The key with Osako or any hold-up players is to play runners in the midfield, or a second strike partner. My version of safety is not keeping possession, but booting it up the field if under extreme pressure.
Sack Moriyasu. $&@?% idiot. Next time Maeda and co. should just decline their call up to JNT. Complete waste of time, they might as well stay back. Especially Itakura and co. flying all the way from Europe. Starting XI and five substitutions are already guaranteed. No point in the other players. Does anyone really think Mitoma would’ve played if not for the off the bench hat trick for his club.
Some strong words here... Dissapointed in the line up and the performance once again, but a very important result. If this is the Japan that goes to the world cup, its definitely not going to be entertaining viewing.
If they end up qualifying to the WC, I guess Moriyasu would use an ultra defensive approach that's borderline anti football, more than what we currently see. Expect to see POLxJPN match in 2018 to be repeated again. On one hand, I'm happy they do get results even with such unattractive tactics. On the other hand, I know I will continue suffering trying to watch JNT matches.
Pol x Jpn was full subs lineup with the order "take as less goal as possible". Something awful that give us the 3rd historical round of 16 pass.
We're in big trouble if we concede the first goal. I just can't see this team scoring 2 goals in 90 minutes. Even at the Olympics the U23 team only scored one goal in the final stages against NZ, Mexico and Spain. Goal difference is the other concern. If we beat China and KSA at home then this shouldn't be an issue but...
Yeah. I know Japan played with 2nd string, but what I meant was the anti football aspect the team showed in that match that could possibly be replicated again under Moriyasu if Japan manages to qualify to the WC.
Ok I'll try to look at some positive things to light up the mood. Nakayama looks more and more convincing at LB. Surprisingly Mitoma is used at the 2nd half to switch the team to attacking mode, I thought Moriyasu would use Asano or Haraguchi as usual. At least he got right for once. Most of the arguments to refrain from using Nakayama and Mitoma are: they are not starting regularly at their clubs, don't have a consistent position or in Mitoma case, can't defense. But I read that Nakayama started to play at LB regularly at his club recently, and it showed at his performance last match. And Mitoma didn't look that lazy in defense either, he even had some experiences at wingback at his club's recent matches, which is a good thing. One thing I notice that Ao Tanaka didn't look that bad playing as holding midfielder in front of the CBs. In the 2nd half, Tanaka at DMF, Endo at box-to-box CM look good. I used to think Japan should switch to 433, but Endo-Morita-Ao Tanaka didn't convince me. For some strange reasons, Endo tended to drift away too much from his supposed DMF position, Morita was pulled too far to the left to cover Nagatomo to the point sometimes he looked like a LMF, and Ao Tanaka pushed too far up front. The media in Japan hyped this 433 too much, but I only rated it for the immense work rate, it may work against stronger attacking team, but its shape was horrible. Most of Japan's best games in last 2 games were still in 4231 when the 2 CMs at top form. And in this formation, Minamino or Furuhashi will have chance playing at the middle and closer to the goal, since Osako will never be dropped. Just have some guts and drop Shibasaki, this guy is beyond horrible now. He was awful in 2 CMs formation, I hoped 433 suits him, but last game showed it wasn't.
What's wrong with Japan stop to play tiki takesque useless football that 99% of time will finish dramatically ala agony of doah (so beloved in Japan) and try something different like that infamous antifootball? People in 2010 thought to sack Okada cuz he didn't play offensive football with 2 strikers, then Okada (smart old seawolf) played 0 strikers vs Camerun and for the most of tournament, reaching the historical 9th fecking place with the ridicolous record of only 2 goal conceded in 4 matches + Paraguay extra time. I dunno Moriyasu enough but Okada was only criticized since ages till the day before Camerun match, and then...
Problem is. Its hard to sack someone when they reach the world cup. Even though the way there is full of struggle. Awful display and bad games.
I'm all for playing cautiously with defensive mindset in the WC against the top teams but playing boring football against lesser opponents such as most of Asia teams with all due respect to them, is the problem here.
Nakayama has played regular first team football at Zwolle in the past 12 months. He was solid at the Olympics. He’s played CB at Kashiwa Reysol and can handle the physical stuff. On the other hand Nagatomo hasn’t played regular football, physically and defensively awful. He contributes very little in attack. He’s always been the better option than Nagatomo. I don’t know why we waste a valuable sub taking out Nagatomo.
Actually Tanaka.A wasnt so great yesterday and even at Dusseldof he has a tendency to try the hard passes and give the ball away. Its fine with Kawasaki but not with internationals. I think once Kubo is back, we need to get back to 4-2-3-1, with Kubo as AMC and I'm ok with Minamino starting on LW with Mitoma as impact sub. Nakayama definitely the preferred LB, I was calling for that pre-Olympics. Upfront for gods sake go with anyone but Osako. He cant run, cant shoot, and cant hold the ball up against mediocre west asian defenders. I dont care but we need to give Suzuki. Y, Ueda, Ado, Furuhashi and Maeda a real go at offering something fresh. Even Muto for crying out loud
Forgot to add that I'd still go with Endo-Morita as DM combo. Its the most stable and allows the front 4 to go offensive and also for the fullbacks to join. Time for shibasaki to retire
Will Japan be playing any friendlies before the next round? It will be almost 2 months before their next match in the WCQ. If they will, I hope they'd try as many available strikers as possible.
the 5th of the AFC zone will meet the 5th of the South American zone. This is not good news at all, if Japan were to go through the playoffs; they will not only have to beat the 3rd of group A but also a team like Peru or Colombia.
Guess it's imperative to snatch one of the direct berths. This Japan can't handle those CONMEBOL teams imo. And it's gonna be a single leg on a neutral ground too.
It would be a pointless exercise and waste of time. We all know Osako will be first choice. Furuhashi and Asano will come off the bench around 70 minutes. Daizen Maeda and Ayase Ueda are training cones.