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

First of all, welcome here on the Nadeshiko thread (and on BigSoccer in general), @Twistal. It's very nice to add contributions to this thread, because in the end the little group of us who are regulars here could become some kind of a echo chamber with time, so it's good that our opinions are challenged. Actually, I'd say that what we miss here these days is some (friendly, indeed ) clash of opinions, to enrich the scope of the discussion (for instance, if you're really reading us "for ages", maybe you do remember And G's pointy remarks and how they were spurring the discussion here).

About the point at hand, I must admit that I missed the whole 1st Half of Beleza-Albirex today, because I was following Urawa-Cerezo instead, and after that, since it was lunch time here in Italy, I watched the 2nd Half from time to time only, so I'm probably not the most qualified to answer to you.
What I saw in the portions of the 2nd Half that I watched, though, was a team that, despite good possession, didn't seem very focused on finishing well their actions: of course, they denied me in the last minutes of the game.

I never said that Nadeshiko NT should get rid of Beleza players, on the contrary I expressed some worry because I am aware that they are the backbone of our NT and most of them (Hasegawa, Ueki, Endo, etc.) are there to stay. On one hand, the fact that Beleza use to score late in the game is a testament to their excellent physical fitness; on the other hand, always having to chase games in the last minutes is not a good spot to be in and maybe something can be done to defend better.
I am also aware that the possession game Beleza plays has been the trademark of our NT for ages. On the other hand, our recurring problems in most international tournaments have been with scoring and I guess this is reflected by the domestic league also.

Not sure if I managed to tackle some of your points: it would be good if you could elaborate a little more about the features of Beleza's players and Beleza's gameplay that you feel are more relevant for this discussion.

 

Also, I'd acknowledge Kinga's goal too: 2011 World Champions still rock!

 

Keep staying safe, @Manchester Nadeshiko! We're going to win this battle together.

Nadeshiko League re-starting has revived our thread and we're proudly here to deliver the most friendly environment to discuss everything Japanese-women's-football-related.

 

Meanwhile Saki Kumagai just won another Coupe de France with OL mere minutes ago: she started and played the whole game in the final vs Paris Saint-Germain.

The game ended 0-0, so a penalty shootout was needed to decide it. Uncharacteristically, Saki wasn't part of the 5 penalty-takers for OL, but her team managed to win anyway. Maximum drama when PSG's Chilean GK Christiane Endler brilliantly saved a PK by Le Sommer and then immediately took a PK herself, but she sent it crashing on the crossbar. So the decider was last PSG's PK, that was taken by a young player who basically mentally collapsed making Bouhaddi's save quite easy.

 

So, in the end, 4 matches out of 5 ended in a draw in Nadeshiko League Division 2 this week.

The only exception is Yokohama's derby, that sent Seagulls up at 5th place alone and Nittaidai at a sudden last place, because of their abysmal goal difference (-7! ).

 

The defense is a sour problem in our Senior NT indeed, these days.

I guess one of the problems is that, apart from Kumagai who went playing abroad when she was just 21, we don't use to have Defenders who get the invaluable experience of playing in international leagues. A few years ago Yuuri Kawamura had tried the NWSL experience, only to get back home soon after with a double ACL injury! We have quite a number of MFs and FWs getting international experience in leagues abroad (heck, even some GKs, although Yamane's experence in Spain didn't add much to the NT pool, nor did Matsubayashi in Italy 6 or 7 years ago), but, outside of the generation from 2011 (Kumagai, Sameshima, Kinga have all played in other countries), we send no Defenders to "academic trips" abroad.

And now, as you point out, out pool is thin and not much reliable. Who do you pair with Kumagai? Apart from Doko that you mention, in the latest years we have tried Nana Ichise, Shiori Miyake, Moeka Minami... Maybe this last one has been the most promising, since she's so young and still have potential to grow, but of course she has to raise her game: being U-20 World Champion is not enough when you have to defend the big threats in Senior teams, and she has already showed some blunders at that level.

 

JEF-Ehime now on. We're at 3' and still 0-0:

 

I don't remember that we had comment in previous games: or is it just my bad memory?

Anyway I appreciate the game being called (also, in a very simple way, that's well understandable even to me... things like "JEF boru des(u)", "hidari-sido sebango jyu-ichi..." or English words like "corner-kick", "cross", "header"...)

 

I don't remember that we had comment in previous games: or is it just my bad memory?

Anyway I appreciate the game being called (also, in a very simple way, that's well understandable even to me... things like "JEF boru des(u)", "hidari-sido sebango jyu-ichi..." or English words like "corner-kick", "cross", "header"...)

 

JEF-Ehime 0-0 at HT.

I would have expected a slight supremacy by JEF, but despite their offensive pressing I'd say it's Ehime who mostly held the possession.

Neither team was particularly dangerous, anyway.

I'll probably miss part of 2nd Half. since I'll have lunch 30/45 minutes from now.

 

Otaki out but Kamogawa in, at 70', after hydration break.

I would have actually started both.

 

0-0 FT (s[o]korelesse draw, the announcer repeats)

I actually ended up only missing most of the final 20 minutes, but I doubt anything relevant happened during them.

Apart from some isolated offensive efforts, the two teams looked quite happy to share the points.