Another miserable day weather wise, but a successful one as far as FC Ryukyu are concerned. The rain was once again unrelenting, but FC Ryukyu came out on top in front of the 1,100 fans who braved the elements on Saturday. FC Ryukyu now sit on max points near the top of the table, but also 5 points clear of the drop zone. The win was also significant as it is a 6 point swing over one of the teams tipped for relegation.
FWD Takuma Abe FC Ryukyu: Abe accounted for nearly half of the Ryukyu shots yesterday and was involved in both of the goals. It was his shot that required the Renofa keeper to parry it out of the corner and drop it right at the feet of Tanaka.
3.Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Better Mid-Field Play: Likelihood 4. We certainly had more possession, which in turn meant they created more chances to score. Some of the players are still working out the kinks, but I think the side showed improvement from one game to the next.
2. Get Abe Firing: Likelihood 4. He was firing yesterday, accounting for one of the Ryukyu goals, and nearly bagged two more. He missed a wide open chance early in the second half, one he usually scores, and then smashed another off the post. It’s good that he was involved early and often as we need Abe firing on all cylinders in a few weeks.
4. Match Day 2 Talking Points
1. A tale of two halves. FC Ryukyu were the better side in the first half as they walked into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Renofa, were far better in the second half and were rewarded with the lone goal. Ryukyu couldn’t find the finishing touch in the later stages of the game, something that also occurred last week, but were able to hang on for the win. The game itself ended in a near 50/50 split as far as possession, chances created, and shots.
2. Kiyotake & Koya made an impact yesterday. Both Koya and Kiyotake picked out Abe amongst the sea of bodies inside the Renofa 18-yard box, which directly contributed to both of Ryukyu’s goals. Koya had a chance to add to his earlier assist when he was alone on the right side of the box, but the shot came from a tight angle and was saved by the keeper. The signs are encouraging, but I still feel they lack the thrust through the middle that a player like Nakagawa can provide.
3. Renofa’s goal was a case of Tanaka getting his feet crossed underneath him. You can see from the highlights that he was slightly unsure of where to go on the play. Either put in a challenge, or mark the run of another attacker. That momentary hesitation allowed the Renofa player to get in behind Tanaka, receive the through ball, then pick out a wide open Renofa player making the run-on goal leaving Taguchi no chance at getting to the shot.
4. The lineup remained unchanged. Ryukyu dressed the four forwards once more, and like last week, used the same four substitutes. I would expect more of the same against Gunma.
5. FC Ryukyu scored first which makes it 6 games in a row that they’ve scored first against Renofa. They also scored inside the first minute for the second straight week. The goal also marks the fourth occasion that FC Ryukyu have scored against Renofa inside the opening 15 minutes of any game.
5.Prediction
Tipped this one to end 3-1 in favor of FC Ryukyu so I’ll give myself credit for getting close to the mark. Season record 1-0-1.
6. Match Day 2 in J2
A very low scoring weekend as there were only 19 total goals scored this round. Albirex took the top slot with their win over Nagasaki, with Akita earning their first ever J2 victory. Jubilo responded from their loss to Ryukyu by suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Zelvia. I think Giravanz committed another own-goal for the second game in a row, that made all the difference this past Saturday.
I spoke last week about wanting to track Ryukyu’s point total this year based on what I am calling “Points Over Expectation.” It is a completely subjective scaling system where I separate teams into two categories: Those that FC Ryukyu should beat, and those that they should not. The criteria includes, records against the opponent from the past two seasons, implied strength of the opponent (current position in the table and squad members) with home and away splits loosely factored in. The chart below will be included in each weekly Match Report for FC Ryukyu and has 3 categories.
1. Total points earned to date.
2. Points Over Expectation: This includes points earned from Wins and Draws against tougher opponents
3. Points Under Expectation: Tracks the points that were dropped due to Losses and Draws against perceived lesser opponents.
It is to early to get excited about promotion, but not to early to be concerned with relegation. You can say that Ryukyu are winning ugly, or that the team still has things to work out, but wins are wins, and oh so important at this part of the season.
While two wins from two is a great way to start the season, FC Ryukyu need to continue their fast start with a win over Thespakusatsu Gunma next round to put themselves in a great spot heading into a rough stretch of games featuring Nagasaki, Chiba and Omiya.
It is to early to say FC Ryukyu are off to a fast, but I would say they got off on the right foot. Their 1-0 win over Jubilo Iwata last week, while unexpected, has set FC Ryukyu up for what could be a nice start when considering their next two opponents, Renofa and Gunma. 9 points from 9 would be a very nice floor from the bottom, but first thing first, they need to get the job done against Renofa this Saturday.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Match Day 1 Recap
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu
Renofa Yamaguchi FC
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Prediction
Match Day 2 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information from the Club
Though it says it will be overcast the whole match, there is a chance of rain. And if we learned anything from last week, even if there is a 1-2% chance of rain, be prepared for the worst. Bring the poncho, umbrellas, and plastic coverings to keep your stuff dry in the event it does rain on Saturday.
