It's just the scheduling that made them play three of their first four matches at home, which, gotta admit, they utilized it so well. Not hating on them or anything, but I don't think they would wow anyone in the WC, and I feel they will repeat their previous disappointing results of the past tournaments. The quality to match teams outside Asian or Arab realm is not there yet, especially against European teams, which interestingly handed them their heaviest defeats in the WC. IMO, they must start promoting their players to play in Europe, as playing exclusively in domestic league wouldn't do much to improve their gameplay on the World stage.
Dont know what you are talking, sure Japan has some disapointing tournaments like WC 1998,2006,2014 for example but 2002,2010,2018 they play awesome and reach the round of the 16th best Teams of the World. Japan is getting better and better, their players are improving. More and more are playing in good European leagues at good Clubs. Yeah, maybe Japan get trashed this year at the WC, who knows. But besides Moriyasu, there is nothing to really worry about.
Japan's underperfoming also lies in lack of on-the-pitch leadership. I don't see anyone that can duplicate what Hasebe demonstrated in Japan's previous international success. He brought so much intangibles into the table.
I'm not overly pessimistic about the finals. This team is more suited to play against stronger opponents Japan is going to face at the WC. They have a strong defense and speedy wingers who can take players on one-on-one. Plus the chemistry between attackers is getting better.
We've never had so many players getting 90 minutes and playing so well for their clubs in major European leagues until now and the quality of J-League is outstanding. There's been decent players banging on the door for selection for the JNT but being completely ignored or mismanaged. What's frustrating for so many Japanese supporters this is all going to waste in the last WC cycle because of the manager.
I don't know if you're talking about me but the team I was talking about in my last post was KSA not Japan. They are the ones I feel will be repeating their underwhelming performances in the upcoming WC. Japan, on the other hand, i think they will be fine even with Moriyasu at helm. Of course, this depends on how favorable the draw Japan will get.
Anyway, I've looked at countless highlights of yesterday's match on youtube but none showed the disallowed goal for Australia. Few people on the internet act as if it was the moment that changed the game completely and that Australia should've won. Any links to that particular incident, please?
When Moriyasu wakes up, - Ayase Ueda and/or Furuhashi up front - Finding a way to integrate Doan and Kamada - Tomiyasu back 100% fitness - Removing Osako, Nagatomo, Asano then I’m very optimistic about our chances.
This team is almost a modern clone of 2010 Okada Japan. I mean that in a good way, sure it's not written out as a 4-1-4-1 but that's exactly what it is. I'm starting to see method to madness. The centre of the park and defence is solid even if the invention up front isn't as nimble.
Agreed. I've somehow started to feel optimistic about Japan's chances in the WC and I hope it will be better than 2010. Let's hope for a decent group.
I agree. At the World Cup, defending will be far more important than in the qualifiers. Japan will be afforded space to counter into, but defense will have to hold against top teams. I do believe rehearsing a defensive 4-4-2 would be wise as another option, but cannot see it.
I always believe that teams perform better when they have that Rolls Royce of a midfielder or defender doing the dirty job and bringing those intangibles. Regardless of who are your superstars, a dominant team (club or national) always has someone like Berti Vogts, Lothar Matthaüs, Dunga, Roy Keane, Didier Deschamps, Claude Makelele, Gennaro Gattuso, Michael Essien, N'Golo Kante and more like them. Japan needs to find that younger kind of hard, hyper-competitive man in order to lead the troops.
Kuryu Matsuki Unbelievable mentality for his age. Even the FC Tokyo Manager says that he is not like other Japanese players. If he progresses correctly he will be the NT captain in the future.
Teams in green are locked into their pots. They can't any longer move up or move down a pot. I couldn't figure out yet what blue stands for.
Bad move. Everytime JNT supporters were excited and optimistic before a WC (me too) shit happened. 2006 (Zico Japan) and 2014 (Zac Japan) both Z Japan lol. On the contrary when death and despair were on supporters' mind JNT delivered the big performance. 2010 (2nd tragic Okada Japan) and 2018 (improvised Nishino Japan). As numbers said it's time for another tragedy BUT we need to take in account the Moriyasu-factor. It could be 50/50 the worst or the best ever WC for JNT.
Anyway, based on the table above, I wish for a group like England, USA, Japan, and Tunisia. A group of Argentina, Germany, Japan, Wales on the other hand...
