There are plenty of questions, and even more concerns, for FC Ryukyu heading into the match this week against Matsumoto Yamaga. Sitting just four points off the lead, FC Ryukyu have only won one game in their past five, two in their last eight. Ryukyu are slowly slipping out of contention and need a bounce back win against Yamaga, a team they lost to just a couple of weeks ago in the Emperors Cup. For Yamaga, it is the almost the same as they’ve only managed one win their last eight league games, but that was almost two months ago. If anything, Ryukyu seem ripe for the picking against a side eager to climb out of the relegation battle.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu
Matsumoto Yamaga F.C.
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 20 in J2
Conclusion
1.Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu
This match will be played behind closed doors and it is highly likely, barring a lifting of the state of emergency here in Okinawa, that Ryukyu’s next home game on July 11th will also be played behind closed doors. Weather forecast seems inline with most of the games we play down here.
FC Ryukyu: My how the mighty have fallen. Ryukyu were on a torrid pace to open the season, and are still technically in the hunt for promotion, but the season has been derailed by injury and some lackluster performances as of late. Ryukyu are now going to be without Ren Ikeda for 10-12 weeks as he recovers from a fractured hip he suffered against Giravanz Kitakyushu in Round 18 when he went up for a challenge and landed hard on the fall. Add his name to the ever growing list of players who will be sidelined multiple months for FC Ryukyu. Are we the hardest hit team with injuries this season? Maybe not.
Let me just say, I really don’t know where this team is headed. We’ve hoped to elicit a positive response in the face off all this adversity but it comes in fits and spurts and not on a consistent basis. If Ryukyu can win the game this week it will leave them with a 4-3-3 record over their past 10 games compared to 8-1-1 in their opening 10 games. The midseason dip every year is a real thing down here. Part of it can be chalked up to injury, but not at all of it. We saw the same thing happen in 2019, though we weren’t battling for promotion then, which forced Ryukyu into the transfer market for reinforcements. That did result in picking up Koya Kazama and I hope that we can be that lucky if need to go that route this year.
Which once again begs the question; is it finally time to deploy Kazaki Nakagawa? I thought at the start of the season that Ikeda and Kazaki would be pushing each other for playing time in the central attacking midfield role but Ikeda seemed to have won the job outright with Nakagawa only making one appearance for the club this season. Last week we saw Shintaro Shimizu move along side Abe up top in a 4-4-2, and those two looked good up there together despite the lack of goals, so we should expect more of the same this week. Hopefully Ryukyu has worked out the kinks in this new formation with a full week of practice, and if not, will we finally see Nakagawa at least make the bench?
Matsumoto Yamaga FC: I’ll start out with the fact that Yamaga have scored 2 goals in their last 5 league games while conceding 12 in that same span. They lost four games in a row before eking out a 0-0 draw with Omiya Ardija last week. They’ve only scored 4 goals on the road all season, though 3 have come in their last 5 road matches, and have only 1 road win on the year. And they’ve conceded 15 goals both at home and on the road. Those kind of stats would normally make me extremely confident that Ryukyu could walk all over this side, but not anymore.
Matsumoto changed their lineup, and their goal keeper, at least three different times their last five games. After a 3-0 defeat to Tochigi, which could’ve been worse, they changed to a 3-5-2 and swapped out Murayama for Kakoi in net. The result was another three goals conceded to Fagiano Okayama. They kept the same formation, and set of players, for the Zelvia match the following week and that was an unmitigated disaster ending in a 5-1 defeat where Matsumoto had a player sent off early on.
Yamaga opted to switch things up once more against V-Varen Nagasaki with a 3-1-4-2 formation, and by reintroducing Murayama in goal, and looked better than they did the previous three rounds. They conceded an early first half goal but nearly leveled it in both the 85th and 87th minute. Their most recent game at home to Omiya Ardija also saw Yamaga going back to the drawing board and switching up their formation to 3-4-2-1, but this game was nothing more than two sides trading semi-good chances with neither able to secure the knockout blow.
Yamaga have some dangerous players in former Ryukyu man, Shuto Kawai, and forward Kunitomo Suzuki, but they are not a side that regularly threatens the goal. In fact, they’ve been shutout eight times this year. But I said the same thing when Ryukyu played Okayama last round and things didn’t turn out as expected.
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. Just score more goals than Matsumoto. Likelihood 3. That’s it. Nothing more.
5. Prediction
Hoping for 1-0 to Ryukyu but I’ve been wrong many times before. Season Record 6-4-9.
6. Round 20 in J2
(5) V-Varen Nagasaki versus (2) Jubilo Iwata headlines the matchups this week with (3) Albirex Niigata hosting (10) FC Mito Hollyhock. This week’s free broadcast on YouTube will feature the league leaders (1) Kyoto Sanga FC hosting one of the hottest teams in J2 right now, (11) Fagiano Okayama, who have knocked off two of the top four teams in the league in consecutive weeks. Click>>> J-League Int’l YouTube Channel.
7. Conclusion
Nothing uplifting or motivating to close this preview out. Just do the job and move on down the road.
It seems the temperature, and pressure, down here in Okinawa are ratcheting UP simultaneously for FC Ryukyu. Ryukyu now sit fourth in the table after failing to win last week at Akita when they conceded an extra time goal just thirty seconds after taking the lead. Ryukyu have been hit hard by the injury bug this season as they are down to their third string goal keeper and will be without the services of Ryohei Okazaki for another six weeks. That means they’ll really need to pile on the goals this week to avoid falling 6 points clear of the leaders. Giravanz Kitakyushu enter the match having lost their previous two games this week. One of which was a 0-1 home defeat to SC Sagamihara in the Emperors Cup. Prior to those losses, Kitakyushu had won two games in a row in the league, earned 9 points in the month of May, and pulled themselves out of the relegation zone. But they sit precariously close to the bottom four and would love to steal some points on the road at Ryukyu.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu
Giravanz Kitakyushu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 18 in J2
Conclusion
1.Weather Forecast & Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu
This will be FC Ryukyu’s first home game this year – and hopefully the last but it is not looking good – to be played ‘behind closed doors.’ Also known as Remote Cheering on DAZN. It was a nice gesture by the club to accept banners from the supporters via mail to hang inside the stadium this weekend and a Big thank you goes out to Head Supporter Hiroaki Ikema @cafedecampnou for contacting the club to set that up, though I gave him a slight nudge in that direction to ask (#shamelessplug). At least no fans will have to suffer through what looks to be terrible weather conditions for the match.
2.Previous Match Highlights
Blaublitz Akita 1-1 FC Ryukyu
Giravanz Kitakyushu 0-2 Jubilo Iwata
3.Team Previews
FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu struggled mightily last week, as have many teams in J2 this season, to break the Akita lines and secure a victory on the road. Ryukyu started slowly, and were committing turnovers all over the pitch which nearly gifted Akita the game. Ryukyu turned things around in the second half thanks to Takuma Abe breaking the deadlock in the 92′ with a nice give-and-go effort past the Akita keeper. However, much like the week prior at Niigata, Ryukyu “switched off” for a bit and allowed Akita to drive the length of the field on 2 passes and put the equalizer past Inose, who was filling in for the injured Junto Taguchi who will miss the next 3 months with a broken finger.
Ryukyu are in the midst of a summer/mid-season slump as they’ve only won once in their last six games. There was a point following the Kyoto match where Ryukyu could have really put some distance between themselves and their competition as the schedule was quite favorable for Ryukyu. However, draws at Ehime and Akita, with two consecutive losses lumped in between, resulted in Ryukyu squandering any shot at having the other teams play catchup and now find themselves chasing the leaders.
It should come as no surprise that this dip in form coincides with multiple injuries to the Ryukyu starting eleven. Ryukyu are down to their third string goal keeper, Inose, are without starting CB Okazaki for the next month and half, and were without Abe for a brief period when they lost at home for the first time all year to Montedio Yamagata. Ryukyu also conceded 8 goals within in their past 6 games which exceeded their total number of goals conceded in their first 12. We should all prepare ourselves to see a team more like the ones from 2019 and 2020 than the one that started the season so well. But that requires a massive uptick in offense for a side that has managed to score more than one goal in a game only twice in their last 8 games.
In seasons past, when defending was very questionable, Ryukyu could at least control large portions of games, create several goal scoring chances, and lean on their offense. That will need to be the case for the foreseeable future until they can get healthy at the back. The lone bit of good news this week was the lineup that Higuchi ran out during the Emperors Cup match on Wednesday. Though Ryukyu lost 0-1 to Matsumoto Yamaga, it was encouraging to see so many players, who we may have thought were dealing with injury, feature in that game. The notable player that was absent from the roster, and who has been an enigma all year, was Kazaki Nakagawa. We are nearly at the halfway point of the season and the on-loan, former Ryukyu player, has mustered a measly 34 minutes played in his only appearance. I have no clue what is going on there but it is seriously deflating to see a player of his caliber left off the roster each week.
Giravanz Kitakyushu: Giravanz started the yearly slowly by winning only one of their opening eleven games. Since then, they’ve managed to earn three victories which has pulled them, however briefly, out of the relegation zone. This is definitely not the same Kitakyushu squad that held Ryukyu to one goal scored across two games including a 4-0 drubbing of Ryukyu at home last season. Giravanz had a large amount of departures in the offseason, some on full transfers with a majority of their on-loan players returning to their parent clubs. That heavy turnover is probably why Giravanz have struggled to earn points this season, and why they will continue to struggle to remain in the J2 next season.
Kitakyushu went 2-0-3 in their last five games with the two wins coming against Omiya Ardija at home and FC Machida Zelvia away. They suffered consecutive defeats to V-Varen Nagasaki and Tokyo Verdy and lastly to Jubilo Iwata at home. They also lost their midweek Emperors Cup match 0-1 at home to SC Sagamihara. The game against Nagasaki came down to the wire with the guests pulling out the victory thanks to a 93′ goal in stoppage time. Giravanz conceded two second half goals the following week to Verdy and that was all the hosts needed to see out the win. The match with Omiya started out as an ugly one as both sides conceded own goals to keep the game level at 1-1. Then, Giravanz turned it on in the second half, looked far better than they had the previous two games, and ended up scoring two really nice goals to win 3-1.
