FC Ryukyu let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers this Sunday when they drew one all with Fagiano Okayama at home. FC Ryukyu looked the better side yesterday but could not get the offense firing on a day when Okayama offered nothing in the attack. The notion of cracking the top half of the table this year for FC Ryukyu is officially is dead and buried.
FC Ryukyu LB Keigo Numata: Numata provided the assist on the Hitomi goal but also sent a lovely cross into the box in the first half that Koya Kazama really should have buried for the early lead. Yes, he was also responsible for the handball that led to the PK for Okayama, but he recovered well to set up the tying goal.
Review of the Keys to Victory
1. Brace the left with Speed and Tenacity. Likelihood 3. Yes. Tanaka and Koya did a great job of limiting the impact of Uejo, and Tokumoto, which in turn isolated Yong Jae. Yong Jae was subbed off after 60 ‘ and he never really factored into the game. Uejo and Tokumoto each had one good look on net but that was about it. There were no dangerous crosses from Tokumoto with the lone goal for coming from a PK after a fluky handball by Numata in the box.
2. Pepper the net with shots. Likelihood 4. Yes. Ryukyu managed 11 shots yesterday but only 5 were on target. Once again they started fast in the first half but couldn’t find the breakthrough.
Takeaways from Match Day 39
1. It was encouraging to see FC Ryukyu cut down on the turnovers, but the ones they did commit, were nearly catastrophic. On roughly four occasions, an FC Ryukyu player passed the ball directly to one of the outfield players for Okayama. This led to several quick counters and one dangerous shot on goal but luckily, none of the turnovers actually resulted in a goal. Just elevated blood pressure. I would expect the turnovers to decline with the regular starters back in the lineup, but we cannot afford to live that dangerously in our last three games.
2. The attack was evenly distributed down the flanks. FC Ryukyu prefers to muster the attack down the left with Kawai and Numata, but by evenly spreading the attack down both sides, the offense looked much better compared to the game against Kanazawa. The game progressed in fits and spurts for the most part with FC Ryukyu controlling nearly 60% of the possession. The problem was they ended most drives with shots off target. Still, FC Ryukyu out shot Okayama by a 2 to 1 margin.
3. Shinji Ono had a clear chance to net his first ever FC Ryukyu goal, and he missed it. Maybe Ono is not known for his aerial prowess, but he was unmarked on a corner kick, and had a free header from just outside the 6-yard box. Unfortunately, it looks like he took his eyes off the ball at the last moment leading up to the header, buried his head, and pushed the shot wide of the mark. There are only two home games left this year and I think there will be a very concerted effort on the part of the coaching staff, and team, to get Shinji at least one goal.
A shocking loss by Tokushima Vortis to Mito Hollyhock means the leaders will need to wait at least one more week before they can secure promotion. It also opens the door for both Avispa Fukuoka and V-Varen Nagasaki to possibly catch Vortis if this turns out to be more than a momentary stumble by Tokushima. At nearly the exact moment when V-Varen Nagasaki scored the go ahead goal to bring them within 1 point of Avispa Fukuoka, Fukuoka equalized in their own game. Avispa battled back from a two goal deficit to earn a point against the plucky Zweigen Kanazawa for a huge result that allows them to maintain a two point lead heading into the final three games of 2020.
FC Ryukyu need six points from their remaining three games to equal their point total from 2019. A very doable prospect based on the strength of their final three opponents, but considering that they have failed to win at home in two consecutive games, it’s definitely not a given.
It was great to see Hitomi score his first ever goal for Ryukyu yesterday as it helps soften the blow from the loss of both Abe and Uehara just a little bit. Ryukyu will have a full week off before welcoming in 21st Ehime FC and hopefully the recent CV-19 case at the club is a mild one that can be contained without further spread.
In 2019, FC Ryukyu lost twice to Okayama, 0-1 & 0-2, with Lee Yong Jae scoring all 3 goals for Fagiano. This year it was FC Ryukyu getting the better of Okayama early when they won 2-1 at Fagiano on Match Day 9. Can FC Ryukyu return the favor from 2019 and do the double over Fagiano in 2020?
Match Day 9: FC Ryukyu 2-1 Fagiano Okayama
Much like last game, FC Ryukyu welcome in a side that haven’t had the best track record of late, but have played well against a much tougher opponent in the round prior to Ryukyu. Kanazawa couldn’t buy a goal on the road their past five games but after taking Vortis to the brink, they came to Okinawa and beat us 2-0. Well, Fagiano Okayama haven’t won in six games, but they nearly pulled off the win against Avispa Fukuoka earning a draw in the mid-week. Which begs the question, will this game turnout the same way?
