Don't know why you guys are trying to compare the matches. France just took the ball to the wings and had no idea how to score (especially with Benzema subbed off). Brazil can score at will, and are pressured for goals by their fans. This is why they have been on a goal spree. Almost 5-0 there. Lucky. or should I say almost 3-1?
Zach can shout all the wants on the player but I sure hope he has a good mirror. Not that I expected a win anyway, the win against France drained a lot of energy.
A little sad today.. but let's say this: this huge loss HAS to be a lesson for the future. CC2013 will wait us; so let's grab this WCqualification in Oman and we're good.
oh well at least we know what we are up against for 2014. huge learning curve for all the player. Japan did well but today they were out play by a better team.
A loss is a loss, the score line didnt really tell the whole story. Japan was decent attacking, but sloppy in all other facets of the game. There were some bad calls, but some lucky breaks as well that all cancelled each other out IMO. The bottom line is Japan still has lots to improve on, everyone wanted to believe they were elite when they beat France...well as we saw today they need to get to another tier by competing with Brazil. The defense was poor, but the offense is just as guilty not being able to put the ball in the back of the net and relieve pressure. Everyone is at fault, it was a team effort and a huge team let down. I wouldve been happy with a 0-0 draw and looked at it as a victory...well after this loss, I have to say im happy it ended 4-0 because it could have been MUCH worse. Its disappointing, because I really thought Japan would do better. Once the Konno PK happened the game was truly over.
he could've done that, I think he just wanted to play "face to face" against them for this friendly. Didn't work out. (not that I expected more than 1 goal without any real striker lol)
Wow. Japan disgraced Asian football. 0-4? Iran finished 0-3 against Brazil in 2010. You still think Japan is the best in Asia? LOL.
Zac, please do not be so naive with your tactics in the World Cup Finals. I hope we don't go back into the habit of playing well against top sides only to fall short. And do not touch your back 4 when they are playing fine against a top team.
This is a lesson that Samurai Blue had to achieve in the looong road to be a top team. However no 5 - 0, no 3 - 1... This is 4 - 0 and it's pretty correct for the match we seen. And another point: no sense to say Zac had to play this match with counterattack. Winning was NOT the goal of this friendly, so I agree with him (he said in the interwiev some minutes ago) that Japan tried to play against one of the strongest team of the World. After this match I can say: - Uchida deserves the starting spot of rb; - Honda as a FW not against top teams; - We need to find the new Hasebe more than the new Endo; - Try to find a young cb to play with Yoshida.
lol, he played a 0-top (yes even Honda admitted this is a 0-top not a Honda 1-top). Couldn't be more defensive but they still lost 4-0. They just have to stop freaking out and giving them the ball so easily.
Not if we are playing against some team that just keeps winning corners and trying to use their height to score. We need more taller players to cover the box.
Have to see this in a different set up, with Japan's best XI, a striker, without a draining match three days before, a decent referee and the rain (ok I am asking for a lot). The gap isn't that big but as nsato said, they were just really naive today. Hopefully Zach realizes he needs to start developing more players for the future because he has a short bench and doesn't trust it enough to rotate the team.