(22) FC Ryukyu vs (2) Yokohama FC #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu are running out of time and opportunities to stave off relegation following a run of seven (7) games without a win in which they’ve failed to score even a single goal in their previous six (6) matches. Ryukyu will now face the toughest run in of fixtures for any of the bottom three (3) sides in J2 with matches against Kanazawa, JEF, Oita, and this week’s opponent, Yokohama FC. Two of those teams are inside the top six of the table with automatic promotion looking likely for Yokohama FC. Seeing how promotion has not been guaranteed just yet, expect YFC to play at full strength against a Ryukyu side that is on life support at the moment. Finally, we will be joined by the Yokohama FC Foreign Supporters Group this week to provide their perspective on YFC.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

Looking quite nice for our next to last home game.

Click>>> Match Day Info from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: The chances of FC Ryukyu staving off relegation are getting slimmer each passing round. Whether you still believe there is a chance, or you have resided to the fact that relegation is going to happen, you need only look at the recent run of form of Ryukyu to see that the chances of escape are quite grim. Ryukyu have failed to score even a single goal in any of their last six (6) matches resulting in numerous crucial points dropped when points were (are) at a premium.

Do Ryukyu somehow find a rich stream of form to close out the season and somehow earn enough points to avoid the drop? Or do we expect just more of the same against much tougher competition to close out 2022? Do you believe that those teams around us in the standings will continue to lose while Ryukyu inch their way to safety? Do you think Iwaki FC won’t be granted a J2 license come seasons end thus resulting in only one (1) team in J2 being relegated? Very tough questions to grapple with as a Ryukyu supporter these days.

This by no means equates to disbelief in the players or should be construed as a lack of support to the team. It is simply looking at the facts. Many times this season I’ve seen plenty of FC Ryukyu supporters across social media vowing to do better following each match. But I would argue that we supporters do exactly what is expected and that is to show up every week. Especially in an environment devoid of any real atmosphere thanks to the slow rolling out of allowing cheering back at the stadiums by the J-League.

Sure, we can refrain from voicing our frustrations at the players following the match but seeing how supporters in the J-League have limited power, and an even more limited platforms to engage with the clubs, it makes voicing your frustrations challenging. It is not as if not showing up to home games would send a clear message to the club that the supporters are not happy as I doubt they would notice a few dozen fans missing from the stands with such low attendance levels any given week.

Perhaps it is a just a thing to not question those in charge and to let things play out as they may. But look at where that has gotten Ryukyu. Gone are the days when the club would engage with the head of the supporters thanks in large part to CV-19, which is likely still being used as an excuse. But there should be no hiding from how this season turned out nor the hard questions that need to be asked/answered. Questions that would probably get you banned from any post-game press conference.

While I have my own opinion on where I think FC Ryukyu will finish this season I still want to see this club win at least one (1) more game at home. It may not matter in the end but a win(s) would be for the fans that have only witnessed three (3) victories at home in the last calendar year. I think we all know that a majority of the supporters will be back next season, and we all know that is likely in J3, so therefore provide us as fans something uplifting to carry us through what will be an arduous offseason.

Now, onto the game at hand. FC Ryukyu will need to put Sadam Sulley back up top this week, after Nacho mysteriously left him on the bench all last week, as Yuki Kusano cannot feature against his parent from which he is on loan. It may not make a difference who is up top if FC Ryukyu cannot find a way to provide the strikers any service. I think it is high time we went back to Tanaka at RB to see if we can shake something loose and we really need Ren Ikeda to drive what will probably be a limited attack, with even more limited goal scoring opportunities, on Saturday.

Yokohama FC: This week we are joined by the Yokohama FC Foreign Supporters (@YokohamaFSG), who are brand new to the scene and who were kind enough to agree to answer a few questions about their origin and the state of YFC heading into the end of the season. As someone who ventured the same path a few years ago, I am really excited to welcome someone new into the fold and to provide them another forum to express their views on the club they love and support.

