Match 25: Netherlands v. Japan :: Pre-match discussion

Already start to like this guy

 

he's a korean guy who creates socks and abuses japan's team from time to time....thus why he always gets redded.

 

no way! i thought this guy was genuine.. bummer.

 

we may have won the friendly but it took some effort. i hope we're more prepared now.

 

What I remember is that Japan has one of the best passing midfields in the world. Something you really have to like if you love football.

 

I also must say that the overriding impression I got from the best bits of what I have seen of Japanese football, is a fast and free-flowing midfield and some very nice passing forwards.

And then, a bit... harmless...

 

In the 3-0 game last September, what I noticed was..

1st half: Japan dominated for about 38 minutes, then sat back for the last 7 or so because of lack of fitness.

2nd half: Japan came out and controlled for about 22 minutes and tried to hang on but the fatigue somewhat finished them. After going 2-0 down they had a little period where they tried to up the ante but it fell apart in the end.

Part of this was cause Japan had 2 subs all game (Honda at ht and Koroki at 70') as opposed to the dutch who made 4 subs. 2 at half time and 2 at the 64'.

I think japan need to get another 12% on the dutch or so to the fitness to play that game-plan for 90 min. Altitude camp (1850m) in switzerland and games against England and Ivory coast at altitude will help. But obviously the dutch will be gaining some fitness too some way or another. Its good for japan that this is the one game they play at sea level.

 

Akitod, you're relying too heavily on a FRIENDLY to make any sound conclusions if your aim is to thwart The Netherlands in South Africa. First of all, friendlies are notorious games where we don't see the full potential of the Dutch. It's a mental and physical state of mind since 1. They have little to prove and 2. The key players would want to finish the game unharmed. There are exemptions however.

Second, when you play a high tempo game, you will never retain efficiency at 100% due to exhaustion / subbing. The 12% of gained fitness is just something to tell yourself to feel better or use as an excuse while in fact it's just a fairytale. The longer the game drags on, the more players are prone to make mistakes, lose energy and concentration. There are no exceptions.

Last point is the fact that not much was known about Japan in terms of gameplay. The passing was unexpected and will serve as a wakeup call. You didn't lose because of subs, you lost because of ELJERO ELIA. When most regulars play on cruise control with the knowledge they'll be picked, Elia was a player who did had something to prove and actually woke up our side. Imagine if the Dutch played like that from the start?

To be honest, Japan won't get many points if they can't be more clinical up front. They also might struggle against physical teams with height. Ofcourse there are chances, but as things stand now, (especially when you look at recent results) it looks bleak.

 

I agree with Awareness. Japan need a strategic rethink if they want to get anywhere at the world cup. They have plenty of very good footballers but their game plan is naive.

 

I think Netherlands will kill Japan really easily.

 

I'd take a narrow win. We're starting to think like the Dutch players when they played Japan and got flabbergasted by their fast passing. 1-0 will dooo

 

If Dutch players have terrible physical condition, then there will be marginal victory.
If Dutch players are well-prepared, then the Oranje will surely kill off Japan 4-0 or more.

 

honda was great today for cska, luckily we know him all too well in holland.

 

I watched Honda in the last round and wow is he impressive. I think he'll be at a top 4 PL club within the next few years. Seems like he will end up being one of the best Japanese players to ever play when his career is done if he can keep up his progression, very special talent.

That being said, I predict a 2-1 win for Netherlands. Once they get RVP back I think that will be a big difference maker, and Robben will likely torment the back 4 with his piercing runs with the ball. Japan is no slouch though, this one will probably be close.

 

one thing people shouln't take lightly, will be the fitness and running of Japan.....

 

That's the debate in the Dutch deafeat with 3-0. They hold it for 60 minutes but they can't bring it up much longer. That is a problem obviously.

 

Keep in mind the dutch did 4 subs against 2 for japan. Including 3 at half-time against 1 for japan. Also I think the idea of that game from a japan perspective was to play a pressing 100% fast game as long as possible almost experimentally so that a side like the dutch (as a friendly) could expose the flaws in japan's game and in the end it turned out to be the fitness. It wasn't just the 60th minute. In the 1st half japan was good for about 35 minutes then for the last 10 the dutch dominated (fitness), the 2nd half, japan controlled for about 20 more minutes (til the 65th) then the dutch took control.

I've noticed ever since that game, Okada has been often using 2 subs at the 60 minute mark. and another usually around 65-70 minutes.

That's main reason why Japan's doing an altitude camp in switzerland at 1850m and a game there against a fit side (Ivory Coast) and England in Austria.

Also Nakamura will probably lose his starting position for Honda. The difference between the two players over 90 minutes I think would be about 4.5 km. Honda ran 11.57km in the first leg against Sevilla in 82 minutes which is a top work rate, much better than his fitness last September.

 

this is all great and swell, but japan need to be on their peak fitness since they will do a lot of running alright.. running after the ball that is.

 

As an Australian, I've seen quite a bit of Japan in recent times. In the four matches the two countries have played in the last four years, the results have been: two wins for Australia (WC `06, second WC 2010 qualifier), one win for Japan (on pens in `07 Asian Cup) and one draw (first WC 2010 qualifier). To be honest, though, with more clinical strikers it could easily have been four wins for Japan - as far as retaining possession with fast, precision passing goes, they're about as good as it gets.

I actually think these are the two sides that will progress from the group. I think Japan will frustrate an Eto'o-reliant Cameroon in the opening game with their ability to play one/two-touch passes and come away with a 1-0 or 2-0 win, which will mean they will probably only need one point from either the Holland or Denmark matches. I'm tipping that the Dutch have enough quality to pick up seven points, which will see them claim top spot.

What will set this contest up beautifully is if Japan does beat Cameroon and Denmark holds the Netherlands to a draw (a distinct possibility). If this scenario eventuates, the Dutch will be beholden to attack the Japanese from the outset with a group of players that, IMO, is more suited to counter-attacking football (as per their brilliant Euro 2008 wins over Italy and France).

 

Not in Germany, Australia was a much much better unit than Zico's japan.

Japan have better strikers now in Okazaki (15 goals in 16 internationals last year) and Morimoto. Now Honda is kicking up a storm in europe the attacking half of the pitch seems quite good.

In all 4 of the games against Australia, Japan never had Morimoto, never had Honda (particularly in this form) and only once had Okazaki so things are a little different now i think for the better.

 

different coach, different tactics.

 

What is all this anti Japan talk.

 

most of them are due to "socks". Basically it is one korean that the japanese forum is familiar with that continues making profiles, then saying something completely ridiculous against japan then the profile is red carded.....then that same korean makes another profile and tries again. notice often those posts are by profiles that are either newbie or redded.