FC Ryukyu vs Tokushima Vortis #FC琉球

Intro

It seems that no amount of goals scored by Ryukyu are enough to protect any lead. Ryukyu once again surrendered a late goal that led to another draw at home with points dropped in an extremely tight relegation battle. Not even the usual, momentum shifting, goal right before halftime was enough to carry us over the line. There are just twenty three (23) games remaining this season and Ryukyu will almost need to take 25 points from those matches if they hope to survive.

Match Highlights

Review of the 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. Execute shots from distance, pepper Vortis with crosses into the box, and for god’s sake, score from a set piece. Likelihood 1. We did and we still didn’t win. The set piece was a PK but both shots from Nakano and Tomidokoro were from distance. It was so great to finally see goals of that quality scored in front of the Ryukyu supporters section and just a shame they were wasted in another draw.

Match Day 19 Takeaways

1. Ryukyu played one of their best games of the season and it still wasn’t enough to get the win. This game was a six-goal thriller with a little bit of everything that included multiple PKs and four nice goals during the run of play. The match was evenly contested by both sides with each team having really good looks on goal. There were also some good player battles between Shinya Uehara and Caca, as well as Keita Tanaka and Kazuki Nishiya. In the opening half, Vortis looked more lethal with their shots on net, but Ryukyu were controlling large portions of play and knocking on the door. After trading PKs in the first half, Ryukyu, for the first time in a long time, were playing some spirited football in the opening twenty minutes of the second half.

Ryukyu were rewarded with a spectacular goal from Nakano on the edge of the 18-yard box. Ryukyu followed this up with three close calls on net (Tanaka, Uehara, Kanai) but failed to push the lead to two goals before Vortis equalized in the 85′ minute. But then out of nowhere, Yu Tomidokoro sent an absolute screamer from about 25-yards out into the top corner of the net to once again give Ryukyu the lead. Unfortunately, and so indicative for how the season is going for Ryukyu, they surrendered a goal from a CK on the very last play of the game.

Ryukyu have been extremely poor when it comes to defending, and scoring, from CKs this season which shows us that they haven’t learned much during their time in the J2. It isn’t a matter of defenders not defending, but rather midfielders defending set pieces. Poor Yu, the hero just moments earlier, was caught in no man’s land on the last shot and didn’t know whether to track a runner on the outside or the man directly in front of him who found the space to score. Probably something that stems from the multiple set piece goals conceded by Ryukyu this season were opposing players are constantly getting free near our defensive lines. Heartbreaking for the fans in attendance.

2. Another injury to deal with. Ryukyu finally put out a lineup that seemed to work and work well but Lee Yong Jick, who was having an off night thanks to a foul leading to a PK, was carted off in the 80th minute following a kick to his lower right leg/ankle in the 77th minute. He carried on for a bit but it seemed he was in too much pain to see out the match. No coincidence that Ryukyu conceded a goal a few minutes later and hopefully it is nothing more than a knock that will just be sore for a few days. In the mean time it is back to the drawing board to figure out another lineup. If Yong Jick is set to miss anytime, that leaves with just one healthy CB on the roster, Omori, which could force Makito Uehara, or never used Yusuke Murase into the lineup. Not what we need right now despite the owner promising some offensive reinforcements when the transfer window opens up on July 15th.

3. When results wane, anger and focus shifts to external factors that seem to be acting against you. Ryukyu have found themselves at the mercy of the referee in three consecutive matches. First, they were not allowed to execute a CK at the end of the Kofu match. Second, the blatant handball no-call at Omiya near the end of that game. And lastly, the Vortis CK after the 5 minutes of allotted time had expired. Sure, had anything other than a Vortis players scoring would’ve probably drawn the whistle, but luck is not on our side right now. If we can’t even catch a few breaks along the way, I am not sure we will be able to stave off relegation. Just some consistency from the leagues referee’s would be a welcome sign.

Round 19 in J2

FC Ryukyu got the help they needed from teams at the top of the table, but Tokyo Verdy couldn’t get past Omiya Ardija, who looked the far better side in the second half of that game and should’ve won. Albirex Niigata continued their push for promotion but handing Montedio Yamagata their first loss in nine (9) matches. Lastly, Zweigen kept Morioka at the foot of the table with winner in the 80th minute.

Conclusion

More injuries and questions but the same amount of concern and frustration. It must feel as if the weight of the entire world is on the shoulders of everyone at the club and since we haven’t exactly put ourselves in a position to succeed this year, we are leaving it very late for a miracle. Enter the Emperors Cup match with Omiya on Wednesday. Not sure who is going to play with our current injury crisis, players out on international duty and no news from the club on the status of some of our players. Just what we needed.

(21) Oita Trinita vs (20) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

Ryukyu need to deliver a response following their third consecutive defeat at home this past weekend. This requires Ryukyu to do something they rarely do this season, gain and maintain a lead. In the lone game that Ryukyu scored first, they surrendered that lead late which ultimately resulted in a loss. Outside of the opening fixture, there hasn’t been one fixture that any of us can point to as a dominating performance by Ryukyu. Much like we needed to get that first victory of the season, we need to start stringing together better results.

Weather Forecast and Match Day Info

The game will be played inside a dome so weather shouldn’t be a factor. However, the short week and travel will be something that Ryukyu need to contend with.

Click>>>> Match Day 06 Info from Oita Trinita

Team Previews

Oita Trinita: Oita was the other team whose season was delayed due to a CV-19 outbreak in the squad and who have also yet to earn a victory in any competition this season. Currently second from bottom on three points, Oita will look to bust out of their slump with a very beatable FC Ryukyu coming to town.

