Official 2022+ Samurai Blue thread

Discussion in 'Japan' started by Samurai Warrior, Jan 7, 2022.

  1. BIHfan

    BIHfan Member+

    Borussia Dortmund
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Oct 13, 2020
    It's hard for me to be happy about this World Cup when it ended exactly like in 2010 and that was 12 years ago. Sure, the results were much more impressive but they still can't reach the quarter-finals..
     
  2. HTCONEM8

    HTCONEM8 Member+

    AC Milan
    May 16, 2014
    Club:
    AC Milan
    Agreed. Japan this time were truly the underdogs. Sadly they couldn't go further than R16.
    Nevertheless, can't wait to see the new generation of players and hot prospects for the next cycle. Ganbare!
     
  3. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    I hope JFA won't think they are sastified with this result, like now Japan are regular RO16 or something. Must continue to improve.

    Imagine current team had someone like Son of Korea, quarter final at least.
     
  4. Gordon1995

    Gordon1995 Member+

    Oct 3, 2013
    Japan should encourage their players to shoot from distance more, Croatia players e.g Modric, etc. were threatening with their long-range goals.
    Not sure if Moriyasu should stay, really hope the likes of Takeshi Okada, etc. can be considered as well.
    Japan needs a proper CF who can hold the ball up and served as a target-man if necessary , not wingers like Mitoma and Doan, etc. Keito Nakamura will be similar to the above, hopefully there will be another 2018 WC Osako in the future.
     
  5. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    So Croatia's coach said Japan are too over confident and that costs them.

    Well, that Perisic goal should never happen if the defense focus.
     
  6. mushu21_2

    mushu21_2 Member

    Manchester United
    Vietnam
    Sep 1, 2018
    He's not wrong.
    I've a slight feeling that Japan thought the match was literally over when they were leading, forgetting they actually didn't have any cleansheet this wc despite playing ultra defense at times.
    Also, the like of Tomiyasu and Morita looked way too casual with their plays. I know they had good season with considered big club, but I feel the hype was getting on their nerves and they started to get careless in passing or dribbling.
    They have to understand they would be backbones for the team next 4 years. Don't forget Nakajima or Minamino were considered the next big thing just 2,3 years ago.
     
  7. rougou

    rougou Member+

    Dec 7, 2003
    Hyogo
    Club:
    AS Roma
    I was surprised by the high line at first, but it worked pretty much except for one chance which started with the Croatia player pushing Tomiyasu in the back and stealing the ball (how was that not a foul?). Croatia pretty much hoof the ball forward in hopes of picking up a knockdown (and position themselves well to do so), so playing too deep wouldn't necessarily work. This is different from Spain who will pass the ball endlessly around and not take a chance.

    That was a great header by Perisic who took advantage of Ito I think. Not much to do about it.
    Japan's substitutes didn't cut it today, especially Asano was back to his useless self.
     
    seolseol repped this.
  8. rougou

    rougou Member+

    Dec 7, 2003
    Hyogo
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Also about the knockout round curse, sometimes I feel like the player selection also has to do with this. Especially if you aren't going to play the likes of Shibasaki or Machino anyway, having Hatate/Kyogo to come on in extra time could have been useful. I felt the same way in 2010 as Japan seemed to run out of ideas and having Kagawa in the squad might have made a difference (him scoring the winner against Paraguay in a friendly later only made this feeling stronger).
     
    Kakeru repped this.
  9. AKITOD

    AKITOD Member+

    Apr 5, 2007
    Hobart, Aust
    Club:
    JEF United Ichihara
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Okada shouldn't be back, the poor guys retired from management.

    If anything Id take Nishino back.
     
  10. Gordon1995

    Gordon1995 Member+

    Oct 3, 2013
    Was hoping for Kubo to play an integral part in this WC, seems like he is not up to it yet. Thought he would be the star player in this WC like Honda was in 2010. Hopefully, Nakai will step up in 2024.

    Doubt Nishino is better than Moriyasu by a lot, Moriyasu was actually part of the tactics in 2018 hence that was why he was chosen for this WC.

    Okada's main strengths is his ability to keep a clean sheet and hold on to a 1-0 lead, something which JNT has failed to do this WC.
     
  11. AKITOD

    AKITOD Member+

    Apr 5, 2007
    Hobart, Aust
    Club:
    JEF United Ichihara
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Okada im fairly sure is retired from management....
     
  12. Azzurrifan87

    Azzurrifan87 Member

    Mar 29, 2015
    Respect to Nihon from Italia fan. So sad it has ended here.
     
    marten48 repped this.
  13. marten48

    marten48 Member

    Jun 2, 2012
    United States
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    This game wasn't a disaster like the Costa Rica loss, but I agree with those who have said that Moriyasu's tactics could have been better. Knowing that we had a better chance to win from open play rather than penalties (we're crap at penalties, and Croatia is known to be very good at them, and we didn't seem well prepared for them either), he should have gone for it more starting in the second half. As another poster has said, having our best offensive threat (Mitoma) at wingback is very defensive. A lot of our attacks were safe, conservative "route-one" football where we would just hoof it long to Asano, who had no chance against the very skilled and in-form Gvardiol. We kept losing possession, and losing momentum, by turning the ball over in this way.

