21 #FC琉球

Intro

Ryukyu have a huge test this week as they welcome in #3 Kyoto Sanga FC. Ryukyu are fresh off their biggest win of the season where they defeated SC Sagamihara on Match Day 11. Kyoto won their sixth game in a row last round by defeating Ehime FC 3-2 and look as dangerous as everyone expected them to be this year. This 6 pointer is a true test where an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. So get ready.

Weather Forecast & Match Information
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
- FC Ryukyu
- Kyoto Sanga FC
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 12 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

Thunderstorms and rain. Looking at a possible weather delay during the match.

No visiting fans allowed to attend this game but I would suspect some Kyoto fans have traveled to Okinawa for Golden week and may attend this match in “plain clothes.”

Click>>> Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

2. Previous Match Highlights

SC Sagamihara 1-5 FC Ryukyu

Kyoto Sanga FC 3-2 Ehime FC

3. Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu were able to get on track offensively versus Sagamihara as they shipped 5 goals past the hosts on Saturday. It was a good performance in front of this tough matchup with Kyoto as our opponent this week is firing on all cylinders. The lone goal that Ryukyu did surrender on Saturday was a phenomenally taken overhead kick that no Ryukyu fan can be upset about losing out on a clean sheet.

But Ryukyu will need to call on the defense that has limited their opponents to six clean sheets and only one game this season with multiple goals conceded if they wish to net any points on Wednesday. Taguchi is tied for the overall league lead in clean sheets (6) but his counterpart this week, Tomoya Wakahara, ranks just behind him with 5. Another big test will be how both Okazaki and Chinen attempt to stop Peter Utaka, 5 goals and 1 assist in his last 5 games, and Jordy Buijs, 3 goals in his last 4 games, as Ryukyu have not faced a high scoring side this season outside of Jubilo Iwata on match day one.

One name that was left off the scorecard this past round was Takuma Abe. It has now been six games and well over a month since Abe last scored. And Ryukyu really need a player of his quality to bust out in a big way this week. Ren Ikeda is Ryukyu’s leading scorer this season with 5 goals but it has been the play of both Keita Tanaka (2 goals & 6 assists) as well as Koya Kazama (5 assists) that have propelled this side forward. Both Tanaka and Koya are inside the top 3 for all of J2 in assists with Tanaka, as the lone defender, ranking inside the top 5 for total points.

Ryukyu opted to not rotate any of their players this past round, and though they weren’t required to over exert themselves at Sagamihara, I am slightly concerned about this sides ability to recover in time for what will be a more spirited match with far more running to be expected. But, as we’ve seen time and time again this year, Ryukyu have a way of surprising us in some unexpected ways. Let’s hope that trend continues – in a positive way – this round.

FC RYUKYU KYOTO SANGA SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON

Kyoto Sanga FC: Creative and relentless. That is the best way to describe Kyoto. They are so good in the attack, severely punish sides whenever their opponent makes a mistake and can create chances on set pieces with their movement in and out of the formation. Utaka may be the leading scorer, but Kyoto have so many attacking options that solely focusing on stopping him allows others to take advantage of the space vacated by defenders tracking the Sanga talisman.

Like Ryukyu, Kyoto’s fullbacks, Takahiro Iida and Takuya Ogiwara, are heavily involved in Kyoto’s set up play and then teams still have to contend with attacker Temma Matsuda and defender Jordy Buijs. A fair amount of Kyoto’s goals from set pieces were ones where the initial cross finds a streaking Kyoto player in acres of space with plenty of time to pick his spot.

As noted earlier, Kyoto are on a seven game winning streak, haven’t lost a match since round five, and conceded multiple goals in a game only twice this season. The most recent being the match at home to Ehime FC this past weekend. In their last five games Kyoto have defeated FC Machida Zelvia, Giravanz Kitakyushu, Tokyo Verdy, Renofa Yamaguchi FC and Ehime FC. They kept a clean sheet in 3 of those games and demolished Kitakyushu 6-1.

Kyoto are the second highest scoring team in J2 and have only conceded 3 more goals that Ryukyu this year. And after a rocky start to the season where Kyoto suffered two losses and a draw inside the opening five fixtures, Gwi-Jae Jo has these boys humming.

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. Bend, don’t break on defense. Likelihood 3. There is little doubt that Ryukyu will be under some serious pressure on Wednesday but they have played similar opponents well when facing long odds. Ryukyu need to be clinical when playing out from the back as Kyoto punish their opponents on costly turnovers. Defense has got us to this point, and we will need more of it this match.

2. Win the individual battles within the game. Likelihood 3. Ryukyu cannot afford to remain fixated on Utaka all match as the remaining Kyoto players will tear us apart. That means those players not directly engaged with Utaka must maintain their defensive shape in order to frustrate the Kyoto attack. With that said, Ryukyu cannot give Utaka all the time and space he wants as he is very adept at finishing from all over the pitch as well as setting up his compatriots. Ryukyu will also need to win those battles on set pieces as Kyoto has created a tough situation for their opponents these days as teams don’t know whether to expect a direct cross into the set piece formation or a runner leaving the defensive line to receive a more direct pass. Man marking in these situations will be key.

3. We need a big performance out of Abe, Koya and Tanaka. Likelihood 4. Tanaka is in fine form these days and we need both him and Koya to set Abe loose in the box. While Kyoto are a handful in the attack, sometimes they throw everything into the attack and can be hit on the break. Quality runs in and around the box are going to be needed from the Ryukyu attackers and the set-up men need to pick their spots with lethal accuracy.

5. Prediction

FC Ryukyu own a 2-1 record against top six sides to date with Kyoto coming in at 1-1 against those same opponents. These sides are nearly even in every stat category and I for one would love to see this one end in a draw. I will predict that this one ends in a low scoring 1-1 draw. Season Record 5-2-4.

6. Round 12 in J2

Ryukyu versus Kyoto is the big match this round with (1) Albirex Niigata and (4) Jubilo Iwata each having favorable draws to keep the pressure on the those teams in the top 4. There are three other games with teams next to, or close, to each other inside the top half of the table with positional implications: (9) Fagiano Okayama hosting (6) FC Machida Zelvia; (7) Zweigen Kanazawa hosting (8) Mito Hollyhock; and (11) V-Varen Nagasaki welcoming in (10) Blaublitz Akita.

There will be no J2 game in the midweek as the J-League International YouTube channel will broadcast a Levain Cup match. However, Zweigen Kanazawa gets two games this month.

Click>>> J-League International YouTube Channel

7. Conclusion

This is a big month for the top three sides as all of them play the other two top teams twice. The team that comes out on top of these fixtures at the end of the month stands to put some serious distance between themselves and the other challengers. The time is now for Ryukyu to make a serious push for promotion.

Match Day 7 Recap: FC Mito Hollyhock vs FC Ryukyu 4/11/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu continued the hot start by winning their sixth game of the season 2-0 at FC Mito Hollyhock. The win keeps Ryukyu squarely in second place as well a pushes them six points clear of third place Kanazawa and Kyoto. It was also Ryukyu’s fourth clean sheet of the season, a total which took them until match day 27 last year to reach.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Match Day 7 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu GK Junto Taguchi: Taguchi was called upon early and often and did really well to keep Mito off the scoreboard. That is Junto’s fourth clean sheet this season, almost equaling his mark of 5 clean sheets from 2020.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Chinen wins the battle over Nakayama. Likelihood 4. I would have to say yes since Nakayama was kept off the score sheet. But there were some plays where Nakayama did get the better of Chinen. Nakayama had a clear chance on a breakaway in the first half but that was really about it.

2. Let it rip. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu had more shots on target this game than they had total shots from last week. Unfortunately Abe couldn’t get in on the scoring.

4. Prediction

Predicted a 2-1 win and it finished 2-0 in favor of Ryukyu. Notched another win. Season Record 4-1-2.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 7

1. Ryukyu have finally scored from a set piece. Koya was able to pick out Shintaro Shimizu on a corner kick in the 60^thminute for the opening goal. It was well placed by Koya and Shintaro did well to get to the cross and get his head to it. It wasn’t the best-looking header, as it came off the back of his head, but it was effective. It pays to stick your nose into traffic from time to time.

2. Tanaka is on fire. He once again grabbed an assist with a beautifully placed cross behind the Mito defenders, just in front of the Mito keeper, that Kiyotake was able to get on and push the score line to 2-0. This is the third time in as many games that we’ve seen Tanaka accurately pick out an attacking player and is a huge reason why Ryukyu sit second in the table.