Giravanz scored in the opening two minutes of their match with Zelvia and then hug on for dear life. Zelvia came close on numerous occasions but Giravanz were bailed out by the post/crossbar, a little bit of luck, and some fine goal keeping. If Kitakyushu were fortunate to beat Zelvia 1-0 with all the breaks going their way, they were unfortunate the following week when they ended up hitting the post or seeing their shots stopped by the Iwata goal keeper. Giravanz surrendered two first half goals to Iwata and couldn’t garner any luck like they did the previous week falling 0-2 at home.
When these two teams first met last season, Ryukyu were higher up in the table with Giravanz near the bottom, albeit, after only two games into the season. However, the 4-0 win by Giravanz sparked a nice run for our guests this week when they only lost 2 games over their next 18 matches. Giravanz can be a tricky side that plays up to their competition and can earn some nice results, but they are more prone to poor performances most of the time. They will certainly look to steal a point on the road this week with a weakened FC Ryukyu side.
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. No mental lapses after scoring. Likelihood 4. It is odd that this one must be included in this week’s key to victories but after having seen Ryukyu concede goals shortly after scoring themselves in consecutive weeks, it must be stated. Considering the circumstances, I think Ryukyu will be cognizant of this problem this week and all that really needs to be done is a quick word from the team captain Uesato to the team following any Ryukyu goals on Sunday.
2. Protect Inose with multiple goals. Likelihood 2. It goes without saying that Ryukyu really need the offense to carry the load tomorrow. Giravanz routinely gets torn apart at the back by their opponent’s attacking midfielders so this game sets up really nice for Ikeda, Koya and Kiyotake, who could stretch Kitakyushu with quick passes in and around the 18-yard box. There is also the possibility we see Ryukyu take advantage of Giravanz on set pieces and corners as these two areas are where Kitakyushu concede a majority of their goals.
5.Prediction
Giravanz perform much better on the road than they do at home as they have two more road wins this season compared to playing at home. Outside of a lopsided 6-1 defeat to Kyoto Sanga on the road, Giravanz are pretty stingy when it comes to conceding goals. Ryukyu really need to rebound with a win this week in order to keep pace with the teams at the top. But, with all the injuries, and with Inose making his third start of the season, I feel this game will end in a 2-2 draw with Ryukyu conceding the equalizer late in what should be a spirited game. Season Record 6-4-7.
6. Round 18 in J2
All Times Listed are JST
(1) Albirex Niigata will host (16) Fagiano Okayama who have only won once in their last six games. (2) Kyoto Sanga FC will host (19) Thespakusatsu Gunma who are undefeated in their last four with two consecutive wins. (4) Jubilo Iwata versus (6) Ventforet Kofu is the game this week with the most on the line with both clubs so close to one another in the standings. The free broadcast this week on the J-League International YouTube channel will be (9) JEF United Chiba vs. (10) Tokyo Verdy.
Ryukyu need a slump buster in the worst way and Giravanz could be just what the doctor ordered after a tough few weeks. Ryukyu must do all they can to keep pace with the teams at the top until they can return to full health and that means earning wins over teams they should beat. But that won’t be easy as they’ve shown little offensive output in the past six games but all that could change with a big win tomorrow. So long as Ryukyu can keep the point game at the top between 3-5 points, they’ll have a good chance of making things interesting down the stretch. But the task at hand is to win the winnable game directly in front of them, and to look good while doing it.
Ryukyu fell victim to two set pieces and suffered their first home loss of the season 2-0 to Montedio Yamagata in what could be the last home game where fans can attend for a month while Okinawa is in a state of emergency. The loss drops Ryukyu down to third but it is the visible cracks in the defense that is more concerning than the dropped points. Ryukyu are now level on points with former league leaders Albirex Niigata and head into one of the biggest games of the season in a bit of downward spiral.
Montedio Yamagata RB Riku Handa: That was a really nice goal he scored which ended up as the winner for Montedio Yamagata on Saturday.
3.Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Slow down Yamagata’s fast start. Likelihood 4. No! Yamagata scored early again and Ryukyu had no answer.
2. Stifle Ibuki Fujita. Likelihood 3. Yes, but he nearly scored late in the second half but sent the shot high over the bar from inside the 18-yard box.
3. Limit Yamagata’s set pieces in dangerous areas. Likelihood 3. Yes, as Yamagata had 4 FKs and 4 CKs, but Ryukyu’s Achilles heel this year has been defending set pieces as both Yamagata goals came from set pieces.
4.Prediction
Totally whiffed on this one when I predicted a 2-0 win for Ryukyu. Season Record 6-3-6.
5. Talking Points from Round 15
1. Defending of set pieces, scoring from set pieces. Ryukyu conceded their third goal inside of two games from a set piece this round. Yamagata’s opening goal saw a preponderance of the Ryukyu defenders get sucked into defending what they thought was going to be a cross into their defensive line only to see the pass find an undefended area wide open in the Ryukyu box. I am not sure who was at fault there as both Kiyotake and Numata were left staring at one another after the goal. Kiyotake crashed in trying to defend the cross and Numata was on an island all to himself. The second Yamagata goal was just a matter of who wanted it more as Hiroki Noda rose over top of both Chinen and Shimizu to bury the header, and Ryukyu.
Ryukyu had 14 corner kicks on Saturday night and converted none of them. Granted, scoring from a corner kick may already be a low probability, but you had 14 cracks at it and couldn’t even net an ugly goal in the process. Most of the Ryukyu corners couldn’t clear the first line of the Yamagata defense, but two of the Yamagata corners (50%) had no problem finding the back of the net.
Ryukyu have conceded four goals from set pieces, which is the most of any type of goal that can be conceded, and need to tighten this up heading into the next match. That may be a tall ask considering we could be without the services of Okazaki. Practice this week should focus on defending and converting set pieces as Niigata have scored 9 goals from set pieces, the most of any of their totals, as well as conceded four goals from set pieces, also the most of any of the goals they’ve conceded.
2. Possible injury to CB Ryohei Okazaki. Okazaki was subbed off just before the start of the second half for Lee Yong Jick and I highly doubt that was a tactical decision as he has played every single minute this year. Okazaki has come on strong this year and though there are times where he may stumble leading to a goal by the opposition, his play has been much better than years past. There has been no word from the club as of this writing if there was a significant injury to Okazaki that will require him to miss time but heading into the most important match of the season without one of our best defenders is certainly not ideal. Though Chinen may have had a rough day at the office, as well have from time to time when he got beaten on a nice step over but Taguchi made a fine save on the ensuing shot and was unable to clear the ball on Yamagata’s second goal, though we’ll really need his tenacity and skill with any prolonged absence to Okazaki.
3. Yamagata looked really dangerous on the counter attacks while Ryukyu struggled with the final pass on attacks. One of those counters led directly to the corner kick that they converted for their second goal while Ryukyu once again couldn’t find that last pass inside the 18-yard box. Ryukyu controlled a majority of the game and looked dangerous when heading towards goal, but passes were off the mark and headers following crosses sailed wide or were not strong enough to ask questions of the Yamagata keeper.
4. Speaking of absences, Abe was once again left off the roster. I thought that Abe may have just been granted a rest day the week prior against Tochigi as Ryukyu released photos this past week of Abe at practice, but he didn’t even make the reserves for this game. On a night when Ryukyu had 18 total shots, 8 of which were on target, only 3 really threatened the Yamagata goal as the offense was just flat and in need of a finisher like Abe.
5. The curious selection of the Ryukyu reserves continues. Akamine made way for Torikai and Ichimaru went as an unused substitute. I have a hard time believing that Torikai is better than Nakagawa, Ichimaru or Ramon for that matter, and now we are likely looking at a CB pairing of Chinen and Yong Jick which means that Fukui is likely to dress as the emergency central defender next week. I’d really like to know what is going on with Nakagawa these days with injuries piling up to go along with a dip in performances. With little to no information released from the club when it comes to injuries, there are many questions about players fitness levels heading into Niigata.
6. Ryukyu missed a great opportunity to accumulate points in their past three games. All three of Ryukyu’s opponents in rounds 13-15 were in the lower half of the table heading into those games yet Ryukyu managed just 4 points from a possible 9. I am not saying that Ryukyu could have earned all nine points, but even two more points would have put them level with Kyoto and two ahead of Niigata. Not surprising that the win one, draw one, lose one pattern coincides with Ryukyu’s worst defensive performance of the season where they conceded nearly the same number of goals in these past three games that they did in their first twelve games of 2021.
Kyoto Sanga FC defeated Albirex Niigata 1-0 and have now jumped two spots into the lead. Niigata suffered only their second loss this season, but second in a row, and are level on points with Ryukyu who also lost this round. Jubilo Iwata and Ventforet Kofu both won thus cutting the lead between them and Niigata/Ryukyu to 4/5 points respectively. V-Varen Nagasaki and Montedio Yamagata were the big movers this week as their wins moved them up 6/7 slots and inside the top half of the table.
Round 15 is not yet completed as the (22) SC Sagamihara vs (21) Ehime FC takes on even greater importance as the winner could pull themselves out of the relegation zone for one week at least.
I guess we will have to wait a little longer to grab that first win ever over Montedio Yamagata. The only thing to do know is put this game in the rearview mirror, correct the mistakes that led Ryukyu down this path, and prepare for the single biggest game of the season to date. Both Ryukyu and Niigata head into this match coming off a loss, but Niigata are too good of a side to lose three games in a row and will look to take out their aggression on what could be a weakened Ryukyu side.
No rest for the weary as FC Ryukyu travel to Ehime FC on Saturday for their third game in eight days. Both of these teams played to a 0-0 draw in the midweek and Ehime maybe slightly buoyed by the fact that they were able to earn a draw against fourth placed Jubilo Iwata. For Ryukyu, the opponent doesn’t represent the biggest challenge this week, it is the limited days in between games and possible fatigue that they’ll need to overcome.
Weather Forecast and Match Information
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
Ehime FC
FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 13 in J2
Conclusion
1.Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from Ehime FC
Looks like favorable conditions for the match but visiting fans will not be able to attend.