Match Day 2 Info: Normal stuff, but good info nonetheless. Also, there is no away fans allowed yet and the club made it a point to mention NOT WEARING VISITOR SUPPORT GOODS during the match. This was a change from last week when some fans were seen wearing Iwata kits and other items inside the AA section of the stadium. The club is probably looking to avoid any problems with the league so please comply, even if you’re from Yamaguchi and living in Okinawa.
FC Ryukyu: A couple of questions we were wondering about were answered this past Sunday when FC Ryukyu defeated Jubilo Iwata. First, Junto Taguchi has become the clear cut FC Ryukyu #1 GK. Second, Tetsuya Chinen looked good in place of Yong Jick at CB. That still leaves us wondering about the statuses of Nakagawa and Motegi, both healthy (?) scratches. Ikeda did get the first goal of the season for FC Ryukyu, but if you recall, Ikeda scored a few goals early in 2020 before embarking on a 32 game goalless streak where he was ultimately replaced by Yoshio Koizumi. I truly didn’t see enough of Kiyotake to make any judgement calls just yet, so that is something I will focus on this weekend as I thought Motegi may have earned his starting spot back at LM.
Then there was the decision to dress 4 Forwards instead of any of the abovementioned midfielders. Obviously everything worked out in the end, but I think FC Ryukyu will have a better chance at controlling the tempo of this game, so we may see a different lineup on Saturday. Then again, we may not as Higuchi likes to stick with players long after he should have swapped them out.
FC Ryukyu Injuries: None listed at the time of publication.
Renofa Yamaguchi FC: I am not sure there are to many teams in J2 that had a higher turnover of personnel than Renofa did this offseason. It looks like they brought in 19 new players, while clearing another 17 off their books. Perhaps this isn’t the same team as the past few seasons, but there is no telling that any of the changes in personnel have made an impact at this point in the season. Despite some of the recent woes by Renofa, they own a pretty decent record against FC Ryukyu the past 2 seasons. They have an even 2-1-2 record, that includes the 2019 Emperors Cup match, and one of those wins was a 4-1 blowout of Ryukyu last year. Here is another interesting fact, in the past 5 meetings between these two teams dating back to 2019, FC Ryukyu has scored first in every game. With 3 of those goals occurring inside the first 15 minutes (2′,7′ & 15′).
In their last game with Matsumoto, it was Renofa who got off to a fast start but failed to crack the goal despite Yuki Kasano finding himself alone with only the keeper to beat in the 80′ minute. Then there was the almost win on the last play of the match where it looked like Renofa had scored the winner, only for it to be ruled out on a hand ball. We should expect a fast start from both of these teams on Saturday, with Ryukyu a good bet to score first.
Renofa Yamaguchi FC Injuries: Starting attacking mid-fielder Yatsunori Shimaya injured some ligaments in his ankle and will be out 4 weeks.
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. Better Mid-Field Play: Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu couldn’t control the tempo of the game last week, and there were to many easy turnovers committed to prevent the offense from getting into a sort of rhythm. That needs to change this week.
2. Get Abe Firing: Likelihood 4. I know you’ve heard me say this before, but he is a player that can quickly change the fortunes of this team when he is firing on all cylinders. He couldn’t do much in last week’s game, but I can see that changing on Saturday.
5.Prediction
Season Record to Date: 0-0-1. I think FC Ryukyu come out firing, and continue to fire throughout the match. 3-1 win for FC Ryukyu on Saturday.
6.Match Day 2 in J2
There is an interesting mix of games this week featuring several matchups against the early season promotion candidates, and those seeking to avoid relegation. First up, and probably the matchup of the week is (1) Albirex Niigata hosting (7) V-Varen Nagasaki. Next we have (2) Tokyo Verdy hosting (9) Montedio Yamagata; then there is (3) Kyoto Sanga FC welcoming in (13) Matsumoto Yamaga FC. The (6) Omiya Ardija v (12) Ventforet Kofu should be a tightly contested affair, and then we all want to see how (18) Jubilo Iwata responds after their loss to FC Ryukyu when they face (11) FC Machida Zelvia at home.
(5) Thespakusatsu Gunma, like Ryukyu, will want to continue their fast start – as well as create a cushion between the bottom teams and themselves- when they travel to (20) SC Sagamihara. The other games with some early relegation implications are (22) Ehime FC hosting (10) JEF UTD Chiba; (21) Giravanz Kitakyushu v (16) Mito Hollyhock; and (19) Tochigi SC against (15) Blaublitz Akita.
It is to early to deem this game a must win, or even a should win game for FC Ryukyu, but it is a winnable game nonetheless. Three points on Saturday will go a long way come the end of the season and FC Ryukyu need this win with games against Nagasaki, JEF and Omiya on the horizon.
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.
FC Ryukyu finally defeated Renofa Yamaguchi FC at home for the first time in their history. The game itself was not as nearly as exciting as the result since the weather conditions, and roster selections, really slowed the pace of the match. Despite the 3 points for Ryukyu, they were unable to move up in the table. Though they had a shot to jump at least one spot had Uehara hit that goal in the second half.
FC Ryukyu GK Dany Carvajal. Dany earns his second man of the match in a row after shutting out Renofa. Dany has been in superb form since Kyoto and made some crucial saves last night to guarantee FC Ryukyu all three points.
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Speed. Likelihood 4. As mentioned in the intro, this match was slow played and neither Kawai (sub) nor Abe (healthy scratch) could influence the game.