Match Day 38 Highlights
FC Ryukyu vs Zweigen Kanazawa (0-2)
Fagiano Okayama vs Avispa Fukuoka (1-1)
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu: Higuchi admitted after the Kanazawa game that there were far too many turnovers from his side and the bevy of changes to the lineup played it’s part in the disjointed attack. He also mentioned how susceptible FC Ryukyu are to surrendering goals. The turnovers are the easiest fix since the latter point requires a fundamental shift in our defensive philosophy to stem the influx of goals. And that likely won’t happen any time soon.
With relegation off the table this year, all we want is for this team to pull out some home wins at the end. But that comes at a cost. And you need to understand that each season may feel like a sprint, but staying power and advancing your status, like statehood, is a marathon and not a sprint. I want nothing more than to see FC Ryukyu destroy Okayama on Sunday, but the most important task at hand is developing our younger players along with assessing the reserves. That sucks, and it isn’t pleasant on the eyes, I know. But it will pay longer dividends than watching FC Ryukyu destroy a team with our first team starters who couldn’t pull this team out of 18th all season.
We already know the quality commodities in Carvajal, Kawai, Koya, Tanaka, and Koki. I purposely left Koizumi off that list because he will likely depart this club at the seasons end and we need to come to grips with that fact. Taguchi has proven himself a very capable back up goal keeper, and you don’t find that every day, so it would be great to retain his services for next year but he may have flashed enough to earn a shot at a starting job somewhere in J2 next season.
Abe, Uehara, Uesato, and Torikai are all over 32 years of age which means we will need to find suitable replacements for these players. Takuya Hitomi made his debut start at FWD last week and is one of those players who could benefit from more game time at the end the year. If we can retain Abe next season, Hitomi would do well to learn under the veteran striker. We really need a longer look at Hitomi in a more settled lineup to make any real assessment of his abilities, but that probably won’t happen this year.
Ren Ikeda has been asked to do a lot for the club this year. He started in the #10 role to open the year, and looked good, before ceding that spot to Koizumi. He then has been required to fill in at Striker as well as various mid-field positions. He is the most likely replacement for Koizumi when the latter departs, and though we have tinkered with both players in the lineup at the same time, they are identical players that need to see lots of the ball to be effective. So coexistence seems unfeasible.
Defensively we know what we have in Yong Jick and Fukui, and what we had in Okazaki in 2019, which leaves Suzuki and Chinen. Suzuki can make some poor decisions at times and is need of some better coaching to correct his flaws, but has at least put forth some effort this year. Chinen’s season has seen its share of ups and downs as well since he missed time with CV-19, and then briefly returned only to get injured. He has speed, which is nice in a CB, but needs to add some muscle to that frame to deal with the larger forwards in this league. So do all our defenders if we’re being honest. Makito Uehara has been the most exciting young prospect for Ryukyu this year, and I have always said that he is better suited in the CDM role with his size/speed combo than FB.
That leaves us with four players that the book is still out on. Ichimaru came to Ryukyu during a time when the team was desperate for healthy mid-fielders. But he hasn’t done much to impress and finds himself in a bit part role these days. He may not be that expensive to keep in 2021, but at this point, he may be taking away playing time from the other players we need to see more of since we have plenty of tape on Ichimaru. Motegi, like Chinen, had his season derailed by CV-19 and needs a quick injection of confidence. If he is fully recovered, a fact that no one may ever know when dealing with CV-19, then he needs to be in the lineup. He looked good to start the season but as failed to make the impact that many had hoped for when he signed from Mito this offseason.
I cannot foresee Yamaguchi as an everyday starter for the club. But his skills could be used as a second half sub that can stretch tired defenses with his speed. Like many of the players in the last section, he too dealt with a mid-season injury and drop in form. Out of all the players mentioned so far, Yamaguchi needs these last few games to show out. Which brings us to the final player that has been so much of an enigma this year, Felipe Tavares.
The RB has featured only once for FC Ryukyu and that was during the first game of the season against JEF. There has never been any word on any injury, or reasons as to why he hasn’t made the bench in the last 37 games. The only thing we have seen of him are the brief sightings at the end of games standing on the sidelines. Tavares more than held his own against J2 competition, in fact, he was an asset in both the attack and defense. He created at least seven chances from the RB spot as well as added a few shots on net in his lone game this year. He is as tall as some CBs in this league which means he can be a valuable weapon set pieces. Something we’ve struggled with this year. Look no further than his header from a corner kick that hit the crossbar that first game. Yet, Higuchi has not included him in the lineup. Granted, Tanaka’s emergence at RB has been a revelation, but certainly there is a place for Tavares on this team.
Fagiano Okayama: I am not quite sure of the circumstances surrounding the demise of Okayama this year. They started out fine, but then a 4 game winless streak shortly thereafter dropped them into the bottom half of the table, a position they were never able to recover from. There were some injuries to key players, most notably, Yong Jae who missed 12 games with an Achilles injury. Yong Jae has scored 6 goals this year, but is not in the same form he was in 2019 when he scored 18 goals and added 4 assists.