1. What brought you to the J-League and Yokohama FC (experiences as a fan here in Japan)? And what prompted you to start a Foreign Support group for the club?

“I’ve been casually following the j-league for a while, but with work commitments taking me in and out of Japan it’s been difficult to go see some games. Work has changed somewhat and it gave me the time to really focus on a team. I wanted to support a team that I could really get behind. While FC Tokyo is geographically the closest team I had more of an affinity with Yokohama since it’s my wife’s hometown.

Instantly the model of YFC was particularly attractive, as was the stadium. I’ve been going on and off to the stadium all this season. I’ve noticed a few foreign supporters but often been too shy or with my wife to approach them. So I thought I’d create a supporters group to try and gather us together. I’ll probably need to get over my shyness in person to let them know! So far in the world of Twitter it’s been really receptive, I just hope to be able to transfer that onto the terraces!”

2. YFC are in a strong position to make a return to the J1 next season. What do you think the club has learned from their relegation and possible quick return back to the top tier of Japanese football?

“I think the jump up to the J-league was a big learning curve for the club. The gulf in finance, and quality of players was stark. This year, I think our squad is more experienced and it’s so important to have that squad experience there. I think it’ll be a difficult task, and unless we get bought out or have a sponsor that doesn’t interfere with the structure, it would be difficult to compete with the bigger clubs. But I think we’re a plucky team and we certainly have the skills to make a good go of it. They remind me of those teams back in the UK – too strong perhaps for the championship but not wealthy/strong enough for the premiership either. I think the club will probably look at IT pragmatically, try to compete with the teams around us, and nick a few points against the stronger teams.”

3. Koki Ogawa has been brilliant this season and is leading the league in goals. What are some of the other players in the squad that have contributed greatly to YFS’s success this season? Your goalie, Svend Brodersen, took a nasty knock last week and suffered a concussion. How is he doing these days and would you expect to see him out there on Saturday? Any notable injuries or issues the squad is dealing with at the moment?

“Certainly Ogawa and Brodersen have been invaluable to us. Hasegawa has also been really good with his leadership too. Brodersen is doing well and feels completely fine, so I’d expect to be seeing him on the weekend. He really is a solid foundation for the team. No notable injuries, but that time of the year were they’re looking a bit leggy. We might be certain to get promoted but if we seriously mess up than there’s a possibility of the playoffs.”

4. YFC do have a set of tricky fixtures ahead of them to close out 2022. FC Ryukyu presents a bit of a trap game, though I wouldn’t go as far as to say we pose any real threat; followed by Oita Trinita fighting for a playoff spot; a bit of a resurgent Zweigen Kanazawa; and finally, Roasso Kumamoto who are also vying for a playoff spot. Do you think YFC can catch Albirex Niigata at the top of the table while keeping Fagiano Okayama at bay?

” I think it’s a really difficult end to the season. All those teams can be really tricky to play, because they all have a strong reason to get something from the game. At the moment Niigata and Okayama are looking really strong. I can’t imagine them dropping many, if any, points so the pressure on us is really strong. Especially we’ve, until relatively recently, had a run of rather mediocre games. The last home game against Kofu we looked leggy and lacked the finishing, while we kept giving the ball away unnecessarily. I’m a man city supporter back in the UK, and supporting them since Maine road days has given me a greater level of pessimism I’d imagine. We’re second for a reason and I think we can end the season strong! “

“With regards to your second point – I definitely think we’ve learnt a lot, but it’s hard to see us doing really well in that strong league – what do you think?”

Think it’s a progression at each level you move up, or down. When going up, survival first and foremost, and then incremental building towards to the top. When you go down, it is probably how you respond to the previous season’s failures and adjustments to the assumed financial losses/troubles at a lower level. In either case it’s really how the club management builds, or unfortunately, craters a team with their business, managerial, and personnel decisions. I think there’s enough players there at YFC to recall the struggles of J1 and you all could rebound much like Reysol did in 2020 after they won the J2 in 2019.

