21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu will look to get back to winning ways this week as they face off against Tochigi SC on Saturday. Dating back to their time in the J3 in 2016, each side own an even split of 2 wins, 2 losses, and 4 draws. FC Ryukyu swept the series in 2019 with Tochigi SC getting the better of Ryukyu last year with a 2-2 draw and a 4-1 drubbing of Ryukyu at home. Both of these sides enter the match on the heels of 1-1 draws on the road but Tochigi SC have not won in their last 7 matches. Each side is hungry for a win, and it is vital that Ryukyu leave this game with all three points.

Weather Forecast and Match Day Info
Previous Match Day Highlights
Team Previews
- FC Ryukyu
- Tochigi SC
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 14 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from the Club

Not bad, for here at least.

Okinawa has extended the priority prevention measures until May 30th so no visiting fans and all kickoff times are moved back to 1800.

Click>>> Match Day Info from FC Ryukyu

2. Previous Match Day Highlights

Ehime FC 1-1 FC Ryukyu

FC Mito Hollyhock 1-1 Tochigi SC

3. Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: I may have been a bit premature to sound the alarm on Ryukyu’s recent drop in shots on target after reading a tweet from @Data_Swan who indicated Ryukyu own the second best shot rate just behind league leaders Albirex Niigata. While this has certainly calmed some of my own fears, I’d still like to see them pound the net against the teams that sit lower than them in the standings. As we all witnessed last week, if you allow teams to hang around in games, you run the inherit risk of letting them right back into it, which results in dropping points along the way.

I assume most of the outfield players recovered from the three games in eight days from last week and are match fit for this round. FC Ryukyu have not totally escaped the injury bug this year as right back Makito Uehara tore is hamstring a couple weeks back and is another six weeks away from retuning to training. But Dany Carvajal is looking good in his recovery from a stress fracture so that bodes well. Abe was seen leaving the pitch last week with his leg heavily wrapped but we’ve all seen him recover from worse looking injuries and that was probably more maintenance than anything else. If Abe is truly no worse for wear, than this game sets up well for him to snap his goalless streak as Tochigi have plenty of holes at the back for Abe to exploit.

This round comes down to whether or not Numata and Tanaka can provide the service that Abe needs inside the box. As I’ll discuss in the Keys to Victory Section, Tochigi allow plenty of dangerous crosses into the box, and so long as Ryukyu can break Tochigi’s high press, this should lead to plenty of goal scoring chances for Ryukyu. Ryukyu knocked on the door all game last week but couldn’t find the second goal that would have decided the game. I think with the extra day to prepare, and since Ryukyu are playing at home, we should see a return to the type of performance that has gotten us to this point.

So yeah, it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride the last few games for Ryukyu as they’ve conceded more goals in their last five games than they did in the previous eight. They’ve scored three less goals than their opening seven fixtures and eared two fewer wins while suffering their lone loss of the season. Granted they’ve played one fewer game in these comparisons between rounds 1-7 and 8-13, but Ryukyu can right the ship with a strong performance on Saturday against Tochigi. Ryukyu have two home games in a row, have a great opportunity to put some separation between themselves and the rest of the pack, while the other top teams tear each other part over the next two rounds, and that means generating some momentum with wins before heading into Niigata.

Tochigi SC: Tochigi SC have experienced a bit of a see-saw season to date as they opened the 2021 campaign with three losses, followed by three straight wins, and then reeled off four draws in a row. That seven game unbeaten run pulled them out of the relegation zone, however, those are Tochigi’s only wins to date. Tochigi SC are not the same defensive side they were last year when they went twenty games before conceding their 16th goal, a number they have already matched inside 13 games. Though the defensive partnership of Tashiro and Yanagi was broken up with Tashiro’s departure to Sagan Tosu in the offseason, Yasutaka Yanagi made his loan move from Albirex Niigata permanent and is now the captain of Tochigi.

Tochigi went three draws with two defeats in their last five games. Tochigi played to a spirited 2-2 draw with Albirex Niigata after surrendering the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time. Tochigi did not look overmatched against the current table toppers and in fact, looked a bit better than their guests that night. They followed the Niigata draw with yet another draw to Kanazawa where Tochigi came storming back in the second half. There was a slight half chance at the end of that game for Tochigi to win it but the attacker was pressed for time and had to get a shot off quickly from distance.

