Starting XI Predictions for 2014 World Cup!

Discussion in 'Japan' started by JMontero, Jan 18, 2012.

  1. JMontero

    JMontero New Member

    Jan 17, 2012
    Club:
    Santos FC
    I know it's WAY too early to do this but I just wanna see other peoples predictions.. :p

    Here mine:

    Ibusuki

    Usami Kagawa Kiyotake

    Honda(C) Endo(Too Old?)

    Nagatomo Yoshida Havenaar(Nikki) Sakai(Hiroki)

    Kawashima


    Super Subs: Miyaichi, Haraguchi, Otsu??

    I included Nikki Havenaar as a wild card, mostly because I don't know who else to put in there. But from what I read about him, he seems to have a lot of potential(192CM and still growing?).

    I put Endo in there mostly because I want to see him still be competing come 2014. He just might be one of the most secretly crucial players for JNT.

    And how come theres not too much hype around Ibusuki? He could turn out to be a monster!!

    Thanks good lads! :D

    Edit: For some reason the player alignment and spacing got all messed up.. its supposed to be 4-2-3-1
     
  2. uhdfkwncvbgtyhu89

    Nov 27, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Actually Nikki's height is 198cm :D
     
  3. nsato

    nsato Member

    Oct 11, 2009
  4. JMontero

    JMontero New Member

    Jan 17, 2012
    Club:
    Santos FC
    Wow even better!
     
  5. Saku²

    Saku² Member+

    Aug 22, 2009
    Club:
    FC Salzburg
    This is football, not basketball ...
     
  6. sc-f

    sc-f Member+

    May 23, 2009
    Club:
    SC Freiburg
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Oh man... don't start with the height-quality equation.

    Otherwise: Basically think of all players who Zac uses as regulars will be in our squad, thus Endo will be there, Konno will be there. Hasebe will be captain. And, use Honda in a def. mid. position and that will backfire totally.
     
  7. JMontero

    JMontero New Member

    Jan 17, 2012
    Club:
    Santos FC
    Well.. If you didn't know this, it is better be taller if you are playing at CB. ;)
     
  8. SamuraiBlue2002

    SamuraiBlue2002 Member+

    Dec 20, 2008
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
  9. Saku²

    Saku² Member+

    Aug 22, 2009
    Club:
    FC Salzburg
    [​IMG]
    Hello !

    [​IMG]
    What did you say about height ?

    And I'd say bring back AmericanKaka, he was a jerk but it was entertaining.
     
  10. nsato

    nsato Member

    Oct 11, 2009
    Oh really? Didn't think he was that bad besides the fact he made everything black and white! I thought his on field opinions were good.
     
  11. sc-f

    sc-f Member+

    May 23, 2009
    Club:
    SC Freiburg
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    ... until we played DPRK...
     
  12. SamuraiBlue2002

    SamuraiBlue2002 Member+

    Dec 20, 2008
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
  13. JMontero

    JMontero New Member

    Jan 17, 2012
    Club:
    Santos FC
    Ok, I was saying it's even better that Nikki is 198cm rather than 192cm..

    Would you want a 192cm Nikki or 198cm Nikki playing CB for you?

    Of course there are great CBs that are not tall... I was just saying it's a good thing that Nikki is growing..
     
  14. Saku²

    Saku² Member+

    Aug 22, 2009
    Club:
    FC Salzburg
    You could also see it that way, one feint and he can pick up his kidney on the ground. You probably didn't see it but he gets schooled pretty hard in a game vs Israel U17 because what he gains with his height, his loses because of his lack of explosiveness and motion.
     
  15. nsato

    nsato Member

    Oct 11, 2009
    Just read through all his comments...didn't see anything that warrented a ban though he was overreacting as usual

    haha didn't know he created a thread for him
     
  16. sc-f

    sc-f Member+

    May 23, 2009
    Club:
    SC Freiburg
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
  17. nsato

    nsato Member

    Oct 11, 2009
  18. sc-f

    sc-f Member+

    May 23, 2009
    Club:
    SC Freiburg
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    What's a less harsh wording for 'sniper'?