3. Taguchi is playing his way into a J1 contract. He made some spectacular saves on Sunday when Ryukyu needed him the most. First there was the breakaway by Nakayama following a brutal Ryukyu turnover in the middle of the pitch. Then there was the save early in the second half where Taguchi parried the shot out of danger and then closed down the attacker on the ensuing rebound. If he keeps this up, which we all hope he can, he may garner the attention of some larger clubs in need of reinforcements between the sticks come August.

4. Ryukyu almost gave the game away with some of their missed chances. Coming into the game many of Mito’s former opponents missed several chances to score which allowed Mito to take control of games and see out some wins. It was looking if Ryukyu were going to follow suit after Abe missed a clear-cut chance in the first half where the Mito keeper made a nice (reactionary) save. Then Abe took a heavy first touch on a breakaway early in the second half that allowed the keeper to cut down the angle and prevent Abe from taking a shot on net. For their part, Mito missed at least three chances themselves by sending the shots off target.

5. We finally saw the return of Shunsuke Motegi. It was great to see Motegi out there and he looked spry for the first time in over a calendar year. He nearly scored in stoppage time when he out ran the defender and put a rocket shot on net that the Mito keeper simply threw his hands up in self defense to keep it out of the net.

6. Ryukyu were once again out shot, and out possessed. This is just their style of play this season but they were a little sloppy when in possession as there were some ugly turnovers and inaccurate passing. They need to tighten that up as stronger sides will punish them more severely than those teams farther down the table.

6. Match Day 7 in J2

Albirex Niigata was able to maintain their grip on the top slot after they defeated Montedio Yamagata on the road 2-0. Zweigen Kanazawa’s 1-0 loss to JEF United Chiba, coupled with a win by Kyoto Sanga FC, sees them level on points with Kyoto for 3rd place. Elsewhere, V-Varen Nagasaki continues to climb back up the table while the most entertaining game of the weekend occurred at Ehime who played to a spirited 2-2 draw with Fagiano Okayama.

7. Conclusion

And the beat goes on! We haven’t seen this brand of football out of Ryukyu since their title winning season of 2018. But there is still a long way to go before we can start patting each other on the back as Ryukyu have not won anything yet. They are keeping pace with leaders Niigata, and putting some distance between themselves and the field, but they must continue to beat teams through solid performances on the road like this past match. Next up for FC Ryukyu is a home match with Tokyo Verdy who come to Okinawa sporting a two game winning streak.

Match Day 5 Preview: (11) JEF United Chiba vs (2) FC Ryukyu 3/27/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu are off to a dream start in 2021 but much like 2019, JEF United Chiba will look to put a quick stop to Ryukyu’s momentum. I certainly did not see Ryukyu achieving four wins from four at the start of the season and was rather content when they had won three in a row to open the campaign. I think Ryukyu took advantage of a strong V-Varen Nagasaki side that are simply struggling to put all the pieces together at the moment but, Ryukyu also looked really good in doing so. However, JEF is another set of obstacles altogether as of all the teams in J2, JEF really has Ryukyu’s number.

Weather Forecast & Match Info
Match Day 4 Recaps
Team Previews
- JEF United Chiba
- FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Match Day 5 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

No complaints here. Looks like a lovely day for football.

Match Day Information from JEF United Chiba Website

2. Match Day 4 Recaps

Matsumoto Yamaga FC 0-1 JEF United Chiba

FC Ryukyu 3-1 V-Varen Nagasaki

3. Team Previews

JEF United Chiba: Where to begin? A team that has a long history? Yes. A team that has a recent history of success against FC Ryukyu? Yes. An organization and fan base with lofty expectations due to that lengthy history but always seem to fall short of expectations? Yes. Has JEF looked good in the 4 games leading up to this match? Not particularly. Can we say the same thing every time leading up to FC Ryukyu facing off with JEF, and yet Ryukyu still manage to lose? Unfortunately yes!

JEF are quite possibly the longest running joke in J2 for some of their past antics but whenever they play Ryukyu all of that is thrown out the window. A side by side comparison shows us that JEF owns roughly the same amount of possession in their past 4 games that Ryukyu’s opponents achieved (54%). However, FC Ryukyu are out shooting JEF by nearly 4 shots per game with at least 2 more of those shots being on target.

JEF has begun 2021 with one win, two draws and one loss under second year manager Jong-hwan Moon. When JEF opened the season at home against Kofu they displayed a bit of lackluster defending that allowed Kofu the freedom of movement and space to grab the early opener. JEF responded with a goal in the second half when Keita Buwanika rose high above the Kofu defense to bury a header. JEF then conceded a late PK but the goalie was able to stop the shot to keep the score line level. JEF were able to grab the early lead the following week at Ehime when defender Daisuke Suzuki sent a thunderous header past the Ehime keeper. But JEF allowed Ehime to hang around all game and once again the defense let them down when they needed them the most.

On match day 3 Blaublitz Akita came to Chiba and absolutely put it on JEF winning 2-0. JEF missed some chances during their counter attacks but they had no idea on how to break down the Akita defense despite the lopsided possession totals favoring JEF 71/39. JEF grabbed their first win of 2021 when they traveled to Matsumoto Yamaga FC by eking out a 1-0 victory in some rather poor conditions.

Averaging less than a goal a game, JEF are not a particularly strong team when you look at their results to date. They’ve only played one game this year when they had less than 50% possession but they are not doing much when they do have the ball. Against Ehime and Akita they were able to muster 10 total shots in each contest but were held to 5 against the stronger Kofu and Yamaga sides. JEF neither controls games or imposes their will on their opposition. They simply hope for breakthroughs to put themselves level or into the lead.

There is little doubt that JEF will want to start fast against Ryukyu by controlling a majority of the possession and chances, but this plays directly into Ryukyu’s strength as they are content on striking teams on the counter. And I am not sure JEF has the firepower to catch up to Ryukyu if they push the score line above 1 goal on Saturday.

FC Ryukyu: The Ryukyu match with Nagasaki was bittersweet. First, Ryukyu looked good allowing the game to come to them and hitting Nagasaki on the counter. Second, they defended well as a unit. But in the end, Ryukyu lost Abe to injury, and have no idea on his status, which could derail the momentum Ryukyu have built up in their first four games.

A lot of talk coming out of the club by the players and manager emphasize that they are not really focused on trying to control games with large amounts of possession like they did last year. Instead, Ryukyu are content on hitting their opponents with counter attacks. This is where Abe will be missed the most as his holdup play as an outlet valve for the team has been phenomenal this year. A lot of Ryukyu counterattacks started and ended with Abe. I am not sure who will step up in his place as he is not easily replaceable. Shintaro Shimizu is the likely candidate as he is the youngest of the 3 remaining strikers that Higuchi dresses each week. There is also an outside chance that Higuchi moves Ikeda into the FWD role but that would mean dressing a new midfielder for the first time all season. And Ryukyu do not have many choices at the moment.

Ramon is likely out a few more weeks while he deals with a soft tissue injury and Nakagawa may not be match fit yet. The only healthy options are Yu Tomidokoro or Shunsuke Motegi. But neither is a true CAM so I think Higuchi needs to stick with Ikeda at CAM and make the adjustment at FWD. There are the remote possibilities of of swapping Shimizu and Ikeda, bringing Tanaka up to RM – pushing Koya to CAM – and starting Makito Uheara at RB. But Higuchi could just as easily dress Hitomi if he thinks that neither Shintaro, Akamine, or Uehara can withstand the rigors of 60 minutes in the starting role.

Ryukyu should remain unchanged behind the front four with Uesato, Koki, Numata, Tanaka, Chinen, and Okazaki. These guys have been great at closing down shooting lanes, stifling the opposition’s attack, and will once again be called upon to do so with what may turn out to be a muted offensive performance by Ryukyu on Saturday. And yet, there are even more injuries that Ryukyu need to contend with.

Dany Carvajal recently went under the knife to repair some stress fractures to his lower leg and will be away from the team for 3-4 months. This means that Tsumita becomes the backup to Taguchi and I hope that he can push Taguchi the way Dany did in practice as we cannot afford for Taguchi to become complacent between the sticks when there are some winnable games on the horizon.