Some familiar names top the scoring leaders for Okayama in Satoki Uejo and Shuhei Tokumoto. Uejo has improved dramatically after his rocky start to the season and now leads the team in goals with Tokumoto leading the team in assists despite missing five games this season. Tokumoto has even worn the captain’s arm band for Okayama on four separate occasions this year.
As mentioned earlier, Okayama are winless in their past six games, going 0-3-3, with their last win occurring over a month ago. There were some tough games in that slate but after two consecutive losses to Matsumoto and Tochigi, Okayama looked much better in their draws with Kitakyushu and Fukuoka.
Okayama nearly pulled out the win against Kitakyushu as it was only the post that kept them from three points. They played Fukuoka tough and were pressing them the entire game for the winner, however, the shots they sent through the Avispa traffic were tracked the entire time by Serantes. It has been the play of Uejo and Yong Jae the past few rounds that has carried this team as Uejo has scored two goals in the past three games while Yong Jae bagged the equalizer against Fukuoka on Wednesday.
One thing to watch out for tomorrow is the set pieces from Okayama. Uejo can score from the freekick spot, as we’ve all seen before, and Yong Jae can create the separation and space to get on the end of crosses into the box.
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. Brace the left with Speed and Tenacity. Likelihood 3. Fagiano’s strength is down the left side of their attack with Tokumoto and Uejo. Luckily for us, that is probably our strongest side in defense (right side). The speed of Tanaka and Yamaguchi to recover in defense will help, as will their tenacity to dispose the attackers. Tanaka never gives up, and Yamaguchi has a lot to prove by playing hard tomorrow so if we can choke out the Okayama attack down the left, it will give our CB pairing a chance to reduce Yong Jae’s impact on the game.
2. Pepper the net with shots. Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu cannot afford another performance like the one against Kanazawa, so I would assume they will do more to get better shots on goal tomorrow. Though neither defense is particularly strong, Okayama defenders invite shots far too often which bodes well for us if we can get the attack rolling.
Match Prediction
I think the former FC Ryukyu boys make a triumphant return to Okinawa and help Fagiano Okayama to a comfortable 2-0 win.
Match Day 39 in J2
(1) Tokushima Vortis will look to close out one of the promotion slots this week when they travel to (12) Mito Hollyhock. A win secures them promotion, but a (2) Avispa Fukuoka loss to (15) Zweigen Kanazawa would give them the title. (3) V-Varen Nagasaki’s tough road continues when they host (7) Montedio Yamagata in a win or go home game.
I am not sure if this game will turn into some sort of shootout on Sunday, but I have been wrong before. FC Ryukyu will face a team for the second consecutive game that are buoyed with confidence after facing a tougher opponent in which they earned a favorable result. But, FC Ryukyu do play up (and down) to their competition so this game could go so many different ways tomorrow.
One thing is certain though, FC Ryukyu need to cut down on the turnovers and mental mistakes that plagued them during the last match. If they can move in space with minimal wasteful passes, we could see them get the win.
What a relief! FC Ryukyu finally grabbed their first win of the 2020 campaign, thus putting to bed the streak of 258 days since FC Ryukyu last won a match. The win comes at a heavy cost though as Koki Kazama went off injured in the 6th minute due to knock on his knee. It is likely he will be joining Shinji Ono on the sideline for quite some time as he was seen sporting a brace and crutches in the post match photo. But FC Ryukyu looked good in the match as they dominated Okayama in every single offensive category.
Match Recap
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Match Prediction
Match Day 9 Takeaways
Match Day 9 in J2
Top Goals from Round 9
Conclusion
1. Match Recap
2. Man of the Match
FC Ryukyu FWD Takuma Abe: He was involved in both goals for FC Ryukyu as he drew the foul that Uesato scored from a FK, and he pounced on the rebound that put FC Ryukyu in front 2-1. He was something to watch on Saturday with his excellent hold up play and breakouts on the counter attacks.
3. Review of the Keys to Victory
1. It all starts in the Locker Room. Likelihood 3: This one almost didn’t happen as Higuchi reverted back to the 4-2-3-1 instead of sticking with the 4-1-4-1 that worked well against Iwata. However, the team came out and played really well despite conceding an early goal. The look of relief, and belief, on all their faces after the game sums this up nicely.
2. Substitutes and their timing are Key. Likelihood 3: Unfortunately, FC Ryukyu suffered another injury to one of their CM in Koki Kazama. Uesato came on early but Higuchi made only 2 more changes in the 70th minute and opted to leave a majority of the team out their the whole match. The 92nd minute changes did not really mean anything other than getting guys some limited game time to stay fresh.
3. Create some chaos in the Okayama Defense. Likelihood 4: This one was crucial as it was Abe’s goal after a punched save from a Tanaka shot that caught the Okayama defenders flatfooted.
4. Match Prediction
Like Ryukyu, I finally got the first W of the year with my 2-1 scoreline prediction. W1-D2-L6.
