Hmmm... I think the referee had a good game. So-Yun's YC is probably justified as she was all over OL player from behind. Yes, OL were more physical especially after the break but they weren't reckless or anything and I thought the referee did blow her whistle when it was a foul. It was no way near the physical stuff you see from US women's national team. I think they just have to get on with it... But this kind of thing is always subjective... Important thing is that the referee's decision is consistent, and I thought her decisions were consistent.
She's the girl that can make Japanese like a lot Koreans. On a totally different note... I wonder if mumf had a way to know the score: I guess it was in the night in USA, so he probably didn't watch it, but he's strangely silent, lately... *mildly worried*
oh, so important that... Ami Otaki didn't get playing time at all today! She'll get back in France with just the half hour vs Beleza on her résumé...
They must be really tired, I always have to show the children in school how to do it properly too, as they never go low enough.
Beleza vs Canberra? Definitely. Aussie grit. Japanese guile. All offence. Crap defence. Most entertaining match of 2012.
Hey, people: an_turtar just updated his blog with FC Takahashi's promotion to Nadeshiko League and nice photos (made by him) about it! http://nadeshiko-league.blogspot.jp/
Yeah, makes sense. I have had many similar conversations down the years about young male players with big expectations too, and it always comes down to other factors besides ability in the end. The talent can be there for many young players, but finding game time within teams that can actually win things, tends to be out of the question for nothing less than the most exceptional of prospects. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly , INAC were crushing Lyon in mid-field for a good portion of the match, creating the 2nd half scenario where Lyon then had no choice but to get into INAC's players faces with more physical play; at first just to make sure the game remained close, and then to create chances to find an equalizer. Plus like you say, even though Ji So-Yun did react badly to one particular challenge, Lyon's approach wasn't in the same reckless style as... you know who...; and hey, it did rattle the otherwise smoooooth progress of INAC's mids in the end, just enough to swing the balance of what looked to be a straight forward INAC victory into a very even contest for the last 20 mins.
So, in two championship matches, Hoshikawa subs Becky and a one goal lead turns into a one goal loss. At least it wasn't a horrific back pass that did Kobe in.
https://www.youtube.com/user/verdychannel?feature=watch Series of post match interviews by Beleza players and Noda on verydychannel (Verdy is their men's club). I've only seen the interviews after the OL match, but overall they feel they got something positive to take away from the match although they were disappointed by the final score. Also players as well as Noda really enjoyed the game itself despite the huge loss. I sometimes forget Doko is only 15 (maybe 16 now but still...). She sounds so mature at her age when she appears for interviews...
Yeah, this time Takara made no particular bad mistake, but overall I like Becky better than her... Now that League 2013 in USA is officially going to start, I guess there's no hope that INAC can keep Becky or Goebel-Yanez for next season. It's a shame 'cause they are good players: INAC needs to replace them; at the beginning of the season INAC's bench was looking crowded, but between injuries and the need to play matches at an international level, like today, it doesn't look so deep anymore. If Kyokawa comes back in 2013, she could be a starter despite her young age: she's quite a different player compared to Goebel-Yanez, but with some adjustments in the FW/MF department she can make up for Bev's depart. But for sure INAC needs to sign some other good DFs: Asuna Tanaka keeps being more an holding MF than a "real" CB and can make frequent blunders in that position; Takara is shaky and not on the same level as most of the team; Kinga is a superstar, but she's in her late 20s and eventually INAC should think about what will happen after her; Kai is ok, but she has the same age as Kinga; Ayu Nakada, who could play as a winger or a full-back, is going through a quite difficult moment: she will come out of that for sure, but she's still young and not completely reliable. I had to check INAC's roster twice to believe it, but the only other pure DF they have is Chinami Yao, that's a girl of 1996... Does anyone see that INAC clearly needs to sign at least 1 or 2 good DFs for next season, especially when Becky will go back to USA?
Yes, that was the only concern for INAC before the season started - they've got a thin squad. They have to control the number of players as they pay their wages as opposed to other clubs. It doesn't really matter for other clubs if they have 20 player squad or 40. Fortunately for INAC, there weren't many injuries although they had Sawa's illness (which they knew before they signed Goebel-Yanez and Becky) and Kyokawa's injury. However the lack of the depth in terms of quality on the bench was difference today as some people pointed out. They had to keep the tiring players on the pitch and when finally brought subs, they weren't quite good enough to inject second wind to INAC. As for Takara, I thought the sub was right decision. I felt Becky was leaving far too much space by bombing forward without contributing too much in terms of attack. With Thomis to contain, I thought she should have been more conservative to keep the shape. I thought Takara did ok today when she came in. It's a shame about two American players - especially Gobel-Yanez. She turned out to be a fantastic addition to INAC. I can't believe she never played forward. She does everything a lone striker should do and do well - drop deep to receive the ball and hold the ball, run down the channel and stretch the opponents defense, link up with the second striker and also she can score goals. On the other hand, it would be difficult for Kyokawa to get playing time if she stays...