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. A fast start with multiple goals. Likelihood 0. How else can you beat one of the top teams in the table without knocking them back on their heels quickly and forcing them into making some mistakes. Multiple goals would be a drastic change of pace for this side but Ryukyu cannot sit back and absorb the pressure from YFC only to have a limited response in the attack. Need to go for it.

Round 39 in J2

Up Top: League Leaders (1) Albirex Niigata head out on the road to kick things off this round where they will face (7) Montedio Yamagata. Niigata will look to extend their lead at the top with Yamagata on the outside looking in at the promotion playoff zone at the moment as they are four (4) points behind (6) Vegalta Sendai.

Promotion Playoffs: (3) Fagiano Okayama, who have won eight (8) out of their last ten (10) matches head to (16) Zweigen Kanazawa who have turned things around following a shaky drop in form and who have now only lost once (1) in their last seven (7) games. Elsewhere it is (4) Roasso Kumamoto hosting (15) Blaublitz Akita and the abovementioned (6) Vegalta Sendai hosting (12) Tokyo Verdy.

The biggest game concerning those teams in and around the playoff zone is between (5) Oita Trinita, having only lost one (1) time in their last seventeen (17) games, and (8) V-Varen Nagasaki who, after reaching the playoff zone, have now lost three (3) of their last four (4) games. Nagasaki has to be viewing this match as a must win or it will likely end their promotion dreams yet again.

Down Below: (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma host (19) Omiya Ardija in what could be the final nail in the FC Ryukyu coffin if Gunma were to win, and Ryukyu were to lose. Come on Omiya! (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka will head to (14) Renofa Yamaguchi who demolished Gunma last week so let’s hope for a similar set of events to play out on Sunday in Yamaguchi.

Free J-League International Broadcasts: Well would you just look at that. FC Ryukyu vs Yokohama FC headlines the first of two free broadcasts this weekend in what could be Ryukyu’s final appearance on the J-League International YouTube Channel if they are demoted. Click>>> FC Ryukyu v Yokohama FC

The second match will showcase Vegalta Sendai at home versus Tokyo Verdy on Sunday. Click>>> Vegalta Sendai vs Tokyo Verdy

Conclusion

Simply put, FC Ryukyu must win this game, and the next, and the next after that. If Gunma extend their lead anymore over FC Ryukyu we will be relegated before we set foot on the pitch at the Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba. Despite the long odds facing Ryukyu I am looking forward to this match as it will be the first time that all members of my supporter group, the Ryukyu Army, will be attending the match at the same time. It is truly going to be a great weekend. I would also like to thank the Yokohama FC Foreign Supporters for their excellent contribution to the preview this week, please give them a follow on Twitter, and I wish them continued success throughout their J-League journey.

Now Come On Ryukyu, Let’s Fucking Do This!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(11) FC Mito Hollyhock vs (22) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu head to Ibaraki this weekend to face FC Mito Hollyhock. Both these teams have only lost once in their past seven (7) matches but both ended their most recent matches in very different ways. Ryukyu twice surrendered a goal advantage at home to Montedio Yamagata while Mito had a spirited mid-week match with Oita Trinita in which they defeated their guests 2-0. Over the last four years FC Ryukyu has the most wins in this series but Mito have the two (2) most recent wins between them. Hard to believe there isn’t a single tie in this series in four (4) years so perhaps that streak remains in tact with what is hopefully a FC Ryukyu victory.

Weather Forecast and Match Day Information

Hopefully the weather holds off for the traveling Ryukyu fans.

Click>>> Match Day 33 Information from FC Mito Hollyhock

Team Previews

FC Mito Hollyhock: For a team that has only lost twice (2) in their last twelve (12) games I am not sure what prompted their manager, Tadahiro Akiba, to have some sort of outburst in his post match interview vs Renofa. But whatever that was has worked as Mito looked like a different side following their 2-0 trouncing of Oita Trinita.