2. Exploit the open space in the Mid Field. Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu were able to find acres of space to operate in the Renofa half yesterday. The problem was, they did nothing with it as the offense as a whole really stalled.
3. Defend the crosses into the box. Likelihood 2. FC Ryukyu did a decent job of this but Renofa were with out their talisman Iury.
Match Day Prediction
I predicted a goal bonanza so naturally it ended 1-0 with very little offense from either side.
Takeaways from Match Day 32
1. Numerous changes to the starting 11 resulted in very little offense for FC Ryukyu. While Ryukyu registered 8 shots on net, few of them actually troubled the Renofa goalie. For this game, Ryukyu started Ren Ikeda up top with Uehara on the bench, and Abe being left off the roster altogether.
Ren put in a shift but couldn’t find the back of the net with his best chance coming from a header. Ryukyu really should’ve started, or gone to Uehara, sooner than they did and it was even more surprising to see Uehara come on in place of Koizumi, who was our best playmaker on Sunday.
I think the problem was that many of the mid-fielders expected Ren to run into the spaces that Abe normally would have occupied and you could see that with some of the errant passes near the 18-yard box.
2. There seems to be no improvement for Ryukyu on set pieces. You could see many of the outfield players huddling up to discuss who would do what on the set piece but when you cannot get the ball past the first line of defenders, what’s the point?
3. This was probably a good game to get some of our returning players some minutes. Motegi made his first start in quite some time, Tanaka returned to play a full match, and Shinji Ono made his first appearance in over three and a half months. It could be said that the true reward for this game was not just the 3 points, but earning those points without our full compliment of starters.
Match Day 32 in J2
Avispa Fukuoka’s home loss to Matsumto has allowed V-Varen Nagasaki to close the point gap to just 2 with 10 games remaining. Niigata and Kofu both earned wins to at least keep them in the conversation for the promotion race.
Though it wasn’t pretty, it was an important result for FC Ryukyu on Sunday. FC Ryukyu have now achieved double-digit victories this season, 3 shy from their 2019 total of 13, but still need to earn 13 more points over their next 10 games to match the 2019 point total.
FC Ryukyu will face the number 2 and 3 placed team in the table when they head to Fukuoka mid-week before traveling to Nagasaki on the weekend. Any positive result in either match would be nice, with the best chance for points probably coming against Fukuoka. Avispa have only scored 4 goals in the past 6 games with their defense only surrendering 3 goals during that span so we could be facing another low scoring affair on Wednesday.
I’ll see you tomorrow with the Match Day 33 preview.
Get your drinks chilled and your snacks ready because this should be an exciting, fast paced, goal scoring match this Sunday. FC Ryukyu and Renofa Yamaguchi FC represent 2 of the 3 teams that have conceded at least 50 goals this season and in the previous 7 times these teams have faced each other since 2015, there have been 29 goals scored. In fact, there is only 1 match in which there was less than 3 total goals.
Match Day 31 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs Ventforet Kofu (0-1)
FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu sit 9 points and 4 wins away from matching their season total of 2019. You always want to see improvement from year to year, though sometimes it doesn’t happen, but for FC Ryukyu it is important that we make some headway heading into 2021. FC Ryukyu will need to win 4 out of their remaining 11 games to match that total from 2019 and there is no better way to start than by defeating an inferior opponent at home who has one of the worst away records in J2.
When FC Ryukyu were blanked by Kofu in the mid-week, FC Ryukyu had very little thrust and momentum until the last 15 minutes of the match after the introduction of some substitutes. Koizumi has only been used as a sub the past two matches and hopefully he cracks the starting 11 this round as he is our best playmaker in the squad. Abe could possibly make way for Uehara since he has started nearly every match for FC Ryukyu this year with his lone substitute appearance coming against V-Varen Nagasaki back in July. It makes the most sense to start Abe in an attempt to get out in front against Renofa as Ryukyu will face 2 of the top 3 sides after Renofa.
FC Ryukyu’s midfield has seen numerous changes to the starting 11 over the course of this season and the only one that seems to be in top form is Koya Kazama. He was left off the score sheet last round and will look to get back to his scoring ways this week. Ren Ikeda has been starting in place of Koizumi at CAM and it is probably time to reintroduce Koizumi to the starting lineup on Sunday to drive the attack. The same could be said about replacing Kawai with Motegi as Kawai has struggled to regain his 2019 form and we could use Motegi’s skill on more set pieces.
Uesato has been a constant in the CM this year with is usually partners of Koki Kazama or Mizuki Ichimaru but has also seen Koizumi in that role on occasion. If Ryukyu want to maximize their firepower on Sunday, Koizumi starting in place of either of Koki or Ichimaru, while leaving Ikeda up top, would be ideal. In fact, some of our best games featured that exact lineup.
In defense, it is likely we’ll see a pairing of Yong Jick with either Suzuki or Chinen, though Chinen didn’t make the trip to Kofu this past round. I could also see Numata returning to his starting LB role with Makito Uehara making the start at RB before making way for Tanaka in the second half.
Defense has been an issue for FC Ryukyu this year so all we can do now is simply hold on for the finish line before addressing the issue in the offseason winter transfer market.
