It only took me a quick look at Mizumoto's face to know he was going to give up a PK. Stupid challenge very similar to Konno's at the World Cup but on the other side of the area. Surely they've faced players that know how to get PKs in J-league?
Mistake is on Eiji, but he also had to make several saves as Venezuela were getting way too many shots. They probably could have done better with some of those shots as well. I guess we can't expect all the new players to click together right away. But the defensive mistakes leading to goals are getting depressing
Gotta respect athletes who complete their education and Keio is nothing to sneeze at. I believe Nagatomo also went to college before joining FC Tokyo. Also not terribly optimistic after these first two games. I understand that Aguirre has his own preferred style with 4-3-3 but that doesn't necessarily mean he should go with it. If Zac forced through his 3-4-3, for example, we'd have gone absolutely nowhere. We have bucketloads of CAMs and seem to thrive when we have one as a fulcrum of sorts for our attack. Neither goal can really be attributed to Aguirre's tactics. Muto had a fine individual effort and Okazaki made a nice cross on the counter. I personally think we should go back to the 4-2-3-1.
4-2-3-1 give us nothing more then embarassing results in the international stage far from Asia. Then a new lineup is welcome. Aguirre needs to find the right players and noy in offence but in defence.
It was the most interesting start for a JNT coach I'd witnessed. With Kagawa, Kiyotake, Yamaguchi, Hasebe, Haraguchi and Usami is yet to feature in the team, there is no doubt that the competition for AC places will surely intensify. We can expect a midfield that is too ultra offensive with Honda and Kiyotake in front of Morishige in CM, while Kagawa, Okazaki and Kakitan in the front line. Or we have a more conservative one with Morishige, Yamaguchi and Hasebe in CM. And we can have a mix of the above mentioned CMs. ... and hopefully with Uchida back to the team, we will definitely have a stronger team than the one we have for these two matches.
More conservative I think. I don't think Aguirre will use such offenisive players in the centre of the midfield.
I would prefer it to be a mix with Yamaguchi-Honda with Morishige behind them. but I think we can risk the ultra offensive one vs Jamaica with Honda-Kiyotake. I know it'll be crazy and there is almost 0 chance Aguirre is going to do it, but who knows?
If it taken him 2 games to know that JNT sucks at Defense, then he's not very good, is he? I mean the past 2 years proved how awful Japan's Defense is. The World Cup matches, against Ivory Coast and Columbia, how the Defense fell apart in the 2nd half. I'm hoping whatever Aguirre have in mind, he do it soon. Asian Cup is in 5 months. 6 upcoming friendlies before then, 2 a month. I really hope Japan can come together before then and play their best @ the AFC Asian Cup. btw, I'm for it if Honda plays as Central Midfielder (OCM), I'd always thought he'd be great in that role, to replace Endo. While Kagawa would play in front as CAM, they can really control the midfield if that happens, with Hasebe/Hosogai as DCM, or any of the new boys. 3 options for FW and plenty of Side Attacking Midfielders to choose from.
Funny, I seemed to remember a victory against France and Belgium away with 4-2-3-1? World Cup result had little to nothing to do with "4-2-3-1" which is used by a lot of exceptional clubs. Japan has the players to play both 4-2-3-1 just like 4-3-3, but unless you're playing a diamond 4-3-3, the CAM role disappears. It's a choice.
I can't bother about a friendly where Kawashima saves all and they score in a counter started by Konno when France defenders were shit posotioned while they trying to score. I prefer to remember official tournament games then Asian Cup, Confederation Cup, EAFF and WC. Far from Asia that lineup didn't work, I remember some effective stuff only against Italy and even with that we lost. If Aguirre wanna try a new lineup I agree. CAM can actually disappear w/o any problem. The only real international experienced player for that spot is Kagawa (Kiyotake is and will be a supersub and I hope like you that Honda will play as a CM) who played for the last 4 years on the left and he can stay there while he play suiting the team and manager expectations. And, if we can't fix the defence 3 offensive players is what we need.
Honda : (on Muto) “He has good speed, he looks fresh and [brings] a new style. We didn’t have his kind [of striker] ever in the Japanese national team. I agree [that he’s not a typical Japanese striker], so I like him.” “Of course, I’m not satisfied, but this is soccer and we are just beginning a new project because we have a new coach and new players, so I don’t say negative things. It’s all right because we know we have some good players, new talent, and I think that we can improve more.” Okazaki : (on Muto) “Recently, more and more players like that have been appearing, and it’s great to have players who are confident in making the decision to try to score by themselves,. He plays soccer with all his power and that’s why the shot went in. He knew that he had a chance to impress and really wanted to score. He showed his specialty, I think. He scores many goals like that in the J.League and it means a lot for him that he was able to do the same for the national team.” Muto : “The passes were going long, but we weren’t really able to create much when receiving the ball in the center, so I thought it would be good if I could try to spark attacks from the middle,. I thought that the first defender was going to try to foul me, and that if I could avoid going down, then it would turn into a chance. Perhaps the goalkeeper wasn’t sure if I was going to pass or shoot, and so I just went for it. I knew that I had to get a goal any way I could, and the fact I was able to do so will give me confidence from now on.” Aguirre : “I’ve only had a short week working with the players, and while I’m the one who gives them the directions, I want them to play more freely,. I do not make the decisions for the players when they are on the field. Depending on how the game is going, they must make the decisions themselves.” “I’m satisfied with the performances of the young players over these two games,” he said. “In the future, I hope we will have a little more luck and that the opponents won’t score each time we make a mistake.”
How good were they? You think that they could be regulars given how stacked the ACM position is in the JNT?
http://hispanospherical.com/2014/11...er-ruled-a-3-0-defeat-by-fifa/comment-page-1/ seems that Venezuela fielded an ineligible player, so "officially" it will be a 3-0 forfeit win.
hmm I surely wouldn't define fifa as "correct" or "honest" but there is a rule here and clearly they followed it.