In my experience as a player, coach, and fan that type of stuff works one time before it becomes the norm and simply brushed off. Will it carry over from the Oita match for Mito? Probably. They played a physical match unlike I’ve seen in their prior four games. Sure, be mad at the refs, be angry at the team for being adrift in the mid-table, scare the shit out of the players to motivate them. That will Kiely carry over into the Ryukyu game but could have some unforeseen consequences. AKA, some stupid, borderline reckless, challenges leading to sending offs for Mito.

There is no doubt that Mito are what you expect them to be while situated mid-table. Mito can score when presented the opportunity, can frustrate teams while defending, do nothing spectacular but do the necessary little things to net results. Mito drew against Kofu and Akita where they came back form a deficit following a spilled ball against Kofu and surrendered a goal after being reduced to 10-men against Akita. Mito defeated Omiya 1-0 after an early goal and only lost to Renofa after a ridiculous, some would say egregious, wonder chip of their GK from about 65 yards out!

But it was their most recent game against Oita Trinita on Tuesday evening that was most telling. Akiba extracted the most he could out of his side and they beat the brakes off Oita. Mito were physical. Mito were dominant. Mito were motivated, agitated, and determined. I am not even sure Oita even got off the bus that game. Let us hope the hubris of that performance bleeds into this match with Ryukyu.

FC Ryukyu: I am going to take this entry a different direction for this week. No point in talking about who might play, who may return from injury, or the defensive woes we may never figure out before the season ends. Instead I want to praise some of the men who have been responsible for this sudden renaissance here at Ryukyu.

Every year I fear the exodus of talent that occurs at the end of the season for FC Ryukyu. And trust me there has been plenty in my time: Togashi, Park-Il Gyu, Uejo, Tokumoto, Koizumi, and Chinen with the surprisingly early departures mid-season of Nakagawa and Koji Suzuki. Those departures usually left me bewildered as to how FC Ryukyu could replace such mercurial talent and still remain competitive. But now I welcome any departure at the end of this season for some of our most talented, yet hidden to so many players, because that would mean that a select few did the impossible in such short order, and did it to the highest degree possible.

There is no secret to the recent success of FC Ryukyu. Dany Carvajal and Sadam Sulley have been nothing short of spectacular and then there is Hitomi’s meteoric rise which has caught us all unaware that he had that type of quality in his locker. I must note that Abe getting back to his old ways has also helped a ton. All of these factors have contributed to the sudden restart of a heartbeat inside the once left for dead corpse that was FC Ryukyu under Kina. Not so much in the case of Abe but for the other three it was all about getting a chance to play and shine on the big stage. And wow how they’ve shone.

I have no idea how FC Ryukyu found Sadam Sulley and I don’t really care. Sulley is an absolute difference maker when he is on the pitch. Sulley adjusted to life in J2 quicker than Kina ever could as a manager and he is destroying everything in front of him. I truly hope (and believe he will) that Sulley ends up in double digit goals by seasons end as he is far to talented to be plying his trade down here. But I am so thankful we have him for at least another 10-games as the sky is the limit for this player who luckily wasn’t contaminated by whatever went on here prior to Nacho’s arrival.

In the case of Hitomi he flashed a little bit back in 2020, much like Koizumi in 2019 before he went nuclear, followed by a brief loan spell. The club, I think (hope) saw enough in Hitomi to retain his services this season but Hitomi never had a shot to crack the starting eleven with so many established veterans, and whatever Kina was thinking at the the time, until injuries took hold at Ryukyu. But there is no ‘putting the genie back in the bottle’ now as Ryukyu cannot afford to take Hitomi off the pitch as he is lighting up the scoreboard with some top drawer goals.

We all know of the quality that Dany possesses and he is not only making the extraordinary look ordinary, he’s the best PK stopper in all of J2. What a luxury to have a player like that in such a key position in the squad while Ryukyu scratches and claws their way up the table. Can you believe, injuries not withstanding, we let this guy rot on the bench for so long when it was clear to many that he needed to be in the lineup? It makes you wonder how many points we could’ve had if a fully healthy Dany was in the lineup earlier?

