I don't know since my Japanese is very limited but his injury at Brighton definitely didn't seem benign so I guess Moriyasu didn't want to take any risks.
I don't see anywhere it says Morita is injured. He has been injured on and off a few times this season, though.
Of course Japan has to bring some strikers also but you can question the choice of Shiogai and Goto. Thats my honest opinion. Morita and Fujita must be damn dissapointed. Also Sano.
Man this really sucks I'm devastated for mitoma, I'm guessing he wouldn't be available for the knockout stages, this hurts
Good Squad ? - Nagatomo ??? WTF ??? WTF ??? - Endo ? Even more WTFFFFFFFFF, worst pick ever, this guy played 20 years ago a game + was injured heavily - Shiogai ? What the hell is Moriaysu thinking ? Almost played no second over 3-4 month + scored a single game -Ogawa? Same like Shiogai - Itakura ??? Omg ...don't now what to say For me it's maybe one of the worst pick ups ever. I thought Moriyasu has changed, especially after the last friendlys. But that ??? We have 6-7 players who are totally out of form or injured or both and should never be in this team right now. That's totally insane, why we need 6 striker ? Ueda, Goto and Ueda would be enough + they are 3 different Types of striker. We need more flexible middlefielders for compact and right defense and good offensive flexibility. - Kodai Sano - Joel Chima Fujita - Hidemasa Morita That's 3 players we really really need and I say that now. That will cost us all, we will go out in the groupstage !!! Or maximum go through as 3rd. Where the hell is Tomoya Ando ??? You really take a Ko Itakura over him ? After those average season with such a long injury he have ? A Ando would be also have soooo much depth in flexibility, cause we don't have a defender like him at the moment...tall and athletic. Man I am really pessimistic Edit:I know you shouldn't say or think that but I really hope Nagatomo, Itakura, Shiogai and Endo get a slight injury to need to removed before the WC and relaced by another player. Or that they would have the balls to say that by the self, the don't want to go.
As much as I dislike Itakura, the guys plays for Ajax while Ando (and Fujita) play at St. Pauli who is bottom in the 1. Bundesliga. Ando has 3 caps for Japan, he wasn't a standard player that somehow got left out. Also, I'm pretty Moriyasu has a backup list of 5-6 players in case some of the call-ups get injured.
I would 100 agree ! But Itakura was average and was injured long now + benched a few games. He is totally out of form. Ando played very solid, is in top form and played regularly. + Ando is a player type we didn't have in the Squad beside Machida and Tomiyasu. You have to nominate the in form, playing regularly guys not the dead body's. Imagine a first 11 with Nagatomo, Itakura, Tomiyasu and Endo. This could be possible, then we are dead, cause 1/3 if the team rarely play a game in the last months + that's a punch in the face to other hard working players who also has their good qualitys. My point is we have sooooo much quality right now. Even our C Team is rock solid. You have to use the best players not the possible best or most famous + go a little risk with rookies. Kodai Sano, Fujita, those hungry flexible players would be so vital. A Ogawa is okay but he could only play as a striker, he has no other abilities. That's bullshit. And on top he include Yuito Suzuki. Maybe he could get fit but after a 6 weeks break, how good could he be ? Play 10 Minutes with a maybe not fully healed injury ? That's even worse then 2014. But why you guys are suprised about Hiroki Ito ? He was playing alot for Bayern and is close to be on his top again. He will be our main players in the defense and that's good.
Ando is an ok player and so is Fujita but I'm not exactly that shocked that they were left out. If Tomiyasu had been left out then I would understand the issue even more. Except for Tomiyasu, I don't think Nagatomo, Itakura or Endo will start a game until maybe the last group stage match. I'm fine with Ito being included, when you have a starter at Bayern you have to take him to the World Cup.
I can understand bringing Shiogai and he has high defensive workrate for a striker alongside with his poacher instincts. Itakura is ok but Endo, Nagatomo and Tomiyasu cannot understand why they are chosen. Nagatomo will be 40 soon and Endo/Tomiyasu has not much playing time this season. Even Hiroki Ito did not play really much this season too. Kodai Sano, Hidemasa Morita and maybe 1 of Sota Kitano/Reo Hatate/Kuryu Matsuki should have been there instead. As for Keisuke Osako, feel that it should have been Leo Kokubo or even Kosei Tani/Brandon Taishi Nozawa instead of him.
Who is surprised over Ito? The guy should be the leading man in defense. As long as he can stay healthy. The defense is shaky I think. Look at this, if we can see at a worst case scenario but still a reality. Nagatomo , why?? Tomiyasu, little out of form but fantastic if he is healthy. He will be injured by the wind. Itakura, shaky and isnt even playing regulary. Taniguchi, can be good but still I cant fully trust him. Ito, the best defender, but also so damn injury prone, you get nervous everytime. Watanabe, needs to be at his best. Sugawara, same as above. Seko, little up and down. Suzuki, very versatile and reliabe but depends on how much Moriyasu likes him I feel.