The JEF United Chiba game doesn’t represent a ‘must win’ game in the true sense. It is more for the Ryukyu psyche than anything. JEF are one of six teams – Iwata being the other but Ryukyu have already beat them this year – that FC Ryukyu have never defeated during their time in the J2. You’ve probably heard me say this on a few occasions, to include the fact that they have never scored a single goal against JEF in their entire history, and that is what makes this game so important to Ryukyu. Even more so when you consider that Higuchi’s goal for the season is 80 points for the club. While Ryukyu are a long way off from that total right now, and in spite of the fact of JEF sitting well below Ryukyu in the standings, any points earned in this game will fall squarely inside the Points Over Expectation Table.

It isn’t always about defeating an opponent that is stronger than you on paper that determines the strength of a side. Sometimes it is overcoming the mental hurdles and past failures that can make all the difference. And while that variable isn’t easily quantifiable, it is vitally important for Ryukyu’s overall success.

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. Slay the Dragon. Likelihood 4. It doesn’t matter how JEF have performed the past 4 rounds. It doesn’t matter how Ryukyu have performed the past 4 rounds. Prepare better than JEF. Execute better than JEF. Show the mental resolve to dig this one out. Overcome the challenges that have plagued us in the past and slay this beast once and for all.

5. Prediction

I do not expect Ryukyu to go out there and light up JEF, as they’ve never done that before despite JEF doing some pretty calamitous stuff throughout the years. Predicting a win in spite of the records is even bolder but that is what I am going to do as this isn’t the same team from 2019 or 2020. 1-0 in favor of FC Ryukyu. It won’t be pretty but it will be effective. Season Record 2-0-2.

6. Match Day 5 in J2

(3) Ventforet Kofu hosting (10) FC Machida Zelvia and (8) Montedio Yamagata against (9) Fagiano Okayama stand out as the two fixtures with the most top half, and promotion, implications this round. Not to be outdone, (4) Zweigen Kanazawa and (5) Blaublitz Akita, will look to continue their hot starts to 2021. This will be Akita’s first home game of the 2021 season and quite possibly their toughest fixture to date. Elsewhere there are some bottom of the table clashes that could have big impacts for these clubs late in the year.

No J2 action this weekend as the J-League International YouTube channel will broadcast a Levain Cup match between Tokushima Vortis and Oita Trinita.

YouTube Broadcast: Tokushima Vortis vs Oita Trinita

7. Conclusion

In 2019, it was JEF who ended Ryukyu’s unbeaten run of 6 games to open the season. Then they defeated Ryukyu to open the 2020 season. You know all the history between these two clubs. Well then…

Match Day 4 Report: FC Ryukyu vs V-Varen Nagasaki 3/20/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu have equaled their longest ever winning streak in J2 with their 4th win from 4 this past weekend. Ryukyu now sit second in the table, level on points, with Albirex Niigata and have looked a far better side than we’ve seen these past few seasons. The loss continues to add to the struggles of Nagasaki but I wouldn’t count this team out just yet as there is still 38 rounds to play.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Reviewing the Keys to Victory
Talking Points
Prediction
Match Day 4 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu Mid Fielders Ren Ikeda & Koya Kazama: It was to hard to chose either one so I will go with a joint man of the match for round 4. Ikeda opened the scoring on a spectacular one time volley, and then added his 3rd goal of the campaign which ultimately turned out to be the winner for FC Ryukyu. Ren was set up on both of his goals by Koya Kazama with the second assist being the best of the bunch. Koya received the ball deep in the Nagasaki box, and could have rightly tried a shot from that range but instead opted to send a pass all the way back through the box to the streaking Ikeda who buried the goal. These two could have made it a hat-trick in both departments if Ikeda had buried a wide open chance early in the first half.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Uesato/Koki/Ichimaru/Yu have to play one of their best defensive games of their life. Likelihood 2. The entire team played well under the Nagasaki pressure.

2. Be clinical in limited opportunities. Likelihood 4. And that they were. The only miss that stands out was the Koki Kazama shot that rocked the crossbar and would have put Ryukyu up by 2 goals early. But since Ryukyu have been saved a by the crossbar a few times this year, this stuff evens it out.

4. Talking Points

1. Doing more with less. FC Ryukyu were once again out possessed by their opponent but were able to bend, not break, when Nagasaki were attacking. Ryukyu needed to be clinical in their limited opportunities and they did just that. So far, Ryukyu have been playing a majority of their games this year with a lead so they haven’t been forced to chase a game which could possibly expose the back line. Though it needs to be said, Ryukyu have been very good at allowing the game to come to them instead of attempting to press.

2. There were a few nervy moments early on. Nagasaki’s attack was a little too narrow at the start and our central midfielders did really well to crowd out the top of the box when Nagasaki pushed deep into the Ryukyu end of the field. Nagasaki had two really good chances in the first half with one shot barely missing and the other being a wasted opportunity when Kato went at it alone instead of passing to one of the wide-open players on either side. The lone goal by Nagasaki came after Ryukyu had established a 3-goal advantage and there wasn’t much more Taguchi could have done as the ball bounced through a lot of traffic before Edigar Junio redirected it into the far corner. On that note, Junio made an immediate impact on the game when he came on in the second half.

3. The victory comes at a high price. Takuma Abe went down awkwardly in the 80^th minute when he went sliding in for a cross by Numata. Abe’s left knee dug into the turf which then made it look like his hip was either hyperextended or he did some sort of damage to his lower back. He was forced to crawl over the touch line before briefly returning to his feet to make his way to the stretcher. Abe was in serious discomfort and there is no telling what the exact injury is or how long he will be out until the club releases a statement. It is a big loss for this team since Abe adds more than just goals for the team. His hold up play has been excellent this year and a lot of scoring chances begin with Abe getting the ball to one of the midfielders in space. It will come down to either Shintaro Shimizu or Takuya Hitomi starting at FWD with the veterans Akamine and Uehara spelling either of those two. There is one other option. Ren Ikeda could move into the FWD role like he did last year when both Abe and Uehara were out injured but he is not the same player in that role as Abe and that would leave a void in our central midfield as there has been no sign of Nakagawa up to this point.

5. Prediction

I was way off with my 2-1 victory for Nagasaki. Do not mind that at all. Season Record 2-0-2.

6. Match Day 4 in J2

Ryukyu were not the only side with a shock win this round as SC Sagamihara earned their first ever win – while also scoring for the first time this season- when they defeated Omiya Ardija. Zweigen, Jubilo and Mito all thumped their opponents this round and Akita continues to pile up points in a strong opening act to their inaugural J2 season.

7. Conclusion

Heading into this round I said this would be a statement game for FC Ryukyu and they certainly answered the call. It is still to early to jump to any conclusions but the signs are encouraging. Ryukyu are facing a bit of an uphill battle when they travel to JEF United Chiba this week as it will likely be the first time where there are multiple changes to the starting 11 due to the Abe injury. While Nagasaki represented its own unique set of challenges for Ryukyu, JEF has a completely different set of obstacles to overcome. Ryukyu have never earned a single point off of JEF and they have yet to find the back of the net in the four games these teams have played. Heading into this match without your best forward is not ideal so we will now see how Ryukyu responds in the face of adversity.

Match Day 2 Report: FC Ryukyu 2-1 Renofa Yamaguchi FC 3/6/21 #FC琉球

Intro

Another miserable day weather wise, but a successful one as far as FC Ryukyu are concerned. The rain was once again unrelenting, but FC Ryukyu came out on top in front of the 1,100 fans who braved the elements on Saturday. FC Ryukyu now sit on max points near the top of the table, but also 5 points clear of the drop zone. The win was also significant as it is a 6 point swing over one of the teams tipped for relegation.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Talking Points
Prediction
Match Day 2 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Day 2 Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FWD Takuma Abe FC Ryukyu: Abe accounted for nearly half of the Ryukyu shots yesterday and was involved in both of the goals. It was his shot that required the Renofa keeper to parry it out of the corner and drop it right at the feet of Tanaka.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Better Mid-Field Play: Likelihood 4. We certainly had more possession, which in turn meant they created more chances to score. Some of the players are still working out the kinks, but I think the side showed improvement from one game to the next.

2. Get Abe Firing: Likelihood 4. He was firing yesterday, accounting for one of the Ryukyu goals, and nearly bagged two more. He missed a wide open chance early in the second half, one he usually scores, and then smashed another off the post. It’s good that he was involved early and often as we need Abe firing on all cylinders in a few weeks.

