Honestly F&&& Belgium. 4 years ago they eliminated my first team (USA) and now they eliminate the other national team I care about.
You should be. Everyone expected Belgium to steamroll you (I'm assuming you're from Japan) but you fought hard and could have won. It was an incredible game and maybe it was naïve at the end but I always complain when teams don't go for it at that end so I have no problem with those tactics....it just backfired this time.
Well done they have played like I have hoped for. This was Japan football at its finest. Too bad it wasnt enough in the end but a lot of neutrals just aplauded them and us I think we can be proud as well. I have no bad taste in my mouth after this. My biggest hope is that Japanese football becomes stronger because of this and I hope one day and maybe soon we see even better Japanese players and even stronger Japan team and a strong football nation, one capable of reaching higher and I do hope it is with Moriyasu!
Because honestly I thought Japan didn't have a chance today, gotta be honest. It was a great match instead, the result was what I expected and it's tragic that it happened this way but again, I came with no expectations and was wrong.
This was an excellent game by Japan, tactical fluidity at its best (German TV was just raving about that as well). Belgium came back through luck and brute force. It's only sad that the 3rd goal against was totally unnecessary, why bet everything on a corner against physically bigger and stronger opponents able to play on counter, the minute before extra time would start.
I feel like these Japanese team felt so much pressure from western media after the last 15 minutes against Poland that even at 2-0 they felt the need to attack. The worse is the corner. No one is gonma blame you for time wasting in that scenario. Stop thinking too much about other peoole.
Ok now analysing there were 3 key decisions made that cost us the game. Firstly. Once we were 2-0 up at the 60th and it was clear Osako was tired, why no Okazaki sub? The delay to substitution lead to the first goal in my opinion. I think they should've brought Okazaki at 60' and Honda at 70. Second. Why Yamaguchi, Shibasaki was still running well and was instrumental in our attack. The substitution ruined both Attack & Defence. I could understand if you added Yamaguchi to the Hasebe/Shibasaki midfield and say removed somebody up front but to do a swap is stupid. Third. That corner, what the hell team who is level sends everyone forward on the corner with extra time coming. I don't know whose call that was but it cost us the QF place.
Its probably because of the critisim against japan in the poland game. Gotta think of yourself first before you think of others opinion imo. That or nishino had zero confidence theyd win in extra time.
Well Japan before 1990 didnt have a profesional football team. They brought their 100 year plan, they are executing it and 25 years into it Japan are the strongest football nation in Asia. Now I just hope they reach even further and improve more
After Osako’s goal vs Colombia on a Honda delivery they thought they could do the same thing. Yes it was risky and backfired. Belgium is a lot better at defending corners than Colombia.
Speaking of which, who was the wise guy who decided to stand still in the face of the Belgium counter on the 3rd goal?
So he cost us the QF spot. The guy who was brought on to sure up the defence. F**king hell. The team was screaming the need for a substitution at the 60-65th... They looked tired. I would've said Okazaki first on for Osako, then Honda on but put him central with Kagawa on the right. 3rd sub should've been late and perhaps Kagawa off for Yamaguchi to add to the CM core make it a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1. Honda was quite positive in his work when he came on, almost grabbed a winner. Good free kick effort too. Make no mistake, this is disgraceful to lose a 2-0 lead from minute 54. Guys we may have just seen the last Japan NT match for Keisuke Honda.
I really can't fathom how you can watch them blow a 2-0 lead in the last 16th of the WC and get all philosophical but to each their own I guess. But at the same time you can never have expectations since you seem ok with giving them points for trying.
Maybe Okazaki wasn’t fully fit after getting a knock in the last game? However even if fully fit Nishino probably would have gone with Yamaguchi anyway, he seems to trust him, inexplicably. Our lack of a good strong central defensive midfielder comes back to bite us. This has been a hole in the squad since the beginning of this generation of players.
Absolutely devastated but so proud. Massive shame we put so many bodies up front for that corner, regardless how good Honda’s been this WC we’re not going to score on a set piece against Belgium of all teams. Ball went straight to Courtois which was the worst possible scenario. No idea what Yamaguchi was doing, should’ve hacked down the Belgian attack and get a yellow. Belgian looked so vulnerable in defence in that second half.
If only Aoyama would not have been injured. With Aoyama we did not have to endure the terrible performance of Yamaguchi and would have a great CM as a sub. We terribly missed Aoyama at this World Cup.