Ehime FC: Ehime have a rather poor record overall against FC Ryukyu as they have yet to beat the guests during their time in J2. Ryukyu hold a 3-1-0 advantage over Ehime and who could forget the game last year when Ryukyu tore apart Ehime to the tune of 6-0. Granted, in a lost season with no fear of relegation, I highly doubt that many of the Ehime players were to concerned with that score line on match day 40. Ehime has gone through several player changes in the offseason in an attempt to avoid relegation but after failing to win in their first six games of 2021, they fired their manager and replaced him with Noritada Saneyoshi.
The move prompted a slight bump for Ehime as they drew the very next match before winning their first two games of 2021. However, the recent schedule for Ehime has not been kind as they will have played all four of the top sides in J2 in a row at the end of this round. So far that has included losses to Albirex Niigata and Kyoto Sanga and the most recent draw with Jubilo Iwata. The draw against Iwata was only the second time all season that Ehime has earned a clean sheet.
In their last five games Ehime FC has gone 2-1-2 with wins over Omiya Ardija and Matsumoto Yamaga who were either at or near the bottom of the table at the time of those games. They then recorded two straight losses to Niigata and Kyoto before earning a draw this past round. Whatever bump in performance Ehime was experiencing before this recent gauntlet seems to have receded.
Against Omiya, Ehime took advantage of an early goal and then some bad luck for Omiya as the hosts should have scored near the end. All three of the goals Ehime scored versus Yamaga were of the ugly sort. Sure, they all count, but we are talking a spilled ball, deflected goal and an initially stopped PK that fell right back to the PK taker from Ehime and scored on the rebound. Niigata looked slightly better against Niigata but couldn’t take full advantage of Niigata being reduced to 10 men and even conceded a second goal after the Niigata red card. They played up to their competition at Kyoto but the game was not as close as the 3-2 score line indicates. Finally, the water logged pitch at home to Iwata was Ehime’s greatest advantage as nobody could get anything going that day.
FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu have a very favorable schedule throughout the next three rounds but there is still the challenge of playing their third game in just eight days. There has to be some tired legs in the squad and Ryukyu almost certainly need to rotate some players this week. One place they could start is at FWD with Takuma Abe.
The Ryukyu striker hasn’t scored since JEF United Chiba, but he does so much for the club both offensively and defensively that this is no easy decision to sit Abe for a round. Especially when every point counts these days. He could sure use the confidence boost of getting back on the scorecard but I hark back to late 2020 when Abe completely disappeared from the roster for the last seven games with no word as to what was ailing him. I fear he could have been burnt out or suffering from some dead legs considering he played in 31 out of the 35 games prior to his absence. And if nothing else, he was given a rest for one game about this time last season. He is so vital to our success that we cannot afford to have him miss anytime due to injury or fatigue.
The same could be said about Uesato taking a break as we’ve seen Yu, Koki, Yong Jick and Ichimaru all play in the central midfield role this season. Personally, I think we need to get a long look at Ichimaru who has only featured in six games this season as a substitute. To continue on, due to loan restrictions, Kazaki Nakagawa couldn’t dress this past round and has only made one brief appearance at FC Machida Zelvia. It would be interesting to see how he is paired with Motegi up top as both are match fit and back to their fitness levels from years past.
It is not as if the Ryukyu offense is playing poorly, as most of the time they take full advantage of the limited opportunities they are afforded, and this week we should see a performance resembling something closer to SC Sagamihara than Kyoto Sanga. That depends largely on any squad rotation that does take place as a large amounts of changes will certainly disrupt whatever rhythm the starters have developed over the past twelve weeks, but it a necessary evil to rest some guys this round.
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. Exploit Taishi Nishioka at CB. Likelihood 5. I’m giving this the highest rating any key to victory can have as Nishioka, the former Ryukyu man, is a converted RB playing CB. He was never known for his speed or defensive prowess and Ryukyu attackers should run circles around him on Saturday.
2. Pile on the pressure. Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu should execute a similar game plan to Sagamihara on Saturday which means players should be flying all over the pitch into wide open shooting lanes. The only word of caution being that Ryukyu should not throw everything into the attack as they cannot gift any fast breaks to Ehime. It is not as if Ehime is particularly great on the counter attack, it’s just that Ryukyu don’t need to throw anything extra into the attack to exploit the Ehime defenders.
5.Prediction
FC Ryukyu have scored 2 goals against Ehime FC in all but one game in their history. 2-0 seems a reasonable score line for Saturday. Season Record 6-2-4.
6.Round 13 in J2
All Times Listed are in JST
Somehow (19) Ehime FC and (2) FC Ryukyu drew the short straw this round and are forced to play on 2 days rest vice 3 like every other team in J2. (1) Albirex Niigata welcomes in a resurgent (10) Matsumoto Yamaga that has pulled themselves out of the relegation scrap with three straight wins. (3) Kyoto Sanga should have an easier time with their opponent this week when (14) Montedio Yamagata come to town. After being shutout at Ehime FC last week, (4) Jubilo Iwata’s prospects for scoring doesn’t get any better when they travel to (8) Blaublitz Akita.
There is an important battle down the bottom of the table as the outcome of (21) Thespakusatsu Gunma vs (22) Omiya Ardija could put one of those sides in a very deep hole. The free J-League International YouTube broadcast will feature (9) Zweigen Kanazawa and (17) Renofa Yamaguchi FC.
On short rest Ryukyu need to notch their 10th win of the campaign against an opponent heavily invested in the relegation battle. It is not the same situation when Ryukyu faced Sagamihara with Kyoto on the horizon as Ryukyu don’t face an opponent inside the top half of the table until Niigata at the end of the month. Ryukyu haven’t had a stretch of games like this since late March/early April when they faced JEF United Chiba, Omiya Ardija and Mito Hollyhock. Push past the fatigue, grab the win, and enjoy an extra days rest before Round 14.
Storied past with these two? Sure. Should Ryukyu be worried? Slightly. Can Ryukyu get the job done? Great question. Sagamihara has the knack for showing up for big games this year but they are 16th for a reason right? This match is the very definition of a “trap game” for Ryukyu as they are playing a lower seeded team just in front of a massive tilt with Kyoto the following Wednesday. However, Ryukyu cannot afford to overlook SC Sagamihara as any dropped points this weekend will severely dent their promotion aspirations.
Weather Forecast & Match Information from the Club
Match Day 10 Highlights
Team Previews
SC Sagamihara
FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 11 in J2
Conclusion
1.Weather Forecast and Match Information from SC Sagamihara
Looks like some it could turn nasty this round. Be prepared if you’re going.
Visiting Ryukyu fans are allowed into the match. Details can be found by clicking the link below.
SC Sagamihara: As I mentioned in the introduction, SC Sagamihara has the ability to play well against some of the better sides in the league. They’ve moved past their rocky start to the campaign where they didn’t score a single goal for the first three matches. I wouldn’t necessarily say that SC Sagamihara are one of the better defending teams in the league, but they do have 4 clean sheets to their name which is only 2 behind Junto Taguchi of Ryukyu.
Sagamihara went 1-2-2 in their last five games with the lone win occurring at Chiba this past weekend which also happened to be Sagamihara’s first road win of the season. Despite conceding early on at home to Niigata, Sagamihara managed to turn things around following a PK and breakaway goal and took the league leaders to the brink before conceding the equalizer in the 61st minute. Sagamihara had plenty of chances to win this game but fell just short. The following match at Tochigi ended 0-0 and is best summed up by saying that both sides missed several chances to score.
SC Sagamihara put in another good shift against a tough opponent in Iwata despite what the score line (2-1 loss) indicates. Similar to the Niigata match, Sagamihara was able to quickly answer the opening goal from their opponent, look dangerous at times, came close to taking the lead, but ultimately surrendered late in the match. At Kofu in the midweek, Sagamihara made some changes to the lineup with the most noticeable being Juri’s removal from the starting eleven. They didn’t look as dangerous as they did against other opponents and fell 2-0 on the road.
The match with Chiba was shaping up much like the 0-0 match with Tochigi SC before a 52nd minute goal from Tatsuya Shirai put Sagamihara in front. The goal stemmed from a corner kick and ensuing chaos in front of the JEF keeper when rebounds were blocked and not fully cleared. They were also aided by JEF offering very little in the attack that day.
Sagamihara has earned the same exact amount of points, 5, in their past five games as they did in their first five games of 2021. They have fared better in the goals scored department in the latter five games, but have also conceded more than they did in the first five games. Fumitake Mura has vacillated between a couple of different formations in their last five games where he started out in a 3-3-2-2; switched briefly to a 3-5-2 against Iwata; reverted to a 3-4-2-1 on a short week at Kofu; before returning back to a 3-5-2 this past week at JEF.
In any event, the player to watch out for this week is forward Juri Mamute who is SC Sagamihara’s leading scorer and points leader (2 goals & 1 assist). Juri is a powerful forward who is not easily moved off the ball and is often moves around the pitch to create mismatches with smaller defenders in order to allow the two attacking midfielders from Sagamihara to run into space.
FC Ryukyu: Can they maintain this pace? The question on every Ryukyu supporter’s mind as well as that of J-League fans. Ryukyu have a penchant for seeing out games in very dramatic fashion these days as most end up with Ryukyu securing a clean sheet and all three points. But how long can that last? I for one have no idea as we are squarely in uncharted waters. This is by far Ryukyu’s best start to a season ever and they continue to surprise us at every turn despite so many calls to the contrary.
But, and it is a big but, we need the offense to start clicking. I for one buy into the mantra that offense wins games, defense wins championships, but there is always going to be a give and take to that saying in any season. So far Ryukyu won out games, albeit untraditionally, in very fine defensive fashion. The fact that we have nearly equaled the amount of clean sheets in any year since we’ve entered the J-League by this point in the season is simply outstanding. Trust me when I say I used to feel that FC Ryukyu’s best defense was an unrelenting offense but that is simply not the case in 2021, and that is a good thing.
All catch phrases aside, this team needs a serious injection of life into the offense as the defense can only hold so long before they begin to buckle under the pressure, and that pressure desperately needs a release valve. So what can be done? It is not as if the front line players have been underperforming, but rather they need to introduce what some would call daring and creative flavor.