4. Match Day 2 Talking Points

1. A tale of two halves. FC Ryukyu were the better side in the first half as they walked into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Renofa, were far better in the second half and were rewarded with the lone goal. Ryukyu couldn’t find the finishing touch in the later stages of the game, something that also occurred last week, but were able to hang on for the win. The game itself ended in a near 50/50 split as far as possession, chances created, and shots.

2. Kiyotake & Koya made an impact yesterday. Both Koya and Kiyotake picked out Abe amongst the sea of bodies inside the Renofa 18-yard box, which directly contributed to both of Ryukyu’s goals. Koya had a chance to add to his earlier assist when he was alone on the right side of the box, but the shot came from a tight angle and was saved by the keeper. The signs are encouraging, but I still feel they lack the thrust through the middle that a player like Nakagawa can provide.

3. Renofa’s goal was a case of Tanaka getting his feet crossed underneath him. You can see from the highlights that he was slightly unsure of where to go on the play. Either put in a challenge, or mark the run of another attacker. That momentary hesitation allowed the Renofa player to get in behind Tanaka, receive the through ball, then pick out a wide open Renofa player making the run-on goal leaving Taguchi no chance at getting to the shot.

4. The lineup remained unchanged. Ryukyu dressed the four forwards once more, and like last week, used the same four substitutes. I would expect more of the same against Gunma.

5. FC Ryukyu scored first which makes it 6 games in a row that they’ve scored first against Renofa. They also scored inside the first minute for the second straight week. The goal also marks the fourth occasion that FC Ryukyu have scored against Renofa inside the opening 15 minutes of any game.

5. Prediction

Tipped this one to end 3-1 in favor of FC Ryukyu so I’ll give myself credit for getting close to the mark. Season record 1-0-1.

6. Match Day 2 in J2

A very low scoring weekend as there were only 19 total goals scored this round. Albirex took the top slot with their win over Nagasaki, with Akita earning their first ever J2 victory. Jubilo responded from their loss to Ryukyu by suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Zelvia. I think Giravanz committed another own-goal for the second game in a row, that made all the difference this past Saturday.

7. Conclusion

I spoke last week about wanting to track Ryukyu’s point total this year based on what I am calling “Points Over Expectation.” It is a completely subjective scaling system where I separate teams into two categories: Those that FC Ryukyu should beat, and those that they should not. The criteria includes, records against the opponent from the past two seasons, implied strength of the opponent (current position in the table and squad members) with home and away splits loosely factored in. The chart below will be included in each weekly Match Report for FC Ryukyu and has 3 categories.

1. Total points earned to date.

2. Points Over Expectation: This includes points earned from Wins and Draws against tougher opponents

3. Points Under Expectation: Tracks the points that were dropped due to Losses and Draws against perceived lesser opponents.

It is to early to get excited about promotion, but not to early to be concerned with relegation. You can say that Ryukyu are winning ugly, or that the team still has things to work out, but wins are wins, and oh so important at this part of the season.

While two wins from two is a great way to start the season, FC Ryukyu need to continue their fast start with a win over Thespakusatsu Gunma next round to put themselves in a great spot heading into a rough stretch of games featuring Nagasaki, Chiba and Omiya.

FC Ryukyu Squad Review Part 2: Midfield #FC琉球

Part 2 of this series will look at the FC Ryukyu midfield. Heading into 2020, midfield was considered the strongest positional group for this squad, and it didn’t disappoint as two of our best players, Yoshio Koizumi and Koya Kazama, highlight this section.

Yoshio Koizumi: There is no better place to start as Koizumi was hands down our best player in 2020. He was such an integral part of the attack, that his impending departure will seriously hurt this club for quite some time. Koizumi was a bit of an unknown heading into 2020 but quickly rose to prominence once given the opportunity to shine. His stats may not seem all that impressive when compared to fellow MF, Koya Kazama, but it was Yoshio’s contribution as a playmaker that really sets him apart from his teammates.

Koizumi possesses excellent balance, touch, and vision. He is strong in possession, creative, and can unlock any defense with his excellent passing. He also has quite a knack for goal as he finished third on the team with 6 goals. There are so many highlights of his passing that I cannot include them all. One of Koizumi’s best performances occurred against Tokyo Verdy when singlehandedly put on a clinic with 2 first half goals. It is a rarity that a club can have two excellent central attacking midfielders pass through their ranks in a short span of 3 seasons. But that is exactly what happened for FC Ryukyu with Koizumi and Kazuki Nakagawa. Koizumi is destined for greater things, and though it will be tough to see him leave, I look forward to seeing him ply his trade on a much greater stage.

Koya Kazama: Koya had a resurgent year after fully transferring to FC Ryukyu from FC Gifu this past offseason. Koya ended up leading FC Ryukyu in points with 10 goals and 6 assists. A majority of that scoring took place over a stretch of 2 games when he scored 3 goals and added 3 assists. But make no mistake, Koya was an integral part of the FC Ryukyu attack.

At the start of 2020, both he and Yu split time before Yu’s injury paved the way for a full-time role for Koya. Considering that he is three years younger than Yu, Koya should be starting at RM for the foreseeable future (hopefully). He is better in the attack than Yu, but he’s never asked to take freekicks like Yu. He may have the occasional rough patch from time to time, but he is veteran player that we need to keep.

Shuto Kawai: The fastest player in the squad lost a step this year when he suffered an early ankle injury. That injury resulted in a slow start for Kawai where he failed to register a point until match day 18. Though he didn’t have the breakaway speed that set him apart last year, Kawai still has an impressive burst and short distance speed to wreak havoc on defenses. Kawai scored 4 goals in 2020, of which two were of the winning kind. The screaming goal against Tokyo Verdy, and the one he snuck through and around the Mito defense, stand out as some of his best work. Kawai can set up so many goals with his speed by getting around the flanks of the oppositions defense which is evident by his 4 assists.

Ren Ikeda: Signed from Takushoku University this past offseason, Ren quickly found himself as the starting CAM behind Abe on opening day. That came to an end after the emergence of Koizumi in mid-July as Higuchi faced a similar problem as he did with both Koya and Yu. And that was, how can we get both Ren and Koizumi in the lineup at the same time? Ren made some occasional starts at CM with an injury to Koki, along with up top when both Abe and Uehara were out, but never looked comfortable making those adjustments. That resulted in Ren going through a dry spell of 28-games without a goal while seeing his playing time dwindle. He was able to snap that goalless streak on Match Day 40 and then went on to score in consecutive games for the first time all season.

I was never sure how a player would adjust to the J2 from the university level, but it didn’t seem to faze Ren. And is something FC Ryukyu should consider in this depressed income offseason with other signings. I don’t know where Ren fits in next year, barring numerous departures, as he is not the same type of player that Koizumi is, but many are not. He is likely to get another crack at the CAM role to open the year, but that will largely depend on the competition for the spot.

Kazumasa Uesato: The FC Ryukyu captain started, or dressed, in all 42 games for FC Ryukyu this year. A remarkable achievement for the 34-year-old Uesato who maintains a high fitness level. Often seen running laps after matches. Uesato serves a vital role for this team with his passing and defensive play in the central mid-field, but it is fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank. There is no doubt that FC Ryukyu are a better attacking unit when he is in the lineup, and he can still be called upon to take free kicks, but he is at the age where we could see him walk away, or be out right released. That is a harsh statement as he’s been quite good for the club the past two seasons, and we don’t really have an answer as far as who would replace him. It is just based on what I’ve seen from similar players in his situation around the J-League.

Koki Kazama: Koki missed roughly ¼ of the season due to injury but came back strong to finish the campaign. He pairs nicely with Uesato in the middle and it would be devastating to lose both of these players this offseason. Koki is not asked to score many goals, in fact, neither of the central midfielders are asked to do that. They are there to support the attack and cover the central defenders. However, Koki does take a fair number of free kicks, and he is quite good from the dead ball spot. If Koki departs, along with Uesato and Yu this offseason, Ryukyu will be hard pressed for free kick takers.

Mizuki Ichimaru: The lone summer transfer for the club featured in 28 games as both a starter and reserve. He only chipped in one assist but can play either role currently occupied by Uesato and Koki. @bloggamba and I had a conversion over Twitter where I said that the jury is still out on him as he never really impressed at all during his tenure at Ryukyu. @bloggamba replied, by stating that “Ichimaru was a highly rated player at Gamba, and can be good from the dead ball spot.” If that is truly the case, maybe another year at FC Ryukyu will finally unlock his potential. If we end up losing some of our players, we may be forced to put Ichimaru on free kicks.

