2019

Intro

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

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 22^nd 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 2^nd 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 27^th 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 3^rd 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 49^th 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 53^rd 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 2^nd half for FC Ryukyu was marred by bad passing and missed opportunities. Uejo came on for Ochi in the 62^nd minute but his contributions flashed high and wide. Kofu was then able to add a 5^th goal in the 6^th 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.

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 82^nd 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.

Results from Around J2

“Swift, Silent, Fierce & Impregnable!” Match Day 19 Preview: FC Ryukyu vs. Ventforet Kofu 6/22/2019

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

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.

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 6^th 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!