Tochigi’s third game in a row against a top half team ended in a 3-2 defeat to Iwata despite Iwata losing the lead on two occasions. On loan Juninho provided the most memorable moment from that day with a half court shot into an empty net after Iwata failed to clear their lines. Then, Tochigi lost their early lead thanks to a stunning freekick by the guests, before nearly winning it in stoppage time when the saved shot popped out just past Rimu Matsuoka legs. But Tochigi went on to suffer the indignity of giving up a late winner (95′) after two minutes later. Tochigi’s last game with FC Mito Hollyhock ended in one all draw from a Kenya Onodera own goal, which was a bit harsh. Truth be told, Mito should’ve won the game a lot earlier when Mito’s Masato Nakayama missed a close in chip and then later hit the woodwork.

Kisho Yano is a tall striker that can get onto balls in the box and is a player Ryukyu need to watch out for on Saturday. The same could be said for midfielder Toshiki Mori who leads Tochigi in scoring with 4 goals, and left back Yukuto Omoya who leads the team in assists (3). But Tochigi are averaging one goal a game and have been prone to dry spells this season.

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. Bombs away. Likelihood 4. Tochigi surrenders more goals from set pieces (5) than crosses (3), but both Numata and Tanaka should have plenty of time and space to pick their spots this week. In their five prior games, Tochigi were affording their opponent every opportunity to score from crosses and that is Ryukyu’s strength.

2. Follow up the shots that are saved with more shots. Likelihood 3. There were a couple of times when Tochigi failed to clear a ball after set pieces which allowed their opponents to follow up with shots and goals. Tochigi seem to move slow after the initial cross after a set piece is blocked so Ryukyu need to remain engaged and hurry to all loose balls.

3. Play it safe when playing out from the back. Likelihood 3. Tochigi somehow are better defensively in the opposition’s half than their own. The Tochigi forward players press really well and cause all sorts of turnovers that allow Tochigi to execute quick counter attacks. Ryukyu, who prefer to play out from the back, cannot afford any wayward passes or turnovers leading to cheap goals.

4. Don’t forget about the old Route 1. Likelihood 2. Tochigi allowed two goals in consecutive games in the matches I watched where the opposing striker literally drove right down the middle of the Tochigi defense and scored. Hopefully we see Abe do the same on Saturday.

5. Prediction

Last week Tochigi scored three goals in their two road games and own a better goal scoring record away from Tochigi, but they also concede the same amount of goals regardless of location. Ryukyu have only conceded twice while playing at home and were just off the mark the last two rounds. I think Ryukyu gets back on target and takes this one 3-1. Season Record 6-2-5.

6. Round 14 in J2

There should be plenty of fireworks this week as 6 of the top 8 sides face off against one another. (1) Albirex Niigata have a real test on their hands this week as they travel to face (6) FC Machida Zelvia for the curtain closer on Sunday. This is also the start of three games in a row against top six sides for Niigata. (3) Kyoto Sanga FC has no easy pass this week either as they welcome in plucky (7) FC Mito Hollyhock. Mito is currently unbeaten in their last 3 games but that pales in comparison to Kyoto’s run of 8 games without tasting defeat. (4) Jubilo Iwata is the only other team inside the top 8, Ryukyu included, who face off against lower seeded side in (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma.

(5) Ventforet Kofu need to be careful of giant killing (8) Mito Hollyhock who are unbeaten (1 win/1 draw) against top six sides, which could’ve been two wins if not for a late stoppage time goal by Iwata last week. Finally, (17) Montedio Yamagata will host (18) Ehime FC on Sunday for the free J-League International YouTube broadcast. Link can be found below the infographic.

7. Conclusion

A big week inside the top half of the table and an important one for FC Ryukyu as there could be plenty of shifting around them in the standings come Sunday night. Rested, motivated, and ready to bust out. That’s what we all want to see on Saturday.

Match Day 12 Recap: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (3) Kyoto Sanga FC 5/05/21 #FC琉球

Intro

Despite the weather forecast calling for rain and thunderstorms, 2,500 people ventured out and were rewarded with rather calm weather. However, the most anticipated match of this round had few fireworks as both teams played to a 0-0 draw. There were a lot of positives that came out of this match for Ryukyu and though we’d like to see this side beat the stronger teams at home, there is a long way to go this season.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Round 12 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu GK Junto Taguchi: Taguchi was right in the firing line last night as Kyoto registered 13 shots on target, and not a single one got past Taguchi. His save in the second half from a Miyayoshi shot was probably the biggest one he made all game.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Bend, don’t break on defense. Likelihood 3. Absolutely. Ryukyu stymied one of the best offenses in the league last night and made Utaka almost invisible.