Kazuki Yamaguchi: Brought in from Shonan Bellmare in the offseason, Yamaguchi was supposed to add the element of speed to the attack. Unfortunately, like so many of the players to round out this list, Yamaguchi suffered an injury midway through the season that derailed his season. He initially started down the right, but then bounced around between all 3 attacking midfield positions the rest of the year. If he is retained for 2021, it will be interesting to see if he battles it out with Ren for the #10 role, or takes over for Kawai if Shuto departs. I wouldn’t expect Yamaguchi to ever crack the double digits for goals, but he could have a role as speedy replacement playmaker late in games. His diminutive size puts him at a slight disadvantage, but it would be his speed and passing, if the latter develops, that could allow him to crack the lineup on a consistent basis.

Shunsuke Motegi: Motegi was one of the club’s biggest offseason signings when he joined from Mito this past winter. Many, including me, thought he would be lethal with Abe up top, as well as on set pieces. The lengthy layoff due to CV19 disrupted Motegi from getting into any consistent groove, and then to add insult to injury, Motegi himself caught CV-19 causing him to miss extensive time. Shunsuke only started three games after his return from CV19 in September, and was not on the bench the entire last month of the season. Something is not right with this situation, or his recovery. We saw Chinen return from his CV19 absence, but there must be some lingering affects from CV19 for Motegi that could jeopardize his playing career. That is a shame as he is a young talent, and certainly one FC Ryukyu will need to call upon in 2021.

Yu Tomidokoro: Yu only featured in 18 games before an injury ended his season. Yu started 7 games in 2020, at various midfield positions, but was clearly outplayed by some of the better midfield talent in the squad. He wasn’t even asked to take many free kicks, which as you may know, is his specialty. Yu is the longest tenured player at the club, and no one wants to see him leave. But Yu will have to fight extremely hard, at 30 years of age, to find his place in this squad next season.

Shinji Ono: Shinji made only one start for the club back in July, and it lasted all of 7 minutes before he picked up an injury that required 4 months to heal. He made substitute appearances throughout the season, but was never able to contribute anything meaningful in the form of goals or assists. There were a few close calls, but nothing every materialized. Failing to provide at least one assist was hard to watch as he still possess the vision and passing acumen to find open players, even when they aren’t quite open yet. Shinji may be more valuable to the locker room and training sessions than the actual pitch, so there is something to be said about keeping a player like him around for a few more seasons. Shinji made no mention of retirement, so I would expect him to return to this team in 2021.

Keep: Koya, Kawai, Yamaguchi, Koki, Ichimaru, Motegi, Yu, and Ikeda. I purposely left Koizumi off this list as he is likely to leave with the recent transfer rumors circulating around Japan. This situation is no different to the one FC Ryukyu faced last year with Uejo, so the only thing we should do is support Koizumi’s move, or celebrate his return. There is no one in this group that should be let go as FC Ryukyu require the depth and talent that these players offer.

If They Wish to Return: Uesato and Shinji. These are the two oldest members of the midfield corps, and as elder statesman of the league, it should be their choice as to whether they wish to return, or move on.

Catastrophic Failure: There is one scenario that I fear, and one that could very well come to fruition. And that is, we lose all three of Koizumi, Koya, and Kawai in the offseason. We already discussed Koizumi, but Koya played really well after a few shaky seasons, is still young, and has certainly caught the attention of other teams around J2 with his strong finish to 2020. Kawai was linked to a move away from FC Ryukyu in the early part of 2020, and he too could be lured away with a higher paying contract from another J2 team. This is an awful thought, and would absolutely cripple the FC Ryukyu attack, but it is not something we should take lightly.

****Update****

FC Ryukyu resigned defenders Tetsuya Chinen and Ryohei Okazaki on 12/22/20. They will also receive midfielder Ramon back from his loan spell at Gainare Tottori.

“Spoiler Alert” Match Day 42 Preview: Ventforet Kofu vs FC Ryukyu 11/24/2019

Intro

We have finally made it to the end. 42 match days compressed into 40 weeks of the J2 season. Reflecting back, it is hard to escape the fact that at one point I thought that the end, and safety from relegation, couldn’t come to soon enough. But now, I wish the season wouldn’t end. This is probably the case for every side not facing promotion or relegation and is the life I’ll need to adjust to for the foreseeable future.

The last match day of the 2019 season means the world to Kofu, yet very little more than a moral victory for FC Ryukyu. If you recall back on match day 19, it was Kofu that ended FC Ryukyu’s home undefeated streak. And they did so in very convincing fashion with a 5-2 victory. They say revenge is best served cold. Well, it will be cold in Kofu on Sunday and taking the wind out of the Kofu promotion sails would be oh so rewarding.

Kofu Weather

Hard to tell. My app says decent temperatures with rain while others say really cold. I’m going, so I’m dressing warm and couldn’t care less about the conditions. Let’s get it on!

Previous Meeting: Match Day 19 06/22/19 FC Ryukyu 2-5 Ventforet Kofu

FC Ryukyu stormed out to a 2 goal lead before Kofu came barnstorming back. Kofu pegged a goal back just before halftime and it was all they needed to begin the comeback. A Kofu goal just after the start of the second half was followed up by a Utaka goal 6 minutes later and then a 4th 7 minutes after that. Kofu added an injury time goal to push the score to 5-2 and the 36 game home-unbeaten streak ended with not much more than a thud.

Ventforet Kofu

A win and they are in the promotion playoffs. Anything less and they may need some help. This side has the fire power, the defense and the determination to make life hell for FC Ryukyu on Sunday and could very easily walk all over us and straight into the playoff rounds. This Kofu side thrives on the counter attacks and they almost beg the opposition to break themselves against a very stingy defense by forcing their opponent to throw everything they have at a side that has surrendered the 5^th fewest goals in all of J2.

Let’s be clear, this Kofu side isn’t invincible but it is the type of squad that has absolutely steam rolled FC Ryukyu in the run in of the J2 season. Kashiwa, Kyoto, Omiya, Vortis and even Verdy have absolutely destroyed FC Ryukyu and left for them for dead. So, let’s look at Kofu’s last few games and see if we can uncover any cracks.

Record over 5 games 3W1D1L, while going L-D-W-W-W in order. Tokyo Verdy absolutely took it to Kofu and probably frustrated them at every turn during their game. Damn DAZN doesn’t have highlights over 4 games old so all I had was YouTube but that was plenty. That recipe for disaster for Kofu was on full display and I hope FC Ryukyu took note and can repeat what Verdy did that day.

Kofu escaped with a draw against Kagoshima the following week when one of their players, #4 Yamamoto, made an insanely stupid challenge and was rightfully sent off with a straight red card. Kofu had an absolute gem of a goal by #25 Mori, but were pegged back after the R/C. Kagoshima had their chances but never capitalized and so the game ended 1-1.

Kofu went on to win 3 straight games against Kyoto, Fukuoka and FC Gifu. Against Kyoto they scored in the 81^st minute on a counter and then saved a PK shortly thereafter. The easily brushed aside Fukuoka and Gifu by a margin of 2 goals in each game.

I said we would look for cracks and there are a few but I’ll save them for the keys to victory.

FC Ryukyu

Undefeated in their past 6 road games, FC Ryukyu stroll into Kofu with only one thing on their mind, revenge. There is nothing else at stake for FC Ryukyu as they cannot move any higher in the table, barring an 8-goal swing between FC Ryukyu and Tokyo Verdy, and promotion/relegation is off the table. Therefore, all that is left is revenge. Revenge for the 5-2 dismantling at home the last time these 2 teams met.

Though FC Ryukyu are undefeated in their past 6 road games, the home record tells a different story and one that cannot be discredited headed into the final match day of 2019. Blown apart for 3 straight losses with a massive goal differential, the road-shockingly-has become the “safe place” for FC Ryukyu at the end of the season.

FC Ryukyu will face their toughest test away from home since the Tokushima match where they lost 6-1. Kofu are a formidable side that has surrendered only half of the total amount of goals FC Ryukyu have all year. They have speed and pace and Kofu will press our back-line into making foolish decisions and rash challenges. FC Ryukyu do have one advantage though, and that is they don’t have to play with any pressure whereas Kofu have it all to do on Sunday as they need a win. A draw may see them slip out of the top 6 and miss the playoffs all together\ so they will be gunning for a win.