    I don't know if he really meant it or not, but for me it seemed like he wanted to test goru. I am too lazy to read it all again, but if I remember right there wasn't any indication that he would back off, so he left goru no choice.
     
  19. nsato

    nsato Member

    Oct 11, 2009
    someone that will boo him?
     
  20. KATO

    KATO Member

    Nov 26, 2011
    Manchester
    Club:
    Urawa RD
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Havenaar will probably keep growing since he's only sixteen, he might be too tall for a CB though.
     
  21. AKITOD

    AKITOD Member+

    Apr 5, 2007
    Hobart, Aust
    Club:
    JEF United Ichihara
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    WAAY too early to be have any idea.

    But for sure:

    Nikki Havenaar WILL NOT be ready or good enough. Tbh I tend to think he's probably a little too big to be a top class CB (there are few that are that massive), he may prove me wrong but I'd rather Konno or any of the other CB's who are a more appropriate height for the position (MIZUKI HAMADA).

    Being taller doesn't automatically make one a better CB. Nikki is WAY too young.

    Hasebe will captain the side. He's done a fine job so far, a boss in the centre of midfield, and has experience as a World cup captain (even if Kawaguchi was technically captain last time).

    Ibusuki will literally need to have an AMAZING 2012-13 season to be in contention.
    ----------------
    The players who make an impact who aren't involved yet, are probably those from the current olympic generation (whether those players are in the actual olympic team or not).

    I'm watching for Mizuki Hamada, who is showing some ability recently and is a good build and physical enough. Also looking for players of an Endo build incase (and it may happen) he can't play at the top level in 2014, so guys like Shibasaki or possibly even Yamamura if he steps up.

    Also the right attacking midfield place needs to be "owned" by a player. Okazaki is good, but Kiyotake is also good and right on the verge. And behind those two there are another several talented players.

    Also the CF needs to be owned, and right now it's between Lee & Havenaar and Maeda on the cusp. I tend to think Zac will use Lee & Havenaar for different types of opponents fairly equally.
     
  22. KATO

    KATO Member

    Nov 26, 2011
    Manchester
    Club:
    Urawa RD
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    I'm hoping for a big season from Nagai, Hamada and Yamamura (Key players up front, central midfield and defence respectively). In the long term Hamada could form a potential partnership with Yoshida.

    Also I was impressed by Ogihara in the second half of the season.
     
  23. uhdfkwncvbgtyhu89

    Nov 27, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Yoshida-Hamada CB pair for 2014, mark my words. :D
     
  24. Whispered11

    Whispered11 Member+

    U.C. Sampdoria
    Japan
    Oct 4, 2011
    Munich, Germany
    Club:
    UC Sampdoria
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Let's start by saying that making a Starting-X prediction is basically impossible. But we could try to guess who will be in the squad of WC2014.
    I wanna make a premise: that's only my opinion, not a certain reality.
    We can assume that we will play with the solid 4-2-3-1 of Zac.

    GK (3 spots)
    100% Kawashima, Gonda
    The 3rd GK could be anybody: honestly, Nishikawa doesn't give sense of security, so probably an experience-call (Sugeno?) would be better. Yamamoto and Hisashiguchi aren't so good. The dream will be one between Narazaki and Yamaguchi make their fifth WC.. but it's impossible, i guess.

    CB (4 spots)
    100% Yoshida, Konno
    I don't like Yoshida, but he can only improve. Konno is an experienced player, he'll be 31 and useful for that WC. After them, i don't know: Makino seems probable, if he recovers the skills that everyone saw in Hiroshima. The last spot? Inoha, probably. Iwamasa will be too old, i'd like to see Morishige instead of Yoshida, he'll be great. Kurihara also could be an option (he'll be 31), but i dream also about the return of Tulio.