A trio of 1-1 draws with some demolitions mixed in sums up Oita this season. That doesn’t bode well for Ryukyu as we’ve seen first hand how bad we are at putting teams away. Oita does have one advantage, they’ve played – and surrendered – with leads this season. They managed a draw at Kofu late on despite seeding much of the play to their opponents; took the early lead vs YFC but lost it; allowed Mito to get out in front before equalizing with a spectacular goal; led and then were blown away vs Nagasaki and then led for all of one minute vs Renofa before ceding that lead.

Hirota Goya, yes that same man who terrorized Ryukyu while at Nagasaki in 2019, is the player we need to look out for on Wednesday. Other than that, Oita, like Ryukyu, are struggling to string results together but have the advantage of playing at home on a short week.

These two sides haven’t met since the 2016 season when Oita were down in the J3 for their lone season before winning the league and being promoted back to J2. Ryukyu did have some strong performances against Oita back then and nearly defeated them twice that season. Keita Tanaka and Yu Tomidokoro are the only members of that Ryukyu squad currently on the roster from that year but that really doesn’t mean much. This will be Oita’s 8th game of the season as well as their third mid-week match of the young campaign. Perhaps some early fatigue on the part of Oita may level the playing field for both sides this Wednesday night.

FC Ryukyu: One thing Ryukyu have going for them is following a 1-2 defeat at home this season, they usually win. That is a bad attempt at some comedic relief as Ryukyu have only played one game away after losing at home this year, but there might be something there with that logic as Ryukyu have earned all their points away from home.

Something is off with the team this season and I am not sure what it is. Gone are the days of Higuchi’s hard practices that led to a lot of fatigue and injuries inside the squad but perhaps the discipline he was instilling during those training sessions has also dissipated. I hope players are not viewing their time here in Ryukyu as nothing more than the sunset chapters of their careers as whatever Ryukyu were attempting to build the past three seasons is quickly eroding.

But more importantly, Ryukyu need to find a nasty streak/killer instinct during games in order to start putting teams away. Ryukyu have eclipsed the single goal mark only once this season yet have conceded 2 goals per game during the last month. Ryukyu have a ton of veteran players, most of the starting 11 are around, or older than 30 years old, and we need these guys to get going to pull this team up. Too often it feels as if Ryukyu get ‘lucky’ on goals instead of purposefully working the ball around the pitch and into open spaces.

Last week Ryukyu reverted back to Okazaki and Yong Jick at CB. And the results were the same as the previous three weeks so that leaves us nowhere in defense. Ryukyu have not shut out an opponent since round one and that was when we had the combination of Omori and Nakagawa manning the back. Maybe the short time between matches for Ryukyu will allow one, if not both, of these players back into the fold. There really isn’t many other changes Ryukyu can make throughout the midfield and attack without knowing the fitness of some players or their availability.

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

Just run at em. Likelihood 1. Oita cave under pressure, and so do we, so who will assert themselves first?

J2 Round 06

There are two games early in the week which I assume are scheduled to support both Oita’s and Tokushima’s Levain Cup participation with the standout fixture of this round featuring (2) Vegalta Sendai hosting (4) Machida Zelvia.

The J-League International YouTube Channel free broadcast this round will feature (19) Mito Hollyhock at home against (15) Roasso Kumamoto.

***Click>>>>*** J-League Int’l YouTube Channel

Conclusion

Show us something, anything, before we find ourselves at the bottom of the table at the end of this round. It is still early enough to course correct and get back in the thick of things but with every dropped point, it becomes harder and harder to see this side competing for anything other than avoiding relegation. Good luck boys!

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

Intro

FC Ryukyu are fresh off their first win of the season and looking to double that win total when last placed FC Mito Hollyhock travel to Okinawa on Saturday. Ryukyu had to battle back twice from deficits at Renofa Yamaguchi last week but hopefully that performance has calmed some nerves of the fans as well as steeled the reserve of the Ryukyu players. Mito enter the match in the midst of a four game winless streak which makes this a bit of a trap game for Ryukyu who may be feeling their oats after their last win.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info

The forecast calls for partly covered skies with little chance of rain. That is banking on the fact that a pretty nasty storm front clears out on Friday. We all know how weather works down here in Okinawa so prepare for the worst and enjoy better conditions if they should occur. Or just drink more to forget about how terrible the weather (hopefully not the match) actually is while you’re standing outside.

Click>>>> Match Day 05 Information from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: That first win should provide a little sense of relief, as well as some boost in confidence, for Ryukyu heading into match day 5. We all wanted to see a Ryukyu performance indicative of their first game last Saturday, obviously not the previous two rounds, and we got just that last week. Now it is time to build on that momentum from the Renofa match and notch another win in what could be Ryukyu’s first home victory of the season.

Last week it was the ‘old guard’ of FC Ryukyu that pulled them through so perhaps we need a bit more of that this game. Abe’s goal from a corner was spectacular; Kiyotake’s header looked accidental (but we’ll take it); and Ryunosuke Noda’s first goal in over a year and half was a well taken shot from a breakaway. Speaking of Kiyotake, he had an interesting game last week in that he scored the equalizer, assisted on the winner, but was a bit off the mark for parts of the match. He nearly allowed Renofa to take control of the game when he sent a misguided pass directly across the top of the Ryukyu box and onto the foot of a Renofa attacker. Luckily Taguchi was up to the task and parried it away from danger thus keeping the one goal deficit in tact.