Renofa Yamaguchi FC: Renofa have been hanging around the bottom of the table since Match Day 7 when they lost to Kitakyushu on the road 0-2. The best stretch of games this team experienced was between matches 20 and 24 when they went 3-1-1 with wins over Tokyo Verdy, JEF UTD Chiba, and Jubilo Iwata while drawing against Ehime FC. That stretch represents 1/3 of the total points accumulated this season for Renofa.
In the most recent stretch of games for Renofa, they have gone 1-1-3 with the lone victory coming in a very impressive performance against Kyoto Sanga FC on the road. But after that game, Renofa did not look like the same team that earned that win. Yamaguchi were outscored 9-2 and registered three straight losses to Tokushima Vortis, Mito Hollyhock, and Montedio Yamagata. They righted the ship slightly this past Wednesday when they drew with Gunma, but that was a game they should have won had it not been for a late goal (86′).
I am not quite sure which Renofa team we will see this Sunday as they can play well at times but for the most part, they are where they are in the table for a reason. Against teams around them, or near them, in the bottom of the J2 table, Renofa are 1-3-3 with the lone win coming against FC Ryukyu. But Yamaguchi are an even 1D-1L against Ehime FC, Gunma, and Matsumoto Yamaga FC in 2020.
The one positive for Renofa heading into Sunday is the fact that they possess a great record against FC Ryukyu. They have only lost once in their prior 7 matches dating back to 2015. While the games against Gunma and Matsumoto may provide a road map for how this game will shape up, I think FC Ryukyu will severely test the back line of Renofa.
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. Speed. Likelihood 4. The Renofa back line was getting run ragged by the opposition in the 5 Renofa games that I watched. Either Renofa play a rather high back line or they simply lack the pace to keep up with the opposition’s forwards and attacking midfielders. You might think this is a potential break out spot for Kawai, but I think Abe is in the best spot to get around and past the Renofa defenders on quick breaks.
2. Exploit the open space in the Mid Field. Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu can really control the pace of the game with large amounts of possession and with Renofa likely setting up in a 4-3-3, there will be some large gaps in the middle part of the field to exploit. If Ryukyu can quickly transition from defense into offense, and get the ball into their midfield playmakers, they could find some wide-open running lanes on Sunday. Koizumi would be the top choice here as his playmaking skills could really unlock the Renofa defense.
3. Defend the crosses into the box. Likelihood 2. Renofa are one of the league leaders when it comes to sending crosses into the box from the flanks. They seem to lack any midfield creativity and prefer to attack their opponents on short attacks on either side with a cross into Iury. FC Ryukyu need to prevent the Renofa wingers/outside midfielders from getting past them to choke out the Renofa offense. I fear that if Ryukyu do not do this successfully, Iury will find plenty of space in between our central defenders and have many clean looks on goal.
Match Day 32 Prediction
In their first meeting this season, FC Ryukyu drew first blood from an early goal by Motegi and then completely fell apart as Renofa scored four goals to win 4-1. Since neither side defends particularly well – Renofa dead last in goals allowed and FC Ryukyu are 3rd worst- means this should end with a large goal tally. I believe FC Ryukyu will take this one 4-2.
(5) Albirex Niigata hosting (4) Giravanz Kitakyushu is the marquee match up with so much at stake for both sides. The next best game could be the (1) Tokushima Vortis vs (11) Tokyo Verdy with the international community enjoying the last game of this round.
The forecast for the game is calling for rain and thunderstorms all day so I am not sure if there will be lengthy delays due to weather. What I am sure of though, is that this were be several “Lightning Quick” moments by both sides on Sunday since neither defends well, and both teams have a penchant for taking numerous shots.
I truly believe that FC Ryukyu are the stronger side, but the past record of Renofa against Ryukyu indicates this is yet another team that FC Ryukyu will struggle with in any competition. In any event, tune in to the lone 1600 match of the day for the J-League on Sunday for what should be a back and forth game, weather permitting.
What fun times we’ve had so far! Near misses and blow out losses. That is how I would sum up both sides performance over the past 3 weeks. Both sides are win less since the restart with Renofa having surrendered 11 goals compared to FC Ryukyu’s 9. Renofa has scored twice as many goals, while facing similar type of opponents as FC Ryukyu, so both sides will be looking to end their win less drought come Saturday. The question becomes, who wants it more?
Weather Report
Match Day 5 Review: FC Ryukyu
Match Day 5 Review: Renofa Yamaguchi
Team Previews & Injury Report
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Match Day 6 Prediction
Around J2 on Match Day 6
Conclusion
1. Weather Report
Another wet forecast is in the offering for this match.
2. Match Day 5 Review: FC Ryukyu
FC Ryukyu earned a draw against V-Varen Nagasaki this past Wednesday. Watch the video clip and then read my review of the match.
Renofa Yamaguchi were decimated 4-0 by Tokushima Vortis mid-week.
4. Team Previews & Injury Report
Renofa Yamaguchi
FC Ryukyu got the better of Renofa last season as they drew with them once, and defeated them on a beautifully taken shot by Kawai in the return leg. Renofa did beat FCR in the Emperor’s Cup that year but neither sides fielded their top team so I am not counting it. As far as this year is concerned, Renofa are coming off three straight losses to Vortis, Iwata, and Ehime. In those three games they have been outscored 9-1.
