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

Spain 2 Japan 1

Defensive cock up Kumagai

 

Yes. But the rest of the defense is not playing much better. They just gave up a goal due to poor play at the back. It looks like, right now, Japan needs to do some real work on their defense and on decisions at the back.

 

Momiki for Ikejiri

 

BBC commentary...."Japan short of ideas".....fair comment

 

This will sound a bit strange but it looks like Japan is too disciplined. That is they seem so concerned about position and balance and formation that they forget the creative and fun part of the game. If soccer is not mostly fun then you should not be playing it and many players on Japan do not seem to be having any fun.

 

Spain 3 Japan 1.....more poor defending

 

How does it feel to be right about things like this? Another mistake at the back for Japan and another goal for Spain.

 

Sounds like we are missing a defense with teeth (and fins). I have been asking that question for a while now: Who will replace Sameshima?

 

Japan REALLY needs to step up their game. Both England and the US are able to run big scores and, with a sloppy defense like Japan has shown so far, it could get REAL ugly against high scoring teams. Japan's goalkeeper is all that stands between Japan and 5 or 6 - 1 and Spain is not really a high scoring team.

 

Everybody and there sister wants to shine and plays forward or midfield, leaving the defense to be the step child ( so many metaphors....).

 

However Japan has truly learned something from Spain. They have pretty much mastered the Olé defense.

 

F.T. Spain 3 Japan 1

What I saw.....the team who played the better football beat the team who can play better football ...but didn't (because they are out of season)

Spain were driving a car with a warmed up engine.....We've just got ours out of the garage and started the engine.

 

Well as off-season performances go...it wasn't bad. Takakura will have a lot to munch on but only after this tournament. I'm curious what she will decide about Endo.

Other problem is Kumagai...cuz it's same story as it was in WWC. She made a lot of errors in France. She doesn't play CB for whole year (DMF in Lyon) and then she is expected to "reacall it" during few NT camps. Perhaps the time has come to pair Minami and Miyake with Kumagai in front of them.

 

That is an excuse often used. I know our (US') men's side has used that often to explain why the are so bad. but that excuse does not really hold for the poor defense Japan snowed in this match. No matter the time of he year Japan just played a quite poor match defensibly and they lost to the better team on this day. The seemed to not put out the needed effort until the last few minutes. Ten or fifteen minutes of the match shows that Japan could play well today. They just did not choose to apply themselves for much of the match.

We will see later tonight if "out of season" means much at this level. The US is also not in season.

Now travel could be a good excuse. Japan did look sluggish and they have a lot to be concerned about so, maybe, they were simply tired and Japan is undergoing a crises about the coronavirus. They could be both mentally and physically tired.