The team have moved again, this time to Nashville for their camp. I can't imagine this would've done the team much good, especially when the Tunisia game and a potential round of 32 game are set to take place in Monterrey where they originally were placed.
2-1 against u19 should be worrying even if you sub constantly and your goalkeepers play as forwards. Quite frankly the entire preparation part has been handled strangely 1. Play iceland but kind of have yoshidas farewell game. 2. Play only 1 friendly when all are playing 2-3 3. Reserve shitty location / with shity pitches for your training grounds 4. Play u19 team behind closed doors 5. Handling of endo situation... 6. Relocating to nashville I mean strange shit
Suzuki Itakura - Tomiyasu - H. Ito Doan Sano - Kamada Nakamura - Kubo - Junya Ito Ueda I don't think that Junya Ito plays well on the left, but Kubo is really important on the right wing. Kamada is key. He will play excellent passes through to Kubo, Ito and Ueda. No one sees the field like he does. I am not sure if Tomiyasu is healthy. If he is, he starts, if not, then Watanabe. I can't believe Kodai Sano is not on this team. Moriyasu is just stubborn. He has always done this and except for that Asian Cup fiasco, it has somehow worked well.
If Endo cannot make it, then Itakura or Seko can be a defensive midfielder, and a tall CB like Machida should be called up. Or just go with Morita.
Yummi! Music to my ears! I hope we will reach at least 10 strange points before the 06/14! Moriyasu is a prisoner of his own character, he will never change his mind in his last mission. "Sink the ship with its captain" must be his philosophy. We will play a WC with a predictable injured starter in midfield. Accept it and enjoy the ride. His last ride.
Yep. I had a similar reaction when I first saw the squad which was picked by Moriyasu. I still cant believe that he left out players like Morita who was the best Japanese player in the Champions League this season, Sano who was the most in form Japanese player of the Eredivisie and Ando who was the best Japanese defender in the Bundesliga this season. But of course the biggest blow for Moriyasu Japan is the injury of Mitoma.
That's exactly my thoughts, very weird but nonetheless Japan has still a great team and that means a lot on the other hand. Our deepth in quality, raised alot since the last 8 years. But of course those points are hurting.
Yes and Machino is the replacement. I have a sinking feeling in my best after hearing this Why Machino....
Hmm okey. Weird. And Itakura captain, it means Moriyasu has 100 % trust in him and a starter in every game.
That's fine, but I just cannot understand Machino being the replacement. We are now down to 3 natural branch midfielders in the squad. Seko is 4th choice but is not a real midfielder. Itakura can also play but is an even worse choice in midfield. Moriyasu has a serious issue with certain players. The squad is imbalanced and only 1 injury in a certain position can cause severe issues. I'm very worried now
This is the flipside with Moriyasu. Stubborn and seem to have something against certain players. Imagine Morita not even get the chance now. I hope Morita goes public after the WC.
Great news that Endo is out even without a real replacement. That makes the squad way better. But crazy that he didn't call up Fujita, Sano and Morita. And why the hell is Itakura Captain out of nowhere, when Doan was the 3rd Captain after Minamino and already do a great Job vs England and Scotland ??? It would be so crazy and a punch in Watanabes face if he isn't a starter and Itakura and Tomiyasu instead. Watanabe was by miles out best CB this season. He was not for nothing in the Team of the season, beneath Kodai Sabo by the way....
Itakura being the new captain means he is guaranteed to start every game unless he can't, I don't like that at all.
The latest news is that Endo has apparently decided to retire from international football following his injury.
Situation with Machino is not optimal. We don't need another striker. Sano, Fujita or Morita would have changed that to an extremely well balanced side but it's at least great that Endo is out. So we don't have to worry that he will start. Itakura is not great but he is far more game fit then Endo and it could be worse to start with him, cause he has quality. When we manage with a Yoshida to beat Spain and Germany it is possible to play a solid WC with a Itakura. But of course I was hoping to never see him again.
The National team. But that makes me think that he thought about this for a while. Could he not have contributed to the 2027 Asian cup? And Moriyasu's decision to bring Machino makes me realise the downside of Japan's unity. This Japan team is strongly unified under Moriyasu's plans. So the team is well coordinated and prepared. However when Moriyasu makes decisions he is not allowed to be questioned, even if these are bad decisions. So Japan will sink or swim with Moriyasu
They don't. I believe they never questioned Morita's absence. This is Japanese culture, avoid losing face even if mistakes are made. And don't usurp your superiors and elders
Nobody understand that and it's very questionable but on other hand it works somehow, that Moriaysu is untouchable. The team is far from being bad but of course could be a step stronger with the right mix. But it is like it is. It's still a good team and who knows maybe Machino will be our hero with his Naruto goal celebrating.
Ok, they managed to convince FIFA after all. But Machino? Logical choice was Fujita. With Goto-Shiogai-Ogawa-Maeda there were already 4 behind Ueda... one more? Of course he'll play them in other positions more often than not, shadow, but already having Kubo-Ito-Suzuki and Nakamura (when he's not put on LWB) ... 10 guys for 3 positions?