FC Ryukyu should see the return of Uejo to the lineup and this is extremely important heading into the final match day. I think Uehara’s height and skill up top combined with Uejo’s knack for scoring goals, Kawai’s speed and Koya’s maturity, could prove to be the difference. I am on the fence on whether or not a return to the lineup of Nishioka will improve the defending as Song Sun’s speed may help to counter the Kofu counter attacks. Unfortunately, Song Sun cannot match the strength of Utaka but his only purpose should be to prevent Utaka from breaking free on the FC Ryukyu net.

Player Injuries

Ventforet Kofu: FW #10 Dudu. Torn hamstring for one of the leading scorers for Kofu but he hasn’t featured for them in over 2 months. No timeline for his return and it would be a surprise to see him out there this weekend.

FC Ryukyu: Nishioka’s injury situation is muddled as he is well past the 3-week mark for return so we’ll once again have to wait about 2 hours prior to kickoff to see what lineup Higuchi has chosen and who has made the reserves.

Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Play within in yourselves. This is surely going to be a charged atmosphere around the stadium as many of the Kofu faithful are fully expecting a win and berth into the playoffs. This means there is going to be a rather large crowd on hand despite the calls for inclement weather. FC Ryukyu would do well to play relaxed, don’t force passes into tight windows with low probability of success that can start a Kofu counter and most importantly, do not chase the game. Allow the opportunities to come to them through the actions of their opponent trying to crack the game open.

2. Frustrate Kofu and make them deal with the mounting pressure of trying to score. There are times in sports where you can see frustration all over the faces of the players on the superior side when having little success against a lesser opponent. Every missed shot, errant pass and giveaway tomorrow will draw looks of frustration and anger from the Kofu players as many expect them to completely wipe the floor with FC Ryukyu. The longer the game draws on where these two teams are tied, or even in the unlikeliest of situations where Kofu is trailing, will only increase the tension and pressure on Kofu team and make it very hard to score.

3. Park the Bus. An absolute cowardly and cheap way for lesser sides to earn points against stronger opponents. But not so fast, there is a compelling reason for this notion. Kofu are excellent on the counter and are set up well to run into yards of free space on the breaks, but they lack creativity when attempting to break down sides with numerous defenders in the area. So that means the FC Ryukyu defense, and it’s defending mid-fielders, should not push so deep into the attack. Defend, delay and wait for reinforcements to arrive that can support our back line. Trust me, FC Ryukyu has plenty of speed to hit back at Kofu on the counter and score a goal of their own.

4. Need to score. You could file this in the “no kidding” column but Kofu’s goal keeper, Kawata, has been outstanding as of late and has made some spectacular saves these past few weeks. Weak shots will not test this keeper. FC Ryukyu will need Uehara and Uejo to be in top form on Sunday if they are to have nay chance of ruining Kofu’s promotion aspirations.

Match Day 42 Prediction

Kofu has it all to do and can light up the scoreboard with the best of them. Knowing the massive uphill battle FC Ryukyu face on Sunday, I’d leave Kofu a happy man having been able to celebrate a single goal by FC Ryukyu. 4-1 Kofu.

Important Fixtures around J2 on Match Day 42

Kashiwa Reysol have already won the J2 title so that just leaves the battles for the second automatic promotion position, the remaining 3 spots for the promotion playoffs and of course, the final relegation slot. Plenty of drama on the final match day and that makes this weekend really great for the neutral fan.

Omiya have the much tougher draw facing a tougher opponent on the road. Two consecutive draws against Tochigi and Niigata have seen Omiya drop out of the number 2 spot and these two sides drew 0-0 the last time they met. Yokohama FC are undefeated in their last 4 matches and haven’t lost at home in 8 games. Ehime FC haven’t won on the road in over 3 months and haven’t earned a point on the road in over a month and a half.

There is a lot to unpack for the 5 teams jockeying for the final 3 playoff spots. Yamagata, Tokushima and Kofu all have the favorable draws at home against lesser opponents. Kyoto requires Kashiwa to be in cruise control and not really care about a result while also needing help from FC Ryukyu. Mito need the most help and face the toughest draw when they welcome Okayama, the team directly below them in the standings, this weekend.

Kagoshima haven’t won on the road since late August but do have 2 draws during that time. Fukuoka have lost 3 straight, but have won 2 out of their previous 3 at home recently. Tochigi SC have earned 9 points from their past 7 games but they are undefeated in their last 3 games (2 wins and draw). The most recent win came on the road against Nagasaki. JEF have only won 3 games since August but two of them were at home. They are undefeated in their last two home games (1 win and 1 draw). Machida are in real trouble as they face the toughest opponent, who themselves, is looking to lock in their playoff seed.

Match Day Information

Conclusion

We have come to the end of the 2019 season. It has been a great season for the club considering both their successes and failures. They faced several uphill battles; smallest operating budget in J2, terrible weather at a majority of their home games and of course, the transferring of several talented players out of the club. We should all take a moment on Sunday to celebrate these men and their achievements regardless of the outcome against Kofu.

There is no doubt that Kofu are a much stronger side looking to book their ticket at a chance of playing J1 football in 2020. It reminds me of the time when FC Ryukyu wanted to win the J3 championship at home against Thespakusatsu Gunma. We all know how that ended and FC Ryukyu wouldn’t be denied that day. We may see that exact same scenario this Sunday.

Regardless, I am not there in Kofu needing a win by FC Ryukyu, rather, I am there to send the boys off this season and thank them for a wonderful year full of great memories. I implore all that read this or retweet this to come to Kofu on Sunday – despite the terrible weather forecast- and enjoy the 2019 FC Ryukyu side one last time. Chances are we will not see some of these players in 2020 and they deserve the very best from their supporters.

Good Luck to FC Ryukyu, save travels for anyone making the journey and most importantly; let’s have that magical feeling we all experienced in Omiya one more time!

“Green with Envy” Match Day 36 Report: FC Ryukyu 1-5 Tokyo Verdy 10/12/2019

Intro

Not the sort of performance you were hoping for coming off of 5 games unbeaten by FC Ryukyu but nonetheless, the side suffered another heavy defeat, this time in front of the home crowd of 4,800 on Saturday. The loss, while infuriating, does not put FC Ryukyu in any worse of position than they started match day 36. While that may sound encouraging, it seems the team took a big step backwards on Saturday night with that performance and I hope its simply a one-off rather than indicative of future performances.

Match Recap

When you are pasted 5-1 at home there is not much to report on, however, I am sure it was enjoyable for both the neutral and casual football fan with all those goals. The overall sense I gleaned form the match was that FC Ryukyu were not able to capitalize on their opportunities whereas Tokyo Verdy did just that. Verdy’s first goal came in the 25^th minute of the first half but FC Ryukyu had lenty chances of their own and were never outmatched by the Verdy defense. Again, it was just poor finishing in front of goal that sunk this side on Saturday. Yu flashed just high of the goal and then in typical fashion of matches like this one, Verdy hit us on a counter for a 2-0 lead.

Most of Verdy’s goals this past Saturday followed a very distinct pattern. Verdy were able to pull apart our defense with quick, accurate passes back across the pitch to change the direction of attack. FC Ryukyu could simply not recover in time to defend against the open attacker which lead to wide open looks on net. The second Verdy goal saw Torikai getting caught flat footed on a run by a Verdy attacker followed with a long over the top ball that Koike was able to get underneath and rip past our defense for a breakaway on Dany. The second Verdy goal was followed in quick succession by a 3^rd when once again, the Ryukyu defense was caught out and though Dany may have done better to get a hand to it and deflect it away from goal, the ball went slightly underneath his arm and into the bottom left corner of goal.

FC Ryukyu came out strong to start the second half and Uejo scored one of the goals of the year from a shot from distance. It was the type of shot that left the Verdy Goal Keeper completely stunned and immobilized as he assumed it was going high over the bar. Instead, the ball had so much dip on it, it went over the keeper and just inside the cross bar where it bounced off the crossbar and into the bottom of the net. Simply amazing. Uejo also had another opportunity from distance that tested the Verdy keeper and he made an awkward save on it to basically chest it out of bounds so I assume there was some swerve and dip on that shot from Uejo as well.

While that gave a flicker of hope for the home crowd, that flame was extinguished very quickly by a Verdy goal 4 minutes later on a counter attack and the fifth in the 69^th minute. The match ended 5-1 and there isn’t much more to recap.

