs to watch, albeit upon his return from injury, is Ren Ikeda.
Ren Ikeda FC Ryukyu Young Player to Watch Photo Credit: jleague.com
Like Chinen in 2020, Ren joined FC Ryukyu from Takushoku University and featured in 38 games that year scoring 4 goals and adding 3 assists. He was asked to fill in at many different attacking positions that year and that is probably why he went 32 games without a goal. When Ryukyu came into this season, I for one thought it would be Kazaki Nakagawa leading Ryukyu through the central attacking midfield role, but it was Ren Ikeda who won the job outright and looked very good early on. In the 18 games that Ren has played this season he has scored 6 goals, 3 of which are considered match winners, and added 1 assist. His injury is a tricky one to return from and his rehabilitation may actually take longer than the initial timeline put forth by the club. The hope is that he can return to his preinjury form sometime in the month of September for a potential big push for promotion.
Early Story Lines from the 2021 Season
1. 80 points. In early February Manager Yasuhiro Higuchi put forth the challenge that this team needs to achieve 80-points this season to be considered for promotion. The number 80 represents a drastic uptick in points for a club that only ever achieved 49 points at this level in their past two seasons. If we considered how the team played the past two seasons when they surrendered 80, and then 61 goals, and only hit the 14-win plateau once, at the very least it meant we needed to double our highest ever win total at this level coincided with a drastic downturn in goals conceded. Ryukyu entered 2021 with limited marquee offseason signings – to go along with the departure of Yoshio Kazumi to Urawa – but they were able to keep a majority of the 2020 squad intact. A fact that is of great importance following the CV-19 ravaged season of 2020 when other clubs experienced a much more violent turnover.
So far, things have gone better than expected as Ryukyu have turned into one of the better defensive sides in J2, though they have been undone lately due to injury, and they have nearly matched their win total from 2020 in the opening half of the season. They’ve also got some good performances out of Koki Kiyotake, who is enjoying his best statistical season in the past three years, as well as from Shintaro Shimizu. The only hard part for Ryukyu is that the target is so small this year with only two sides achieving promotion. Stuart of the @JTalKET so rightly said that “some teams have picked a bad year to have a bad season.” I would echo that sentiment and add that some teams will find themselves a bit unlucky to have a very good, but not great, season without the promotion playoffs. 80 points seems a bit low to achieve promotion in 2021 where the number of points needed could be closer to 90.
2. The battle for the Ryukyu #GK spot. Heading into the season everyone wanted to see who would win the competition between Dany Carvajal and Junto Taguchi for the starting GK spot at Ryukyu. Junto Taguchi won the battle and put in some phenomenal performances that has propelled Ryukyu to their current spot in the table, but like Dany Carvajal, he suffered an injury that has forced him to miss some time during a crucial part of Ryukyu’s season. This has forced Ryukyu to start 20-year-old Kosuku Inose at GK the past few rounds and while he has performed admirably at times, Ryukyu desperately need the veteran presence of either Taguchi or Dany back there after the Olympic break.
The good news is that we should see Dany emerge from his stress fracture in the next few weeks with Junto shortly behind. Ryukyu need both of these players pushing each other in training as without competition, some times complacency can set in.
3. Injuries have thrown promotion into doubt. The table below illustrates the damage that Ryukyu has suffered so far, and been forced to overcome in their quest for promotion. None of these injuries have been of the mild variety outside of Abe’s brief absence for a few weeks and some reports on players and staffers testing positive for CV-19. Both Abe and Makito Uehara dealt with injuries this season but both have returned to the lineup.
The fact that Ryukyu are down two of their top four scorers; two of their starting goalies; and one central defender, has put this team at or near the breaking point. In any season there will be injuries, but I feel some emerged from the rigors of training in between games whereas the oldest team in J2 probably needs more work on technical issues rather than physical preparation.
4. The Reserve League. FC Ryukyu entered the new J-League reserve league, known as the J-Elite league, which has given some of our reserve players valuable playing time. Ryukyu are currently 2-0 in the league with wins over Nagasaki and Fukuoka, but more importantly, it is keeping some of the reserve players that feature for Ryukyu from time-to-time match ready. It also provides an avenue for young players like, Koki Yushin, to gain some valuable match experience against senior level competition. Yushin played really well in his first game as a 16-year-old and the future looks bright for this player who is currently attending the U-16 Japan National team training camp.
5. FC Ryukyu sign their first ever player from Thailand. Sittichok Paso was signed on loan from Chonburi FC of the Thai league and was able to go through the J-League protocols to join FC Ryukyu in May. The U-23 Thai national team player has made on appearance at the senior level for the club but did score in the most recent J-Elite league match at Fukuoka. Ryukyu have switched formations to 4-4-2 as of late and this set up could allow Paso more playing time moving forward. Ryukyu also signed two players from Vietnam but for whatever reason, they’ve been unable to enter Japan, clear the 14-day protocols at the designated J-League facility, and ultimately join the club.
To no one’s surprise, Kyoto Sanga FC finds themselves near the top of the table. Tipped by many to win the league outright in 2021, I do not see that juggernaut slowing down one bit. Jubilo Iwata sputtered off the line with 2 wins in their opening 5 matches before embarking on an impressive streak that has seen them only lose once since Match Day 6. Albirex Niigata led the league the longest this season before a bit of dip in form recently.
The second pack in the table consists of Ventforet Kofu, V-Varen Nagasaki, Montedio Yamagata, and FC Machida Zelvia. These teams have been a bit streaky at times this season but nonetheless are still in the hunt for promotion. I think Nagasaki was also one of the favorites of some to earn promotion after their strong finish in 2020, but things have not gone according to plan this year. Perhaps we see a team (Montedio Yamagata) emerge from this pack with a strong second half and secure one of the promotion spots.