That is very different from how they started out this season. They defeated Kyoto 1-0 at home in February and then drew with Okayama at the restart. Renofa looked very spry in those games and maybe the long layoff between matches is the reason why.
On paper, and to the naked eye, there is not much difference between these two teams. Both are plagued by the same problems in defense; both have faced a very tough slate of games of late; and both have a poor goal difference. I said the same exact words heading into the Kitakyushu game and we all know how that turned out, so this doesn’t really buoy my confidence.
Renofa, like Ryukyu, are targeting this game for a win. And why not? FCR are currently at the bottom of the table and struggling for goals. However, as I’ll mention in the next section, Renofa may be without two of their better players on Saturday which could provide a slight edge to FC Ryukyu.
That is not to say they still don’t have talent that can score as Kazuma Takai is very capable of scorning from anywhere on the pitch. Whereas Ryukyu look to be turning things around, in the case of Renofa, they seem to be headed in the opposite direction. Renofa looked flatfooted against both Vortis and Ehime and though they were able to score against Jubilo, they allowed a considerable amount of free looks on net. The same thing we’ve been railing about when it comes to closing down attackers and clearing dead ball kicks in Okinawa applies directly to Renofa.
As I said, if I showed an outsider these highlights in black and white, they probably couldn’t tell the difference between these two squads with their past results and performances.
Renofa Yamaguchi Injuries & Suspensions: FWD Iuri. Not many details on what is afflicting him, he is just listed as injured. This is kind of big news as he is their leading goal scorer with 2 goals, and has accounted for half their goals scored this season. Maybe that is why the Renofa attack dried up after he was subbed off in the 35th minute mid-week?
There is also a possibility that starting MF, Takahiro Ko, will be sidelined after he too was subbed off early in the Vortis match. He took a nasty knock from a rash challenge and wasn’t able to continue despite trying to gut it out for a few minutes.
Anticipated Lineups for each side. Interesting enough, Renofa also started a MF at RB last week in an attempt to generate some offense.
FC Ryukyu
This match could be considered a little break in the schedule for FC Ryukyu if you simply looked at the standings. However, nothing can be taken for granted these days in Okinawa as FC Ryukyu are still in search of their first win. As I mentioned in the match day 5 review, FC Ryukyu are also looking for their first shutout and first multiple goal game this year. There is a possibility that it could happen on Saturday evening but FCR haven’t proven that they are capable of either at this point.
The low point for FC Ryukyu this season came after the 3-1 loss to Tokushima Vortis last weekend as it was on the heels of a 4-0 loss to then, bottom side Giravanz Kitakyushu (21 at the time) 4-0. A change had to be made and Higuchi did just that with six changes to last weeks lineup. The question is, did it work?
I would venture to say that it did. The offense looked much better and the defense only surrendered a goal from a set piece. Thanks in large part to the play of Keita Tanaka at RB, Daisei Suzuki at CB, Koizumi at CB and the re-introduction of Ren Ikeda to the lineup, FC Ryukyu generated 17 shots against Nagasaki.
But shots and possession will not win games, goals, and the prevention of goals, do. Maybe FCR are slow starters and it will take a few more games for them to find a rhythm and grab some wins. If you believe that, then FC Ryukyu look primed to bust out in a big way in the very near future. If you believe that they lack the finishing power at the top, then it is likely that FCR continue to pile up draws and losses with very few goals scored.
I for one believe the breakout is coming. Some of the shots will start finding creases in the defense and space around goalies. I also feel that the defense will slowly shore itself up and start choking out the attacks of our opponents, much like we saw against JEF all those days ago.
It should also be noted that last season, Higuchi rarely made changes to the lineup, both when it was and wasn’t working which was a bit frustrating, and I see very little change to the side that drew against Nagasaki tomorrow. I am basing this on the fact that FC Ryukyu have a full week between fixtures following this match and Higuchi wants to notch that first win very badly.
If past performance is any indication of future outcomes, then we could be in trouble. But again, I think FC Ryukyu will overcome the self-induced pressure of seeking their first win by taking down Renofa on their home ground tomorrow.
FC Ryukyu Injuries & Suspensions: We are now past the timeline FCR put out for Kawai to return from his injury. There has been no word on his health at the time of this entry and even if he did return, it is likely he’ll need two weeks to gain back strength and match fitness. But if he is healthy, and is in the lineup, then look out.
5. 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 it happens 1- Requires a Miracle to happen
1. Score from set pieces. Likelihood 2: Renofa looks very lethargic when it comes to defending set pieces and corners and I think we could have a distinct height advantage over them. Generate these opportunities and end the drought of zero goals from set pieces once and for all.
2. Attack, attack, attack. Likelihood 4: Renofa’s defense will allow the same time and space we as FCR afford many of our opponents. Now is the time to get the shots on net and not just at comfortable heights for the keeper to save. Renofa is also susceptible to the counter attack from what I saw against Ehime and Vortis.