Well the good news is that Ryukyu have the depth to call upon in these tough times. I have, and will continue, to call for Nakagawa to regain his place at the table. Ren Ikeda has excelled this year in the CAM role, but Nakagawa is a special player and the more he grows into this side with minutes, and let’s be honest, players of his quality require opportunities to unlock the potential, I think you will all see why I rave about this player when he is given the opportunity. That was his biggest downfall when he left Ryukyu in 2019 as he could never crack the starting 11 on a consistent basis anywhere. So, let him regain that swagger he had from 2018/early 2019. Let him show you why he was a coveted asset of J1 sides as he shreds defenses and turns Abe, like Koji in 2019, loose. We are playing a game with house money right now so there is no need to be coy.
And yet there is more, one more player to be specific. Shunsuke Motegi has proven himself fit, and as someone who believes FC Ryukyu basically stole from Mito Hollyhock pre CV19, deserves his time in the limelight. Now, if you think Tanaka’s ability to reinvent himself at RB is outside of Motegi’s realm of possibilities to do the same at LB, or you think Numata doesn’t need a breather back there, then you’d be mistaken. He may not usurp Kiyotake at the moment but his time will come and if Tanaka and Yu Tomidokoro are any indication for how players can change their stripes (look for Yong Jick to possibly do the same at CDM) then Motegi at least deserves a shot.
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. The razors edge. Likelihood 2. First, Ryukyu cannot, should not, overlook SC Sagamihara in advance of Kyoto Sanga FC. But you can be smarter than the last time we played a midweek match. Wholesale changes at RB. LB, CM, MF, CB and FWD are warranted and almost encouraged. If we don’t give these guys a breather then we are edging closer to injury and burnout territory. This doesn’t come without risks as we could do this and absolutely get manhandled by Sagamihara, but you need to take some risks in any given season and risk management mitigation screams, take it now!
2. Contain Juri. Likelihood 3. As stated, Juri is a powerful forward who uses his body well to shield defenders in and around the box. You often see him drifting to the edges of the box to try and establish a mismatch with some of the opponents’ full backs. Both Tanaka and Numata will have their hands full if this happens on Saturday and if Ryukyu instead opt to send Chinen or Okazaki to mark Juri, Uesato and the other central midfielder will need to be on top of their game to fill the void in the center of the Ryukyu defense.
3. Pile on the shots. Likelihood 4. SC Sagamihara might be the only team in J2 that has fewer shots on net than Ryukyu. That means Ryukyu should see some large spells of possession but need to end the attacks with accurate shots on net. SC Sagamihara has only eclipsed the double-digit mark for shots once this season while Ryukyu has managed it four times. This would be the perfect opportunity to get some of our guys firing before heading into a tough match with Kyoto.
4. If we do score, maintain focus in the minutes that follow. Likelihood 4. SC Sagamihara has shown the ability to quickly to respond to goals scored by their opponents as they did against Niigata and Iwata.
5.Prediction
SC Sagamihara are 0-1-4 with 4 goals scored and 10 conceded against top 6 competition in 2021. FC Ryukyu are 4-1-0 with 8 goals scored and 2 goals conceded against those near the relegation zone. Granted, Sagamihara are close, but not in, the relegation zone at this point. But I still believe FC Ryukyu see this one out 2-0. Season Record 5-1-4.
6.Round 11 in J2
Leaders (1) Albirex Niigata get (13) JEF United Chiba this week with (3) Kyoto Sanga FC facing (19) Ehime FC. (4) Jubilo Iwata will hope a Kyoto stumble in their match so it can help them close the points gap when they play (10) Tochigi SC at home this week. The marquee matchup this round is (7) Ventforet Kofu hosting (6) Zweigen Kanazawa who both dropped points last week. (5) FC Machida Zelvia host (20) Renofa Yamaguchi FC and could turn this into a 5 team race for promotion depending on the outcome of the Kofu v Zweigen match. Finally, (8) Blaublitz Akita will try and take advantage of (12) Fagiano Okayama who are coming a rough month of April.
We have to wait for awhile until the J-League English Twitter feed drops the game for this month.
The big thing on everyone’s mind this weekend is how will FC Ryukyu respond to their first loss of the season. Ryukyu’s 8 game undefeated streak was snapped this past Wednesday at Machida with an uninspiring performance where the offense went missing for long stretches of time. Kofu enter Round 10 with a 3 game undefeated streak following a win in the midweek and two previous draws and have had their way with Ryukyu every single time. FC Ryukyu have never earned a single point off of Kofu in the four matches they have played in the J2.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu
Ventforet Kofu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 10 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu
Favorable weather is in the forecast as the typhoon that was milling about Okinawa on Friday and Saturday has now moved on.
With the surge of COVID-19 cases in Japan, and a modified State of Emergency here in Okinawa, clubs, including FC Ryukyu, as well as those in the hardest hit areas of Japan, are not allowing visiting fans into games, and possibly no fans at all in some areas. News of “playing behind closed doors” for many of the clubs in the Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo has been floating around the Japanese media today and it looks as if this is where the entire J-League is heading. Be safe and do your part to limit the spread of CV-19 at any match you intend to attend.
FC Ryukyu: Wednesday’s game was a let down for many of the Ryukyu faithful as it was such a steep drop off in performance by Ryukyu when compared to their first 8 games. There were breakdowns in passing, attacks and communication all over the pitch which led to the drubbing at the hands of Zelvia. Basically, nothing worked all night. Ryukyu has relied heavily on defense and the strength of their goalkeeping throughout the year but when that too failed, Ryukyu were done in.
We’ve discussed on several occasions for how Ryukyu utilize crosses from the fullbacks and midfielders to score goals. Though they tried mightily do conduct the same tactic at Zelvia, Zelvia was able to sure up the back line with up to 5 defenders at a time which restricted the runs of any of the Ryukyu attackers. It didn’t help that some runs weren’t even being made to get onto the end of crosses by Ryukyu, and it also didn’t help that when they did make these runs they were often missed by the player in possession. There were far to many lateral and backwards passes on Wednesday with no real thrust made on net by the offense.
Higuchi kept the same lineup from the win over Verdy the previous weekend but did use all 5 substitutes in an attempt to change up the flow of the game. Obviously it didn’t pay off and now Higuchi and Ryukyu are faced with enacting some sort of squad rotation for the Kofu match as some players looked tired at the end of the Machida game. It starts near the top as Kazaki Nakagawa has finally featured for the first time all season and with a drop in the play from Ikeda this week, it might be a good time to see what Nakagawa can add to the attack from the start of a game.
There shouldn’t be any changes to the back four though Numata could definitely use a breather. That means Higuchi should deviate from his normal stance of dressing 4 forwards, Abe, Uehara, Akamine and Shimizu, and consider dressing Motegi (MF) and possibly Reo Yamashita (LB) to spell the tired legs of our players. Ryukyu gambled at Zelvia by sticking with the lineup they’ve played all season and it simply didn’t pay off. Now they need to adjust slightly in the short time between games so as to avoid fatigue, burnout and risk of injury to some of the senior players in the squad.
In any event, what is needed is a massive injection of offense. Abe continues to execute the hold up play that makes him a vital cog in the Ryukyu offense, but isn’t getting the service a striker of his quality deserves. Kofu has scored 6 goals over their last 3 games and while the defense and Taguchi need to regain a bit of the confidence that was lost this past round, the offense needs to switch on and carry the load for Ryukyu this game.
Ventforet Kofu: Kofu enter this round on a slight upward trajectory compared to Ryukyu who are attempting to arrest their recent slide in the midweek. Kofu have an impressive four wins from four over Ryukyu in their recent history. Kofu was the side that ended Ryukyu’s home undefeated streak in 2019 and have outscored Ryukyu 10-3 in all the games played between the two sides.
Kofu started the year fast by drawing once and then winning three in a row. Then they ran into some tougher competition in Machida Zelvia and V-Varen Nagasaki where they lost twice in a row. They got back on track with two consecutive draws with Giravanz Kitakyushu and Matsumoto Yamaga FC before grabbing their first win in a month when they beat SC Sagamihara on Wednesday.
Kofu faced many of the same problems that Ryukyu did in their match with Machida with their attack being completely snuffed out. They allowed a quick goal to Nagasaki before pulling one back on a nice back post set piece but after ringing the post a few times, Kofu allowed Nagasaki to score from a set piece near the end of the game. Kofu took the lead over Kitakyushu on a fast break where Izumisawa rounded the keeper but returned the favor to Kitakyushu by allowing them to execute their own fast break leading to the equalizer. Kofu came close a few times to netting the winner but either hit the post or narrowly missed the target from close range.
In the rain soaked match at Yamaga, Kofu found themselves down early but equalized in the 16th minute and followed it up with another excellent back post header from a set piece. They then added a third goal just four minutes later. Everything was looking good while leading 3-1 but some panicky defending led to a Yamaga goal and then it was Kofu’s turn to have their keeper rounded on a fast break where Kunimoto Suzuki grabbed his third goal of the game which resulted in a draw. The two first half goals by Kofu were all they needed to swipe aside Sagamihara in the midweek.
While the box scores may indicate Kofu have turned a corner and are headed in the right direction, if we take a close look at the last five games there is a bit of pattern that may boost Ryukyu’s chances. The losses were suffered at the hands of two teams currently in the top half of the table with each of the draws were come from behind where Kofu allowed their opponents back into the match. SC Sagamihara sit near the bottom of the table so that is in line with the results that Kofu have achieved to date. But the script for this match reads much like the past match at Zelvia for Ryukyu so it may provide a little confidence to Kofu.
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. Defend the left, but watch the right on quick counters. Likelihood 3. A vast majority of Kofu’s attacks flow through the left side of their offense, primarily Izumisawa. He has orchestrated many of the crosses, or has taken part in the build up play, that have led to Kofu’s goals. When on the counter attack Kofu streak quickly down the right so Numata is going to have fitness test on Sunday if Kofu breakout of any Ryukyu press. It will also require the CBs and MFs to keep a close eye on their marks as those players drift towards the back post, when Kofu is in possession down the left, as this is their signature goal these days.
2. Take the attack of life support and give it a jolt with a defibrillator. Likelihood 2. Ryukyu have scored 4 goals in their last 4 games but have been shutout twice in that time. We really need to get Abe firing again and that means better passing in the attacking end and acting like more of a threat across all three attacking lanes. Perhaps Nakagawa can breathe some life into the side, especially as the Ryukyu last line of defense was so easily penetrated last round.