Starting Lineups & Subs for Match Day 36. Courtesy of the J League website.

Lots of red on the right (wrong!) side. Courtesy of the J League website.

Man of the Match

#19 MF Junki Kokie of Tokyo Verdy. Bagged a hat-trick and was devastating to the Ryukyu defense.

Review of FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory for Match Day 36

1. Score from Corner Kicks. FAIL. Obviously since our only goal was from the open run of play by Uejo. However, FC Ryukyu looked better on corner kicks with deliveries from both Koya and Shinji. Their delivery is far better than I have seen on these normal set pieces and hopefully FC Ryukyu will be able to grab a goal or two from a CK in the near future.

2. Hammer Verdy on the Counter Attack. PASS. Uejo’s goal began with a Verdy giveaway in their end and FC Ryukyu were able to hit them on the break. The irony is, Verdy were more aggressive and more lethal in their counter attacks all night.

Match Day 36 Prediction

Of course, predict a FC Ryukyu 2-1 victory and get rewarded with a 5-1 drubbing.

Match Day 36 Takeaways

1. The defensive performance was particularly poor on Saturday and watching Verdy pull us apart on what seemed to be “training ground practice stuff” was hard to watch. Ryukyu defenders were often caught flat footed and Verdy were able to exploit that with deep runs past our defenders and onto long over the top balls. Ryukyu didn’t have the speed to match Verdy and this resulted in several breakaways and free looks on net. Also, the Ryukyu defenders would pinch in and leave our flanks exposed to runs, passes and crosses. Verdy showed the rest of the league how to quickly and repeatedly unlock our defense so this needs to be addressed in the near term before we see out the season with 6 straight losses.

2. Tokumotu did his bet, the combo of Pariaba and Klebinho were too much for one man to handle. In fact, he wasn’t getting much help over the top. It was a good battle to watch but we need some better defending from our mid fielders.

Match Day 36 around J2

The typhoon forced some matches to be abandoned or rescheduled and there were some interesting results this past extended match day 36 weekend.

*Still a ton to play for the top 9 sides in the table. Courtesy of J League website.*

Coming down to a photo finish at the bottom. Courtesy of J League website.

Conclusion

Best to erase this loss from everyone’s memory and move on. FC Ryukyu have 2 home game remaining against Omiya and Kyoto and hopefully we’ll be able to celebrate this sides one last time at home with a win but it looks like a long shot at this point. However, we could, and should, be celebrating some FC Ryukyu road wins the remainder of the campaign. FC Ryukyu are on the road this Sunday against Tochigi SC in a very winnable game that would once again seal safety for the boys.

“Lordy, Lordy, Look who’s at 40!” Match Day 35 Report: Avispa Fukuoka 0-1 FC Ryukyu 10/5/2019

Intro

It took 217 days and 2 hours but FC Ryukyu have finally won their second road game this season. FC Ryukyu sealed the win via a 90^th minute goal by none other than Uehara. Uehara has scored some huge goals for the club this campaign, and his latest helped put to bed one of the longest winless runs by any J2 side away from home this season. However, the job isn’t done and FC Ryukyu need to see out the upcoming fixtures to guarantee their safety.

Match Recap

FC Ryukyu came out quickly and controlled a majority of the play in the opening 20 minutes of the first half. The only problem was the FC Ryukyu attack couldn’t break down the Avispa back line and often our attacks would stall out near the top of the 18-yard box. Then the momentum swung in the direction of Fukuoka beginning in the 23^rd minute.

Fukuoka really enjoyed acres of space with plenty of time down our right side, their left and had four attempts from there within 7 or 8 minutes. They nearly opened the scoring had it not been for the cross being slightly behind the Fukuoka attacker, who was alone on goal. The give-and-go passes Fukuoka were executing in this stretch really opened up the shooting lanes and Ryukyu were lucky that the shots were either miss hit or off target. Fukuoka were also a bit lucky in this half to not have a player sent off.

Their forward #9, Yang Donghyen was lucky not be carded after a heated exchange with the referee. Yang was lucky the referee showed tremendous restraint because technically this infraction warranted a yellow card. Yang was also involved in a horribly timed challenge in the opening minutes that should’ve seen his first yellow card. Regardless, the game proceeded on and Dany Carvajal was called into action to maintain the 0-0 score line.

Dany made 2 really nice saves within a span of 2 minutes to keep the score level. The first save included a save from the initial shot and then recovery to collect a deflection that was heading in for an own goal. The second, was one of his best this season when Fukuoka once again had a free look on net and despite Dany diving in the opposite direction, he got an arm to the shot to deflect it out of bounds for a corner kick. The half would end 0-0 thanks to this man.

Much how the first half ended with Fukuoka on the front foot, the second half started the same way. Tokumoto had a great opportunity to put FC Ryukyu in front when he was left wide open down the left side and alone in the box with only the keeper to beat in the 61st minute. It seems Tokumoto opted for power over placement with the shot and the hard struck ball went straight into the side netting. Though Ryukyu failed to score at that moment, it resulted in a shift of momentum back in Ryukyu’s direction.

The introduction of Koizumi quickly saw an uptick in chances for Ryukyu. Ryukyu were flashing in front of goal but couldn’t get anything on net or past Serantes, who had already made a tremendous first half save on Koya. Uejo was fouled inside the box but a call by ref never came so the game headed into the last 10 minutes plus stoppage time.

Right after Uehara came on in the 80th minute, Yamada had a free look on net from the left side. However, his shot, much like Tokumoto’s, missed and the score remained level. It wasn’t until the 89^th minute when a Fukuoka player mishandled a clearance with his hand leading to an FC Ryukyu free kick deep in Fukuoka territory.

The free kick was unspectacular but when Fukuoka attempted to clear it from danger, it fell to Kazama who recycled the ball back into the box where there players from both sides everywhere. After the ball took a few deflections, it landed at the feet of Uehara who was alone near the 6-yard box and sent a low screamer to the bottom right corner of the Avispa goal past the diving Serantes. Ryukyu would now need to see out the remaining stoppage time in order to achieve their first victory on the road in well over 7 months. Luckily there was only 3 nervy minutes of stoppage time though Fukuoka never really threatened the Ryukyu goal and then bedlam ensued, at least from where I was watching the match.

Man of the Match

Dany Carvajal GK FC Ryukyu. Dany recorded his second shutout in consecutive weeks and was one of the main reasons why FC Ryukyu were able to walk away from Fukuoka with all 3 points. There were 2 highlight reel saves that everyone should watch for validation of Dany’s performance on Saturday.

Review of the FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory

1. Exploit Avispa’s weakness at defending passes emanating from our deep lying MF. FAIL. FC Ryukyu attempted only a handful of these and none were on the mark. Avispa really packed it in at the back and made life difficult for the FC Ryukyu attack.

2. Pressure the Avispa back line with quick passes. FAIL. FC Ryukyu just couldn’t unlock the stingy Avispa defense on Saturday. The Ryukyu attack would often become to narrow and bog down near the top of the box. There were too many attempts at dribbling through the defenders instead of passing around them this past week.

3. Finish off drives with goals. FAIL/PASS. FC Ryukyu were never really able to finish off drives due to the fact that they only had 3 opportunities in front of the Avispa goal. The lone goal came from a recycled set piece near then end of the match.

4. Defend against Fukouka’s tendency to attack down their right side, FC Ryukyu’s left side. PASS. But only because Fukuoka found fertile hunting grounds down the left side of the Ryukyu defense. All of Fukuoka’s quality chances started down our left and you could see Fukuoka attempting to send a long cross into the box with the intent of having the striker head it back across goal or back out to waiting attacker in 6/18-yard box. Luckily for FC Ryukyu, Fukuoka were never able to capitalize on any of these attempts.

Match Day Prediction

I predicted 1-1 and was once again proven wrong. However, Fukuoka had their opportunities and nearly got on the score sheet on Saturday but all we care about is the 3 points.

Match Day 35 Takeaways

1. A Win, finally! This was a huge boost to the clubs hopes of staying in the J2 for next season and it has put some serious pressure on the teams below them in the bottom 3. It was nice to see Ryukyu break a ridiculously long win-less streak on the road and hopefully this will propel them throughout the rest of the season.

2. FC Ryukyu may have lost Shinji Ono to an ankle injury after the mid-fielder picked up a knock on his ankle late in the first half. The injury was severe enough to warrant a half time substitution by Higuchi and Shinji was seen with a large ice bag taped to his ankle on the bench.