6. Match Prediction
It may not be the prettiest match up this week to watch, but I think FCR can dig out their first win this year in a gritty 2-1 victory. From my vantage point, FC Ryukyu are sort of surging while Renofa are reeling. Renofa has every right to assume they’ll walk away with all three points on Saturday as FCR’s road form is not that great, and they too are coming off some tough results. But I feel FC Ryukyu has the firepower to score whereas Renofa are missing some key pieces to their attack due to injury.
7. Match Day 6 Around J2
Not many fixtures jump off the page this week. The biggest one of them all seems to be (7) Fagiano Okayama hosting (1) V-Varen Nagasaki. Other than that, maybe the (10) Jubilo Iwata taking on (8) Giravanz Kitakyushu looks tasty.
8. Conclusion
Just your typical, bottom of the J2 Table, grudge match this weekend. And of course, the wet weather will only further complicate things. FC Ryukyu are desperately seeking their first win and Renofa need to break their losing streak so “something has to give.” With that said, let’s get after it!
FCRs first match of 3 in 8 days was another tightly contested battle that required a late goal by Koji Suzuki to secure a point. On a day that saw FCR dominate the possession, as well as the shots on net, FCR were unable to come away with the full 3 points.
FCR came out in their typical 4-2-3-1 with one notable
change up front. Uejo started in the CAM role and Tomidokoro started out wide
as he did earlier this season. Unfortunately for FCR, Renfofa employed the same
CB paring from their last match that limited the freedom of movement in the
back that so many of Renofa’s earlier opponents enjoyed.
Once again, the first 15 minutes of this match saw FCR starting slowly and affording Renofa all the early opportunities to take the lead. FCRs best chance in the opening half happened in the 18th minute when Uejo was set loose from a pass by Tanaka but he couldn’t get it past the GK while getting closed down by the Renofa DF.
FCR started the second half quickly by creating multiple
chances on net followed by the opening goal of the game in the 52nd
minute. This was the 6th time this season, and 6th in a
row, that FCR scored first. The play
started with Uesato sending a cross field pass to Nishioka, who then did a very
nice step over to get past the Renofa defense, and then sent a cross into the
box. The cross landed near Tomidokoro, whose shot was deflected by the Renofa
Defense but eventually ended up on the head of Suzuki. There have been multiple
occasions this year when FCR was on the wrong end of deflected crosses/shots and
it was nice to see us capitalize on the misfortunes of our opponent. This joyful
feeling would be short lived as Renofa quickly equalized.
Just 4 minutes later Carvajal had a momentary lapse in judgement and casually turned the ball over to a Renofa FWD while attempting to fool the Renofa player,instead of clearing it. The Renofa player easily slotted it home in a wide-open net. In America, this would be called a “brain fart.” Renofa was able to add to their lead 2 minutes later when Nishioka made a horrible giveaway in the MF and then followed that up by failing to track the run of the Renofa FWD who was able to get past him and put a header past Carvajal. This would be the first time all season that FCR would be forced to play from a deficit.
Uejo nearly tied the match in the 66th minute
when a fortuitous bounce landed at his feet with only the Renofa defender on
the line to beat for an equalizer. However, his shot went right to a defender and
FCR was still down 2-1 requiring the boys to press for a goal.
When your football team is forced to play from behind, you
always hope that the team has the ability to score. This is hardly the case
with several teams in the J2 this year, and is a massive strength for the FCR
team. I know that no matter what, FCR has the firepower and skill, to press for
goals when called upon. This will inevitably lead to some matches where FCR
will over commit and get caught out but also allow FCR to grab a late equalizers
and winners. This could be considered the “Razors Edge.”
Strangely enough the coach opted to sub out Tanaka (70’),
Uejo (76’) and Tomidokoro (88’) prior to the equalizer. This indicates to me that
the JEF United match may see these guys as short-lived starters or late subs so
as to save their energy for Kashiwa. Either way, Koji Suzuki’s second goal of
the match, and 8th on the season, was an absolute gem.
Kawai, who came on for Tanaka, sent a beautiful cross into
the box that Suzuki was able to run under and then put a header past the Renofa
GK. This was definitely considered a “strikers’ goal” and was so massive for
the squad and the 3,800 people that showed up for the match. From them on, Carvajal
was called upon to make several nice saves to keep the draw intact.
Match Takeaways: FCR came close to taking the lead on
several occasions but couldn’t capitalize. FCR also had some serious lapses in
judgement when it came to defending and passing. Carvajal was guilty of the first
blunder but Nishioka was very culpable on the second goal. If FCR wishes to do
anything, mental errors need to be squashed as we need every single point we
can get.
Looking back to my match preview article I hinted at a few
keys for this game: 1. Suzuki should feast, and did with 2 goals! 2. FCR should
control the MF and they did with 60% possession. 3.) The Renofa GK has an injury that FCR
should exploit. FCR did not exploit as much as I was anticipating. 4.) This could be a trap game for FCR and it
was. No doubt we should’ve taken 3 points so we are only left to wonder what could
have been.
Well I hope the boys are already on mainland Japan and getting
some rest for the quickly approaching fixture vs JEF. I am very interested in
the starting lineup next match and will put this out there for any followers.
If you predict the starting lineup with greater accuracy than me, I’ll make a
$100.00 donation in your name to a charity of your choice. There are 11 players
you need to select correctly on a short week so choose wisely. I’ll provide
mine on Monday with the JEF match preview so please DM me on Twitter or post to
this blog.