Heading into this matchup it is anyone’s guess as to who Kina will start as Ryukyu have been pretty consistent on rotating players in and out of the starting eleven all season. Ikeda returned last week from a one week absence, Yu Tomidokoro seems to have secured one of the starting CM roles over Kazuto Takezawa, Abe and Kiyotake both started, Yuki Omoto made his first start at RB, and Rio Omori has gone missing the past two weeks thus allowing Yong-Jick a return to the bench. It is great to have all these options but it likely leaves the side a little unsettled. Perhaps Kina is deploying a strategy of forcing players to earn the starting role each week compared to that of his predecessor who based it solely on name brand recognition, which is a good thing. What isn’t a good thing is needing the offense to get going and shifting many players around who cannot get into any sort of rhythm. I guess we’ll see this week.

Hopefully we see a return of Keita Tanaka at RB this match as he was seen at practice throughout the week but there is no telling how is rehabilitation from last season’s injury is progressing, or if he is ready to go. If he does play, I would expect a limited appearance until he gets back up to match fitness. One player that Ryukyu will definitely be without for the extended future is Sittichok Paso who will be joining the U-23 Thailand national team for the Dubai Cup in the U.A.E. Personally, I think Ryukyu are wasting a great opportunity to capitalize on having a Thai player in the squad when it comes to marketing and actual playing time. We need to find a better way to incorporate him or else we shouldn’t be wasting his, or our, time by rostering and failing to market a player like Paso.

FC Mito Hollyhock: Here is the tale of the tape so far: (1) Mito have suffered two defeats by a score line of 2-3 and have only managed a single point from their first four matches. (2) Mito can be prone to both fast starts, 4 of their 5 goals have come within the first 15 minutes of games, as well as lackluster finishes, 6 of the 8 goals conceded have occurred in the second half. That is the reality facing Ryukyu on Saturday.

Mito’s season was delayed by a week due to a CV-19 outbreak at Oita so they opened their campaign during week 2 at home to Sendai. Mito controlled the majority of play to open the game and their efforts were rewarded with an early goal before a handball/PK wiped out that lead in the 32nd minute. Sendai went ahead in the 74th minute but Mito quickly equalized two minutes later when Kazuma Takai took the most direct route ever seen inside the box to put it into the top of the net. However, Mito switched off near the end by conceding a goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. Against Akita the following week both sides traded numerous chances before some nervy run of play from both teams saw Akita score the eventual winner.

Mito played Oita in the midweek to make up for the previously postponed round 1 and once again they looked the better side to start the match. Mito opened the scoring in the 7th minute from a good nice run of play but, in keeping with Mito’s luck to date, Oita equalized from a very nicely taken shot inside the first half. Finally, and probably the most deflating performance to date, was Mito’s 2-3 loss at Yokohama FC where they surrendered a two goal lead in that loss.

Mito’s most lethal player is Kosuke Kinoshita, who joined from the Urawa Reds this offseason, and who has two goals and one assist this season. Mito has only defeated Ryukyu twice in the short span of their time together in J2 with their most recent win occurring at Ryukyu back on matchday 25 last year when Ryukyu were beginning their too often predictable mid-season collapse.

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. Weather the early Mito storm. Likelihood 2. There is no doubt that Mito start matches very fast as indicated by their goals scored/conceded ratio mentioned in the team preview section. Mito are very adept at hitting teams on the counter attack, which means Ryukyu need to survive the first 15 minutes of this match in order to take control of the game. Easier said than done for Ryukyu as this exact type of pressure caused us to concede early in the game last week at Renofa.

2. Harass Mito inside the box. Likelihood 3. A preponderance of Mito’s conceded goals have occurred in and around the 6-yard box. Ryukyu need to put more quality shots on net to cause some chaos and confusion in the Mito defense as well as inject some better crosses into the attacking players who should find space to operate on Saturday.

J2 Round 05

A couple of tilts at the top of the table this week with (5) Fagiano Okayama looking to rebound from a heavy defeat at Zelvia when they host league leaders (1) Yokohama FC, with (2) FC Machida Zelvia traveling to face (3) Tokyo Verdy in a bit of a derby match. Most of the other games this round see a lot of teams in the bottom third of the table squaring off in order to jockey for positioning. There is the lone, albeit odd, Monday afternoon kickoff this week between (13) Roasso Kumamoto and (14) V-Varen Nagasaki.

The free J-League International YouTube broadcast this week will feature (12) Albirex Niigata at home against (12) Ventforet Kofu and the link can be found below the picture.

Conclusion

So it is kind of a big weekend for both the club and the supporters. First, it is Jin-Beno Day (the official mascot of Ryukyu) and there are a ton of giveaways and special seating at the stadium. Who doesn’t love J-League mascots? Second, Yu Tomidokoro, aka Mr. Ryukyu, celebrates 250 matches in his J-League career along with Yuki Omoto celebrating his 100th game in which commemorative plaques and towels are available for purchase. Third, a win here for Ryukyu could be a nice launching pad to further success along with an uplifting first home win for the fans.

But finally, and most importantly, this is the first match of the season that I will be able to attend in person. So brace yourself Okinawa, the Commander of the Ryukyu Army is inbound!

MD24 Report: Giravanz Kitakyushu vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu moved into third place in the table with a come from behind 2-1 victory over Giravanz Kitakyushu last night. Ryukyu started this game really slow and made many of us wonder how, with three weeks to prepare for this game, could they look so bad? The game seemed destined for disappointment when two Ryukyu shots from Koya Kazama and Shintaro Shimizu, hit the post early in the second half. But newly signed Hidetoshi Takeda put his stamp on the game when he leveled the match for Ryukyu on a spectacular free kick, followed by a rising header from Shintaro Shimizu to put Ryukyu in the lead for good.

Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Round 24 in J2
Conclusion

よっしゃー✊#ＦＣ琉球 pic.twitter.com/4I2QCiSehR
— フレ太郎 (@shimashima45) August 9, 2021

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu GK Kosuke Inose: Inose may have been caught leaning the wrong direction on the lone goal he conceded, but he was in really good form last night. That included a diving one hand save to keep FC Ryukyu in the match, while also not surrendering a second goal from the other 15 shots Kitakyushu managed to put on net.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory

1. Work harder than Kitakyushu. Likelihood 4. It certainly didn’t start out like that as Giravanz was in complete control of the first half after only 5-minutes. They held Ryukyu to just 2 shots (1 on target) and things were looking grim for Ryukyu fans. But Ryukyu turned things around in the second half and looked the better side the remainder of the match.

4. Prediction

Went with a 3-1 score line for Ryukyu, that they nearly achieved, but it is wins for everyone this week! Season Record 7-6-11.

5. Talking Points from Round 24

1. The debutants. Higuchi switched back to the 4-2-3-1 formation that Ryukyu used for a majority of the season until injuries decimated the squad. Nakagawa was back in his natural CAM role with newly signed fullback, Takashi Kanai, making his debut at right back. I am not sure what prompted Higuchi to move Kanai from his natural, or main, position of left back to right back, while still starting Uehara in defense on the opposite side. That’s two players playing in different positions for the first time this season and probably why Kitakyushu had their way with the Ryukyu back line. FC Ryukyu have three right backs, Torikai, Makito, and Tavares, to go along with Shinya who played right back the previous two matches, who should be healthy and could have easily allowed Kanai an easier transition into the lineup. I really don’t agree with this move by Higuchi though Kanai did his best and a had a few nice crosses into the box last night.

However, the man who made the most impact during his debut was Hidetoshi Takeda who opened his scoring account with Ryukyu after only 20-minutes on the pitch. Takeda sent a beautiful curler past the Giravanz keeper to provide a much-needed injection of confidence into the side last night. It should be exciting to watch this player over the course of the remaining 18-games.

2. Turned it on right when they needed it the most. Ryukyu were completely outplayed and under serious amounts of pressure from Giravanz during the first half. Kitakyushu tallied 16 shots, 9 on target, to that of Ryukyu’s 2/1. Inose was about the only player doing much of anything that first half and was a big reason why Ryukyu were able to see out the win. Takeda’s introduction came at the expense of Nakagawa, but it wouldn’t be right to say that Kazaki had a bad game as nobody was doing anything for this side in the first half. The sudden uptick in play by Ryukyu coincided with the two changes Higuchi made with the aforementioned Takeda and Shintaro Shimizu returning to the lineup after serving his one game suspension for violating the team’s rules during COVID-19.

3. Abe is becoming more valuable as a set up man than a goal poacher. Abe registered his second assist in as many games, bringing his total to five in his last five games, with a tremendous cross that seemed to hang in the air for days to allow Shintaro to rise and get on the end of it for Ryukyu’s second goal. The man hasn’t complained at all since not scoring in what is going on two and a half months now and never shows any real frustration at the lack of service, he is accustomed to receiving. Perhaps we could see him drop back to just behind the striker in more of a central attacking role to free him up a bit.

4. FC Ryukyu need to get Mizuki Ichimaru more involved. Koki Kazama and Yu Tomidokoro started the match yesterday but none of their performances really stood out. I think Ichimaru deserves a start and we should rotate Yu and Koki until Uesato’s return from injury.

5. A vital 3-points following a rough stretch of results for Ryukyu. Ryukyu needed this win, one which I hope will allow them to course correct and get back to some winning football. Many of the top sides have dropped points the past three rounds and the real shame is to think where Ryukyu would be in the standings with even one of those games against Omiya or Sagamihara ending in a win instead of a loss and a draw.

6. Round 24 in J2

Kyoto Sanga was able to escape their game against FC Machida Zelvia with a 2-1 win, but both Jubilo Iwata and Albirex Niigata surrendered extra time goals and ended up with draws. Niigata’s was particularly brutal as they took the lead in the 94′ minute only to concede sixty second later. Kitakyushu’s loss to Ryukyu drops them from 19th to 21st as the other bottom five sides all drew on Monday night. The Zweigen Kanazawa versus V-Varen Nagasaki match was called off due to inclement weather and I don’t have a date for when it will be rescheduled.

7. Conclusion

Job done and now the boys return home, to another empty stadium, to take on 11th place FC Mito Hollyhock. Every victory Ryukyu can earn until a majority of their front line starters return is so important. Of the remaining three games this month, the biggest test will come in the form of Montedio Yamagata away, but Ryukyu have been clawing for results for awhile now which makes the home game in just four days a big one.

MD17 Preview: (12) Blaublitz Akita vs (3) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu will make their longest road trip of the season when they travel to face Blaublitz Akita this Saturday. That comes on the heels of their third longest road trip of the year to Niigata last week, and just before another road trip to Matsumoto Yamaga the following Wednesday for an Emperors Cup match. These two teams are very familiar with one another stemming from their time together in both the JFL and J3, but this will be the first time they face each other in the J2.

Both enter Match Day 17 following a loss the previous round and both are looking to rebound in a big way. These two sides are dealing with some injuries to their back line which has seen their strong defensive performances to start the season taper off as of late resulting in consecutive losses for Ryukyu and Akita failing to win since their 2-1 victory at V-Varen Nagasaki one month ago. On a much more positive note, Martin Spivey will be joining the FC Ryukyu blog this week to preview Blaublitz Akita so please enjoy the change to the normal opposition’s preview I churn out.