3. Play like you’re the second-best team in the league, because you are. Likelihood 3. It’s all about confidence right now. May have lost it for a bit but it is time to regain that swagger that netted us five wins in a row and eight games undefeated. Let’s brush off the recent loss and get back to winning football.
5. Prediction
Considering that Kofu haven’t scored less than 2 goals in any game against Ryukyu but just once, and with their recent goal scoring outbursts, coupled with Ryukyu’s goal scoring drought and overall poor record against Kofu, it is hard to tip Ryukyu as winners this week. Hoping for a better outcome but not making the same mistake I did in the midweek to a similar type of opponent. Kofu win 2-1. Season Record 5-1-3.
6. Round 10 in J2
Times Listed are in JST
The lone Saturday game should be a good one. (1) Albirex Niigata, fresh off their last minute equalizer, travel to a resurgent (16) Ehime FC who haven’t lost since their managerial change. (3) Kyoto Sanga, (4) Jubilo Iwata and (5) Zweigen Kanazawa, and to some extent, (6) Ventforet Kofu have favorable matchups to exploit the promotion race.
It will be (22) Matsumoto Yamaga FC hosting (13) Thespakusatsu Gunma on the free J-League broadcast this round.
As Ryukyu near the quarter mark of the season there are still some questions for which we need answers. Mainly, can the offense get going? As noted earlier it will be interesting to see how Ryukyu respond to their first setback of the season against a team that has always had the better of Ryukyu, so let’s hope for a positive response on Sunday.
FC Ryukyu tasted defeat for the first time this season when FC Machida Zelvia blew apart FC Ryukyu 3-0 this past Wednesday evening. Though losses are inevitable in any season, the one yesterday was particularly hard for some FC Ryukyu fans as the team’s performance in that match was the worst they’ve seen out of this side all year.
Match Day Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Round 9 in J2
Conclusion
1. Match Day Highlights (or lowlights depending on your perspective)
FC Machida Zelvia GK Koki Fukui. Fukui earned his second clean sheet during Zelvia’s second consecutive 3-0 victory. Granted, he wasn’t asked to do much but a clean sheet is a clean sheet nonetheless.
3.Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Short passes in the Zelvia box. Likelihood 2. Absolutely not. In fact, Ryukyu hard a time connecting on any of their passes anywhere on the pitch.
2. Play to your strengths. Likelihood 4. Most certainly not. Ryukyu allowed the same amount of goals they’ve conceded all season in just a single game last night.
3. Finding the right mix in the squad rotation. Likelihood 2. There was no rotation in the squad outside of Kazaki Nakagawa getting his first run out of the season. We may see some changes the next match.
4. Prediction
Went with a 2-1 victory for FC Ryukyu and it wasn’t even that close. Season Record 5-1-3.
5.Talking Points for Match Day 9
1. Just a bad day at the office. FC Ryukyu were sloppy in possession, looked lethargic at times, and lacked communication yesterday. Takahashi was able to slip past Kiyotake for Machida’s first goal; Ren’s inexcusable back pass that led directly to Machida’s second goal; and then the breakdown at the back that led to Machida’s final goal. I am not sure what happened to FC Ryukyu in the first half as it looked like they were just standing still, or flat, for a better part of it. Then there was the passing by Ryukyu. They could never find that third pass to set the attacks loose. Either because no one was making any runs, or no one wanted to risk a turnover, but it wasn’t good. When Ryukyu did finally decide to pass, it was usually a lateral or back pass.
2. Ryukyu can no longer assume they can paper over the cracks in the attack with a stout defense. When Ryukyu were forced to go hunting for a goal, there was nothing there. They lacked creativity and vision when players did make runs and instead they opted for the aforementioned back pass instead. Ryukyu managed four shots on net in the first half with Kiyotake’s the most dangerous. But mustered only 3 shots in total the second half. Watching Numata just send crosses into the box that were either at the perfect height for the keeper to collect, or there was no one there attempting to get on the end felt a little bit like crossing for the sake of crossing. Now that Nakagawa has some game time under his belt, perhaps it is time for a switch at CAM. When Nakagawa was in that spot two years ago, the entire offense opens up as now they are a threat to score in all three lanes. They really need some central thrust moving forward.
3. Dropped points. Machida didn’t even field their strongest team yesterday and still managed to demolish Ryukyu. Machida were without their two best strikers and it made no difference. Ryukyu have now failed to beat Machida in their last 9 matches and have lost 3 in a row to them. Though, when Ryukyu did lose to Zelvia last year, they were able to rebound with a win in the following match.
4. Streaks ended. FC Ryukyu’s undefeated streak of 2021 comes to an end at 8. Ryukyu also lost for the first time ever on the J-League International YouTube broadcast. Oh well, means nothing in the grand scheme of things.
6. Round 9 in J2
A 92′ minute goal by Kazuhiko Chiba prevented Albirex Niigata from suffering a similar fate to FC Ryukyu and earned Niigata a vital draw on the road to Tochigi. Elsewhere, everyone under Ryukyu: Kyoto, Jubilo, Kanazawa, Nagasaki, and Kofu won, which means Ryukyu’s lead over Kyoto is down to just 3 points.
There is no time to dwell on the past as Ryukyu now face another team they have failed to beat during their time in J2 this weekend. The team, and the fans, need to regroup and prepare for what is surely another stiff test for FC Ryukyu at home this Sunday to Ventforet Kofu.
Fresh off their second consecutive road win, FC Ryukyu
welcome 4th placed Omiya Ardija to town on Sunday. Omiya, after
having bested Verdy, Nagasaki and Mito, were shocked at home by Tokushima
Vortis this past weekend. These two sides first met back on match day 2 where
FC Ryukyu defeated Omiya 4-3. My how the fortunes of both sides have changed
since then. FC Ryukyu would go on to win 2 more in a row, in addition to
drawing 2 in a row, before they began their downward slide in the J2 table.
Omiya on the other hand, weathered a slow start to the season and eventually rose
into the promotion zone and are flirting with automatic promotion to the J1. I
seriously doubt that FC Ryukyu will once again catch Omiya off-guard and this
is will be another tough test against a formidable opponent at home for FC
Ryukyu.
Weather Forecast
Cool temperatures with overcast skies and slight chance of rain. It will be a little windy so I’d bring the sunblock to prevent any windburn to your face if your sitting up high in the stands.
Recap of Match Day 2: 03/02/2019 Omiya Ardija 3-4 FC Ryukyu
On a cool, crisp, March afternoon in Saitama, FC Ryukyu had
one of their most convincing wins and signature matches all season. A
beautifully taken shot from Tanaka, a Koji Suzuki brace capped with Satoki Uejo
opening his scoring account for the 2019 season gave FC Ryukyu 4 goals. Dany made
some spectacular saves, especially late on, and Kazaki Nakagawa was the true
star with 3 assists.
The scoring began with the Tanaka opener, followed by the
equalizer from Omiya after Delgado redirected a shot over Carvajal. Then FC
Ryukyu busted out for 3 straight goals in the opening 16 minutes of the second
half to jump out to a 4-1 lead. Omiya were awarded a very late PK and then
scored on quick counter in the first minute of stoppage time to bring the game
to a 4-3. Dany made a great diving save to parry a shot away from danger later
on and FC Ryukyu would hold on to win. A win that nobody saw coming.
There are many bittersweet memories from this match. First, it was a testament to Nakagawa’s skill and those 3 assists saw him as the top assist provider in J2 well after he departed for Yokohama F Marinos 2 weeks later. Second, Koji was happy and scoring at will and third, Uejo’s emergence was bubbling to the surface. Finally, it would ultimately take FC Ryukyu 16 more matches before they would win again on the road this season. For Omiya, they would respond with a win the following week, wobble slightly against Yamagata the next and then go on a run of 16 unbeaten that has since propelled them into the promotion battle. Oh, what could’ve been for this Ryukyu side. A side that since this Omiya match has seen no less than 6 changes to the starting lineup. Whereas Omiya has seen less than half of that total. It was one of the best footballing experiences I’ve had all season.
Omiya Ardija
Pace, Power and Height pretty much sum up Omiya at the
moment. Omiya displayed a penchant for hitting teams on the counter over their
last 5 games and they can quickly break out of their own end and into the
opponent’s end with just a few passes. They can send long balls over the top that
allow the attacking 3 to run underneath them bringing them past the oppositions
defense and free on goal. Omiya were also lethal from set pieces, corner kicks
in particular, where their height and power prove to be too much for opposing defenders.
They can also press teams that attempt to play it out form the back if they
feel this is a weakness of the opposition. They pressed Nagasaki in this manner
and it resulted in a goal after a cheap giveaway in the Nagasaki end.
Even though Mito jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over Omiya, Ardija was able to fight back and score 3 goals against a team that doesn’t conceded many goals to begin with. They had some slight trouble against Verdy before converting 2 corner kicks to win 2-0 and they really made Nagasaki look like an average side in a convincing 3-0 victory. They were nearly beaten at the end by Yokohama FC when Yokohama hit the crossbar, but walked away with an important point on the road against a promotion seeking side. The only outlier in the past 5 games was the recent loss to Tokushima Vortis.
It was a back and forth contest between the 2 sides with
Vortis opening the scoring from a play that seemed to catch Omiya flat footed.
Omiya responded with a counter attack goal before Vortis once scored from a
busted play after Omiya failed to clear. Omiya responded with a headed goal on
a set piece but Vortis got the best of them at the end with a 3rd
goal.
All in all, Omiya represent a difficult challenge for FC
Ryukyu this Sunday. Omiya surely want to continue their promotion push, and
they may have revenge on the mind, after FC Ryukyu walked into their home
ground and put 4 past them in convincing fashion earlier this year.
FC Ryukyu
FC Ryukyu responded really well after losing 5-1 to Tokyo
Verdy at home by defeating Tochigi SC on the road 2-0. Two really well taken
goals by Uejo, one with his left foot and one with his right foot, has put FC
Ryukyu on 43 points, which is roughly 13 points clear of the drop zone. Though
FC Ryukyu started the Tochigi match sluggish, they really turned it on in the
last 25 minutes and Tochigi had no response. FC Ryukyu have now won 2 in a row
on the road and are undefeated in their last 4 road matches. Quite a turnaround
from a few months ago when FC Ryukyu were struggling mightily on the road and
losing at home.