Match Day Info: 03/30/2019 (H) FCR vs Renofa Yamaguchi FC (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium (Okinawa Comprehensive Park) Kickoff at 1800.
This week’s match-up pits table toppers FCR vs bottom of the table Renofa Yamaguchi FC. The last time these two teams met was during the 2015 J3 season where Renofa beat FCR three times, outscoring the Bengara Boys 11-3, during their march to the J3 title. However, that is in the past and these are two different teams in the 2019 J2 season.
Overall Series Record: Renfoa Yamaguchi FC W3D0L0 – FCR
W0D0L3
Weather Forecast: The rain should subside in the early morning
giving way to partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the low 70s (22 degrees Celsius)
for kickoff. There will be a 10-13 mph wind during the entirety of the match so
bring a light jacket. There is only a 5% chance for rain during the game but
having lived here for so long, the weather could change quickly so be prepared.
Renofa Yamaguchi FC: 21st in J2; W1D0L4 Current
Form: LLWLL Typical Formation 4-1-2-3
The start of the 2019 J2 season saw Renofa lose a
hard-fought battle, 2-1, against Kashiwa Reysol at home. Renofa created several
chances that game and from the limited highlights I saw on YouTube, it looked
to be a very pacey end to end match. I am not sure of the circumstances
surrounding the change at GK after this match but Renofa opted to drop #17
Yoshimitsu for #33 Yamada. To be honest, I didn’t see much justification for this
so we have to assume that Yoshimitsu got hurt or has been outperformed on the
training ground by Yamada.
Yamada’s first start against Kofu is one he would like to forget. He had two howlers that led to two goals for Kofu. The first was at the 2nd minute mark of the game when he was casually attempting to clear the ball from his own end and was closed down by Utaka of Kofu. Yamada really took his sweet time attempting to make this clearance and it allowed Yutaka to make up ground and deflect the ball into the back of the net. Kofu scored shortly thereafter when the two CBs were ripped apart by Utaka who then rounded Yamada and slotted it home. Yamada’s second blunder was similar to his first, he was attempting a clearance, was closed down by the Kofu player, slipped and sent the ball directly to a Kofu player on the edge of the box who easily shot past him and the Renofa player on the goal line. Kofu would score one more time, on what could’ve been called a hand ball, but it didn’t matter as the game was already out of reach for Renofa.
Match day 3 saw Renofa playing in their second consecutive match with a 5-2 score line, but this time they would be on the better end of the outcome against JEF United. JEF United didn’t do itself any favors at home as their GK had his own blunder that led to a Renofa goal and that was quickly followed by a JEF player being sent off for a very poor challenge. However, it took Renofa 33 minutes to add to their score line despite the man advantage. JEF was able to pull within 1 goal of Renofa before an 88th minute corner kick by JEF quickly went the other direction and Renofa scored. The play was one of those ones where JEF had committed so many men forward in hopes of tying the match but got caught on the break with their goalie way out of position because most of the JEF outfield players where in the box for the corner. The Renofa player took a long shot from just over the halfway line that bounced off the post and rolled back to the waiting Renfoa player who tapped it in. Renofa would score one more time at the feet of #4 Takai who scored a brace on the day.
Versus Ehime on Match Day 4 all the action took place in the
first half. All 3 goals scored by both sides occurred within the first 36
minutes where Renofa conceded the first two on a PK and a breakdown at the
back. Renofa’s goal was also a breakdown at the back by Ehime but other than
that, there was not much in this game.
Finally, Renofa’s most recent match versus Tochigi was the
first game this season that Renofa was unable to score. Tochigi capitalized on
the 3rd PK given up by Renofa this season and that was is it as far
as goals for this match. Renofa did make one major change to their lineup this
game in that they dropped the Center Back pairing of #15 Doston & #13
Kusumoto in exchange for #49 Kikuchi & #2 Tsuboi. Doston and Kusumoto have
been brutal all year and they were constantly being beat and exposed down the
middle so it was obvious that the coach needed to make a change. While Renofa
didn’t concede a goal from open play during the match, the CBs performed only
slightly better than the original pair. There were a couple of occasions where
the Tochigi forwards were able to get behind the Renofa CBs but nothing came of
these opportunities.
Renofa Yamaguchi Players to Watch:
#24: Keita Yamahita FW. Leading goal scorer for Renofa with
3 so far this season. He had a brace against Kofu as well as one against JEF
but he also moves very well in and around the 18-yard box. He’s probably the one-man
FCR needs to mark throughout the match.
#4 Kazumi Takai MF: Second leading scorer on the team with
2. These goals came at the end of the match versus JEF so I wouldn’t read too
much into it other than the man can finish when called upon.
#19 Masato Kudo FW. Has one goal so far this season and it
was against Ehime. Kudo has started the last 3 matches and adds a nice
attacking element to the Renofa front 3. He takes quality shots on net so FCR
will need to keep a close eye on him in and around the box.
#7 Paulo Junichi Tanaka MF. Seems to be one of their best play-makers and also takes quality shots on net.