5. Match Day 9 Takeaways
1. FC Ryukyu have now been bitten hard by the injury bug and are facing a selection crisis. The injuries to Koki and Ono, along with the sudden departure of Lee Ji Seong back to Korea, have shrunken the ranks of available players for Higuchi to build his lineup. Ryukyu have 9 healthy MFs on the roster as I expect the reason Motegi didn’t feature against Okayama was merely due to maintenance, not injury, but keep in mind that Tanaka’s primarily been an LB the past few weeks.
If Higuchi sticks to the 4-2-3-1, that will put a heavy tax on the current crop of MFs whereas a 4-1-4-1, may provide some level of rest for the squad. Of course, reintroducing Tavares, Numata, and Torikai could relieve some of the pressure and there is a possibility that Fukui could be called upon to serve in the CDM role vacated by both Ono and Koki’s injuries. We also have Chinen, and possibly Okazaki, to call upon for extra defenders.
FC Ryukyu should be strongly compelled to dip into the transfer market and sign 3-4 players on loan before it is too late and they are forced to dress some of the youth and special designated players.
2. While the game of “paper, rock, & scissors” between Yu and Uesato seemed like a funny moment, I hope that is not the preferred method for determining who takes free kicks. Uesato did comment after the game that he saw how the Okayama wall was constructed and that a left footed shot was preferable to that of Yu’s right. It was a good call as he scored our first dead ball kick of the season.
3. I am not sure why we have such a hard time picking out Yong Jick on set pieces? It could be a combination of poorly taken corners/free kicks or that Yong Jick isn’t aggressive enough to put himself into position to take a header. I mean, the man is usually the tallest player on the pitch and you merely need to be within his vicinity with the placement of your attempt.
4. FC Ryukyu will probably have the fewest number of clean sheets of any J2 team this season but Dany has been playing some inspired football the last three games. He made some quality saves on Saturday and even stopped the initial shot from an Okayama player that got in behind our defense. Unfortunately, the blocked shot fell at the feet of a wide-open Okayama player that easily slotted it home but there was nothing anyone could have done about it. I think the stronger Dany gets with each game, the more likely it is we can pull of some victories in some low scoring affairs.
5. Shuto Kawai’s return to the team was a welcome sight and it will be exciting to watch the way he integrates with Koizumi, Ikeda and Motegi moving forward.
6. Koizumi has some of the best balance I’ve seen in a player. He is constantly knocked around and in the middle of fracases all the time but still remains upright and in control of the ball. He will be the engine that drives the Ryukyu attack from now on.
Omiya v Fukuoka was called off after a suspected case of CV19 was confirmed at Avispa Fukuoka. Kitakyushu continue their ascent to the top while Gunma shocked everyone, including JEF, with a last second goal.
#1 Uesato’s FK that found its way over the wall and into the net off the near post. (0:23)
#2 Keiya Nakami’s bullet shot from distance that left the Kitakyushu keeper stunned. (2:15)
#3 Pitbull’s (not the one you’re thinking of) chip over the Kanazawa keeper for the Mito win in the 94th minute. (4:08)
8. Conclusion
Well, we got that all important first win the books and now it is time to march on. We may have to become accustomed to long stretches of games without any wins this season but the most important thing that came out of the match on Saturday is the belief within the locker room that they can win. It is especially impressive to get that win on the road on a short week though there is something to be said about Okayama not fielding their strongest side due to injury. Such is life and these are the breaks teams need from time to time. Up next is a trip to Tokyo Verdy for FC Ryukyu after a nice six day break between games.
FC Ryukyu travel North this Saturday to take on Fagiano Okayama. A team that FC Ryukyu lost to twice last year and have yet to register a goal against. Also of note, FC Ryukyu will be facing Satoki Uejo for the first time this season after his departure from the club. For Fagiano, there were high expectations for a club that splashed a ton of cash this off-season on their signings but so far the return on investment has not paid off. For Ryukyu, they are still searching for that elusive first win.
Weather Forecast
Match Day 8 Recap: FC Ryukyu
Match Day 8 Recap: Fagiano Okayama
Team Previews & Injury Report
Keys to Victory
Match Prediction
Round 9 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast
Maybe some early rain but otherwise a comfortable evening to enjoy some football.
Fagiano Okayama: There was no denying that Fagiano had aspirations of reaching the J1 this season with the big name, and possibly big money, signings they made this off-season. However, all has not gone according to plan.
They have only won twice this season with some very regrettable draws to restart the campaign. Not to mention they could (and should) be without some of their big name signings for this fixture. As FC Ryukyu fans, you are well aware of the fact that Okayama signed, Uejo, Tokumoto and Masutani from us this off season in addition to signing Paulinho from Matsumoto; two goal keepers from Kawasaki Frontale; and Shintaro Shimizu from Omiya Ardija. When coupled together with their very talented striker, Lee Yong Jae, it made for a very nice attack for Fagiano. However, goals have been hard to come by as of late and Uejo has failed to fire this year. Factor in the Paulinho injury and you have a team that resembled FC Ryukyu when Nakagawa was traded away and the goals dried up.
