. That was in 2010. Things have changed. They finished bottom of their World Cup qualifying group with 1 win and 1 draw. They were behind GEORGIA and FINLAND. This really is a new low for Japan imo. Zaccheroni seemed to promise better things for Japan at first, and now this.
@ Blue :But that is not really true. Kakitani, Okazaki all had chances in front of the GK. Maybe we should've have more, sure, but the point is that we have to take them. I hoped Kakitani could be more deadly, even if he didn't have many chances :/ The same Finland, that drew 1-1 in Spain? Not surprised they were behind, they're a decent side albeit less good than Sweden, Denmark and Norway. As for Georgia, they earned their point difference up to Belarus with a draw with France so even if you keep downplaying an away match, it won't work. We should've done better, but we didn't lose to San Marino.
you don't need it to be San Marino to be a winnable match, there is some levels in between worst of the worse and great teams.
Main thing is gameplay. Every national team and fan should look at the game play. Sure results are good. But results can be deceiving and sooner or later it all comes down to gameplay. Slovenia changed the coach and today was inches away from WC qualifiers spot for Brazil. Our only regret being not changing the crap coach who cost us those initial games. The coach was changed changes were slowly but surely visible and today although we lost I did not feel bad at all. We played well hit the post had a couple of great chances like one on one and we were missing some players were playing away and this team is still developing. The attitude of the players was there their desire shown 100% they were fighting like lions out there. The play was on moments amazing to watch so what you lose like that no problem. You lose like Japan today, I would start to worry, especially since lately this has been creeping in the JNT I dont say sack the coach, change the players. I do however say STOP the entire shitty display however you know best. Changing the coach, the players, mentality roles on pitch, formation. I dont care but certainly dont just brush these displays off saying yeah ok Belarus is a good team and it was an away game.... just my honest opinion and hopefully no hard feelings
Of course, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to beat France, win EAFF or whatever. Doesn't mean that if you lose a friendly to a decent team away it's a disgrace Good team in the sense that playing an away match in their stadium won't be a walk. Doable for us? lol sure Oh god, again with this "outplay" thing. Have you seen the match? You think we were... outplayed? Seriously? No we weren't. It was a bad performance because it lacked final product, not because we were "outplayed". Which is not what I'm doing, as I've said again and again that it was disappointing, and even if we lose to Brazil there's no reason to make "excuses". If you lose it means you weren't good enough. I was answering because the post was provocatory so went with rhymes, case closed.
Who cares about this game...we have been pathetic since the turn of the year (please do not tell me about Italy bc I will give you 10 other games). And this is with pretty much the same line up every game with the exception of Kakitani and Kiyotake starting every now and then. Zac's job to do something about it when we look unconvincing (and not winning) over and over again with the same players. Take out the EAFF when it wasn't the same players and our record in 2013 is 5 wins 8 losses and 1 tie. Fcking depressing for a nation in the Finals.
good thing nobody said that. It's about losses piling up, not a particular result. he's killing Kakitani starting him in a role that doesn't fit him, so much that I fear people will soon buy into the "Kakitani is not good enough, see ?" narrative.
I'll follow that up with: When was the last time that Japan's defense didn't look like a bunch of amateurs? When was the last time Japan had a clinical striker? The only quality for Japan seems to stem from their attacking midfielders (+ Nagatom0) and that's about it. They can get away with it in Asia with select number of talented players, namely Kagawa, Honda, and Nagatomo, since the opponents are very bad. But otherwise? . What I noticed is that when ever the opposition team are physical, Japan's passing play just crumbles down.
I say for Holland let Osako take over the one-top role as he can hold the ball up and put Kakitani on the wings. And also swap Endo or Hasebe for Yamaguchi. Replace Yoshida with Morishige and try to find a replacement for Konno.
I never said we were outplayed. I however did say Japan needs to outplay the likes of Belarus. And that didnt happen. More chances is not outplayed.(lets be serious there was almost none) Japan played crap. and managed to create half chances more than not Had Japan been hitting posts, hack even managed to shoot at the goal more than those few attempts which were all not worth mentioning than yeah I would have said, Japan was a clearly better side and deserved to grab a win, but this is football Japan lost it happens. This? This was nothing
unfortunately they did. Don't bother answering next time if you don't know what I'm answering to in the beginning yeah same role Culpi tried him in often though. Both are killers I guess. And no, I don't think Kakitani is too suited for that role, but it's either there or out of the team, unless there is a reason to think he can do better than Inui, Kagawa, Okazaki, Kiyotake. Was well worth a try, it's friendlies and that's what they're for. Up to now he's had at least one big chances per-game where scoring had nothing to do with the position where he is playing, just to show composure but he failed. So he is not good enough as a consitent goalscorer in international stage. Would love to be proved wrong when he's in Europe, we'll see. There are at least two big chances, one with Kakitani and one with Okazaki that should have been taken (= goal). That's what's irritating. Not saying we bombaded their goal of course can't catch a break even when he does nothing in particular haha - and personally I'm not even a big fan Yesterday there were no particular disasters in defense. Neither against Ghana. Takahara ? Hmm, no... Yeah that's why we beat the not much physical Ghana players recently or France the other year. It didn't crumble down against Italy either
Reminds, me, Kagawa and Okazaki fall over after every challenge, so even when Honda or one of the holding midfielders pick up the ball, there is noone to pass to (cause they are on the ground) and they lose possession. This happened over and over again this match. I'm not going to say anything about Kakitani because he was too busy running around offside the whole time as usual.
Again and again: What's your point? Imagine a Japanese posting that kind of bashing on your country's thread.
I don't think he's bashing them at all. Just criticisms, at least they're valid. Being Korean shouldn't forbid him from doing that here. Now if he was trolling...
Then you should read the posts better. Imagine if I came in the SK's board after SK's loss against Lebanon like this: Wow, I thought South Korea had reached the bottom but no, this is surely a new low! And it was even an official WCQ match!! I mean Lebanon even got dead last in the group in the end! I'm guessing I'll still get criticised because "Lebanon is a good team?" They were behind QATAR, lost to Palestine one year ago! When was the last time that SK's defense didn't look like a bunch of amateurs? They can get away with it in Asia (well, considering it's Lebanon they can't even get away with it in Asia in this case) with select number of talented players, namely SHM, KJC, and LCY, since the opponents are very bad. But otherwise? . What I noticed is that when ever the opposition team are physical, SK's passing play just crumbles down. Well let me tell you that the reception from the other users would be very different from the kindness\indifference we have here (thankfully). If that's "criticism" then guess I'll start doing it too (of course no I won't)
I think @sc-f 's analysis is off the mark, but his background/nationality is irrelevant. We don't want this forum to be anything like the BSK thread where some posters ganged up on a Welsh Swansea supporter for pointing out shortcomings in Ki Sung-Yueng's game...
That's yours and the Korean board's prerogative then. I read zdr's posts and was neutral to it, just thought it was an unhappy fan. I didn't even realize know he was Korean until sc-f pointed it out. But again, why does it matter? If he is saying valid criticisms, what's the problem?
Nationality isn't relevant, I don't mind posts by the others. But here we got always the same kind of subtle negativity toward everything related to Japanese football.
Indeed, there's no problem if you can't read between the lines. But can you for example - you who are not even a KNT fan - copy past my message and post it in the korean board in the Lebanon topic to give it a try? Let's see if any user steps up saying"hmm, this post looks full of valid criticism to me" or anyone has the little suspect about your intentions. It hardly is a post "full of valid criticism"