Blaublitz Akita versus FC Ryukyu Match Day 17

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Previous Match Day Highlights
Team Previews
- Blaublitz Akita
- FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 17 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

Maybe some wind to contend with during the match but otherwise a very nice forecast. And once again there will be no visiting FC Ryukyu fans allowed to attend while Okinawa is under a state of emergency.

Click>>> MD 17 Info from Blaublitz Akita

2. Previous Match Day Highlights

Tokyo Verdy 3-1 Blaublitz Akita

Albirex Niigata 2-1 FC Ryukyu

3. Team Previews

Blaublitz Akita: As a Blaublitz Akita supporter of almost a decade, I have to say I’m in Dreamland. From JFL to J3 and now J2. After our J3 victory in 2017, I honestly thought we wouldn’t get another chance of promotion any time soon when our J2 license application was rejected. But here we are. And last season took me by surprise. A real underdog story that I feel mirrors Ryukyu’s rise (if I may say such a thing!). Until about 5 seasons ago, both clubs were stuck in the mid-table of J3 with similar crowds and set-ups and now we face each other in the league above, 12th at home to 3rd.

Both teams have seen their form (and results) tail off a little bit in recent weeks but after watching bits of Ryukyu here and there, I can see they will be a really tough opponent. A great passing side that knows how to score goals. As for Akita, well, I imagine we can be a hard watch for the neutral at times. Our strength is in our strong work ethic – the players never stop running. A long throw-in into the box from RB Suzuki or MF Fukoin can be expected at every possible opportunity or a long ball from the center of defense for pacy forward Keita Saito to run on to. Akita will sit back and let Ryukyu have most of the possession but hopefully it won’t be all one-way traffic.

There are concerns about our central defense, with Kaito Chida having been out all season and Shigeto Masuda missing the last few games. Veteran legend Kenichi Kaga is a solid back-up but he needs a break soon you feel. If he starts, and has tired legs, then the Ryukyu attack may want to try and run at him from the start! After Ryukyu, Akita have Machida and Niigata coming up so I fear we could go on a run of 6 or 7 games without a win. Still, I find the outcome of this game a little hard to predict.

Ryukyu could smash us by 3 or 4 if we’re not at the races but we could also nick a win. A 1-1 draw wouldn’t be a total surprise based on our home results so far this season. Can we benefit from the fact there will be no away supporters in the ground? I just wanna see a good, clean fight. May the best team win! (I’ll take a point though…)

Thank You Martin for that great preview of Blaublitz Akita. You can find Martin on Twitter @bantam84 for all things Akita.

FC Ryukyu: May was a rough month for FC Ryukyu as they won two, drew two and lost two. In Ryukyu’s first twelve games of the season they surrendered more than one goal in a game only once. Ryukyu have now conceded 2 goals in each of their past 3 games. The injury to starting CB Okazaki has compounded that problem and will do so for the next 7 weeks. For a team that was winning on the back of great defensive performances, and steady offensive output, Ryukyu have really come apart at the seems this past month.

Takuma Abe’s return up top helped last week and we should see the Ryukyu talisman get back on the score sheet this week. Yong Jick has been forced to drop back into the starting CB role along side Chinen and since we only have the one game to make any judgement on whether or not he has improved from last season in that role, we will have to reserve judgment for a later date. Fukui has now become the emergency defender on the bench and though Ryukyu have not seen Akamine in the squad for a few weeks, I felt they fielded their strongest bench this season last week.

Dressing three forwards, vice four, for each match allows some of the talented mid fielders on the roster a shot at making the bench. Though it is anyone’s guess whether or not they will appear in a game. So far we’ve seen Higuchi prefer to play Yu Tomidokoro over Ichimaru in the central midfield with Motegi filling in for Kiyotake and Uehara coming on late in place of Koya. Shimizu will likely spell Abe at some point in the match while Abe gets back to full match fitness levels following an injury he picked up at Ehime FC.

Still, I would like to see Nakagawa make the bench but with no idea of who is actually hurt these days, we must always wait for the team to tweet out the starting lineup a few hours before kickoff. Perhaps it would be best to not practice in the hot Okinawa heat during the day and tailor practice times to mirror kickoff times that week so guys can remain somewhat fresh and get their bodies in tune for that time of the day. Ryukyu have three road games in a row, which included last weeks game at Niigata, spread across 10 days meaning they will lose anywhere between 5-6 days of practice for travel. This may be the only rest they get in between games the next few weeks while it is getting really hot down here in Okinawa.

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. Get to the 2-goal mark first. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu have hit the 2-goal mark only twice in their last 8 games while being held to 1-goal (3) or shutout (3) in the other 6 games. The two-goal mark maybe enough to see out the win as Akita have only managed to score 2 goals in a game, both on the road, on 2 occasions this season. If Akita follow the same path of our previous three opponents and score 2 goals against us, it may be a tough ask to score 3 goals against a team that has only allowed 2 or more goals in a game 4 times this year.

2. Do not take them for granted. Likelihood 4. Several of Akita’s opponents may have overlooked them as the newly promoted side but that has resulted in Akita earning victories over Kyoto, JEF, Mito and Nagasaki while nearly earning a win over Iwata. Ryukyu need to go out there and set the pace early as Akita have proven themselves a resilient team this season.

3. Same as last week, set pieces will be key. Likelihood 2. Akita scores, and concedes, most of their goals from set pieces and though Ryukyu turned the corner last week by not allowing a goal from a set piece, they will need to do the same this week at Akita.

5. Prediction

Akita will be no easy nut to crack for Ryukyu as they have shut out their opponent on four times while playing at home. However, they have conceded all three of their goals at home in their last three home matches. Akita and Ryukyu earned the same results, and near identical goals scored/conceded record, over their last five games, but Ryukyu’s overall goals conceded on the year matches the total for Akita’s overall goals scored tally. I appreciate Martin going in for the point, and see that as a real possibility, but Ryukyu need a rebound win following two consecutive defeats so therefore I’ll say to 2-1 to Ryukyu. Season Record 6-4-6.

