What a horribly inspiring selection. GK Shuichi Gonda DF Shogo Taniguchi Shinnosuke Nakatani Hiroki Sakai Yuto Nagatomo MF Yasuto Wakizaka Ataru Wakizaka Sho Inagaki Reo Hatate (great time to pick up an injury before the transfer window) FW Yuya Osako (because why not) Yoshinori Muto Substitutions Sho Sasaki 80th minute Yuki Soma 80th minute Miki Yamame 85th minute Oh wait, we’re allowed five subs? Too late. Few names I wished were selected: Akihiro Ienaga (age obviously isn’t criteria at the moment with Moriyasu Japan) Ryuho Kikuchi Yohei Takaoka Ryota Koike Yutaka Yoshida Yuki Kakita Taisei Miyashiro Shinya Nakano
Japan's squad for the friendly match vs. Uzbekistan on 21 January 2022: GK: Gonda - Tani. DF: Nagatomo - Sasaki - Sakai - Taniguchi - Yamane - Nakatani - Seko - Nishio. MF/FW: Osako - Inagaki - Esaka - Muto - Wakizaka - Soma - Maeda - Hatate - Ogashiwa - Ueda - Watanabe - Araki.
I think it's a pretty good squad instead (considering it experimental, of course). Take out Nagatomo and Sakai who made no sense. Ogashiwa, Watanabe, Araki, Hatate, Maeda, Wakizaka, Seko, Nishio... all players who deserved a shot and I'm curious to see how they'll do (don't really expect Nishio to play though)
I'm not sure what the purpose of this match is? (apart from giving Moriyasu's favourites game time and "confidence booster" before the next WCQ). Maeda, Ueda and Araki could score three goals each and what happens? Osako will start regardless, Maeda gets to accumulate frequent flyer points across Asia to sit on the bench against China and KSA.
The same is going to happen to european teams that will play two playoff single leg match to qualify to Qatar2022. Something "cruel" but more "selective" to increase the level of quality football in WC imo. And, the 5th of CONMEBOL it will be not so strong. The top4 are the stronger, from 5th to bottom are all teams that Japan need to defeat to deserve a ticket for Doha. Obviously JNT must qualify without any playoff to avoid any "agony" incident.