Finland : Probably same team that play Russia in a friendly on wednesday. http://www.palloliitto.fi/viestinta/?num=180651
Thanks. We'll try that. 2 weeks to go and all of us are stressed since we have overplanned every aspect of this trip. Oh well, hopefully once we get there we can remember to relax and enjoy and hopefully see many good games.
Swedish match venues in Algarve Cup 2 mar Sverige-Island Algarve Cup Loulé 15.00 4 mar Danmark-Sverige Algarve Cup Olhão 15.00 7 mar Kina-Sverige Algarve Cup Olhão 15.00 http://svenskfotboll.se/landslag/landskamper/ Iceland : 4. March Iceland - China in Albufeira 7. March Iceland - Denmark in Lagos Wales : http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/fixtures/5 http://www.ksi.is/mot/leikir-felaga...ra-yy=1980&dTil-dd=30&dTil-mm=12&dTil-yy=2011
I just got a matchprogram from the Swedish FA: For Group A: 02-03-2011 18:00 Norway / Finland, Estádio Municipal – Lagos 02-03-2011 15:00 Japan / USA, Estádio Municipal – VRS António 04-03-2011 15:00 Japan / Finland, Estádio Municipal – Lagos 04-03-2011 15:00 USA / Norway, Estádio Municipal – VRS António 07-03-2011 15:00 Norway / Japan, Estádio Municipal Bela Vista - Parchal 07-03-2011 15:00 Finland / USA, Estádio Municipal - Quarteira
Group B: 02-03-2011 15:00 Sweden / Iceland, Estádio Municipal - Loulé 02-03-2011 15:00 China / Denmark, Parque Desportivo da Nora - Ferreiras 04-03-2011 15:00 Iceland / China, Estádio Municipal - Albufeira 04-03-2011 15:00 Denmark / Sweden, Estádio José Arcanjo - Olhão 07-03-2011 15:00 China / Sweden, Estádio José Arcanjo - Olhão 07-03-2011 15:00 Denamark / Iceland, Estádio Municipal – Lagos
Group C: 02-03-2011 18:00 Portugal / Wales, Estádio Municipal – VRS António 02-03-2011 15:00 Romania / Chile, Estádio Municipal – Lagos 04-03-2011 18:00 Portugal / Chile, Estádio Municipal – VRS António 04-03-2011 18:00 Wales / Romania, Estádio Municipal – Lagos 07-03-2011 18:00 Chile / Wales, Estádio Algarve 07-03-2011 18:00 Portugal / Romania, Estádio Municipal Bela Vista - Parchal
Nadeshiko Japan squad announced. GK - Yamago, Fukumoto, Kaihori DF - Kinga, Yano, Iwashimizu, Sameshima, Sakai, Kumagai, Saito MF - Sawa, Miyama, Kawasumi, Kamionobe, Sakaguchi, Tanaka, Utsugi FW - Arakawa, Ando, Ohno, Yamaguchi, Nagasato, Takase Expected line-up: [LINEUP-4-4-2]Ohno,Nagasato,Miyama,Utsugi,Sawa,Ando,Sameshima,Kumagai,Iwashimizu,Kinga,???[/LINEUP-4-4-2] The GK position is a mystery to everyone, possibly including the coach.
Well I was talking about the opening game against the USA that will most likely determine the cup winner.
Why the hell does Takase get picked over Iwabuchi? Takase was AWFUL in the U-20's while Iwabuchi was the only positive thing they had up front. I just don't get what Takase is supposed to have that get's her in the Japan side so often. Other players look way better than her on the youth teams.
Yeah that's another mystery. Maybe a secret weapon thing? Iwabuchi did play in the EAFF Championship last year after all.
Well she is physically big and probably as tough as she looks (not trying to be funny). She does score goals too, nothing remarkable though. AndG may remember that during the u-20 WC, in the few games (or highlights really) that I saw, I said that she did not seem to figure - but then I think it was one of the Japanese posters (might be wrong) who said that the commentators thought she was "everywhere". Myself I thought that applied to one or two other workhorses, but I would have to defer to anyone who saw more than I did.
Japan need attacking players in the Ohno style. With a quick skilful forward like Ohno up front Japan always look like a goal threat, and that's even when Ohno misses every opportunity going. Without the skill sets Ohno brings, Japan tend to look as toothless as a new born baby. Iwabuchi has speed, skill, movement, with great passing vision. She may be young but she's closer to the Ohno mould than Takase. Takase for me is meant to be Arakawa's eventual replacement, but Arakawa is still the better option in my mind. For Japan's sake Iwabuchi has got to go to the WC as a goal scoring option from the bench.
Iwabuchi was the one I had in mind, thanks. From the few highlights I've seen, she seems like a fantastically skilled young player, the kind we are severely lacking in the U.S. team. Interesting that she didn't make the cut. Injured? Too young?
Not injured as far as I know, it's probably a "too young" thing. Even though she was the top scorer of the EAFF Championship last year, she hasn't been called up for neither the AFC Championship nor the Asian Games. Batfink, we pretty much agree with your views over at the Nadeshiko Japan thread.