6. Round 17 in J2

All Times Listed are in Japan Standard Time

Round 17 kicks off Friday evening with (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma taking on (10) FC Mito Hollyhock. (1) Albirex Niigata will play their fourth game in a row against a top six side when they travel to (5) Ventforet Kofu on Saturday with (2) Kyoto Sanga FC also on the road this week at (16) Tochigi SC. (4) Jubilo Iwata and (6) FC Machida Zelvia are also on the road this round when they face (18) Giravanz Kitakyushu and (17) Matsumoto Yamaga FC respectively.

(22) SC Sagamihara will take on (7) V-Varen Nagasaki for the free J-League International YouTube broadcast this Saturday and the link can be found below the infographic.

Click>>> J-League International YouTube Channel

7. Conclusion

It will be interesting to see how Ryukyu respond in the face of adversity following two losses in a row. Akita could take advantage of some tired legs from Ryukyu, as well as some depressed morale, so Ryukyu really need to gut this one out. A couple of nice goals from Takuma Abe, set up by Koya Kazama and Keita Tanaka, could provide the much needed boost in confidence for this side who are still in the thick of things this far into the season.

Match Day 13 Preview: (19) Ehime FC vs (2) FC Ryukyu 5/08/21 #FC琉球

Intro

No rest for the weary as FC Ryukyu travel to Ehime FC on Saturday for their third game in eight days. Both of these teams played to a 0-0 draw in the midweek and Ehime maybe slightly buoyed by the fact that they were able to earn a draw against fourth placed Jubilo Iwata. For Ryukyu, the opponent doesn’t represent the biggest challenge this week, it is the limited days in between games and possible fatigue that they’ll need to overcome.

Weather Forecast and Match Information
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
- Ehime FC
- FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 13 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from Ehime FC

Looks like favorable conditions for the match but visiting fans will not be able to attend.

Click>>> Match Day 13 Information from Ehime FC

2. Previous Match Highlights

Ehime FC 0-0 Jubilo Iwata

FC Ryukyu 0-0 Kyoto Sanga FC

3. Team Previews

Ehime FC: Ehime have a rather poor record overall against FC Ryukyu as they have yet to beat the guests during their time in J2. Ryukyu hold a 3-1-0 advantage over Ehime and who could forget the game last year when Ryukyu tore apart Ehime to the tune of 6-0. Granted, in a lost season with no fear of relegation, I highly doubt that many of the Ehime players were to concerned with that score line on match day 40. Ehime has gone through several player changes in the offseason in an attempt to avoid relegation but after failing to win in their first six games of 2021, they fired their manager and replaced him with Noritada Saneyoshi.

The move prompted a slight bump for Ehime as they drew the very next match before winning their first two games of 2021. However, the recent schedule for Ehime has not been kind as they will have played all four of the top sides in J2 in a row at the end of this round. So far that has included losses to Albirex Niigata and Kyoto Sanga and the most recent draw with Jubilo Iwata. The draw against Iwata was only the second time all season that Ehime has earned a clean sheet.

In their last five games Ehime FC has gone 2-1-2 with wins over Omiya Ardija and Matsumoto Yamaga who were either at or near the bottom of the table at the time of those games. They then recorded two straight losses to Niigata and Kyoto before earning a draw this past round. Whatever bump in performance Ehime was experiencing before this recent gauntlet seems to have receded.

Against Omiya, Ehime took advantage of an early goal and then some bad luck for Omiya as the hosts should have scored near the end. All three of the goals Ehime scored versus Yamaga were of the ugly sort. Sure, they all count, but we are talking a spilled ball, deflected goal and an initially stopped PK that fell right back to the PK taker from Ehime and scored on the rebound. Niigata looked slightly better against Niigata but couldn’t take full advantage of Niigata being reduced to 10 men and even conceded a second goal after the Niigata red card. They played up to their competition at Kyoto but the game was not as close as the 3-2 score line indicates. Finally, the water logged pitch at home to Iwata was Ehime’s greatest advantage as nobody could get anything going that day.

FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu have a very favorable schedule throughout the next three rounds but there is still the challenge of playing their third game in just eight days. There has to be some tired legs in the squad and Ryukyu almost certainly need to rotate some players this week. One place they could start is at FWD with Takuma Abe.

The Ryukyu striker hasn’t scored since JEF United Chiba, but he does so much for the club both offensively and defensively that this is no easy decision to sit Abe for a round. Especially when every point counts these days. He could sure use the confidence boost of getting back on the scorecard but I hark back to late 2020 when Abe completely disappeared from the roster for the last seven games with no word as to what was ailing him. I fear he could have been burnt out or suffering from some dead legs considering he played in 31 out of the 35 games prior to his absence. And if nothing else, he was given a rest for one game about this time last season. He is so vital to our success that we cannot afford to have him miss anytime due to injury or fatigue.

The same could be said about Uesato taking a break as we’ve seen Yu, Koki, Yong Jick and Ichimaru all play in the central midfield role this season. Personally, I think we need to get a long look at Ichimaru who has only featured in six games this season as a substitute. To continue on, due to loan restrictions, Kazaki Nakagawa couldn’t dress this past round and has only made one brief appearance at FC Machida Zelvia. It would be interesting to see how he is paired with Motegi up top as both are match fit and back to their fitness levels from years past.