2. Win the individual battles within the game. Likelihood 3. To a large degree yes. Ren Ikeda, Tatsuya Chinen, Takuma Abe and Keita Tanaka were all in fine form. The only shame was that Ryukyu didn’t score.

3. We need a big performance out of Abe, Koya and Tanaka. Likelihood 4. Yes. Koya was playing really well and so to was Numata who was picking out players left and right inside the box.

4. Prediction

Went with a 1-1 draw and it ended 0-0. I think that is good enough to give myself a win this week. Season Record 6-2-4.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 12

1. Close but no cigar. Each side had some good opportunities to score last night but could not slip one past two of the better goal keepers in J2. Each side had one great chance to score that required nice saves on the part of the keepers; Shintaro Shimizu’s header in the first half was just simply the perfect height for the keeper to parry out of danger but it still required a diving save on the part of Wakahara; and there was the abovementioned save by Taguchi on Miyayoshi. Each side had plenty of misses with lots of shots also being blocked by defenders in the box. Koya laid one off for Abe to finish but I think Koya had enough time and space near the back to post to attempt a header on net vice the pass. Utaka had one clean look on net but sent his shot high over the bar in the first half. Then Abe and Shintaro both came close near the end but again, the shots went wide of the mark.

2. Ryukyu were lucky to escape unscathed from two costly turnovers. Both occurred in the second half with the most egregious one being by Yu Tomidokoro that turned Kyoto loose on net. It was only the save by Taguchi that bailed Ryukyu out of what could have been an absolute disaster. We knew coming into this game that Kyoto punishes sides on turnovers so one on hand you can look at it as luck, and the other as skill on the part of Taguchi. But Ryukyu cannot afford to make those costly mistakes in their own end against good sides.

3. Ryukyu played much better in the second half. There were more attacks from Ryukyu and they looked as if they would break the deadlock but were still out shot 2-1 by Kyoto in the second half. It was almost the exact opposite of the SC Sagamihara game as Ryukyu only registered 2 shots on target in the second half compared to 8 from Kyoto. It looked as if Ryukyu controlled most of the play in the second half but each side went into half time, and finished the match, with a 50/50 split in time of possession. Furthermore, when Ryukyu introduced both Yong Jick and Shinya Uehara, they couldn’t produce enough dead ball kicks to bring the height of these players, and that of Chinen and Okazaki, to bear on the Kyoto goal. Uehara had one look that was sent high over the bar from what may have been the lone free kick in Kyoto territory.

4. So many games in such a short time span yet Ryukyu only used two substitutes last night. Yong Jick came on for Yu Tomidokoro in the central midfield which is becoming a trend. I think that substitution, along with Uehara, really provided Ryukyu with some coverage on the set pieces from Kyoto near the end but Ryukyu only managed to earn two corner kicks last night. However, I wish they had brought on Motegi, Akamine or Kiyotake to introduce some fresh legs to the fight.

5. There was a strange play were an injured (or acting as if injured) Kyoto player interfered with a pass from Ryukyu and the referee decided to award Kyoto the ball in their own end. Some thought it may result in a dropkick but I am not sure what went on with this play. The referee let these guys play all game and awarded no cards despite the several conversations he was having with multiple players yesterday.

6. I know we all wanted to see FC Ryukyu win, but the performance was good, and it was a vital point. Keep in mind that Kyoto entered this match having won their previous 6 games and were pretty much scoring at will. The fact that Ryukyu were able to shut down such a potent offense is really encouraging moving forward. They still maintain a 3 point lead over Kyoto, who is heading into a tough stretch of games, are 7 points clear of 4th placed Jubilo Iwata, and have conceded the fewest goals (7) in J2. Look how much better this side is at producing results this year compared to last year when defending was a problem despite all the firepower that Ryukyu possessed.

7. Strange statistic that means absolutely nothing but exists nonetheless. When the FC Ryukyu team bus arrives before their opponents when Ryukyu are at home, they are 5-0-0. When it arrives after, as it did yesterday and against Omiya, they are 0-2-0 with no goals scored.