    Nonetheless, the future is bright for the JNT, as I think it's inevitable that more and more players will gain European experience, developing their talent, and the level of quality of the squad will slowly rise.
     
  14. Testator

    Testator Member+

    Glasgow Celtic
    Croatia
    Sep 5, 2017
    Croatian coast
    #1389 Testator, Dec 6, 2022
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2022
    If Dalić said Japan lost because they were overconfident, I disagree. Japan lost because of a lack of experience in this particular kind of situation.

    I feel a bit empty today. A part of me did want Japan to win, I know that now. It would have been a flame of hope in miracles. Years of frustrations with Croatia had made me harden inside.

    Thank you, people of Japan, members of JNT, for making me scream in joy, for making me feel proud in good sportsmen, good human beings. And for making me cry right now.
    I’ve been unable to cry for years. I have depression. But watching unity and fighting spirit broke the seal on my heart. I might be healing thanks to you all.

    I want my homeland to win the tournament. Then we will have one title, and if we ever play Japan in the KO phase again, I can root for you guys. The World Cup needs variety when it comes to winners.
     
    marten48, Drew1404, AKITOD and 1 other person repped this.
  15. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    Btw what happen to Kubo? Just one year ago he was still a key player in Olympic.
     
  16. Testator

    Testator Member+

    Glasgow Celtic
    Croatia
    Sep 5, 2017
    Croatian coast
    Doesn’t fit into a style that relies on absorbing pressure.

    I’ve just seen the Croatian goalkeeper had come over to interrupt the final speech of Moriyasu to the players, in order to thank the Japanese players on a good fight. I’m so proud. I’m crying again.
     
  17. AKITOD

    AKITOD Member+

    Apr 5, 2007
    Hobart, Aust
    Club:
    JEF United Ichihara
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    #1392 AKITOD, Dec 6, 2022
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2022
    I think i can associate with this from 2010 and 2011 and really before then too. While now ive been in a good way for the last decade, back then that team really was something for me to depend on.

    I was fortunate enough to go to Qatar in 2011 and watch Japan's AC winning campaign. I know from then, and 2010 i simply have gratitude for that team.
     
    Testator repped this.
  18. AKITOD

    AKITOD Member+

    Apr 5, 2007
    Hobart, Aust
    Club:
    JEF United Ichihara
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Also, Japan has passed group stage in 3 of the last 4 world cups.

    How many teams in the world can say that? Cant be more than probably 12 or so. Certainly outside Conmebol/Uefa there cant be many (only mexico?).
     
    Testator repped this.
  19. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    Japan now are regular RO16, i believe. But the team can do more. Just a little more effort and quarter final.
     
  20. AKITOD

    AKITOD Member+

    Apr 5, 2007
    Hobart, Aust
    Club:
    JEF United Ichihara
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    I cant think of any team that could be considered a regular "QF" team. Teams of that calibre are essentially the WC contenders you think of each time.
     
    HTCONEM8 repped this.
  21. verde água

    verde água Member

    São Paulo
    Oct 4, 2017
    São Bernardo do Campo
    It seems that Moriyasu will be offered a contract extension of two years:

    https://www.nikkansports.com/soccer/qatar2022/news/202212050001147.html

    As I said before, I'm ok with him staying as long as the team evolves in the offensive side. There are many assistant coaches in teams that play offensive football in Japan such as Kawasaki Frontale and Yokohama that can become part of the coaching staff and thus bring this knowledge of offensive football to the JNT.
     
    AKITOD, Kakeru and Testator repped this.
  22. HTCONEM8

    HTCONEM8 Member+

    AC Milan
    May 16, 2014
    Club:
    AC Milan
    I hope he succeeds in winning the upcoming Asian Cup.
     
    teioh repped this.
  23. Drew1404

    Drew1404 Member

    Aug 25, 2014
    I mean that's great and all, but how long can you keep starting your best player on the bench and then bringing them on at wingback? You have to go for the second goal, 1-0 can always come back and bite you. I believe Japan has the defenders now to play on the front foot, I can only imagine how good zaccheronis team would have been with these defenders
     
  24. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    Yeah, the next object is winning Asian cup. Time to bring the tittle back first
     
    teioh repped this.
  25. Testator

    Testator Member+

    Glasgow Celtic
    Croatia
    Sep 5, 2017
    Croatian coast
    On a Croatian news portal, I saw the title of an article about Moriyasu. The article is behind a paywall, but there was a word written in Latin alphabet. It's quite fitting for me to learn how it's written. It would be my expression of ultimate respect for the JNT, and the methodical, organized manager, who IMO, should try managing in Europe. さいけいれい (most respectful salute, profound bow) is what Hajime Moriyasu did to Japanese fans after the game, but also what I will do in a way, by writing this 3-Kanji word in my notebook 10 times.

    最敬礼 !
     

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