Over their last five matches Okayama are 1-1-3 and have been outscored 2 to 1 (3/6) in that span. The loss of the Paulinho is really being felt through the middle which is only exacerbated by the absence of Tokumoto at LB. There has been no indication of an injury to Tokumoto but he hasn’t featured in the lineup since match day 6. To Tokumoto’s credit, he has 1 goal and 1 assist this season and was looking in fine form prior to whatever injury he picked up.
Yong Jae is the leading scorer for Okayama (3) but Uejo has yet to find the back of the net. He has created plenty of chances for Fagiano but none of his shots have fallen. I could see him ending his goalless drought against FC Ryukyu on Saturday as it feels like he is due for a goal after watching the past 5 matches for Okayama.
Speaking of those matches, it is evident that all the talent they bought up top cannot cover the cracks in defense at the back. Sound familiar? Okayama may pack the box in defense with their 4-4-2 formation but they often let attackers get free around them and have trouble clearing the deflected shots in the 18-yard box. While I am not sure on the amount of possession they have averaged during the past five games, I am sure that they prefer paying a nice long through ball, or ball over the top of the opposition’s defense, as many of the attackers are very adept at turning these long passes into breakaway opportunities.
If this were a completely healthy Okayama side that FC Ryukyu were facing on Saturday I would have some serious trepidation and concern. However, it is anything but, and while I can easily assume Okayama will feel confident facing a side that has yet to win, I think they are ripe for the picking and can be done in by Ryukyu.
Fagiano Okayama Injuries & Suspensions: There are some notable ones. MF Paulinho has torn his right quad/hamstring and is out for at least another 5 weeks. FWD Miniero is in the middle of an 8 week injury to his left knee. And then there is the odd disappearance of LB Tokumoto as no injury has been reported but he hasn’t appeared in some time. Finally, long time FC Ryukyu defender Kosuke Masutani is still sidelined from a hip issue he suffered in the interim period of the 2020 season.
Match Day 8 Starters for Both Clubs
FC Ryukyu: A change to the formation was finally enacted by Higuchi who may have been prompted to do so after the injury to Shinji Ono thus leaving only 2 healthy CMs in Uesato and Koki Kazama. Whatever the case, the new 4-1-4-1 finally put our greatest strength in the lineup and it was evident early on that this is the way forward for Ryukyu.
Granted, Ryukyu did not have much possession against Iwata, but they did limit the free shots on net from dangerous areas and if anything, better defending will lead to more goals for FC Ryukyu. Okayama may very well come out and dominate Ryukyu in the possession category tomorrow, but they are struggling for creativity up top with FC Ryukyu starting to gain some momentum in that department.
Chances are we some changes to the side that faced Iwata but the formation change at least provides more flexibility in the personnel selection for Ryukyu. Tanaka has proven time and time again, that a true Full Back is not required to play what is actually a Wing Back position in Higuchi’s set up. Numata is also need of some serious rest before he picks up a stress injury and I wouldn’t mind seeing one of the younger MF players give him a break.
If Hiuguhi can find the right mix of starters and substitutes tomorrow, Ryukyu can snatch that first victory.
FC Ryukyu Injury & Suspensions: Shinji Ono suffered an injury to his Right MCL which will keep him out of the lineup for the next 2 months. Higuchi intimated in one of the recent FC Ryukyu email magazines that Kawai may have returned to training but is not match fit. Fingers crossed that Kawai is match fit and can put in a limited shift at the end of tomorrow’s game.
5. Keys to Victory
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely it happens 1- Requires a Miracle to happen
1. It all starts in the Locker Room. Likelihood 3: First there is the conviction to stick with the 4-1-4-1 by Higuchi. Then there is the personnel selection as some players are in need of rest. Finally, it is the belief that you will win as it is no longer a question of whether or not Ryukyu can compete, it has become a question of their mental toughness and resolve.
2. Substitutes and their timing are Key. Likelihood 3: When Okayama quickly figures out that their game plan is not working, and introduce some fresh legs, Higuchi must be prepared to counter. The inverse is also true but for now we’ll focus on Ryukyu foiling Okayama’s plans tomorrow. Though I may regret saying this, starting with fresh legs at RB/LB and not needing to bring on defensive subs late is probably key.
3. Create some Chaos in the Okayama Defense. Likelihood 4: The first shot does not necessarily need to be a goal each time but FC Ryukyu need to be prepared to pounce on all rebounds as the Okayama defense finds itself flatfooted.
6. Match Prediction
Going for broke on this one. Fagiano are missing some key offensive pieces and are susceptible to break downs at the back. FC Ryukyu score multiple goals for the second time all season and come away with the 2-1 victory.