6. Round 12 in J2

Leaders Albirex Niigata retained the top slot after a thrilling come from behind victory at Omiya Ardija. Teams seeded 2 to 4 all drew, as well as Ventforet Kofu, thus not changing positions near the top. Though FC Machida Zelvia’s 2-1 win at Fagiano Okayama has bumped them above Kofu. Blaublitz Akita’s 2-1 road win at V-Varen Nagasaki further frustrates a Nagasaki side that had high hopes coming into this season.

7. Conclusion

A vital point earned and now it is on to three teams in the bottom half of the table for FC Ryukyu before they travel to #1 Albirex Niigata at the end of the month. Ryukyu’s schedule for the remainder of May is much more friendlier than leaders Niigata, 3 games in a row against top 6 sides that includes a game with Kyoto, and Kyoto, 2 games in a row against teams in the top 6, which means Ryukyu stands a good chance at creating some distance between those teams below them and possibly catching/overtaking Niigata if the leaders stumble. But before we get to Niigata, it is on to Ehime FC in just two short days. Ryukyu cannot afford to drop points to a team in the relegation zone and must continue to hold serve as they make a push for promotion.

Match Day 12: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (3) Kyoto Sanga FC 5/05/21 #FC琉球

Intro

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

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

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

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

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

Click>>> Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

2. Previous Match Highlights

SC Sagamihara 1-5 FC Ryukyu

Kyoto Sanga FC 3-2 Ehime FC

3. Team Previews

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

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

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

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

FC RYUKYU KYOTO SANGA SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON

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

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

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

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

4. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen

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

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

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

5. Prediction

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

6. Round 12 in J2

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

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

Click>>> J-League International YouTube Channel

7. Conclusion

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

Match Day 11 Recap: (19) SC Sagamihara vs (2) FC Ryukyu 5/01/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu didn’t fall into the trap of overlooking a weaker opponent with a massive match up on the horizon. In fact, this game ended up being more of a get right game for Ryukyu than anything else. Despite the length weather delay after 8 minutes, Ryukyu came out and put 5 past SC Sagamihara.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Round 11 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Day Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu Midfielders Koki Kiyotake and Shunsuke Motegi. Both of these players accounted for 4 of the goals Ryukyu scored though Motegi’s first was scored as an own goal. Kiyotake opened the scoring for Ryukyu after the restart on a header set up by none other than Keita Tanaka. He then followed that up with a well taken shot from yet another Tanaka cross that Abe smartly dummied allowing it to fall to a wide open Kiyotake. I cannot tell if Motegi’s shot was already in the net before a SC Sagamihara player touched it. I also cannot tell from the highlights who from Sagamihara actually touched it but it was a spectacular shot none the less. Motegi was then rewarded after Ryukyu hustled to dispossess Sagamihara in their own end resulting in a turnover that saw Motegi alone at the top of the box to which he promptly sent a laser past the Sagamihara keeper.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. The razors edge. Likelihood 2. There were no changes to the lineup we see week in and week out for Ryukyu. Now we’ll see how they respond to an opponent who is much tougher than the last in a short week.

2. Contain Juri. Likelihood 3. Juri didn’t dress for the match so there was no real threat Ryukyu had to contend with.

3. Pile on the shots. Likelihood 4. Yes! Ryukyu needed a breakout game like this one to restore some confidence in players and look dominant. Granted, this wasn’t a top 6 side but it means a lot moving forward.

4. Prediction

2-0 to Ryukyu was obviously a little light so I’ll award myself a draw for at least predicting the win by Ryukyu. Season Record 5-2-4.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 11

1. Everything worked. Ryukyu enjoyed large spells of possession, looked good in that possession, and put a bunch of high-quality shots on net. We shouldn’t pat ourselves on the back too much based on the opponent, but the fact that we put in a dominant performance is very important. Ryukyu need to put in several of these performances this season and sometimes these types of games can jump start a side heading into a difficult match.

2. Tanaka might be the best RB in the league. He bagged two more assists yesterday and was all over the pitch creating chances. His ability to shield a defender, maintain possession, and then deliver a cross on Kiyotake’s goal was outstanding.

3. It was so good to see Motegi return to form. He looks fit and ready to make an impact. It may not be long before we see him take over the starting LM role for this club.

4. Shu Hiramatsu’s goal for SC Sagamihara is an early contender for goal of the year in J2. Yeah, we all would’ve loved to have seen FC Ryukyu bag another clean sheet, but even as a Ryukyu fan, you have to admire the quality of that goal. Taguchi parried the initial cross from danger, got tangled with a few Sagamihara players and the ball fell right near Shu, who then executed an absolute beauty of an overhead kick over Ikeda’s head. Ikeda would’ve never been able to get to the loose ball and finish was spectacular. Not even upset that it ruined our clean sheet. Well done son.