#33 Genki Yamada GK. Genki was wearing a knee brace or his knee or it was heavily taped this past match. If that is the case this week it is safe to assume his movement will be hindered and FCR needs to test him early and often. Hard shots that require him to get low may prove very beneficial to FCR.
#15 Doston & #13 Takumi Kusumoto CB. If one, or both, of these guys are in then FCR should feast. Their play was so bad over the first 4 matches that there had to be wholesale changes at the back with both being swapped out. Again, if they are in, then there will be goals.
FC Ryukyu: 1st in J2; W4D1L0 Current Form: WWWWD
Typical Formation 4-2-3-1
FCR comes in to this match as the overall leader in J2. They were able to earn a hard-fought point on the road against Yamagata while contending with harsh weather and long travel. FCR did not score from open play that match but rather relied on a twice taken PK by #9 Suzuki for their loan goal. Yamagata was able to equalize at the end of the match in the 88th minute in what could be called a busted play where the ball took several awkward bounces and deflections before it fell right on the head of a rising Yamagata player in the 6 yard box.
The prior 5 matches for FCR is really a tale of two teams. In the first 3 matches FCR scored 9 goals and their movement was excellent. Teams were finding life difficult handling the FCR thrust forward and it allowed the team many open running lanes and passing lanes. The last two matches however, the attacking prowess FCR once displayed has taken a back seat to a more controlled, defensive minded approach.
I don’t believe this was a tactical change on the part of
FCR but rather just the way the past two opponents execute their game plan.
Tokushima enjoys large spells of possession and Yamagata severely limits the
amount of opportunities for their opponent. Both of those teams really crowded
the MF and made it difficult for FCR to navigate out of that traffic and
towards the net. This is not going to be the case with Renofa as there was
nothing in the tape that I saw that indicates this team can stop the attack of
FCR.
FCR Keys to Victory: 1. An absolutely unrelenting, unforgiving attack straight at the back line of Renofa. This game sets up very well for #9 Suzuki to feast in front of goal. However, that will require the FCR MF combination of #11 Tanaka, #14 Uejo and #10 Tomidokoro finding open passing lanes to set Suzuki free as well as provide quality service to the FCR striker. This can be done as the CBs are the weakest part of the Renofa defense. Renofa also concedes a lot of PKs because their defenders are out of position and are forced to make rash challenges to stop the pressure. Quick movements in the box by FCR could also prove fruitful.
2. Test the Renofa GK. I mentioned earlier that he may have an injury that could limit his lateral and/or vertical movement. Anyone who has played sports knows that there are some injuries you can play through but you will be limited physically and sometimes mentally out of fear of making the injury worse during the game. Press him every time he has the ball as he’s displayed his penchant for making bad decisions as well as turning the ball over way to easy.
Game Prediction: If FCR can control the pace of the game and continually test the Renofa GK then there is no reason FCR cannot win this game. FCR enters a very tough stretch of fixtures in a rather short period of time this week as they will play 3 matches within 8 days that includes traveling during the mid-week. This means the FCR manager must make a few tough calls in these games because the depth and talent of the FCR squad are sure to be tested this week.
I wrote earlier this week about sometimes getting ahead of yourself or setting expectations too high when viewing the fixture list. It is perfectly acceptable to do this as a fan because it’s just what we do, but for the club it is a very different story. As Ben Maxwell from “The J-Talk Podcast” (@JTalkPod) so rightly pointed out this past week,” the J2 is a marathon and not a sprint,” and therefore FCR cannot afford a trip-up this early that leads to them pressing for points and looking up to see that half the table has leaped over them in a matter of weeks. FCR probably has noticed that they are playing the bottom two teams in succession followed by the overall second place team in Kashiwa Reysol. The fixture lineup couldn’t be better but it will require not falling victim to the early “trap games” and then the titanic fixture next weekend.
Often there are times in sports when a far superior team
falls victim to a lesser team because there is a much stronger team on the
horizon. This is considered a “trap game.” This could occur because the powerful
team has either overlooked or played down to the level of their competition and
in the case of FCR, there are 2 such matches preceding the Kashiwa match. FCR
needs to view each match separately and not as a combination of all three. It
is critical that FCR continue to win points this early in the season and not
concern themselves with the overall standings in J2.
Hopefully FCR can jump out to a big enough lead against Renofa and be able to rest certain key players. I have little doubt that there will be lineup changes over the first 2 matches because all 11 players cannot play all 3 matches. It comes down to a matter of where FCR thinks they can get maximum points versus their opponent. One strategy would be to target the Renofa and JEF matches and then rest players against Kashiwa so as not to risk injury. The other is to rest against JEF and come back with the same lineup against Kashiwa. Either works and it truly depends on the manager. As a side note, while JEF is bottom of the table and in turmoil with the recent managerial change, they could also bust out in a big way by taking advantage of the short week fixture at home against FCR. JEF had a lot of fight in their last match despite losing and I wouldn’t view them as “cellar dwellers” all season.
In closing, I want FCR to come out and pummel Renofa at home
for the above reasons as well as because it would represent another historic moment
for this club. 25 matches unbeaten at home is such an honor and would mean so
much to FCR and its supporters. As always, I’ll be in the north end of the stadium
right next to the England Flag so stop on over and say hi. See you at the
#fortressryukyu!
ryukyuarmy.com 