Watanabe is very good, Ito is also playing alot. 5 starts in a row at the end of the season for Bayern is enough I would say to be back in form but of course injurys need to be avoided. Suzuki is great, Seko also. Taniguchi of course is good this season. I would say best defense Japan ever had. Only thing is Itakura and Tomiyasu. But miles away from being shaky and of course nothing should happen. Ot course a fit and in form Tomiyasu, Machida and Takai would boost that by far but at the moment the defense is rock solid unless Itakura and Tomiyasu are not starting which of course could happen. Then we are dead.
Thinking about it there weren't too many surprises. The 3 players I didn't predict were Nagatomo, Goto and Shiogai The players who were called up for the recent friendlies were most likely to be in this squad. Goalkeepers no surprise. For centre backs I would've preferred Ando to Seko for better physicality but Ando hasn't played as much for Moriyasu compared to Seko. And I suspect that Seko may be earmarked as an option in midfield as he has played for Le Havre in midfield. Taniguchi was someone I wasn't sold on previously plus he had a serious injury last season. However he's stepped up and he'll be very important in this tournament. Nagatomo I've already talked about so whatever... it's happened I only expected either Shiogai or Goto to go, not both of them. Shiogai has excellent pace and athleticism, he is a very good talent but I'm surprised to see him as he doesn't play much for Wolfsburg. Goto might play as a shadow player instead of being a striker. Leaving Mitoma out is wise for his long term career. He can play in the Asian cup providing he's fit for that. It will be a test but if Japan are going to be a serious high level National team then we should be able to succeed without Mitoma
Goalkeepers as expected Central defenders too, I was hoping Ando in, one of Tomiyasu and Itakura out... For me logically Tomiyasu. Hasn't played football for ages. Nobody knows if he's anywhere near his old level again. Also his old level... he started extremely strong, but hasn't really progressed after the Asian Cup 19, he was basically the same player after that, never really progressed further. Still, if he can be back at that level, ok, but can he? How many minutes of professional football has he played in the last 2 years? I would have left him home. Then Nagatomo, ok I was wrong, was 100% sure he wouldn't be there until a week ago, watching some Japanese youtube videos, predictions, everybody wondering.... ok, only 99% sure. Makes no sense. Yes, the LWB position is not that strong, but he's still only there as a mood maker, mascot. Moriyasu should have left Nagatomo in vs Croatia 4 years ago. And leave him home now. Next weirdness defensive midfield. With all the quality and quantity Japan has Moriyasu calls 3.5 players there? Endo was expected, could possibly be kicked later if the fitness just isn't there. He counts only as a half player. But no Fujita? So a strength now becomes a weakness, expected 5 here. As for Morita, the writing was on the wall, he didn't call him since forever. And even if Endo were to be kicked later will be Fujita in I guess. Well... wrong decision, first on Fujita, second on Morita. Then mostly the expected ones, with Yuito Suzuki another guy whose fitness might not be clear. Just bring Kodai Sano for him. Up front he brings 17 reserves? Ok, will play them in weird positions, Maeda as LWB.. please not. But there's at least one too many there, Ogawa never impressed me, not needed. Biggest mistake no Fujita. Second biggest Nagatomo.. he is the best Japanese player of all times, but he's "slightly" passed his prime. Like 10 years
Japan needs more players that haven't recovered from injury yet? Also it's not like Ito, Tomiyasu, Watanabe etc etc are tiny.
Indeed + Japan has not for nothing a amount of players who also could play for JNT. This selection is a punch in the face for many of japanese players abroad. I think some other international coaches who could possibly face Japan are laughing his asses up right now. Don't get me wrong, the core team is superb but nobody criticize this, that's for sure but the rest is the worst you could do out of that team. Everybody of us could made a wiser player selection then that.
Even worse, I realized. We have only Kamada, Kaishu Sano, Tanaka and Endo for the central middlefield, that's insane. Endo you can't count. When we start with Endo we will lose for sure, he can't compete after such a long time. So we have only 3, but what if someone doesn't perform ? Or get injured or get tired ? We often complain about Moriyasu but this time he is sick as ******** in his head. We need Morita, Kodai Sano and Fujita. Our biggest strength is our compact and defensive reliable middlefield. When something goes wrong there we didn't have anyone. Even as a substitute those missing 3 would be maybe the most important puzzle piece. And for a game to rest someone, maybe against Tunisia you could drop anybody to the bench without loosing quality. My god, I think Moriaysu plans to start Endo alongside Sano. Then Sano will only have to cover up Endo and can't do anything. I think this will be a nightmare. 0 points
Haha calm down friend. But I agree, with this selection. If Japan get some injuries they are fcked in some positions.
I get your idea, but Croatia is calling up Kovačić, Gvardiol and Vušković, who are not 100% after their injuries.