6. Round 11 in J2

No change at the top as the top 5 sides all won this round. Kyoto Sanga FC saw out a 3-2 win but were in cruise control up 3-1 before Ehime FC added a late goal to make it seem like the game was close. Jubilo Iwata needed a 76th minute winner after Tochigi SC leveled the game in the second half. Ventforet Kofu won the battle over Zweigen Kanazawa in what was probably the toughest draw this round while Blaublitz Akita and Fagiano Okayama swapped positions in the table following Okayama’s 1-0 win at Akita.

7. Conclusion

The win for Ryukyu sees them maintain their 3 point lead over Kyoto Sanga FC setting up a massive 6 point top of the table tilt this Wednesday night in Okinawa. A loss would drop Ryukyu down to 3rd but a draw or win would further strengthen Ryukyu’s position in the table. At the quarter mark of the 2021 season Ryukyu have a 10 point lead over 5th placed Kofu; 7 point lead over 4th place Jubilo Iwata in what is shaping up to be a 4 horse race for promotion.

Match Day 11 Preview: (16) SC Sagamihara vs (2) FC Ryukyu 5/01/21 #FC琉球

Intro

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.

Click>>> Match Day 11 Info from SC Sagamihara

2. Match Day 10 Highlights

JEF United Ichihara Chiba 0-1 SC Sagamihara

FC Ryukyu 1-0 Ventforet Kofu

3. Team Previews

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.

7. Conclusion

What more can I say other than…

Match Day 8 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs Tokyo Verdy 4/17/21 #FC琉球

Intro

As advertised, it was an eventful evening yesterday. FC Ryukyu held serve with Albirex Niigata by winning 2-0 at home over Tokyo Verdy. Ryukyu and Verdy were once again involved in some sort of fracas in their opening match of the season against each other, where Yuhei Sato was red carded in the first half providing a massive advantage to Ryukyu the remainder of the match. It is the second red card in three games for Verdy when playing Ryukyu and this is turning into a rivalry on par with one might see in the bigger leagues where two teams just detest each other. I like it!

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Round 8 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu CMF Yu Tomidokoro: Yu drew both fouls that led to the Verdy Red Card and Penalty Kick. He then converted the PK for his first goal in 23 months.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Exploit the chaos and ensuing confusion. Likelihood 4. Early on Ryukyu were able to create some chances for themselves but once Verdy had a man sent off in the first half, Verdy resorted to all out defending which limited Ryukyu’s ability to take advantage of the disarray that might otherwise have been present.

2. Cut out the Verdy short passes around the box. Likelihood 3. Verdy really weren’t doing much prior to their sending off and therefore weren’t able to play to their strength after.

4. Prediction

Tipped this one to end 3-1 in favor of Ryukyu and they did end up winning by a 2 goal margin. Season Record 5-1-2.

5. Match Day 8 Talking Points

1. Misses by both sides. There were plenty of opportunities for both Ryukyu and Verdy to jump out to an early lead but all the shots seemed to sail high and wide. With the exception of one Kiyotake shot that called the Verdy keeper into action. Abe had a couple of chances throughout the game but either miss timed his jump or was in the wrong spot to get onto the end of the ball.

2. Forget the spectacular if you cannot do the practical correctly. Up to the Verdy Red Card, Ryukyu were struggling a little bit to get the offense going. Kiyotake’s back heel to nowhere nearly set Ryukyu back and though it may have been a way to jump start the momentum, no one was expecting it leading to a turnover and counter by Verdy.

3. The Tanaka goal shows us just how good Ryukyu are at quickly changing the sides of the attack. It should also be noted, like many of the boys over at the @JTalkET state weekly, how important Abe is to this side even when he doesn’t get on the score sheet. Abe maintained possession in the Verdy end, found Numata, who picked out Kiyotake, who then laid it off to the wide-open Tanaka for Ryukyu’s first goal.

4. Maybe it’s time we try the old “Route 1” attack on net. I understand that is trendy to be hypercritical of your side, even when they are producing results, so excuse me on this one. Ryukyu are very good at sending in crosses these days. Most of their goals result from these passes, but yesterday Verdy was able to snuff out a lot of these out and Ryukyu didn’t bother to switch to the frontal assault right up the middle. As more and more tape on Ryukyu becomes available, teams will begin to figure out how to stop Ryukyu, and though they are quite adept at changing directions quickly, it would help to have the middle of the pitch attack in the locker when required.