There was some shifting of the FC Ryukyu lineup this past week with Shinji Ono and Yu Tomidokoro being dropped for Shuto Kawai and Koki Kazama. However, FC Ryukyu face a real selection crisis this week as they will be without both their Right Backs, Torikai and Nishioka, who have both succumbed to injuries. Torikai picked up his ankle injury early in the first half against Tochigi, requiring Uehara to fill in at RB, and the injury will see him miss the remainder of the 2019 season. And possibly the start of the 2020 season as he rehabs a dislocated ligament. Nishioka suffered an ankle injury in training and he is scheduled to miss at least the next 3 matches. Which begs the question, who will FC Ryukyu start this Sunday at RB?
Though Uehara filled in admirably, he is certainly not the
solution over the next 3 matches. Outside of Tokumoto, Okazaki and Fukui, FC
Ryukyu have only 2 defenders with any match day experience this season. One of
those, Arai, only featured for a few minutes on the very first match of the
season. There has been no word on whether or not Shogo Nishikawa, the only
other FC Ryukyu defender to feature in a match this year, has suffered an
injury or is healthy enough to start. In either event, we will need both of
them to be healthy and in the lineup on Sunday. That is, unless newly acquired
Daniel Sanches is finally ready to make his debut? It’s really anybody’s guess
at this point as to what Higuchi will do to fill the void at RB in Ryukyu the
lineup.
Player Injuries
FC Ryukyu: Will be without both starting RBs in Torikai and Nishioka.
Omiya Ardija: No one significant to the starting 11. Two defenders who were hurt earlier in the season is all that is reported.
Keys to FC Ryukyu Victory
1. Start fast and build a multiple goal lead. This worked
the last time these two sides met and almost worked for Mito a few weeks ago.
Granted Mito ended up losing and this a far different lineup for FC Ryukyu.
Ryukyu really do not lineup well against Omiya with their speed up top, height
at the back and ability to score from counters and set pieces. There will be
goals tomorrow for sure, just hope we have more than Omiya do at the end.
2. Do not concede many set pieces. This is especially true
of corner kicks where Omiya’s tree trunks; Delgado and Simovic, will certainly
overpower their man marking.
3. Pick your poison. If we play out from the back, I expect
heavy pressing by Omiya that forces Ryukyu into making mistakes and costly
turnovers. If we attempt to play high up the pitch, we risk over exposing the
makeshift back 4 of Ryukyu to the speed of the Omiya counter attack. No easy
choice.
4. Win the battle down our defensive right side and we may
win the game. I’d expect a heavy dose of crosses and attacks emanating from our
right side, the Omiya left, against whoever is asked to fill in at RB on Sunday
for Ryukyu. We will need some defensive help over the top from one of the Mid
Fielders for the Ryukyu RB and this could mean large stretches of little
possession for Ryukyu on Sunday.
5. Clean up the garbage in the box on both ends. Don’t allow
needless shots on our goal from shots that are blocked or saved. On the flip
side, Omiya has a hard time cleaning up the garbage in front of their own goal
and conceded a couple of goals from this spot. Somehow Omiya concedes goals, loses
matches and has small defensive lapses. This is the smallest of cracks in their
armor but an exploitable one.
The Contrarian Approach: Start Kawai, Koizumi and Ramon and attack Omiya with speed early and often. Start Daniel Sanches and Okazaki at CB and have Fukui slide out wide to the Right.
Match Day 38Prediction
The numbers indicate that Omiya is on a tear with 10 to 5 goals
scored/conceded ratio over the course of their last 5 matches. Ryukyu haven’t
scored nearly as many but they have kept a clean sheet in 3 of those matches.
2-1 Omiya would be considered a respectable score line on Sunday.
Plenty of useful info and the page can be translated into English. There are maps for free parking with shuttles to the match and a schedule of events for the match day.
Important Fixtures on Match Day 38
Conclusion
It looks as if the club is expecting a larger than usual
traveling contingent of fans for this one and has adjusted the seating
accordingly. This maybe due to the pre-match festivities where Bando will
conduct one of his retirement ceremonies and the popular MONGOL800 band will
perform just before kickoff. With that said, its probably best to get there
early if you want a seat in the covered section. The club’s president, Mr.
Subaru Mikami, tweeted that he’d like for the overall attendance numbers to hit
100,000 for the season and I think there will be a strong showing on Sunday somewhere
in the vicinity of 7,000 to get us close to the mark.
But I am not there for the pre-match pomp and circumstance. I am there to watch my team one last time at home before I depart for a lengthy spell away from Okinawa. I will still be able to see the boys close out the season at Kofu but I want to enjoy all that has been at home this season. The drama, the thrills, the let downs, the come-backs and of course enjoying matches with all of my fellow FC Ryukyu fans and the players. With safety all but guaranteed for next season, I want to see the boys play loose, relaxed and carefree on Sunday. Omiya has more at stake than FC Ryukyu since we no longer need to hunt for results to ensure safety. FC Ryukyu are simply playing for pride, playing the role of spoiler against sides seeking promotion, but most importantly, playing for Okinawa and all the fans of this club.
So join me on the walk down the Bengara Boulevard and into Fortress Ryukyu one last time this season. Give em hell boys and make us proud. You always do!
We have made it to the last installment of the Mid-Season Review. This has been a great experience as a fan to look back and reflect on the half season while keeping an eye on the future. I wanted to provide a brief summation of the players who have featured for FC Ryukyu but please keep in mind, I am never privy to the strategy the manager employs each week or how the players perform while executing that strategy. I merely observe what I can see from the stands and from my TV screen. So, let’s close out the mid-season review with a bang.
Goal Keeper
#1 Dany Carvajal: Yeah, he’s pretty much been awesome. Don’t
think for one minute that because FC Ryukyu have only kept 3 clean sheets that
it is an indictment of Dany’s performances. See the MVP section below.
#23 Ryo Ishii: He was asked to step up and fill in when Dany
was hurt during a tough stretch of matches for FCR. He played really well
against Kanazwa and Kyoto and while those efforts may be overshadowed by Dany’s
performances to date, Ishii did his part to help this club.
Defender
FB #5 Tokumoto: Another young emerging player I fear FC
Ryukyu may lose this transfer window. It’s hard to assess any FC Ryukyu FB as
they are asked to play more like a WB than a FB this season. Tokumoto has
provided 3 nice assists and is developing into a one of the better LBs in the
J2. Currently recovering from an ankle and subsequent MCL injury.
#4 Okazaki: Started almost every match this year and is a
nice compliment to Masutani. Truth be told, I only key on defenders when they
make a mess of things, and in the case of Okazaki, he has only had that happen once.
Some of his mistakes may be covered up due to FCR scoring numerous goals or
winning games so I will need more time to assess this player. In the interim,
we need Okazaki to be a rock back there on defense.
#2 Masutani: A CB in the mold of Gary Medel from Chile. I’ve
been overly critical of this guy at times and that was just rash on my part as Masutani
brings a lot of aggressiveness to the FCR squad. He is good in attack with 1
goal to his name this season and can handle some of the larger, more powerful
strikers in the J2. I will say this, when he had to fill in for Nishioka at RB
due to injury, the FCR attack looked better. Consider that it was simultaneous
with the Nakagawa departure and though I think he may be better suited at FB, I
am a fan and not the Manager.
#3 Nishioka: 2 goals and 2 assists. Nishioka has missed some
time due to an MCL injury (not sure what caused him to miss upwards of 8 weeks)
and struggles at times with defending. Always seems to be in the right spot at
the right time for his goals. Displays toughness as evidence by playing through
a head injury but his game needs some fine tuning. Needs to have more
confidence in the attack, take on the opposition’s defenders near the 18-yard
box – much like when he was brimming with confidence against Yamaguchi with his
step overs – and feed Koji Suzuki quality crosses.
#33 Ryoji Fukui: The Swiss Army Knife for FCR. Versatile in
that he can play all 4 positions in defense and could possibly fill in at CDMF
as well. At times Fukui makes really well timed challenges but he also makes
some questionable decisions in defense. For example, he can turn his back to an
attacker, so as to invite a shot, which often leaves Dany or Ishii to deal with
the danger alone (Tokyo Verdy’s goal). Maybe the GKs have asked the defenders
to vacate the shooting lanes to better see the shots from distance but I will
never know for sure. Has decent speed to make up ground on attackers or get to
contested balls first. Have a sneaky suspicion that one of his challenges will
be rewarded with a Red Card some day and put FC Ryukyu up against it in a
match. Time will tell.
#16 Jumper Arai: Not enough game footage for an accurate
assessment.
Mid Field
#20 Uesato: Local lad, experienced player, 2 highlight reel
goals and team captain. Often lines up for FKs where, truth be told, I think
Tomidokoro could benefit from the added reps to get into a groove. It seems
Uesato prefers to shoot more than cross and maybe that’s due to the angle or
distance from which he’s taking the FKs. Scored in spectacular fashion against
Verdy and Gifu and is aiding with the development of the younger generation of
FCR players.
#8 Komatsu: Was in the starting lineup early and then has
faded. Possibly getting surpassed by talented players emerging.
#6 Kazama: Has a nice touch on FKs and CKs from his Central
Mid Field role. His performances have improved as of late and I hope that
translates into favorable results for FCR.
#19 Ochi: 2 goals from the man who is now Higuchi’s choice
at CAM. At least until someone is ready to take the job over.
#11 Keita Tanaka: Keita has been part of the fabric of this
team for so long. Tanaka is lethal finisher from the right, but much like Yu,
he needs to get some repetitions and get into a scoring groove. He’s scored only
once since rejoining the side but has had 3 other opportunities that either
required a nice save by GK or were just off the mark. FCR need to get this man
firing again as it will increase the potency of the FCR attack and open up more
space of Suzuki down the middle.
#10 Yu Tomidokoro: FC Ryukyu’s FK specialist. Yu has found
some tough sledding this season when it comes to FKs as he has netted only once.
He does have 2 goals and 3 assists and the FK goals will come with time and
reps. Needs to be given more opportunities on FKs. Remember, at his height,
defenses never knew when Yu was going to cross or shoot from the FK spot and
that is what made him so successful.