7. Round 9 in J2
Oddly, there is only one game scheduled for Saturday night and both Ryukyu and Okayama drew that short straw. While all games are “thigh rubbers” for Ryukyu fans these days, the true “thigh rubbing” match of Round 9 falls to (2) Omiya Ardija hosting (3) Avispa Fukuoka on Sunday. The other one of note is (9) Kyoto Sanga FC welcoming in (8) Machida Zelvia as there seems to be some troubling brewing inside the Kyoto ranks due to their sluggish start.
8. Conclusion
Neither side thought that they would find themselves at their current spot in the table at this point in the season. But it doesn’t matter. Both have a chance to “get right” this Saturday and I feel that FC Ryukyu will be the one walking off the pitch with heads held high and smiles across their faces on Saturday. You see, we’ve come to learn one important thing about FC Ryukyu during this tumultuous stretch of adversity. They never give up. Now it is time they set things straight.
It was an unfortunate turn of events for FC Ryukyu this past weekend at the City Light Stadium in Okayama. The hosts were able to secure all 3 points after a PK was awarded early in the second half and the boys from Okinawa could not respond. FC Ryukyu’s overall road record now sits at 1 win in 7 with only 2 draws. It seems a long time ago when that free scoring side of FCR was taking it to Omiya in match Day 2 and if FCR hopes to secure J2 football in 2020, the road results need to improve.
Okayama came out in their typical 4-4-2 with FC Ryukyu in a
4-2-3-1 formation. FC Ryukyu did see the return of Nishioka from injury and it
was a welcome sign considering that our starting CB, Okazaki, would sit this
match out due to suspension from his accumulation of yellow cards. The FCR reserves
featured #21, Shinya Uehara FW, for the first time all season and I was
certainly interested in seeing what the big man (186cm) could provide up front
as well as in defense if needed.
The first half of the match started out exactly as I had predicted.
FC Ryukyu came out on the front foot, controlled a majority of the possession
and created the most opportunities on net. Unfortunately, FC Ryukyu were unable
to take the lead on any of their chances. Ryukyu’s first chance at taking the
lead came in the 10th minute when Koji Suzuki nearly turned a cross
into a goal but the outstretched arms of the diving Okayama keeper sent the shot
wide. Then it was Okayama’s turn to create some chances and they had three
great opportunities to take the lead but luckily, they couldn’t get past
Carvajal. Ryukyu’s best chance came in the 39th minute, again from
Suzuki, who struck a ball first time on the volley but the shot was directly at
the Okayama keeper from point blank range which meant he was able to parry it
over the top of the net.
The second half began with a flurry of action after only 30 seconds from the Okayama side. I had also feared this would be the case in the match preview and Okayama nearly broke the deadlock in the first 2 minutes. They had 2 shots on net in the first 30 seconds requiring top quality saves from Carvajal to keep the score line 0-0. Not one minute later, Okayama had 3 shots on net with the last being saved from Carvajal and the following foul from Okayama on an FCR player was the only thing that slowed the onslaught on the Ryukyu net.
However, a break down at the back from Masutani, who failed to track the run of an Okayama player, resulted in a free run on goal for which Carvajal had to come out and make one of those challenges where it could result in a sending off and/or PK. The resulting Carvajal challenge upended the Okayama player and therefore they were awarded a PK. Lee stepped up and netted his 9th J2 goal of the season thus moving him into a tie with Koji Suzuki as the top scorers in J2.
FC Ryukyu began to press for the game tying goal with their substitutes of Ochi, Uehara and Wada but they couldn’t find the back of the net to secure a draw. The closest FCR came to tying the match was a diving header by Tanaka that just went over the crossbar. Ryukyu were lucky to not have lost 2-0 since it was only the post that stopped a Okayama shot on net after Masutani failed yet again to track another run from an Okayama player. Truth be told, FC Ryukyu could’ve lost 3 or 4 to 0 if it wasn’t for the heroic efforts of Carvajal.
This has to go down as another lost opportunity for FC Ryukyu to secure vital points on the road. Both teams were evenly matched in this game, I think FC Ryukyu still has the better overall squad, but Okayama just outplayed them on the day. Again, I am baffled how this team responds to the level of competition they face each week and just hope they can start putting teams away when needed in order to avoid a relegation scrap at the end of the season.
Match Takeaways:
1. FC Ryukyu has failed to score multiple goals in a game for the 8th time in a row and was shut out for the 3rd time all season. I can deal with the fact that FC Ryukyu will be shut out from time to time but the fact that we haven’t scored more than one goal in any match since Renofa is just inexcusable. The players, the staff, the philosophy and formation of FC Ryukyu is designed for one sole purpose, attack. Well, the team can play some very nice passing football in their own half and just over the halfway line but they are having great difficulty in our opponent’s end. Rarely do I see any penetrating runs from the FCR outfield players into the box when we have possession and our attacking MFs just look confused on where to go with the ball. No one is moving and they simply look to get it wide to a fullback for a cross instead of trying to unlock teams with runs in and around the box. I don’t have many suggestions on how to fix this issue outside of training ground work and a possibly reshuffling the starting 11.