It is not as if the Ryukyu offense is playing poorly, as most of the time they take full advantage of the limited opportunities they are afforded, and this week we should see a performance resembling something closer to SC Sagamihara than Kyoto Sanga. That depends largely on any squad rotation that does take place as a large amounts of changes will certainly disrupt whatever rhythm the starters have developed over the past twelve weeks, but it a necessary evil to rest some guys this round.

4. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

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

1. Exploit Taishi Nishioka at CB. Likelihood 5. I’m giving this the highest rating any key to victory can have as Nishioka, the former Ryukyu man, is a converted RB playing CB. He was never known for his speed or defensive prowess and Ryukyu attackers should run circles around him on Saturday.

2. Pile on the pressure. Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu should execute a similar game plan to Sagamihara on Saturday which means players should be flying all over the pitch into wide open shooting lanes. The only word of caution being that Ryukyu should not throw everything into the attack as they cannot gift any fast breaks to Ehime. It is not as if Ehime is particularly great on the counter attack, it’s just that Ryukyu don’t need to throw anything extra into the attack to exploit the Ehime defenders.

5. Prediction

FC Ryukyu have scored 2 goals against Ehime FC in all but one game in their history. 2-0 seems a reasonable score line for Saturday. Season Record 6-2-4.

6. Round 13 in J2

Somehow (19) Ehime FC and (2) FC Ryukyu drew the short straw this round and are forced to play on 2 days rest vice 3 like every other team in J2. (1) Albirex Niigata welcomes in a resurgent (10) Matsumoto Yamaga that has pulled themselves out of the relegation scrap with three straight wins. (3) Kyoto Sanga should have an easier time with their opponent this week when (14) Montedio Yamagata come to town. After being shutout at Ehime FC last week, (4) Jubilo Iwata’s prospects for scoring doesn’t get any better when they travel to (8) Blaublitz Akita.

There is an important battle down the bottom of the table as the outcome of (21) Thespakusatsu Gunma vs (22) Omiya Ardija could put one of those sides in a very deep hole. The free J-League International YouTube broadcast will feature (9) Zweigen Kanazawa and (17) Renofa Yamaguchi FC.

7. Conclusion

On short rest Ryukyu need to notch their 10th win of the campaign against an opponent heavily invested in the relegation battle. It is not the same situation when Ryukyu faced Sagamihara with Kyoto on the horizon as Ryukyu don’t face an opponent inside the top half of the table until Niigata at the end of the month. Ryukyu haven’t had a stretch of games like this since late March/early April when they faced JEF United Chiba, Omiya Ardija and Mito Hollyhock. Push past the fatigue, grab the win, and enjoy an extra days rest before Round 14.

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 9 Preview: (9) FC Machida Zelvia vs (2) FC Ryukyu 4/21/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu travel to Machida Zelvia on Wednesday for their first of four midweek fixtures in 2021. FC Ryukyu have failed to beat Zelvia in their last eight meetings managing only 1 win and 2 draws in the 10 games these teams have played since entering the J3 back in 2014. The next big test for Ryukyu will be finding the right mix of squad rotation and defeating an opponent who has always had your number.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Information
Match Day 8 Highlights
Team Previews
- FC Machida Zelvia
- FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 9 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from the Club

A very pleasant evening to watch football.

It looks like visiting FC Ryukyu fans will be able to attend. Please not that there is no advance entry to hand banners.

Match Day Information from Machida Zelvia

2. Match Day 8 Highlights

V-Varen Nagasaki 0-3 FC Machida Zelvia

FC Ryukyu 2-0 Tokyo Verdy

3. Team Previews

FC Machida Zelvia: Zelvia have failed to win any of their home games this season and to be quiet honest, look a far better side when playing on the road compared to playing at home. Prior to the match at Nagasaki this weekend, Zelvia had only managed 1 goal in their previous four games. Zelvia seem to yo-yo between strong performances and very tepid ones. Many people viewed Zelvia as this seasons dark horse with the caveat that it would be their defending that lets them down. Unfortunately for Zelvia, they have been without the strike duo of Chong Tese and Dudu as Tese has picked up an injury that will see him miss at least 4 weeks with Dudu just completing his 14 day quarantine at the J-League bubble. I am not sure how quickly he will be incorporated into the squad but it seems likely that Dudu will get some playing time this Wednesday if he is fit.

Over their last five games Mito have won two matches while losing the other three. As mentioned earlier, the wins came on the road at Kofu and Nagasaki with losses occurring to Mito Hollyhock, Kanazawa and Kyoto Sanga. Mito found themselves in an early hole at Mito when two wind aided balls ended up allowing the hosts to jump out to a 2-0 lead by halftime. The final goal of that game was after a Zelvia turnover sprung Nakayama in the counterattack to which he finished superbly. At Kofu Zelvia looked much better and scored the games only goal in the third minute. Zelvia had control for most of this game with Kofu offering only about 20 minutes of any action in the Zelvia end.

Following that strong performance Zelvia looked dominant against Kanazawa but were unable to find the back of the net. All those missed chances ended up costing Zelvia as they were done in by an own goal in the 89th minute and went on to lose 1-0. The Zelvia defense had their hands full against Kyoto but still allowed Zelvia to stay in the game after they surrendered the lone goal of the match in the first half. Then, everything seemed to change at Nagasaki this week.

Ranko Popovic switched back to a 4-4-2 from the previous weeks 4-4-1-1 and Zelvia got off to a fast start once more. Two goals by Kaina Yoshio pushed Zelvia out front before a Hasegawa goal just two minutes after the second Yoshio goal put the match out of reach for Nagasaki. Once more Zelvia looked a different side when leaving the friendly confines of the Machida GION stadium, and though the offense went missing for a long stretch for Zelvia, they were able to breakout in a big way this weekend. Adding a good attacking player like Dudu into the mix is sure to help. But Zelvia, like Ryukyu, rely on some older veterans to prop the team up and they too will have to contend with some squad rotation this week.

FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu own a rather poor record against Machida Zelvia having won only once in their past ten matches, and that win came all the way back in 2014 during FC Ryukyu’s inaugural season in the J3. In the six games where Ryukyu have traveled to Machida, they’ve been outscored 11-4. Last season, Ryukyu lost the opening fixture 4-2 thanks to four first half goals by Zelvia. The score line was only brought close by a Zelvia own goal and late strike by Takuma Abe after the game was well out of hand. During the curtain closer for the 2020 season Ryukyu were defeated 1-0 at home by Zelvia in a very uninspiring performance.

But, this is a season unlike any other with Ryukyu putting to rest many of the ghosts that have haunted them from past seasons. The strength of this club is their defense as the offense has yet to get on track this year. That is not to say they are struggling for goals as everyone is chipping in these days, it’s just not at the level we’ve come to expect from a club predicated on attacking football. Abe has done so well this year in all facets of the game and it would be great to see him back on the score sheet after a slight absence these past three weeks.

I think Ryukyu have benefited greatly from a more relaxed schedule this year compared to last season and it has allowed many of the veterans the recovery time between matches that they sorely missed in 2020. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how Higuchi conducts the squad rotation with three games inside of eight days. I wouldn’t expect many changes, but utilizing substitutes earlier and possibly giving a run out to Motegi, Makito Uehara, Shinya Uehara and Akamine needs to be done to keep the squad fresh.

These next two fixtures are massive for Ryukyu if they wish to keep the field at bay. Their current lead over third placed Kyoto Sanga FC is just six points and Kyoto are starting to generate some serious momentum. Defeating an opponent that you have a historically poor track record against is the next step that the Ryukyu needs to make on their way to 80 points.

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. Short passes in the Zelvia box. Likelihood 2. Zelvia are not the most impressive defensive unit in the league and a single goal maybe all that is needed for Ryukyu to see out a win on Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean they can take this opponent lightly as Zelvia have bested Ryukyu nearly every single time. Zelvia have conceded from crosses this season, but are far more susceptible to the short passes in and around the box. Ryukyu will need a strong performance out of Ren Ikeda and Takuma Abe as they can wreak havoc on the Zelvia back line with penetrating runs and quick changes in direction when in the oppositions box.

2. Play to your strengths. Likelihood 4. A short week on the road could mean a low scoring affair, a situation that Ryukyu are very comfortable in, and another defensive masterclass by the CB pairing of Chinen and Okazaki, along with Taguchi in net, is exactly what Ryukyu need this match. Zelvia’s offense wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders this year, but it is starting to generate some thrust. Blunting the Zelvia assault will allow FC Ryukyu to continue to play the style of football they’ve become accustomed to this season.

3. Finding the right mix in the squad rotation. Likelihood 2. Higuchi may not make any changes to this side for this match but that could have an effect later on this week when Ryukyu return home to face Kofu. Ryukyu currently roster four forwards each match so allowing Akamine to start this week may not be a bad idea. Yu and Koki Kazama seem to rotate fairly regularly and hopefully Ichimaru can spell Uesato for longer stretches over these next two games. We should not tinker with the current CB pair but Yong Jick coming in for either of the central defenders so as to keep them fresh is the smart move. Makito Uehara could provide some relief to Tanaka but it will be interesting to see how Higuchi addresses the left back position. Numata will almost certainly need a break these next few games and that means it comes down to either Fukui or Reo Yamashita, who looked good in his lone appearance in the J-Elite League last month.

5. Prediction

Zelvia have been shut out three times this year while Ryukyu have five clean sheets. Zelvia have hit the three goal plateau twice this season compared to FC Ryukyu’s one. Any changes to the Ryukyu squad might have some consequences, and though it is a bold move to predict a win for FC Ryukyu, who haven’t defeated Zelvia in well over seven seasons, that is what I am going to do. 2-1 win for Ryukyu in the midweek. Season Record 5-1-2.

6. Match Day 8 in J2

(1) Albirex Niigata will look to retain the top spot for another week when they travel to (10) Tochigi SC who are currently on an unbeaten run of 5 games. (3) Kyoto Sanga FC and (4) Jubilo Iwata will continue to chip away at the leaders with favorable matchups at (11) Tokyo Verdy and home to (15) Omiya Ardija respectively. Other interesting matches this round include (5) Zweigen Kanazawa hosting (8) Blaublitz Akita and the resurgent (22) Ehime FC hosting (16) Renofa Yamaguchi FC. It’s not quite time to push the panic button for (12) V-Varen Nagasaki, but another performance like this past weekend will at least warrant removing the safety cover for the panic button.

It is FC Ryukyu’s turn to appear on the free J-league International YouTube broadcast so please tune in and enjoy from around the world. Or at the very least, use a VPN if you live in Japan and you do not have a DAZN account. Click the link below the infographic to get the YouTube page for the match.

Click>>> LIVE | FC Machida Zelvia vs FC Ryukyu | Matchweek 9 | 2021 | J2 LEAGUE – YouTube

7. Conclusion

Well strap yourselves in for this one as FC Ryukyu will need to exorcise some serious demons to retain one of the two promotion slots in J2. It has been nothing but disappoint for Ryukyu when they play Zelvia so it will be really encouraging to see them net any points away from home on a short week. A win would show that this team has really turned aa corner in their development and provide a massive boost to the overall morale of the team.

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.

FC Ryukyu Squad Review Part 2: Midfield #FC琉球

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

****Update****

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