#28 Koizumi: The man featured in 6 games within a month
before doing a Houdini. He never scored but he flashed some real talent. His limited performance against Verdy was
something of an eye opener as he made some nice passes, hit the post and
displayed a bit of pace. He could very well be the 3rd piece to a
formidable FC Ryukyu MF with Uejo and Kawai in the near future. WHERE IS HE?
#7 Nakagawa: HAHAHA wouldn’t do it to you, too painful. Next!
#13 Kawai: Has one goal and 2 assists this season. Is
turning into a real playmaker for FC Ryukyu. Has another gear he can use to get
past defenders and is fine tuning his game with each performance, specifically,
his body & ball control while making cuts or getting up to speed. Maybe
replacing Nakagawa can’t be done with just one player but rather a combination
of players. If that is the case than Kawai’s introduction to the side is
starting to fill that void. Kawai’s speed really opens up the attack for FCR
and he has rightfully earned his spot in the starting 11.
Forwards
#14 Uejo: See Below, but seriously, I do not know why he
doesn’t start. Is it due to fitness, immaturity, health concerns or the
manager?
#21 Uehara: Has height, scored an important goal for FCR to
beat Niigata. Didn’t see much from him prior to his goal and less so after.
What happened? Injury?
#15 Wada: Played really well as a substitute versus Nagasaki
but hard pressed for playing time with the leading J2 goal scorer ahead of you
on the roster. His time will come.
#22 Gibo. I saw one appearance where Gibo displayed a lot of
hustle. Subbed into an attacking MF position but then was moved to a FB
position in the same game. He needs more playing time and I missed the Emperors
Cup match for FCR to see how he performed and what are his strengths and
weaknesses.
#9 Koji Suzuki: SEE BELOW.
Mid-Season MVPs
1A. Koji Suzuki. The man’s stats speak for themselves but if
you peel back the curtain a little more, you see that he has scored crucial
goals at very crucial times of matches for FCR. Yamagata, Yamagauchi, Kanazawa,
Omiya and Mito all come to mind. He is also one of the most unselfish strikers
I’ve ever seen. He puts in a shift every match. He does the hard work of hold
up plays, winning contested balls and drawing fouls from the opposition while never
complaining and rarely displays any outward frustration at his teammates. I
have no idea what compelled Zelvia to let him go but I do not care at this
point. He has proven to be an absolute steal in the transfer market.
1B. Dany Carvajal. Strong at the back and lethal up front is
what makes any team great. Yes, of course, strong through the middle is another
essential part but having the best striker and one of the best goal keepers in
the league on your squad is pretty good as well. Dany has been a revelation for
this side. He always seems to be in the right position, at the right time, to
make the right type of save. And let me tell you, there have been some
spectacular ones; against Omiya there were 2 to seal the win, the PK save
against Verdy, resisting the Reysol bombardment, Vortis, Yamaguchi, Mito and
list goes on and on. The FC Ryukyu front office did really well by signing Dany
this offseason.
2. Satoki Uejo. This man has come out of nowhere and turned
into quite the player. He has scored 6 times this season and is improving every
time he steps out onto the pitch. He has some signatures goals to his name;
Reysol, Vortis, Ehime, Nagasaki and Renofa (Emperor’s Cup). He also looks like
he has packed on some muscle the past few months in order to fight off larger
defenders. He needs to be out there every week for this side.
Looking Ahead
FC Ryukyu will play 10 games at home and 11 games on the road in the second half of the season. Within those 11 road games they will play 3 series of two consecutive road matches starting next week with Mito and Niigata. The next series is at the end of September with Machida and Fukuoka and finally to end the season against Ehime and Kofu. They also have 3 series at home where they will play consecutive home matches. The first wraps up this week with Okayama (started with Tochigi last week), the second is in August with Nagasaki and Yokohama and the third is at the end of August/early September with FC Gifu and Kagoshima. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the second half fixtures, make some predictions and then review the remaining fixtures for the bottom 4 clubs in J2.
Red denotes MUST WIN games for FCR.
It would be nice to see FCR earn wins against Tochigi and Ehime on the road as those 6 points could go a long way to helping secure J2 football for FCR in 2020. None of us know how the results will shake out considering we cannot predict the transfers in/out of clubs, injuries, managerial changes and plain old luck (good or bad). FC Ryukyu’s make or break month will be October with favorable matches against Avispa, Tochigi and Verdy. They need to be well clear of the relegation zone after that point because November could prove fatal if the road performances by FCR don’t improve. They face a surging Renofa side on the road, host a promotion seeking Kyoto side at home and wrap up the season with 2 road trips with a possible relegation battle against Ehime and potential promotion seeking side in Kofu. Even though I am targeting Ehime as a must win game for FCR, that will depend largely on FCR showing that they can win on the road when needed in the second half of the season.
With this in mind, lets look at teams who are currently sit 18-22 in the J2 table and examine their crucial months and critical match-ups in the second part of the 2019 J2 season.
#18 JEF Chiba United. JEF have a tough October where they face 3 sides who are likely going to be in the top 7. Depending on how those results play out, JEF could be dragged into the relegation battle. Their final match against Tochigi is huge for both sides.
#19 Kagoshima. The October and November schedule are not kind to Kagoshima. 3 road matches in October followed by a run of Kofu, Okayama, Reysol and Mito. They end on the road versus Fukuoka in another final match day matchup that could determine who gets relegated.
#20 Tochigi. The outcomes of their September fixtures will most likely determine their fate. They face FC Gifu, Fukuoka, Kagoshima and Ehime all in a row. That is a total of 4, 6-point match-ups in a row that could really doom any of those sides. As mentioned earlier, Tochigi end with JEF Chiba in what could be a win or go down to J3 match.
#21 Fukuoka. October and November are also not kind to Fukuoka. They are hoping that some of the sides around them perform poorly the rest of the year so as to give Fukuoka a chance at the end. Avispa end versus Kagoshima in a game we already mentioned that has massive relegation implications.
#22 FC Gifu. The schedule is kinder to FC Gifu in so much as there isn’t any one month remaining where they face multiple top sides in quick succession. The end of July/beginning of August will be rough on them but there are winnable games. But like Fukuoka, FC Gifu are hoping that things go terribly wrong for the few sides just above them in the table. Will it be the Vortis or Kofu match that ultimately dooms this side, or will it happen much sooner?
At the end of the day, FC Ryukyu need to go out there and handle their business without concerning themselves too much about the rest of the table. It is simple math for FCR: Beat the teams below you in the table especially those at the bottom, Get points off of teams just above you in the table, and win some games on the road. If they can do that, then they are going to be alright. I’d estimate that another 18 points are needed and FCR could achieve that any number of ways in the second half of the season.
I know I did not focus on which team may win the J2 title and which sides are likely to be promoted to the J1 in 2019 so I’ll save that for a later date.
Well folks, that is going to do it for the final installment of the FCR Mid-Season Review. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. I’ll be adding two more entries this week with the Second Transfer Special of the year coming out on Thursday and the normal Match Day Preview coming out on Friday.
Welcome everyone to the FC Ryukyu mid season review. I will provide a 3-part series for the FC Ryukyu mid-season review beginning today. In Part 1 I will focus briefly on the current state of the team, what changes have occurred at the club from the end of last season until now that have affected attendance numbers and then I will switch gears and review the Top 5 story lines. In Part 2 we will review the Top 5 matches for FC Ryukyu this season as well as the Top 10 goals scored by individual players from FC Ryukyu. Finally, in Part 3 we will conclude the mid-season review with some player reviews, discuss the FC Ryukyu MVPs up to this point and end the series by looking forward into the remaining fixtures for FC Ryukyu. Enjoy!
2019 To Date
FC Ryukyu have now reached the half way point of their
inaugural J2 season. They sit 13th in the table with 28 points and
are 11 points clear of the relegation zone. They started the year out very fast winning 4
out of their first 4 matches and then drawing the next two to sit at 14 points.
FC Ryukyu’s first loss didn’t occur until a mid-week match up against JEF Chiba
on Match Day 7. They responded really well after that loss as they came home to
earn a late draw against Kashiwa Reysol thus setting the new Home Undefeated
Record for all of the J.Leauge with 26 in a row. FC Ryukyu would ultimately
make it to 30 before Kofu ended their undefeated run with a 5-2 defeat.
In my opinion, there are couple of different ways to view
the first half of the FC Ryukyu season. You could break it down by quarters or
in halves.
If we broke it down by quarters, we see theses type of
results: Matches 1-5; 4 wins and 1 draw, matches 6-10; 3 draws and 2 losses,
matches 11-15; 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw and finally, matches; 16-21 1 win, 2
draws and 3 losses. Right away we see a team that wins in bunches and then goes
thru stretches of bad results.
By Halves: Matches 1-10; 4 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses and,
matches 11-21; 3 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses. This paints a more ominous picture
as the losses really piled up for FC Ryukyu in the second part of the first
half of the season.
What has greatly impacted FC Ryukyu’s point total this
season is their inability win on the road. FC Ryukyu have not won on the road
since Match Day 2 against Omiya and have suffered defeats to lower sides FC
Gifu and Kagoshima. Luckily for FC Ryukyu, the fast start with 4 wins from 4
has produced the nice 11 to 12-point cushion between them and the drop zone area
with teams 20-22. The expected point total to avoid relegation is between 42-46
points and FC Ryukyu are about 17 points shy of the sweet spot. This means FC
Ryukyu will need at least 5 wins in the second half of the season while mixing
in some draws.
A quick glance at the FC Ryukyu stat sheet this season.
2019 Changes
FC Ryukyu have averaged 4,480 fans in their 11 home games to
date and those numbers are probably impacted by the poor weather that has
befouled FC Ryukyu in the first half of the season. FC Ryukyu have played at least half of their
home games this season in wet and windy conditions that makes life very
difficult on the FC Ryukyu fan base. As some of you may know, there is only a
small covered area on the West of the stadium and it truly doesn’t protect many
of the fans against the elements. While all football clubs have to deal with inclement
weather from time to time, keep in mind that FC Ryukyu are in the midst of
trying to build and established fan base that can generate revenue and
ultimately player transfer/salaries. Though FC Ryukyu have greatly improved
their attendance totals from last year, ideally this club would like to average
upwards of 7,000 fans per game. Realistically, I think 5,000 is the mark that
FC Ryukyu could hit with their remaining 10 home games.