5. Verdy’s Red Card was just dumb. I have no idea what Yuhei Sato was thinking when he went in for Yu’s family jewels but it certainly tipped the scales in favor of Ryukyu afterwards. Sato was probably complaining more about his stupidity for putting the spikes into the groin of Yu than the Red Card as he really had no business putting up any type of protest.

6. You are never awarded style points in this league. Once Verdy went down to 10 men everyone expected Ryukyu to dominate possession and the scoring. It is not as simple as in hockey with a man advantage, as the opposition can compact the defensive area and close out many of the shooting lanes while they absorb the siege from the other side. Ryukyu had a ridiculous number of corner kicks (13) and free kicks (13) yesterday but had to rely on a PK to put the game out of reach. Oh well, winning ugly is still winning and the 3 points is all that really matters in the end.

7. A slight let off by Ryukyu at the end. It is easy to get complacent when you’re up by 2 goals with a man advantage and Ryukyu were bailed out by a Verdy offside call and near miss at the end. The highlights suck for showing the offside call but I believe the shot was redirected by an offside player for Verdy though they nearly scored just a few minutes later from a set piece.

8. Getting goals from all over the place is another benchmark for a quality side. Ryukyu just find a way to get the job done. Everyone is doing their part to keep a clean sheet, score goals and see out wins. They are a really exciting squad to watch these days.

6. Round 8 in J2

Albirex Niigata are still top after a second half goal saw them through over Zweigen Kanazawa 1-0 on Saturday. Kyoto Sanga blew the doors off Kitakyushu 6-1 and have officially begun their ascent to the top of the table while V-Varen Nagasaki stumbled at home losing 3-0 to Machida Zelvia. Ehime grabbed their first win of the campaign over Omiya as the managerial change is starting to pay off for this side. Finally Matsumoto surprised everyone with their come back draw against Kofu and Blaublitz Akita continues to pile up crucial points this year.

7. Conclusion

FC Ryukyu have their first of four mid week matches this season when they travel to Machida on Wednesday night. Ryukyu face two teams in a row, Machida and Kofu, that they have never beat during their time in the J2. So you know exactly where any points earned against them will fall in the Points Over Expectation Table.

Machida are coming off a big win at Nagasaki despite missing their best two attackers in Chong Tese and Dudu. The games against Zelvia and Kofu in short succession will be a stiff test for one of the older sides in the league who are benefiting from a relaxed schedule compared to 2020 but Ryukyu have shown the ability to respond to adversity all season.

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

Intro

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

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

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

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

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

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

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

4. Prediction

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

5. Talking Points from Match Day 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. Match Day 7 in J2

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

7. Conclusion

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

Match Day 5 Report: JEF United Chiba vs FC Ryukyu 3/27/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu have equaled their greatest ever wining streak (5) dating back to 2018 when they defeated JEF United Chiba 2-1 on Saturday. The win moves FC Ryukyu into second place behind also undefeated Albirex Niigata. This was the first time FC Ryukyu ever beat JEF – ever scored against JEF- and played from behind all year. You may not consider a win against a team lower than Ryukyu in the standings as a significant achievement but considering the history between these clubs, and how that fits into this season, it was a huge win for Ryukyu.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Match Day 5 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Day 5 Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu GK Junto Taguchi: While Tanaka’s efforts shouldn’t go unnoticed, neither should Taguchi’s efforts be lost in the box score. Taguchi made save after save in the first half to keep the score level and continued to pile up the big saves in the second half.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Slay the Dragon. Likelihood 4. And they did. Ryukyu overcame a deficit for the first time all year and responded well in the face of adversity. The minor details matter in any season and this win was huge for Ryukyu for so many reasons. You cannot quantify this stat, but I want you to understand how important this win was for Ryukyu mentally to score, come from behind, and defeat an opponent they have never beat in two seasons. Only four more opponents to go in that category.

4. Prediction

Well I said we’d win by 1 goal at least. Season Record 3-0-2.

5. Talking Points

1. Playing as a unit. Ryukyu have shown a penchant this year for picking each other up when one member is having a bad day at the office. This week it was Chinen’s turn to have a forgettable movement, but both the team and then Chinen responded accordingly. Chinen slipped and allowed JEF to penetrate our defense, to which Okazaki also slipped on the turf though I am not sure where he was recovering to after he got to his feet, and then JEF finally had a wide-open shooting lane to score. Chinen, Yong Jick, and Numata more than made up for that early discretion with their defending at the end by clearing balls, blocking shots, closing down shooting lanes and marking men. Chinen will use this game as teaching lesson and will respond accordingly, don’t worry about him.