2. FC Ryukyu lacks creativity and conviction on corners and free kicks. FC Ryukyu once again attempted several short corners, none of which were remotely successful against Okayama. I get that maybe we are trying to draw out an extra defender thus leaving someone unmarked in the box with the short corner but we are not fooling teams with these set pieces. It is deflating as a fan to see your team win a corner only to throw away the opportunity with indecisive, poor crosses and passes. If FCR doesn’t have the height advantage on set pieces, then misdirection from headers on low crosses that can shift the ball quickly to the other side of goal maybe the solution. There is not much more I can add on free kicks other than teams rarely feel threatened from any of our set pieces. Yet again, another training ground issue.
3. We need to tighten up the central defense and quit allowing free runs on Carvajal. There have been way too many breakdowns at the back that have created several chances for the opposition. Carvajal has performed admirably on numerous occasions throughout the year in these situations and is why FCR sits 9th in the table after match day 14 instead of 19th. The worrying trend is that FC Ryukyu loses concentration at key moments in the game and this results in an absolute barrage on net from our opponents. This past week is a perfect example. FCR came out sluggish in the second half and were shell shocked by the Okayama attack. Players were standing around hoping for someone to make a play and alleviate the pressure. That is simply not good enough at this level. Outside of the team working with a sports psychologist I am not sure how you improve the concentration levels of the team so they can begin seeing out tightly contested matches instead of shifting the momentum to the opposition.
FC Ryukyu is returning home to the friendly confines of the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium this Saturday to face a Niigata side who just lost at home to Ehime. FC Ryukyu desperately needs to secure the 3 points at home this weekend so let’s all get out there in full voice and cheer on the boys.
Match Day 14 Preview: (H) Fagiano Okayama vs. FC Ryukyu (A)
at the City Light Stadium, Kickoff at 1700 5/19/2019.
Weather Forecast: Temperatures will be in the low to mid 70s with what looks to be rain early in the day and possibly continuing up to and through kickoff. Winds of 10-20 MPH are expected so this could be a very nasty, very messy match played out on a wet pitch. The rain is expected to end sometime in the early evening but I’d prepare for the worst and bring my wet weather attire for this game.
The match up this week features two evenly matched teams in
Fagiano Okayama and FCR. Okayama return home after two weeks on the road that
saw them lose both matches against Yamagata and Kyoto. FC Ryukyu on the other
hand, are coming into the match having just handed Mito Hollyhock their first
loss of the season which subsequently knocked them out of first place.
Fagiano Okayama: 12th in J2 with 16 points 4W4D5L
Current Form: DWDLL Typical Formation: 4-4-2
GF15 GA 16 = Goal Difference -1; Scored 11 goals at home while
conceding 9 this season.
Home Record: 3W3D1L
Record against Common Opponents of FCR: (8 games) 2W2D4L
Fagiano where an interesting team to scout this week as I
see a lot of similarities between them and FC Ryukyu. The teams are only separated
by 4 points in the table, each has earned victories via shutouts only twice this
year and they have both been kept off the score sheet only a handful of times.
It would seem that this match will feature some scoring as each side scores and
concedes plenty of goals.
In match day 10, Okayama was able to overcome a sluggish
start and quick goal from a Vortis PK to win 2-1 behind goals from #9 Lee Yong
Jae and #19 Hayato Nakama. Okayama nearly handed the match to Tokyo Verdy the following
week when they gave up a late PK but Verdy were unable to convert the PK or follow
on shot. Against one of the top seeds in J2 this year, Yamagata, Fagaiano
conceded a first half goal but nearly pulled out the draw after #19 Nakama was
able to win the ball back in the Yamagata end and send a cross to #9 Jae, whose
header glanced off the crossbar. Fagainao’s last match against Kyoto saw them cede
an early own goal to the hosts (though it wasn’t credited as such) followed by a
very late goal in the 84th minute that handed them a loss.
Okayama never looked out matched or outgunned in any of the 4
matches I reviewed for this preview. If anything, Fagaiano has started out a
little sluggish only to come on later in matches and this is something that FC
Ryukyu needs to exploit this week.
Okayama Players to Watch:
# 9 Lee Yong Jae FW. Leading Goal scorer on Okayama with 8 on the season, 6 in his past 6 matches and is the second leading scorer in J2 this year. Lee is a big, powerful forward that FC Ryukyu will struggle against. What separates Lee from other larger strikers in J2, like Jefferson Biaino from Yamagata and Olunga from Reysol, is his pace. His quickness was evident against Tokushima and when combined with his strength, makes Lee a formidable forward. Lee is also good at finding space in the defensive back lines of teams and can rise to meet crosses in the box. He is in top from right now coming into this match and FCR had better watch out.
