It really looks like they are playing defensively. I would've preferred this playstyle against far better opponents i.e. France, Brazil, Germany...etc not at an Asian level. But a win is a win.
That and Portugal at Euro 2016 were the biggest travesties I have ever seen in my time watching football. Nah, Japan should rely less on experiments, and play on their strengths instead. That team can score goals when they get at it, and I see nothing wrong with that. It's when we take a 2-0 lead that we can apply new lessons about defending a lead. The best example of defending a lead I have seen in recent times was when France defeated Uruguay in the last World Cup, and it was a proactive method.
I've been following Japanese football intently since 2005-6 (born in Canada but my ethnicity is Japanese), and this is the first game I stayed up late to watch since Japan vs Uruguay in October of last year. Tbh my interest kind of dropped since Kagawa is not a regular anymore (and rightfully so, they should give the young future the time on the pitch to develop). Is this the new style of Japanese football now? Like Japan has always been about being disciplined and quick counter-attacking football style... but this game was really lackluster (even though win is a win). I guess I am used to seeing aesthetically pleasing style play when I watch Japan play. I didn't expect the other team to have 70% possession and for Japan to be so clumsy in execution. edit: Looking at some of the other messages on here, it seems that I am not the only one confused and not a big fan of this new "Experimental" style. Oh well, win is a win, but I think this kind of style will severely limit the team's ability to grow.
Oh well Before this game I really felt uncertain when my national team may face my favorite team. But now I know for sure I will root for my national team with all my heart. This, this is not jnt I used to know. Their approach in the game with Saudi was all I hated the most in football. The negativity is unbearable. Good luck you guys in next match.
This. And you have another example in this very tournament yesterday when Iran won 2-0 against Oman and effectively ended the match early.
Unfortunately, my concern was confirmed. This team was relying on Osako and Nakajima too much. Let's pray Osako will return before the semi-final.
I don't remember any blatant anti-sportsmanship behavior from their players in the match. Did I miss something?
There’s no leaders on this team. I think that completely getting rid of the core of last cycle was a mistake. These young players need mentors like Honda to help them transition to the next level. Even if Honda did not play, his presence in the side line and in training would have been extremely beneficial. Nagatomo and Yoshida are not leaders despite their experience.
welcome to Iranian fan club. We have been suffering same fate for 7-8 years now under Carlos Q. Btw, Japan should have used this method vs Belgium in WC after taking the lead.
It's really a dilemma. On one hand, you do get results by applying that style of play but on the other hand, you'd be wasting your offensive talents since they are being instructed to play defensively which ultimately results in an anti-football, risky, boring display.
This might explain this whole new approach for the JNT. I despise it but hey, a win is a win regardless. Besides, history only remembers who won the match rather than who played better. Still, I want JNT to show their true performance starting from the next round.
It is official: http://www.sanfrecce.co.jp/news/release/?n=12662&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter He will be hardly missed. Let's hope it is the last time we see him in Japan NT.
Watching this team remind me a lot of Teguramori Japan. This team want to play pressing game, but they press disjointedly, resulting in an appaling structure, which is very difficult to create proper build-up play from that if we managed to recover the ball. Luckily, Saudis played rather poor as well. Their issues was exactly the same as their World Cup Campaign, putting too much player in a dead zone so it's difficult to create pass route to break our 2 banks of four. As far as i've seen, they didn't have a single clear chance, whereas we have a proper 3-4 chances to break their lacklustre defensive structure thanks to our flashes INDIVIDUAL brilliance. But the final pass, trap, or shots were absolute rubbish.
I was surprised when they brought the game to Japan because I've always thought their best chance to win would be with speed on the counter-attack. I bet their coach was furious that they conceded on the first corner as they probably worked on it after their terrible marking against Qatar.
Lol Japan were defending against Belgium. Just Belgium got momentum back with a fluke header and then they did that power-fro thing. If Saudi had a big fro man they could have gotten a goal maybe.
A repeat of Spain at WC 2010. Spain managed dodgy 1-0 wins all the way to the final, which ended 1-0 too. Even in the group stage they lost their first match against Switzerland 0-1, and then winning 2-0 and 2-1 (again with one goal difference) against Honduras and Chile respectively. What I am concerned with is the team lack of fluid build-up from the midfield up to the attacking zone, as: 1- Shibasaki and Endo were disappointing, not doing good job of keeping position and linking the defence to the attack. Japan seems very thin in the centre of the pitch, with only Doan's goal against Turkeministan coming from a patient and well structured build-up which contained alomst 20 sequense of passes (something Japan has been fundamentally missing in this tournament). 2- Minamino and Doan seem to be carried away by they hype around them, underestimate the opponents, play for them instead of playing for the team. They need a player like Nakajima around them, with a superior skill-set, to not let them carried away by their ego (I think Inui's presence instead of Haraguchi will make them behave). Kitagawa has been the victim of the ego of these two, not to mention that Japan's attacks are wasted time after time because of selfishness and bad decision-making by the duo. Finally, Doan is not a winger, he does not post the pace required for such role, his play-style is similar to Mesut Ozil, yes he can play on the sides, but not in circumstances which required him to play very wide (This is the case with the current Asian Cup team when there is almost nothing from the centre and every thing is coming wide through the wings. Hence, Junya Ito is more suitable to this play-style). 3- Muto is also not a "team-player", and even if he is, he does not know how to pass constructively to assist his teammates, unlike Osako. I think Shiotani shall start alongside Shibasaki in central midfield, Doan and Haraguchi benched for Inui and Ito in the game again Vietnam. Of course Osako shall start if he is fit.
It's the ref that is the problem, although AFC refs are always garbage. He was giving the ball back to Saudi every time for no reason. Doan even got called for a foul when he was just dribbling the ball and some Saudi player came and stepped on his foot, LOL. When the ball went out, he'd just ignore any touch by Saudi and award them the ball. Push Sakai into the ball? No problem, you get a free corner. Oh and no reason to challenge Haraguchi for a header when you can just take him out with a body check and have no foul called at all. LOL it was so bad it was a joke.
Agree. I think Nakjima sort of made these guys disciplened in the post-WC friendly series last year. Shoji also might be honed as the leader, as Yoshida is clearly lacking tactical awareness to be a true leader on the pitch.
Man, I really miss Yasuhito Endō. He was brilliant at ball distribution and can flawlessly link the defense to the attack.
There was no attack... Honestly though, I don't mind them defending, because they need to learn to take their chances. They'll have plenty of matches to break down a bunker team. It's also good in a way that they are forced to play without Nakajima creating all their chances.