Photo Credit: J League. The Captain Uesato picking Chinen up after the game. Chinen responded well to an earlier mishap, evidence of the weight lifted off the teams shoulders from that win.

It should also be noted how the team responded to adversity. We already noted Numata, Yong Jick and Chinen in defense, but it was Tanaka in the attack. Ryukyu played from behind for all of 3 minutes before taking the lead for good within 5 minutes of JEF’s opening goal. Tanaka’s two crosses were met by Abe and Shintaro Shimizu and though the crosses were on target, the two forwards had a lot to do with them when they arrived. I spoke earlier in the week how it was good for Shintaro to play in the reserve games to get firing and it paid off this week. Abe for his part, is the best finisher in this league.

2. A game of missed opportunities. According to my count, JEF missed 6 golden opportunities to Ryukyu’s 3. Abe missed two early from tough bounces and being wrong footed, and also Ikeda missed a wide-open header early, but JEF had many great looks on net yesterday that ultimately sailed high and wide. The two misses by JEF near the end sealed their fate.

3. Send me everyone! JEF made a single substitution of 5 players at one time. I’ve never seen this and that had to be unsettling to a team when you replace half of the outfield players. Maybe it was an act of desperation in an attempt to equalize, but Higuchi was able to respond by also inserting Yong-Jick and allow both Uehara and Yong Jick to mark Salomon on all set pieces near the end.

4. I think the early cracks are visible on how to break down Ryukyu. I love Tanaka’s aggressiveness and assertiveness in the attack, but I think teams are starting to realize that attacking down the right, and left, might be this team’s Achilles heel. I am not saying that Tanaka cannot defend, or won’t, but that teams are starting to realize Ryukyu prefer to attack from the flanks, lack the thrust through the middle, and over commit at times down the sides may open up us in new ways. I have no clue how to remedy this as this puts all the pressure on the CBs and CDMs to cover the back when Ryukyu commit to the attack, but everything is working right now so no need to tinker with the formula for success.

6. Match Day 5 in J2

The Niigata battering ram continued along its path of destruction by dismantling Tokyo Verdy 7-0. The amount of goals scored by Niigata in that single game is more than 13 teams have scored all year in J2! It was kind of a disappointing weekend for some of the favorites as Nagasaki, Kofu, Kyoto, and Yamagata all lost.

7. Conclusion

With one more win FC Ryukyu will set the club’s single season record for consecutive wins. But that is no easy ask despite their opponent, Omiya Ardija, being one that Ryukyu have experienced many fortuitous results against in their short time in J2. Just like this week with Ryukyu needing to cross a major obstacle in JEF, Omiya too will be looking to exorcise some ghosts of years past against Ryukyu.

Would you have agreed to take the 15 points Ryukyu have earned at the start of the season if you knew it would pay dividends later when it comes to a relegation scrap? Do you know that FC Ryukyu are 1 of only 5 teams to win their opening 4 fixtures and not get promoted that year (2019)? Do you believe that 6 of 7 teams who opened the J2 season with 5 consecutive wins have gone on to earn promotion? I don’t want FC Ryukyu to be the second team in that stat to not to earn promotion. What do you believe about FC Ryukyu?

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

Intro

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

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

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

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

Match Day Information from JEF United Chiba Website

2. Match Day 4 Recaps

Matsumoto Yamaga FC 0-1 JEF United Chiba

FC Ryukyu 3-1 V-Varen Nagasaki

3. Team Previews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen

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

5. Prediction

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

6. Match Day 5 in J2

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

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

YouTube Broadcast: Tokushima Vortis vs Oita Trinita

7. Conclusion

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

Match Day 1 Report: FC Ryukyu 1-0 Jubilo Iwata 2/28/21 #FC琉球

Intro

The J-League season kicked off in earnest this past weekend where FC Ryukyu hosted Jubilo Iwata in the opening fixture of 2021. Despite all the weather forecasts predicting a rather nice day to enjoy football, it was anything but with all the rain here in Okinawa. However, the wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the home crowd, or the team, as FC Ryukyu notched their first points, and first home win of the season by defeating Iwata 1-0 in front of 3,800 fans thanks to a Ren Ikeda first minute goal set up by none other than Keita Tanaka.

