The main takeaway from the 1st half is that the style of play is far more Japanese in the classic sense. This is a positive that I think everyone wanted. I think the extra man in midfield is definitely helping Japan control the game. Quite good to watch at times. But the classic problem is that our play in the final third is not sharp enough. Definitely crying out for Nakajima now. At least Honda looks good.
Hasebe was the CB Japan needs. He is one of the best CB the last 2 years in Bundesliga. With a solid Yoshida and a average (mean it as a compliment) this 3CB line could do something.
You nailed it @Saku² : Japan 0-1 Ghana pic.twitter.com/otRHMrkjpQ— MoriyasuH2Scouting (@AarinH2) May 30, 2018
Substitutions at HT: Usami out - Kagawa in. Osako out - Muto in. Haraguchi out - G. Sakai in. Both Usami and Osako were miserable in the first half and deserve to be subbed out. Usami is the player who I don't want to see at all in the WC squad, especially with way better alternatives.
I must be watching a different game reading some of the comments here because I thought Haraguchi was the best in the first half. Honda honestly embarassing.
I like the old Nishino "I can't afford a suit so gonna go with same clothes I use to coach my son's Under 5's game" coach outfit.
Around 60 minutes, 2 other substitutions: Honda out - Okazaki in. Yamaguchi out - Shibasaki in. 2 other bad performers are out, it seems Nishino is taking notes.
Honda was a little slow imo, he slows the build-up play and loses the ball a little too frequently. I hope Misao or someone else can get in the WC squad ahead of Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi tends to play a little too safe imo. I feel that in the 1st half, he passes the ball back a little too much. Oshima too, passes sideways a little too much for my liking.
Nightmare result ahead of the WC, will be interesting to hear the interviews after from players and staff.
That 2nd half was shocking. Yamaguchi's passport should be confiscated. Unforgivably careless in possession for a DM. The same goes for Ideguchi who played an unbelievably bad and unnecessary back pass that nearly led to Ghana's third goal. Although I do feel sorry for him coming on as a DM when there is 15 minutes left and your team is trailing 2-0. He did show some good hunger to win the ball back though. I would take him over Yamaguchi - I never really understood what he offered this team. I actually thought Shibasaki was quite poor when he came on. I felt his touches weren't decisive enough. One thing we can all agree on was that Muto was very poor. Snatched at a couple of great chances. It was set-up for him to book his ticket after Osako's equally poor showing in the first half. The one area where Osako offers something more than Muto is in his hold-up play. We know that Japan has never had great strikers to bang in the goals. This generation is no exception. So the most we can ask from that position now is for our striker to be able to keep the ball and wait for support. On the basis of tonight's evidence I would take Osako rather than Muto. Also Kagawa is clearly done. Yes he has an injury cloud but it's clear he's nowhere near the player he once was and doesn't look like he has adapted his playing style accordingly. Positives - Makino apart from his stupid foul looked okay, Yoshida looked okay. Nagatomo is still reliable. All in all we are completely ********ed for the World Cup.
Muto maybe should have scored today if he wanted to go to the WC. His goals in Bundesliga is not enough apparently, while others score less and will be starters.
The look of Honda's face says it all: https://m.imgur.com/a/QiQOSJa The problem with Honda is that he still thinks that he is a top-class player, but the fact is that he is past his prime, slow and lack the finesse he had during his prime. I have to reference another tweet by Saku here: How Honda sees himself/How Honda really is pic.twitter.com/Yg0Lvqoifg— MoriyasuH2Scouting (@AarinH2) May 30, 2018 If he has an ounce of dignity he will announce his retirement from international football, as his inclusion will cause Japan to be one man short. All in all, this match proved that Vahid's opinion about Honda was spot on. I was thinking that he might be useful -even as a sub or a bench player- because of his experience and the sense of security he might add to the team. However, after today's match and after his childish comments after the dismissal of Vahid, I'm 100% percent sure that Honda's presence in the team is poisonous and he will spread this contagion among other players. No wonder Japan played a much better football after he was subbed out. Anyhow, I doubt that Nishino has the balls to drop Honda all together from the squad.
Oh come on is this really about Honda? He is the one making Japan bad now? He is the one not scoring goals etc.
We can't score, as always. Opponent's goals come from set pieces (imo the penalty was a joke) as always. Nothing really surprisingly but at least it was entertaining to watch and it didn't happen to me since ages. Honda can't be dropped, he choose to drop Vahid then quit the argument and hope he will go on fire in two weeks. Correct me if I'm wrong: if Honda will score in this WC he will be the first japanese ever to score in 3 different WCs right?