#19 Hayato Nakama MF. Nakama is the second leading scorer on
Okayama with 4 goals and one assist on the season. Together with Lee, these two
represent 80% of the goals scored for Okayama on the year. Nakama is quite the playmaker
with a very lethal left foot. In the four games I watched, he and Lee, are in
synch with one another and seem to find the other often in the opponent’s end.
FC Ryukyu: 8th in J2 with 20 points 5W5D3L
Current Form: DLDLW Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1
GF 19 GA 15 Goal Difference of +4; FCR have scored 7 goals
on the road and have conceded 9.
Away Record: 1W2D3L
Record Against Common Okayama Opponents: (8 games) 3W3D2L
FCR travel to the Okayama prefecture after having handed Mito
Hollyhock their first loss of the season in a very tightly contested match. FCR
were able to shut out an opponent for only the second time all season thanks in
large part to the efforts by Danny Carvajal between the sticks. FCR scored
early against Mito from an absolute bullet header from Koji Suzuki for his J2 league
leading 9th goal and he nearly doubled his tally shortly thereafter only
to see his shot deflect over the top of the goal. Tokumoto nearly put the game out
of reach late in the second half, which would’ve been a tremendous feat as Mito
have yet to surrender multiple in goals in any game this year, but his shot hit
the post and the resulting Tomidokoro rebound went high and wide. Nonetheless, FC
Ryukyu earned a hard-fought win against the top team in J2 and secured that elusive
5th win that has evaded FCR for the better part of 2 months.
FC Ryukyu will have some serious questions to answer this
week after Okazaki picked up his fourth yellow card this year resulting in a
one match ban. As I’ve mentioned on several occasions, the depth of the FCR back
line is of great concern. Masutani has been forced to fill in the past 7 weeks
at RB while Nishioka recovers from what I assume was an MCL, PCL or LCL sprain.
I am not sure what FC Ryukyu’s plan will be for this week because we only have 3
healthy CBs, one of which is filling at RB, and haven’t tried any other player on
the roster at RB in Nishioka’s absence. Does FCR slide Masutani back to his CB
role and push #16 Arai into the RB slot, or, do they instead opt to start #30
Nishikawa at CB -who is always on the reserves for FCR matches – and keep
Masutani at RB? These are tough questions for Higuchi to contemplate.
FC Ryukyu keys to victory:
1.) Stop the Okayama attack in the form of Lee and Nakama.
Easier said than done in my mind. These two are wreaking havoc on the
opposition as of late and in light of injuries and suspensions to the FCR back
line, these two may prove fatal to FCR on the day. Nakama plays down the left
which means he will run into either Masutani or Masutani’s replacement on
Sunday. Nishiokoa was seen participating in warm ups last week but he had a
large knee brace on. I doubt he is match fit and won’t be for another 2-3
weeks. I’d prefer that FCR start Masutani at RB as his speed should at least
cover the quickness of Nakama. Nakama is a powerful player in his own right so
Masutani must fight for positioning against Nakama at all times. I worry that
so much of the FCR attack comes from our Right and Left Fullbacks that FCR could
be severely punished on all counter attacks down the left.
As far as Lee is concerned, he must be marked on all set
pieces. He can be seen taking some long runs into the box on set pieces to
generate height and power for headers and FCR must get in the way of those
runs. If you combine Lee’s ability to rise and meet headers with FCRs inability
to defend set pieces, and now lack of height and experience at the back with
Okazaki suspended, this seems like a recipe for disaster.
2.) Stretch the pitch laterally and pull the back line of
the Okayama 4-4-2 apart. One of the easiest ways to create scoring opportunities
against the 4-4-2 lineup is quick changes in direction. Tomidokoro, Tanaka and
now Kazama up front need to be quickly passing it off down the flanks as this will
create the mismatches in defensive coverage. From there, crosses into the box
for Suzuki or over the central defenders to the other attacking Mid Fielders of
Ryukyu should open up plenty of shooting lanes for the Ryukyu attack.
3.) FC Ryukyu need to start fast and get out to an early 2
goal lead. This will allow FCR to deal with the Okayama onslaught from Lee and
Nakama and open up Fagiano for a 3rd goal.
Match Prediction: Seeing how I am like 1-12 on the year so far
with match predictions there really is no point in providing any educated
guess. All I will say is that FCR could really benefit from their second road
win of the season as the matches will get tougher from here on out for the boys
from Okinawa. I like both teams to score and see this match ending 1-1.
For those of you staying in Okinawa to watch the match,
please join me at the Arcade Resort Okinawa or Café Camp Nou (if it is open) to
catch the game. Good Luck boys!
ryukyuarmy.com 