Hope you liked them, again there's a big running track around the pitch so getting close was impossible. I went to get a better angle for taking pictures of the girls. While I'm away they notice my messages, especially the big "KIYO" one for the goalkeeper. So they notice it... and wave up to my wife who's holding the boards, but doesn't realise and doesn't wave back, oh no! Additional time at the end of the match, almost there... Arisa and Ami I like these big jackets the players had, I need one for the winter. Kai Kiyo Mafuyu Chiho leads her girls off to have yakiniku after the game. These poor guys didn't know what to do after the game. I left when they started turning out the lights, these supporters were just standing there motionless, speechless.
Busy weekend for me, and it's going to be freezing in Sendai for these four games. Saturday: Kamimura Gakuen High School versus FC Takahashi - winner plays Iga Fujieda Junshin High School versus Tokiwagi Gakuen High School - winner plays Beleza Three very good school sides there, both games should be very entertaining. Sunday: Japan Soccer College Ladies versus AS Elfen Sayama - winner plays Takatsuki Nittaidai versus Vegalta Sendai Ladies - winner plays Urawa Toriumi Mai leads her JSCL side against Sayama, who should win on paper but who knows since they're not going to be in good spirits for it. Nittaidai are back in town for the second time in a few weeks, they'll probably go for the same approach as last time. Of course there are four other games not in Sendai, they're in Mie. Waseda University versus Hokkaido Otani Muroran High School - winner plays INAC Kobe JFA Academy versus Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences - winner plays Niigata Nojima Stella Kanagawa versus Kochi ganador FC - winner plays Belle Kanto Gakuen University versus Fukuoka J. Anclas - winner plays JEF United Two of the Takahashi players came from Muroran, they're a good side, but Waseda should win. The sports science universities are always good, but the Academy girls look up for it this year and should beat them. Nojima should beat Kochi ganador, and knowing Fukuoka... having beaten Urawa and Belle, they'll probably lose to Kanto Gakuen by five goals.
I agree that INAC looks a little thin at the back, but Kinga and Kai aren't immediate issues, and Nakajima is an excellent fullback who can play on either wing. Considering the possession-oriented style of football INAC like to play, signing defensive midfielders for CB duty might make more sense anyway. I'm sure Hoshikawa prefers technical, ball-playing defenders over "pure" defenders.
If I were INAC, I would try to buy Kana Osafune, she's fantastic, Asano Nagasato, and a solid side back like Takagi of the last U19 team.
Once again, Sayama can't say they weren't warned. They should spend more time reading Big Soccer. By the way, there's mistake in the official reports, Muramatsu's first goal this season was not a header, I think it came off her knee or shin. As you can see in my pictures, there were plenty of cameramen at the game, so hopefully we'll get to see some good news reports. In her match report Ami says that it was Noma Fumika who scored the goal that was credited as an own goal, but I'm not sure if she just means that she was the one who caused it to happen, so I want to wait to see the highlights. More pictures, since there's a limit of ten per post. Asuka plays much deeper for Takahashi than she did for Japan. She's also invaluable at defending set-pieces. Heading away a corner kick here... and again a few minutes later. Ayano again, holding off Muraoka who came back after missing two games. Azami finally gets away from Ayano, but Saki is back to cover. Kobayashi Natsumi closed down. The Sayama players were distraught, especially Azami and Suzuki. The manager thanked the supporters and vowed to be back next year. I happened to have a look at another website's update on the Empress' Cup and due to the errors and omissions I saw, I wrote up short reports for each game. http://nadeshiko-league.blogspot.jp/2012/11/the-34th-empress-cup-first-round-results.html
Today's really unreliable news: Some article says that Ohno is negotiating with Barcelona and Kinga Arsenal for their transfers. And some American club seems approaching Sawa.
Well, if that's in any way close to truth, INAC will have to buy many more replacements than I was supposing... Now that the new League is springing up in USA, it makes sense that they approach one of the international stars of the game, former POTY, well-known in USA for many reasons, including starring both WUSA and WPS with excellent results. But I am not sure if miss Homare really wants to end her career in USA, especially now that she's so famous in her own country and that Nadeshiko League is going so well. We're no more in the early 2000s crisis, when to play "real" football you had to go overseas and Nadeshiko League was poor and dramatically under-funded. About Ohno and Kinga, I can understand that they want to try the overseas adventure, and this could be their last chance, since they're somehow in the peak of their careers, but in late 20s. Not sure how good it can be for them, but I can see that Europe would be the ultimate challenge and the unexperienced thrill for them.
Well, at least if INAC lost that players the league would be more interesting I guess, that's not bad at all I think
Did anyone else see the news that INAC and Lyon have formed a partnership which will involve a training camp early next year and the exchange of players, especially at youth level? It's on a few sites, but then they often copy from one another, but I think it is 'reliable news'.