So, what has changed for the club and the fan base that has caused an average increase of about 1,000 fans per match this season compared to seasons past? There is no single answer I can come up with and I believe there are several factors involved. Before we get into the details as to why, let’s see the attendance records from FC Ryukyu’s past season in the J3.
*3 fewer home fixtures in 2016 compared to 2015
So, right away we see that FC Ryukyu has slowly been increasing their fan base since their inception in the J.League. FC Ryukyu began their push up the table in 2016 and followed that up by finishing 6th in 2017. It should be no coincidence that the uptick in attendance coincided with a managerial change that brought a more attacking style of football to Okinawa. Not to mention, more goals. Of course, we’d expected to see the sharpest rise in attendance figures during the championship season but if we are going to draw one conclusion from these numbers, its fans appreciate exciting football on the pitch. Maybe the average fan just wants to see some goals and is not overly concerned with the end result. So now let’s see what has changed this season.
First, the fact the FC Ryukyu won the J3 title last season
really helped pull the club out of the shadows and into the light for the
Okinawa community. The crowd on hand for the title clinching game is one of the
largest in FC Ryukyu history and it really helped put this team on the map.
Second, the increased coverage of FC Ryukyu on television, on radio and in print,
really increased the visibility of FC Ryukyu and this has almost certainly
brought more people to the grounds.
Third, the front office staff for FC Ryukyu has really
engaged the community on their website but more importantly, through social
media. There is a more concentrated effort by the club to target new fans and
expose this team to the local community. While some free attendance events have
been hampered by bad weather, it is nice to see the club continually running
shuttle buses for both home and away supporters to the stadium. The 3,000 Yen
fee is definitely cheaper than a taxi or daiko back to Naha but I’d like to see
the club offer discounted tickets for those people utilizing the shuttle since it
increases the minimum cost to attend the match up to 4,000 Yen for an adult. The
club has done well to offer a free parking and a shuttle from the Awase port
area as the parking situation is deplorable, and outside of the control of the
club, at the stadium as it is located inside a huge community park. FC Ryukyu
also offer a child care program to attract parents who wish to attend but maybe
reluctant because they are concerned, they’d spend more time looking after
their children than enjoying the match. I believe that based on numerous
personal experiences at the Tapista with my kids. The fact that you can find
the president of the club, Mr. Mikami, in the A Section of the stadium each
week interacting, and more importantly listening to FC Ryukyu fans, means the
management and club are really trying to understand their customer and not
force feed the fans what they don’t want.
Fourth, I think the fact that FC Ryukyu are playing in the J2 instead of the J3 has resonated with the local community that the club is playing in a more established, more respected, better covered tier of the Japanese Football pyramid. The notion that FC Ryukyu could be playing J1 football in the near future is very real in the minds of people here as the distance between the J1 and J2 is much shorter, both literally and figuratively than between J3 and J1. Fifth, there have been some nice improvements to the match day event. Food and drink vendors have increased, there are food vendors on the opposite side of the stadium and pre-match events are very well received by the local community. Sixth, the traveling fans. There is no doubt that the large numbers of fans from Reysol, Niigata and others have propped up the overall attendance numbers. Remember, Okinawa is a holiday destination for most mainland Japaneses so syncing up your teams match with your holiday plans isn’t a bad idea.
Seventh, the home unbeaten record helped immensely as it gained both local and national attention. It really brought people to the Tapista who may have never attended a match in their life but wanted to be a part of something special. Finally, there is just a different aura surrounding the club. I have witnessed some very sparsely attended matches in FC Ryukyu’s history and even joked that they were counting the players, front office staff and stadium support staff in their overall attendance numbers so as not to come across as team that no one bothers to watch. But all of that is in the past. Match day events are better planned, better presented and better executed. There is a much different atmosphere inside the stadium of seasons past and I am just having a hard time describing it in detail. You just have to be here to feel it I guess.
The club has been steadily improving its numbers every season and this is encouraging. The club cannot expect an average of 7,000 fans per match every week as it looks like it will take them about 2-3 more season to hit that number based on the statistical trends in the table above. It takes time to build a fan base and not everyone here in Okinawa is able to attend all the matches on a regular basis. Let’s assume that the club has set their operating budget based on average attendance rates of 3,000 per match. If that is the case, then the 4,200 fans they currently averaging each match means they will have some ability to make subtle changes within the club this season and that is very important to their overall success.
There are 10 home games remaining for FC Ryukyu against some serious opponents. Yamagata, Kyoto and Nagasaki to name a few so FC Ryukyu will need all the fan support they can garner to navigate these tough fixtures at home at such a crucial part of the season. I hope the weather for these matches improves as it is understandable that no one wants to bring themselves, let alone their family to watch a football match in rainy, windy conditions (despite the prevailing trend of poncho fashion). I’d like to see FC Ryukyu hit the 5,000-average mark by seasons end but that will take a concerted effort from the players performing each week, the management executing an affordable and targeted marketing campaign and with those of us at the grass roots level spreading the word about FC Ryukyu however we can.
Top 5 Storylines of the 2019 Season So Far
#5. The Transfer of Kazaki Nakagawa to Yokohama F. Marinos
after Match Day 3.
One polarizing story emerging from the early part of this season was the transfer of Nakagawa to the J1 side, Yokohama F Marinos. Nakagawa had featured for FC Ryukyu since 2017 when he joined Ryukyu from Betis San Isidro in the 4th tier of Spanish Football. Nakagawa’s breakout season occurred in 2018 when he netted 16 times while adding 16 assists. Nakagawa started the 2019 J2 season on fire by contributing 4 assists and it was the main reason FC Ryukyu looked like world-beaters so early on in the season. FC Ryukyu scored 9 goals in their first 3 games with Nakagawa and then it took them another 9 weeks to match that scoring total.
FC Ryukyu have really struggled to fill the void left by the Nakagawa departure and continue to tinker the lineup by inserting Uejo, Kazama and Ochi in his vacated spot. They have yet to find the right combination or get back to their free scoring ways they enjoyed early on. Keep in mind, FC Ryukyu had failed to score more than 2 goals in match since Nakagawa’s departure, until this past weekend, and this is a team designed for the attack. It was always going to be hard to replace a player of Nakagawa’s quality so it will be interesting to see if FC Ryukyu can pull off a loan with Yokohama in order to reacquire the temporary services of such an iconic FC Ryukyu player.
#4 FC Ryukyu’s Away Record this Season
FC Ryukyu started out the season brilliantly on the road by earning a massive 4-3 victory over Omiya and then followed that performance up with a draw against top side Yamagata. You may be thinking I am about to tell you how great this side has been on the road but it is quite the opposite. FC Ryukyu have not won on the road since Omiya and have been outscored 12 to 17 in those games. There are some instances of bad luck, when they lost Carvajal to injury during the Yokohama match in which they were winning, but for the most part the team has really failed to fire on the road. They salvaged some nice draws at Tokyo Verdy and Kyoto with late goals by Uesato and Kawai but otherwise have failed to get over the line with a win.
It will not get any easier for FC Ryukyu with trips to Kashiwa, Kofu and Mito ahead of them, but ideally, we’d like to see this side grab 2 more road wins this season. Considering FC Ryukyu have only earned 6 points on the road in the first half, 2 wins and 3 draws in their remaining 11 road wins should be more than enough to ensure relative safety.
#3 Emerging Talents
There are some very talented players coming into their own this season. Specifically, the emergence of Uejo, Kawai, Tokumoto and Koizumi. Uejo has scored some huge goals for the club this season and has all the makings of a great attacking mid-fielder. Kawai has been putting on a display the past few matches with his speed and ability to generate goal scoring opportunities. Tokumoto can produce some great crosses from the FB position and it is no surprise that larger clubs are looking to acquire his services this transfer window. Koizumi has only featured in 6 matches but has flashed some talented play and movement. All these players are under-25 years old and they look to be the future for FC Ryukyu. Maybe by the end of the season we will see all 3 midfielders in the starting lineup with Kawai and Uejo out wide and Koizumi playing the CAM role. In any case, this a group of talented young players that FC Ryukyu needs to hold onto for the next few seasons.
#2 New Players
There is no doubt that the signings FC Ryukyu made this offseason have paid off. First, FC Ryukyu lost GK Park – and eventually Nakagawa – to Yokohoma F Marinos and we lost Togashi to FC Gifu. It was never going to be easy to replace 32 goals but Koji Suzuki seems to want to make up that number all by himself. He currently sits on 14 and I wrote very early on after one of his braces that he may hit 26 for the season. Well he is more than halfway there and has been a phenomenal signing for the club. Dany Carvajal also joined the club in the offseason and has become one of the best GKs in all of J2. Dany’s play at the back has been nothing short of spectacular and has contributed to many favorable outcomes for FC Ryukyu. His performance late against Omiya to earn a victory, his PK save against Verdy after a bloody nose is the stuff of legends and his ability to keep FC Ryukyu in matches with timely saves has been great to watch.
Uesato has been a good central holding mid-fielder, team captain and contributed two beautiful goals. Ochi has chipped in 2 goals in 3 games that he has started while Kawai has become a starter with enormous potential. Kazama has also provided some electric moments with his free kicks and corners. All in all, these were really good signings by the club this offseason.
#1 The Home Undefeated Record
The number one storyline for the 2019 season so far was the 30-game home undefeated record for FC Ryukyu. The home unbeaten streak lasted 643 days dating back to September 30th 2017. Some may argue that a majority of those games were against lesser opponents in a lower league. While that is a valid point, it also should be noted that FC Ryukyu could only play the opponents in front of them and that 9 of those 30, almost 1/3, occurred in the J2. Nobody, including me, knew what to expect from this team at the start of the season. If we look at the 9 unbeaten games this season, we see a nice mix of dramatic finishes, dominating performances and a bit of luck. FC Ryukyu took Reysol’s best shot and earned a draw, they beat the league leaders at the time in Mito at home and they pulled off a last-minute draw against Yamaguchi that would’ve ended the record before they could break the previous one. The fact remains that they are now holders of a very prestigious record for the J.League and no one can take that away from this club or its supporters.
Well that is it for Part 1 of the mid-season review. I hope you’ve enjoyed it so far and up next is Part 2 where we will discuss the Top 5 Matches and Top 10 Goals for FC Ryukyu this season. See you tomorrow.
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