Official 2020 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

Either England is MUCH worse than they appeared against the US or Japan has stepped their game up three or four levels. I think it is some combination of the two. Still 0-0 through 40 minutes and it really is closer than that.

 

H.T. England 0 Japan 0

We got away with two bad defensive mistakes in the first 15 mins and since then have looked comfortable with the ball but not created a great deal.
Ikeda having a great game.
England same old..same old...long ball over the top.
Not exactly riveting viewing

 

My Japanese is only conversational but I think I keep hearing the Japan coach telling her players to tighten up. I think she wants the defense to be closer to the forwards thereby giving England less space.

Endo is coming in and playing right back again. I think that is a mistake as I believe Endo is MUCH more comfortable at midfield or forward. I do NOT think she is suited as a defender at this point in her career.

The half ends 0-0 and that is about right.

 

Decidedly pro-England coverage by the BBC. More biased than the pro-U.S. coverages by the U.S. news networks.

 

Pretty decent game by Tanaka. On the other hand, Iwabuchi and Nakajima look tired. I would like to see Ueki in the 2nd half.

Is there a problem with Hasegawa? Is she injured?

 

We, in the US, are getting much more even coverage but the commentators still seem to be reluctant to call out the England coach for doing a number of STUPID things. It seems he is mostly immune from being criticized. Of course they also pretty much leave the Japanese coach alone for her stupid moves as well.

Stupidity on each side seems to pretty much cancel out and the US commentators leave it alone for fear of angering one coach or the other.

 

BBCC four
http://www.freeintertv.com/view/id-2629

* EDIT link deleted

 

Endo is marking a LOT of grass on the left. She has not seemed to be at all interested in playing actual defense. Or maybe the English players just have not showered lately and Endo cannot stand to get too close. Endo has had a couple of OK attacking touches BUT a defender must play defense first and offense second.

 

Open, yes. But sloppy on both sides. There are an awful lot of bad touches in the final third for both sides. I am not at all sure that either team today can score as they will do something to screw up every attack. But all it takes is one defensive mistake to give one up.

 

Remember these are CONCACRAP refs I think, and there are not worse referees in the world except, maybe, Africa. The real news is that they have made some correct calls.

 

The Japanese keeper reminds me a bit of Jorge Campos from the Mexican MNT many years ago. In her defensive third it seems: "She's everywhere, she's everywhere." 10 bonus points for anyone getting that old radio reference.

I wonder if she can also play striker.

 

England 1 Japan 0

Yet another 'gift' for the opposition

 

England scores off a huge mistake in the Japanese defense. The Japanese REALLY needs to work on their back line. And no, the center backs do not look any better than they did in the match against Spain.

 

BTW: Whenever I see a keeper sticking out a foot to try and make a save I think that the keeper needs more work on low balls. You start low and then use you whole body to reach a wide ball but if you are too upright as a starting position then all you can do is stick out a leg and that cuts the area you can cover by nearly half. Really well trained goalkeepers make 99.9% of their saves with their hands. Again you start low and remember if the ball goes high you can go up MUCH faster than you can go down.

 

Game over England wins 1-0. Actually I should say Japan loses 1-0.

 

I would be surprised if this J team had won.

 

F.T. England 1 Japan 0

Phil Neville sends Miyake a box of chocolates for saving his job.

Shame about the scoreline....Much improved from the first game.

Phil says he's proud of their performance (he's easily pleased then)

 

Really I do not think Neville was/is in any danger of losing his job at least until after the Olympics. The English press makes things up even more than the US press does and THAT is saying a lot. Actually should not say that. The US press is currently quite bad at regular news but their sports reporting is much better. In England it seems the other way around.

 

England win with Japan courtesy of Miyake's error, Ellen White cool finish ....and ref Koroleva two blunders.

It was hard to imagine watching this match that players from one side are in full league season while the other side started preparation for new season barely 2 weeks ago.

The match as a whole was played better than game against Spain. Cohesion is buliding nicely and atlethic profile will be risen thru the league season. I feel that forging good partnership in INAC between Tanaka and Iwabuchi may be crucial for NT. Sugasawa and Ikejiri are good options but I can't see them as effective.

Hasegawa wasn't on the pitch and the world not ended Team has shown today that they can play without her.