The third and final pack is that of the teams facing relegation. SC Sagamihara was tipped by many to go straight back down to J3 and they’ve done nothing but reinforce that notion. Shockingly, or not, Omiya Ardija find themselves embroiled in this relegation battle but after going through several managerial changes this season, they may have just enough time to pull themselves out of it. Thespakusatsu Gunma have also changed managers after winning only once in their past twelve games. Another team that many expected to struggle is Giravanz Kitakyushu after a massive squad overhaul following the 2020 season. Ehime FC has been at or near the bottom for most of the season but are only separated by 4-points from 15th places Renofa Yamaguchi. Just like a team that could emerge from the pack for promotion, any number of the bottom seven sides could find themselves in J3 in 2022.
The Long Road Ahead
FC Ryukyu are probably in their most favorable set of fixtures for the remainder of the season. They open the second half of the season with 3 of the 4 bottom sides currently in J2, followed by games against two teams in the bottom half of the table with a very tough match against up and coming Montedio Yamagata mixed in. Of the top four teams, it is only Ryukyu who do not own a double-digit undefeated streak for this season.
Obviously these long stretches have propelled the top sides to their current spots, but some have already been broken and it seems unlikely that Iwata’s current form can continue unabated. Ryukyu have a chance, at least on paper, of matching their longest stretch of undefeated games (8) with the remaining fixtures this month and in August. Which all leads towards the make or break month of September for FC Ryukyu.
3-games against the top competition all of which are on the road. Hopefully by this time all of the currently injured Ryukyu starters are back to full fitness as too many dropped points in this month will likely end all thoughts of promotion. But if they do emerge from September unscathed, then they only have 3 tough fixtures to navigate over the remaining months.
Conclusion
There are certainly areas that this side needs to improve over the course of the second half of the season. Primarily their goals scored to conceded ratio away from Okinawa as they have some hugely important road games in the coming months. The club had a few brushes with CV-19 this season and are currently playing behind closed doors. While CV-19 may be a persistent threat until the players and staff are vaccinated, Ryukyu will return from the Olympic break to see no fans in the stands as the State of Emergency here in Okinawa has been extended until August 22nd, which, is unfortunate but necessary. Speaking of the break, it really couldn’t come at a better time for this club with all the injures and travel they’ve logged to date.
I think FC Ryukyu has done enough to hang around near the top and give themselves a punchers chance at promotion. They need to continue to pile up the wins during their remaining 10 home games while achieving some unexpected, in a good way, results on the road.
FC Ryukyu shook off their 0-3 loss to Fagiano Okayama the previous round by hammering Matsumoto Yamaga FC 4-0 this past Saturday. Kiyotake became the fifth (as far as I can find) player in FC Ryukyu history to score a hat trick in a game and nearly came close to equaling Yuta Togashi’s single game record for goals scored (4) when another one of his shots rang the crossbar. The only real shame was that none of the FC Ryukyu fans could enjoy one of this team’s biggest wins this season as they are still not allowed to attend games in person while Okinawa is under a state of emergency.
FC Ryukyu Mid Fielder Koki Kiyotake: Scoring a hat trick and getting Ryukyu a vital three points in the process.
3. Review of the Keys to Victoryfor FC Ryukyu
1. Just score more goals than Matsumoto. Likelihood 3. Nailed it! At one point in the game FC Ryukyu had three players sitting on two points each. Kiyotake with 2 goals; Koya with a goal and an assist; and Abe with two assists.
4. Prediction
Was hoping for a 1-0 win and they exceeded that expectation. Season Record 6-5-9.
5.Talking Points from Round 20
1. Possible Injury to Tanaka. Seeing how things went so well for Ryukyu, the only thing to discuss is the potential injury suffered by starting RB Keita Tanaka in the second half. Tanaka was subbed off for Uehara in the 56′ minute where he was seen describing an injury to his left leg while sitting on the opposite sideline. Tanaka was eventually carted off due to the injury and there is no telling what occurred, the severity, or the length of time he may miss. We’ve seen plenty of players both walk off under their own power, only to spend weeks recovering from injury, as well those that have been carted off and return the following week. Tanaka’s absence will be felt throughout the entire side as he is such a key member of the team. The likely replacements are Yuya Torikai, Makito Uehara, Felipe Tavares – individuals who all participated in the midweek Elite League Match at Avispa Fukuoka – and possibly Shinya Uehara. Though Shinya did play RB in 2019 when we dealt with injuries to the RB position, that would leave FC Ryukyu extremely thin at forward considering they are playing a 4-4-2 these days with both Shintaro and Abe up top.
Kyoto and Iwata both won to extend their lead over Niigata and Ryukyu to 3/4 points. Niigata’s 0-0 draw means Ryukyu are now within 1-point of Niigata. Zelvia and Kofu’s huge wins mean they both maintain their 4-point gap between themselves and FC Ryukyu. Omiya Ardija’s first win in over three months means they are at least within striking distance of pulling out of the relegation zone.
FC Ryukyu are on one heck of a rollercoaster ride these days having won 3-0, lost 0-3, and then the recent 4-0 victory. Ryukyu have three more matches before they break for the Summer Olympics in which they will need to earn all 9-points. Only four points back from the leaders, and one off Niigata, Ryukyu are still in the hunt for promotion. But with Kyoto and Iwata showing no signs of slowing down these days, Ryukyu need to max out the points in these next three fixtures to keep pace with the top teams in J2.
ryukyuarmy.com 