2023/28 Kodai Sano | 2024/26 Kento Shiogai | 2023- Koki Ogawa (loan) @ NEC (NED)

Fight then for the rest of the season. The winner will start in WC26.

 

Goal by Shiogai, seems like Keisuke Goto's inclusion for the Senior NT friendly earlier really lit a spark in him.

Anyway they are slightly different type of players. Keisuke Goto is a target man and holds the ball up as the classic CF.

Whereas Kento Shiogai (think him as more of a 2nd Striker) covers more ground and presses a lot.

Perhaps they can complement each other.

 

Not to forget Kodai Sano who also played a superb season and assisted Shiogais goal.

 

Yep Sano did well, finish was good too. 1 touch finish by Shiogai, did not need to adjust the ball too.

 

full time FC Volendam - NEC:

 

Again, a Shiogai goal after Sano assist. Scored the 2-2 against Telstar.

 

Hes a supersub

 

I really hope he will be in the WC Rooster. Exactly what we need. He scored all of his 7 goals as a sub and he is place 3 of the topscorers of the Eredevise.

This is a luxus thing to have a awesome subbing striker for example when Ueda is tired or JNT need a new impulse. Also Sano (the Nijmegen one) should be considered. He build up a great duo with Shiogai.

 

Shiogai's movement in the box is unreal, and he has the physicality. He can hold his own against CBs 1 vs 1, most important is his work-rate. He really presses a lo.

If he was in the U-20 WC squad for Japan, he might have finished a chance at least.

Personally think he might be better than Kawasaki Frontale's Soma Kanda (a player also similar to him, in the U-20 WC Squad.

Kanda and Shiogai are the poacher types, whereas Shunsuke Saito is more of a pacey Winger-Forward with good dribbling skills).

Since Keisuke Goto is more like the typical CF, which holds the ball up and more of a set-piece threat. Think Goto and Shiogai and play together, Goto is in good form too for STVV.

 

Cup match AFC - NEC:

 

Amateurclub AFC took NEC to the last 8 minutes, but then there's Shiogai

 

Kento Shiogai really knows how to get in the right spots inside the penalty box and he presses quite well too, from what I have seen so far.

Quite smart in cutting off the GK's angles, saw at least 2 goals over the past year as a result of him pressing the goalkeeper. Covers alot of ground too.

Him and Keisuke Goto can be bench options, but Shuto Machino should still be the main CF since he plays in Bundesliga.

 

The forward spots for Japan will be real interesting in the WC.

 

Yep. For GK spot, with Zion Suzuki potentially injured now and not sure how his form will be during the WC.

2nd in line should be Tomoki Hayakawa based on current form. Tashi Brandon Nozawa is a good option too, alongside Kosei Tani/Keisuke Osako.

 

What about Kokubo?

 

Yep should have mentioned him too apologies, Zion Suzuki 1st then Tomoki Hayakawa/Leon Kokubo for 2nd choices and Kosei Tani/Keisuke Osako/Brandon Taishi Nozawa for the next-in-lines.

 

Important clash for the 3d spot in the table:
NEC - Ajax:

 

NEC - Ajax full time:

 

(21) Samurai Warrior on X: " 22 year-old central midfielder Kodai Sano could be on his way to Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven . PSV is considering Sano as an option to replace the outgoing Joey Veerman according to multiple sources in the Netherlands such as @VI_nl https://t.co/z0tzSdBeUC" / X

Rumors of a move to PSV Eindhoven, but personally think he can try going to Bundesliga. Eintracht Frankfurt would be suitable for him, personally feel so.

 

Voetbal International's "Dream Team" of the first half of the season:

 

Wolfsburg is in contract talks with Shiogai, Ajax is also interested after sources.

Both would be good but I hope he will stay for at least this season.

 

VfL Wolfsburg has contacted NEC to take over Kento Shiogai. The Bundesliga club wants to take the twenty-year-old striker this winter, but the Nijmegen club does not want that. NEC turned down an offer from Wolfsburg and does not intend to sell Shiogai during the season.
In his second season as a player of NEC, Shiogai turns out to be a super sub. Fellow countryman Koki Ogawa is preferred in coach Dick Schreuder's starting line-up, but Shiogai is the club's top scorer with seven goals. The Japanese made all those goals as a substitute, including twice on a visit to Feyenoord.
His achievements do not go unnoticed. NEC picked up Shiogai as a talent in Japan a year and a half ago and could have sold him after just one season. The club reached an agreement with Red Bull Salzburg, but the medical examination threw a spanner in the works. Shiogai stayed in Nijmegen, where he took his role as a substitute. The question is when Schreuder will give Shiogai a chance in the starting line-up.
Wolfsburg, like several European clubs, sees potential in Shiogai. The Germans recently reported in Nijmegen to take over the Japanese and made an offer, but NEC declined. The number four of the Eredivisie is resolute and absolutely does not want to sell Shiogai this winter. The club does not want to let any important players go this winter. Shiogai is still at NEC until mid-2028 and has scored seven times in the Eredivisie this season, as well as twice in the KNVB Cup tournament.

 

Yup, he still has alot to learn and there's no place better for a talent than the Erdivisie and especially with a coach like Dick Schreuder.