Official 2018 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

Looks quite good on paper. Or, at least, like the best that we can currently deploy. We get back all of our internationals (Kumagai, Ustugi, Yokoyama), since this time clubs can't deny them: not only these are FIFA dates, but there are other friendly tournaments around for NTs all over the world, including SheBelieves Cup in USA.
Talking about internationals, I am also mildy surprised by the return of Yamane, not per se but because she didn't play in Real Betis in the last weeks and I am not sure why: I had supposed an injury, but apperently she's not injured (or is she and is supposed to recover in time for Algarve?). Maybe Real Betis waived her for some reason? @KAPIJXM, do you have any insight?

Ariyoshi is back. She's listed as a Midfielder? Mmmm...

Miyake is a good choice to pair with Kumagai. Another sound choice is Ichise, but anyway I'd say we're covered with CBs (also considering that, in case of emergency, Utsugi can play that role: she's listed as a DF, although she mostly plays in the midfield in Seattle). Looks like Oya became a fixture by now: I wonder why no Division 1 club offered a contract to her yet... I am interested in watching Shimizu being tested vs international opposition: she did well at youth level, but now international players are in general taller and bigger than her. Kitagawa, apparently, has been relegated to Challenge team at the moment, but I wouldn't mind watching her in Senior NT again in the future.

In the midfield, I actually keep having faith in Hasegawa and I guess she did well enough in this first year in Senior NT, in my opinion. I agree with #5nadeshikofan that I would like to see much more from Naomoto to grant her a place, instead: ok, she didn't have much playing time to show her strengths, but she anyway looked quite ordinary to me when she was tried.
The name that surprises me the most in the midfield is Masuya: in my view she had a quite mediocre season in INAC last year and she looked in general regression as a player: I'll be happy if she can prove me wrong.

Offense can look good on paper, but goals keep being our problem, unless Yokoyama gets back soon to her former self: Mina Tanaka is a chance-waster; Sugasawa was at her peak in 2014-2015 and never looked as much reliable later; Iwabuchi could be our best asset if she wasn't so injury-prone (apparently her latest injury wasn't really serious, though, since she's back in the roster already); Haji is a good assist-woman and creates a lot of space along the front-line but I can't see her as the finisher we need. Bottom line: we have to hope for help from Nakajima and Sakaguchi scoring from the midfield or we need Yokoyama's goals at all costs!!!

Lately I am a little lazy in comparing names from the various rosters from the recent past: any important names are missing who had significant playing time in 2017? Please someone help me making out this piece of info.

 

Well, after Kanako Ito, that's another name that Chifure is claiming back from promoted Nittaidai: basically, they want to have another blue-dressed team with the same players at the top of Division 2?

It looks like Saitama has a clear plan: recostructing the old team that had them promoted in Division 1 a pair years ago. But all of these players are older now: everyone knows how much I admire Arakawa, but I am wondering if these players still really have another great season in them to catch promotion one more time.

 

Aussie W-League update:

- Yukari Kinga is in the final! Her team, Melbourne City FC just beat regular-season-winners of Brisbane Roar by 0-2. The Grand Final will happen next week-end, on 18th of February; last year, Yukari didn't manage to get the title with Canberra United: will she make it with title-holders of Melbourne City this season?
Judging from short highlights from Westfield W-League official website, There could have been a PK for Brisbane in first half; in second half, though, both Melbourne's goals were stunners, especially the second one by Fishlock. You will notice that the action for that goal was started by our Kinga herself. She basically played the whole match (was subbed-out at 90'+3', just for time-wasting reasons, I guess).
Should she win next week, would it be the first time a Japanese player wins Australian League? Any data-digger-nerd can search that for me?

I remind everyone that, although Frauen-Bundesliga is still in break, this afternoon a stray-match from 10th match-day will be played, 1.FFC Frankfurt-SGS Essen. Kumi Yokoyama should arguably be on the pitch for Frankfurt.

 

(Depressing) Frauen-Bundesliga update :

- Kumi Yokoyama was subbed out at 69'. Later, at 90'+2', SGS Essen scored, so Frankfurt lost the home game by 0-1 and is now very far from the top of the chart, currently at 5th place. It doesn't look like Kumi can break this bad spell: as I mentioned above, this doesn't look very promising for Algarve.

 

Last picture is Yayoi Kobayashi, isn't she?

 

Lechus7 posted this picture on Algarve 2018 thread.



Looks like a normal Nadeshiko Japan roster for Algarve 2018. Nothing new, isn't it? We already knew that from some days ago. Except...

Is it me, or we didn't know yet about Madoka Haji's transfer? She's now listed as a Vegalta Sendai Ladies' player. So she will keep playing in Division 1 in season 2018, after all!

Edit: apparently, Yamane is also confirmed as a Real Betis' player, although she didn't play in last weeks.

 

These three players have something in common: they can make technical wonders leaving you open-mouthed and transfixed.

At least one of them has to join this with continuity and reliability at high level, to find a permanent place in our NT. These are the kind of players I like to see on the pitch, so I hope at least one out of three could make it.

 

I had that vague feeling too, but I used the "search" button on this thread and found nothing: you mean that it had been announced in 2017 thread already?

 

For records, these are the highlights of the game. It looks like Kumi Yokoyama became the standard FKs' and CKs' taker for 1.FFC Frankfurt indeed and her assists always look quite dangerous. On the other hand, it also looks like, if it wasn't for GK Désirée Schumann, the game could have gone even worse for Frankfurt...

 

Is new coach known? Where was she coaching before?