Blue most likely qualified teams, and it was done before Comnebol and Concacaf played, so Mexico, USA and Uruguay should be blue as well now. Which means that Japan most likely will stay where it is.To move up, both Portugal and Senegal would need to fail to qualify. Senegal can happen, lost 1-0 in Egypt. Portugal seems unlikely, but then who knows, it's football, nobody in his right mind thought Italy would lose vs North Macedonia.
Getting better and better yes, but the improvements in quality IMO aren't huge anymore, not like 98 to 2010. Normal, now they are at a good level already. The quantity of good players though clearly seems to be improving. But for example I think the 2012 Olympic team was stronger than the one last year. Same result, but I prefer 2012.
Couldn't find it either... I mentioned it here, the Guardian live ticker I was reading kind of made a biggish deal out of it, but all Australians in interviews then didn't want to comment, wanted to see it again. So I suppose that finally it probably was the right decision to disallow it?
Japan stronger vs bigger teams... true in the qualifiers. Vs Saudi Arabia and Australia they generally looked good. Even the defeat in Saudi Arabia, a draw would have been perfectly fine. And if Saudi Arabia had a Shibasaki and Japan had scored it wouldn't have been scandalous either. Japan to me looked much worse vs China in their first match, worst second half they could play really. Unconvincing vs Vietnam too. In their defence, it's hard to play a counter-game vs these 2 teams. So in a way impressive that the 2 goals vs Vietnam came from counter-like situations.. (one disallowed I know, wrongly I think) So in the WC vs stronger teams should do ok? 2 problems: 1) Stronger attacks too. Allowing stronger teams a chance like Australia had that finished with a weak header... that is unlikely not to result in a goal against France or so. And stronger teams will create more chances than the likes of Saudi Arabia and Australia 2) Countering is ok, good even, IMO the right strategy, the problem I see is that Moriyasu has nothing else to offer. See the first game against Vietnam again, when their defence was set, Japan couldn't crack it. How are these Moriyasu-boys going to crack even pot 2 teams like Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, Uruguay? REally have to hope for the US from pot 2. The problem is that Moriyasu seems to care only about speed. No creativity, be it a real dribbler or somebody with good vision, good passing. Asano shouldn't even be allowed to buy tickets to watch NT games, the guy shouldn't be without 50 km of a NT match venue, much less on the bench or even on the field. He's useless. Completely. Minamino who will continue starting on the left is good, but not as creator. He's a scorer. Play him in the middle. Good pressing, yes. Ito again is a pure counter player. As that he is good, but if Japan needs a goal, Japan is down.. he can't dribble when it doesn't involve speed. His % of successful actions against a set defence is similar to Osako's conversion rate. Pretty damn horrible. Yes, like Osako he brings other things, speed for counters in his case, and if the opening pass comes even against a set defence he has the speed. Kubo, who has the creativity, seems destined for the bench, of course he isn't the Japanese Messi, but he's not Usami.2 either. Kamada now seems out, not called twice in a row. Who's going to create? To me looks like with these players the counter game is ideal for team like Australia, Saudi Arabia, teams that are slightly weaker, or even against teams that might be slightly stronger, Mexico maybe. But not against the top 10 teams, unless you have a defence like Paraguay with Gamarra in 98, and Japan hasn't, you need more than just counter attack players. And of course Moriyasu sticking with what worked doesn't help. Was the same with Nakajima-Minamino-Doan early, look how great they play, that's my starters and that's it. And then when Nakajima was out...... He showed he can be flexible when forced, big change vs Australia, but since the he's decided this is what works, so no more changes, it's Morita-Endo-Tanaka, then Minamino-Osako-Ito up front. I for one am not completely sold on Tanaka yet for example. Why not try Kamada there, more defensive role than he's used to, but it's not Tanaka's usual role either. Or why not try an other formation, like Testator said a 4-4-2. or try with 3 central defenders playing Nagatomo and Sakai further up the sides (a bit like with Nagatomo in the first game vs Australia, in the first half he wasn't really required to come back, Morita covering for him, and it worked, Australia had no answer to the high playing Nagatomo at all) But to me looks like Moriyasu won't be trying anything. LIke he didn't during the first round of qualifiying, which is when he really should have mixed it up more, try different formations, mix up the starters and the reserves more. He doesn't change until forced. And at the WC that might be too late.
Found it. It's in the first few seconds of the video. Not that clear to me tbh. Even if it was counted, do people really think Japan wouldn't react to it? Interestingly the Aussies barely talked about this incident but some netizens including a few in these forums mentioned it, and in a way insinuating that Australia got robbed or something lol.