I will also note that none of this would’ve been possible without Nacho making the changes and putting these players out there to give Ryukyu the best shot of winning each week. In the case of the three players mentioned above their is one constant theme. Heart. All these men are giving maximum effort, showing off their quality, pulling Ryukyu up by their shoelaces out of the basement. When the 2022 season comes to a close and Ryukyu sits outside the relegation zone and we are once again left wondering what will happen next season, I will be rooting for all of these men to move onto bigger and better things as they’ve earned it through blood, sweat, and my tears.

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. Flawless Execution at both ends of the pitch. Likelihood 3. Mito didn’t reveal any real weaknesses when it came to surrendering goals as most were of the milk-toast variety stemming from spilled balls. If our central defense goes comatose for any brief periods of time then Ryukyu could be in real trouble. Mito can finish when presented opportunities so we need Okazaki/Nakagawa/Omori, or whoever is in there, to be cognizant of where the Mito attackers are in the box at all times. And FFS, mark their runs in the box!

This also requires Ryukyu being clinical in very limited opportunties. Truth be told I didn’t see any team in any of the highlights taking it to Mito or ceding loads of possesion sans Oita. Not sure if Mito comes at Ryukyu or sits back and hits us on the counter. That makes for a difficult and dangerous game plan for how to attack Mito.

2. Composure. Likelihood 4. Holy shit a second key to victory? Yes. Anyways, if Mito take the physicality route, initiates some rash challenges, and fingers fucking crossed the Japanese ref sees that shit, Ryukyu may actually be awarded a PK instead of conceding one. But, and that is a big but, Ryukyu must maintain their cool when that shit ensues. Barring something egregious, or lord help us an injury from a BS challenge, Mito are likely to be smelling their own farts from Tuesday’s game and think they can do the same vs Ryukyu. Let them. Let Mito try and play physical and end up finding themselves down a man with Sulley, Abe and Hitomi out their hunting in packs. Stay cool brothers.

Round 33 in J2

Up Top: (1) Yokohama FC has a tricky one there at (5) FC Machida Zelvia while we need (2) Albirex Niigata to take care of business on the road at (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka. The more I see the games Ryukyu need other teams to win, the more I see former FC Ryukyu players. Let’s go Koji, let’s go Tokumoto, let’s help us out Koki Kazama by steering Gunma into the dumpster!

Promotion Zone: (3) Vegalta Sendai are looking to rebound following two consecutive losses to teams at the very foot of the table, thanks a lot dudes, and will host (10) JEF United Chiba who beat Sendai 2-0 the last time these two teams met on MD 20. Ryukyu really need (4) Fagiano Okayama do the job over (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma on the road and I’ll cheer a little for (6) Roasso Kumamoto when they host (13) Tokyo Verdy this Sunday as I don’t particularly care for Verdy (shocker).

Down Below: (19) Omiya Ardija welcome in (8) Montedio Yamagata who are probably still steaming they didn’t beat FC Ryukyu last week. Someone throw (18) Zweigen Kanazawa a parachute before they hit rock bottom! They had a nice rest between fixtures but are they completely recovered from the CV-19 outbreak and ready to face (14) Ventforet Kofu on the road?

Free J-League Broadcasts for Round 33: First up will be Omiya Ardija hosting Montedio Yamagata on Saturday. Click>>> Omiya Ardija vs Montedio Yamagata.

The second broadcast this week on the J.League International YouTube Channel will feature Roasso Kumamoto and Tokyo Verdy. Click>>> Roasso Kumamoto vs Tokyo Verdy

Conclusion

I think this is a very winnable game for FC Ryukyu and all we need now is to have the lads go out there and execute. Firing up top, stonewalling at the back. Shit! That is what we wanted to see all season from these guys but that doesn’t matter now. Only points (wins) matter. Go get ’em boys!