2018/22 Yuya Osako @ Werder Bremen (GER)

just scored in the cup

 

Starts!

 

...and played the whole match.

 

Starts!

 

Tees up Kruse with a brilliant cross which is headed right at the keeper, then has a nice goal chalked off erroneously for offside, corrected by VAR.

 

Very good game by Osako. Werder's main offensive threat. Had 1 goal and was an inch offside from another. He also created two clear chances that should have been goals.

 

Injury?

 

Serious?

 

Had an infection, is likely able to play again in the match tomorrow.

 

Back in the starting lineup.

 

And played the whole match. Which Werder won 3-1 against Hertha, ending up in 2nd place for today.

 

Played an ok game yesterday. Pushed down to right midfield in the second half.
As usual I wished he scored more but as long as he plays good at least its sometinhg.

 

Scored tonight against Leverkusen. Sick game in wich Bremen lost 2-6.

 

Scored against Bayern with a nice header.

 

Great header. Bremen looking better and better.

 

Bremen says it won’t let Osako participate in the Copa America.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...a-osako-play-japan-copa-america/#.XGbch4qIahA

Seems somewhat unreasonable considering that the tournament is during the summer. Big setback for the national team unless they change their minds about this — there’s no one else who can fulfill his role.

 

It's a trust issue of the club in the national team's handling of injured players.
The English report is diplomatic: https://www.werder.de/en/news/news/werder-bremen-news/20182019/osako-pre-hertha/
While the older German report is quite critical: https://www.werder.de/aktuell/news/profis/20182019/osako-verletzung-11022019/
Aside returning injured after playing the last two complete matches in AC, the important part translated: "After his transfer to Werder Yuya has not been able to complete two important stages of preparation and regeneration due to participating in both last summer's World Cup and this winter's Asian Championships."

In other news he was voted Japanese Footballer of the Year 2018.

 

I think it's a little excessive for a player to play in 3 major tournaments in the span of a year (one of those as an invited team hence IIRC carrying no release obligations of clubs), from Werder's point of view.

On the other hand it's nice to see Osako being viewed as a key player by a decent Buli team which has a fairly wide complement of forwards. Very good footballer who was rather underappreciated by Japan fans who seemingly had been searching for a mythical Japanese Lewandowski or something.

 

I don't think it's that big of deal. Japan's trip to Copa América is ridicolous and club won't be forced to release their players to JFA because it's not an AFC competition. So trying out different players will be good.

 

I’d like to see them field the best team possible. They’re in it, it’s a major international competition, why not try to go as far as they can. Especially after the disappointment of the Asian Cup, a good showing at this tournament can help get rid of that bitter taste. In previous Copa Americas Mexico has been an invited team and they don’t send B teams if I remember correctly, with clubs similarly not required to release players.

I understand Bremen’s POV but I don’t get the JFA so easily going along with the club’s demand. Guess they don’t care about being competitive at the tournament. But if that’s their attitude, then Japan’s participation is just wasting everyone’s time.