3. It seems Highuchi is content with bringing on Kazama for Shinji and Uehara for one of the FC Ryukyu attackers in recent matches. And why not, as it has proven fruitful. This means FC Ryukyu only have 1 opportunity per game, to bring on an attacking player such as Kawai, Ramon – if match fit- or even Koizumi. It also means that FC Ryukyu cannot get a good look at their younger players with such limited opportunities late in games. At some point, FC Ryukyu will be safe from relegation and need to start seeing what they have in the reserves for the 2020 season because this will greatly influence their approach to transfers this off-season. Personally, I’d like to see what the attacking line of Uejo, Kawai, Koizumi and Koya could produce before 2 of those players return home. I think we can all assume with a great deal of confidence, that FC Ryukyu are likely to lose Uejo to a J1 or larger club this off-season and therefore, the club really needs to take a hard look at their prospects with the remaining games this season.

Match Day 35 around the J2 League

About 10 teams still vying for promotion to J1 with 7 matches remaining. From the J League website.

Different story down at the bottom with FC Gifu in real trouble, Tochigi looking to drag Kagoshima down, who, are trying to avoid relegation in their first J2 season. J League website.

Conclusion

It felt really good to watch FC Ryukyu finally earn all 3 points on the road. The experience was made even more memorable, as I was able to watch the match in the company of several FC Ryukyu fans at a public viewing party. I have attended a couple of these events throughout the season, along with some away matches, and they have felt more like funerals vice a party atmosphere. But all of that is in the past and FC Ryukyu sit at 40 points with a chance to end the season on a high note. Though we sit 10 points shy of the halfway mark in the table (11th place), it is not out of the realm of possibilities for FC Ryukyu to claw their way back up to the top half of the table. There is no doubt that the club have generated some serious momentum following a run of 5 games unbeaten and with a little more luck, we could find ourselves in a part of the table that we haven’t seen for some time.

“Pest Control” Match Day 35 Preview: Avispa Fukuoka vs FC Ryukyu 10/5/2019

Intro

Avispa Fukuoka and FC Ryukyu square off this weekend in a crucial, 6-point relegation match at the bottom of the J2 table. It was FC Ryukyu who got the better of Avispa the last time these two teams met when they opened the J2 season in February. But this is a very different FC Ryukyu team who is traveling for the second week in a row and who has yet to earn a win on the road in quite some time.

Fukuoka’s lineup from that opening fixture has remained largely intact with the exception of an occasional injury or player being dropping to the bench. Whereas Ryukyu have made 5 changes to the starting lineup that bested Fukuoka 3-1 to start the season. Avispa enter match day 35 having secured 7 points from their previous 5 fixtures with FC Ryukyu bringing a 4-game unbeaten streak to the Kyushu prefecture. Only 2 points, and 2 positions in the table separate these two sides so this is going to be a massive bottom of the table tilt on Saturday.

Weather Forecast

The weather looks great with little prospect of rain.

Avispa Fukuoka

Avispa went 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses over the course of their last five fixtures. Their win against Ehime FC was quite impressive and seemed to be sparked by a spectacular save by their foreign goal keeper Serantes. Fukuoka scored 3 of the best goals I saw from them in the review and looked like a team that was getting ready to storm back up the table and out of the relegation scrap. However, they followed the Ehime victory with a 1-0 loss to Nagasaki. In a game where Fukuoka had a majority of chances, Nagasaki caught the Avispa back line napping with a surgical pass to Hirota Goya who scored his 18^th goal of the season.

Fukuoka rebounded nicely to win 1-0 on the road against another opponent seeking to get out of the relegation zone, Tochigi SC. Fukuoka where then lucky to earn a late draw against Okayama after on-loan FC Ryukyu defender, Masutani, fouled a Fukuoka attacker in the box and gave Avispa a PK to tie the match. Avispa’s most recent match against Renofa Yamaguchi ended 2-0 in favor of Renofa despite another highlight reel save by Serantes.

On paper and on film, FC Ryukyu and Avispa Fukuoka look like two very similar teams. Each have a strong goal keeper and both have questions in defense. Both teams can score some beautiful goals while also suffering through patches of goalless games and little creativity. Fukuoka, like FC Ryukyu, are prone to some mental mistakes with the occasional lapse of concentration at the back that can allow opponents to get on the front foot. The only real difference I see between the sides is that while FC Ryukyu have suffered some heavy defeats with score lines of +4 goals conceded, Fukuoka have not. However, Fukuoka have been shut out in many more matches this season than FC Ryukyu.

FC Ryukyu

FC Ryukyu are in the midst of their longest winning streak since the one they opened the season with that included 4 straight wins and 2 draws. Unbeaten in 4 and looking to separate themselves from the bottom 4, FC Ryukyu are desperate for a positive result on the road this weekend. It is no secret that FC Ryukyu own one of the worst, if not the worst, road records in J2 this season. 1 win, 5 draws, 8 points out of a possible 48 and no wins since match day 2 way back in March. Despite all of that, things are looking up for FC Ryukyu on the road.

FC Ryukyu have drawn their last 2 matches on the road that includes a come from behind draw at Kanazawa. While we all would’ve loved to see FC Ryukyu take all 3 points last week at 19^th placed Zelvia, an improvement in the road form is a welcoming sign heading into the last 2 months of the season. Keep in mind that FC Ryukyu play only 3 out of the final 8 matches at home so road points are massive. One reason for the new found success should be attributed to the change in the FC Ryukyu lineup. Shinji’s presence in the deep lying mid field, coupled with the presence of Koya Kazama in the attack, has provided the much-needed structure Ryukyu were missing during their rough stretch of games this summer. With that said, FC Ryukyu will need both of these players, along with Uejo, Koizumi, Kawai and Ramon, to be firing on all cylinders this weekend to secure all 3 points.

Injuries/Suspensions

Avispa Fukuoka will be with out #16 MF, Ishizu Daisuke this weekend as he tore his Right ACL back in early July. I do not know of any suspended players for Fukuoka this weekend.

FC Ryukyu are reporting no injuries or suspensions this week.

FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory

1. Exploit Avispa’s weakness at defending passes that emanate from the deep lying Mid Fielders. A majority of the goals I witnessed Fukuka concede for this review were of this nature. This was also a strength of FC Ryukyu against Renofa and Kanazawa but one which they failed to employ successfully against Zelvia. Shinji, Yu, Uesato, Koya and even Tokumoto and Torikai can all unlock the Fukuoka defense with precision passing through the central defense of Avispa.

2. Pressure the Fukuoka back line with quick passes in and around the top of the box. Avispa seem very disorganized at the back and often get caught ball watching. This often leads to opposing attackers being left alone and unmarked in the 18-yard box. This sets up well for the Ryukyu if they make quality runs and can find the open spaces between the Fukuoka defenders.

3. Finish off drives. Fukuoka have one of the best goal keepers in J2 in Serantes. The goal keepers’ performance this season is a large reason why Fukuoka are not farther down the table. Ryukyu will need to be clinical in front of goal even if they get behind the Fukuoka defense as this man has proven to be a stalwart in net.

4. Defend against Fukuoka’s tendency to attack down their right side. A majority of the attacks for Avispa in the 5 matches I watched were down the right side. The play that worked the best seemed to be the one where; their RWB would cross a pass over the immediate defender and CB; thus leaving the remaining CB to cover the run of the Fukuoka striker; and leave a slight gap at the top of the box for the CAM to pick up the ball and have a free look on net. Knowing that, it would require Uesato or Ono to track back and cover the top of the box to prevent any dangerous shots on net.

Match Prediction

I feel another 1-1 draw is on the horizon.

Interesting Facts

J2 Match Day 35 Fixtures of Note

Conclusion

These two evenly matched sides are producing some solid results in the short term that should help their long term prospects of staying in the J2 for 2020. Avispa are no slouches and could easily run the score up on Ryukyu tomorrow if the Okinawa side starts slow and never gets going.

However, a win is close to coming and it will feel like such a relief for this side when it does. But the sooner the better. Starting last week against Machida, FC Ryukyu’s next 4 road fixtures include; Avispa, Tochigi, Yamaguchi and Ehime. Certainly, a win can be found in there somewhere along with enough points to reach safety if FC Ryukyu can maintain their current form. Safe travels for all the FC Ryukyu fans heading to Fukuoka this Saturday and good luck to the boys.