Match Recap
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Takeaways from Round 1
Match Prediction
Match Day 1 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Recap

https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3505171

2. Man of the Match

Junto Taguchi GK FC Ryukyu: The man was the sea wall that broke the unrelenting waves of the Iwata attack. 24 shots, 11 on target, and a little help from the framework. Junto continued the fine form he was in at the end of last season and despite my reservations, I think it is safe to say, he is the Ryukyu #1 GK moving forward.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Keep the foot on the Gas Pedal: Likelihood 3. Kind of hard to do this when they had less than 40% possession on the day. FC Ryukyu played on the back foot nearly all game.

2. Score from Set Pieces: Likelihood 2. Seeing how we created so few chances, from such little possession, there was only one clear cut chance to score from a CK, that Chinen sent wide.

4. Takeaways from Round 1

1. FC Ryukyu looked well organized at the back. This despite all the talk of attacking football by the manager. The combination of Okazaki and Chinen worked to perfection and Taguchi has probably earned DAZN first team honors this week with his performance. We will have to wait and see if this trend continues as I think when the game opens up to Ryukyu, so too will our defense to our opponents. The fact that Ryukyu were under constant pressure meant they had to compact their defense and play out from the back, but even then, the Ryukyu attackers didn’t help the cause with turnovers on their end that turned into quick counter attacks by Iwata.

2. Some of the questions surrounding the team were answered yesterday. First, Taguchi is the preferred #1 over Dany Carvajal at the moment. Second, and much to my dismay, Ikeda was given the nod over Nakagawa at CAM. We saw this early last year before Koizumi came on to usurp Ikeda, but Higuchi’s faith in Ikeda turned out to be correct as he was the lone goal scorer on the day. Third, Yong Jick was left out of the lineup and Chinen looked very good in his place. Finally, Higuchi dressed 3 reserve forwards in Uehara, Shintaro and Akamine. Considering the depth we have at MF, this was a bit of a shock. Maybe he expected to need the services of so many attacking players if Ryukyu were to chase the game, but that never happened.

3. We finally saw a Central Defender rise to meet a header on a CK. Chinen came close to pushing the score line to 2-0 on a set piece but it was sent wide. However, it was encouraging to see a central defender get involved on a limited number of set pieces, and I haven’t seen a header with that much aggression behind it in quite some time down here.

4. There were some missed chances that could’ve made all the difference yesterday. Ryukyu narrowly dodged some bullets when Iwata hit the woodwork, and Shintaro had a golden opportunity to seal the game late on for Ryukyu only to come up short. He took possession of the ball just inside the halfway line of Ryukyu, turned on the jets, and somehow made it all the way into the Iwata 18-yard box untouched and alone on goal. Unfortunately, the finish wasn’t nearly as spectacular as the setup, as the shot was stopped by the Iwata keeper. I guess we got a small glimpse into the streaky nature of this player.

5. Prediction

I thought this game would’ve ended 2-2, instead, it was 1-0 to FC Ryukyu. Season record 0-0-1.

6. Match Day 1 in J2

V-Varen Nagasaki asserted themselves early against Kanazawa, and then hung on late to win. Akita lost in their J2 debut match, as did Sagamihara, with the grudge match between Zelvia and Yamagata ending 1-1. Perhaps the warning signs are already there for Kitakyushu and Ehime as they were soundly beaten in their opening fixtures.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/tabelle/wettbewerb/JAP2/saison_id/2020

7. Conclusion

It is always nice getting that first win, that first home win, and it is even better when it is on opening day. Iwata was a far better side in the attack yesterday, and thanks to a bit of luck, were kept off the score sheet. Iwata were one of the teams I mentioned in an earlier blog that FC Ryukyu had failed to beat, and would need to beat, if they wished to achieve the lofty target of 80 points. Time will tell and I will keep a log of all the points over, and under, expectation that Ryukyu net in 2021.

The win on Sunday has really put FC Ryukyu in a nice spot to take 9 points from their first 3 matches of 2021. A fast start, similar to the one we saw from Ryukyu in 2019, could provide the same type of cushion from those teams facing relegation come the end of the season. If memory serves me, FC Ryukyu are now undefeated in games that are broadcast on the J-League International YouTube channel dating back to 2019 with a 3-1-0 record. Well, job done and now it is on to Renofa Yamaguchi this Saturday.