    LB/RB (4 spots)
    100% Nagatomo
    The only certain is Yuto. I mean, Uchida is 99%, but i don't know how's gonna end his situation at Schalke and that's a key for the remaining of his career. 99% also for Hiroki Sakai, he'll be a starting-one imho. After them, i don't know.. Komano will be 33, Nishi would be interesting (I like him), Yasuda is so and so. Do you have any suggestions? Also Gotoku Sakai could be an option.

    DMF (4 spots)
    100% Hasebe, Endo
    The captain and the genius: there will surely be space for them. Hasebe will be 30, Endo 34, but when you have such a genius player, you take him with you and that's enough. Otherwise, for the two remaining spot, it's a mess.. there's one statement which is an undeniable truth: the more you go forward in the field, the worst it gets about picking someone, because there's so much talent in Japanese players. Barada, Kashiwagi, Ienaga, Yamada, Higashi, Hosogai, Shibasaki, Kanzaki. Imho, i'd like Higashi with one between Barada and Kanazaki. Mu is probably one of the greatest mistery of Japanese football: why doesn't he play in Europe? He's one of the best midfielder in Japan.

    OMF/LMF/RMF (6 spots)
    100% Kagawa, Honda, Okazaki, Kiyotake
    In this particular field's zone, "there's too much talent" :lol: i don't know, these four players seem really likely to be a part of the WC2014 squad. For the other two spots, it's difficult, the list of players is unstoppable: Miyaichi, Usami, Hiroki Yamada, Kakitani, Otsu, Miyayoshi, Saito, Yuki Ono, Omae, Yamazaki, Kensuke Nagai, Yuya Kubo, Haraguchi. It's really too much. Honestly, i'd like Haraguchi/Miyaichi and Saito/Kubo. Probably Haraguchi and Saito.

    CF (2 spots)
    100% nobody.
    I'd like to say Havenaar, but his adventure in Europe will be fundamental. Also for Lee in England. After them, Maeda will be too old for Brazil; Ibusuki is really interesting, Kanazono is to watch, Osako, Kensuke Nagai (he can play both OMF and CF), J. Tanaka, Morimoto. I'd like Havenaar and one between Kanazono (i'm really impressed by him) and Ibusuki, hoping that his adventure in Spain will be a success. Probably Ibusuki, if he can rise a star.


    So, HYPOTHETICALLY speaking, a squad could be this (in bold the sure-ones, for the remaining spots i'd like to put my hopes and dreams):
    1 Eiji Kawashima (GK, age 31)
    2 Masahiko Inoha (RB, age 28)
    3 Masato Morishige (CB, age 27)
    4 Marcos Tulio Tanaka (CB, age 33)
    5 Yuto Nagatomo (LB, age 27)
    6 Atsuto Uchida (LB, age 26 - i know that he's a RB, but he could be a backup for Yuto)
    7 Yasuhito Endo (CMF, age 34)
    8 Keigo Higashi (CMF, age 23)
    9 Shinji Okazaki (RMF, age 28)
    10 Shinji Kagawa (LMF, age 25)
    11 Hiroshi Kiyotake (RMF, age 24)

    12 Seigo Narazaki (GK, age 38)
    13 Hiroki Sakai (RB, age 24)
    14 Manabu Saito (SS, age 24)
    15 Yasuyuki Konno (CB, age 31)
    16 Mike Havenaar (CF, age 27)
    17 Makoto Hasebe (DMF, age 30)
    18 Keisuke Honda (OMF, age 27)

    19 Hiroshi Ibusuki (CF, age 23)
    20 Akimi Barada (DMF, age 23)
    21 Genki Haraguchi (LMF, age 23)
    22 Maya Yoshida (CB, age 25)
    23 Shuichi Gonda (GK, age 25)



    With this Starting-XI

    [LINEUP-4-5-1]Havenaar
    Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa
    Endo, Higashi/Hasebe
    H. Sakai, Tulio, Konno, Nagatomo
    Kawashima[/LINEUP-4-5-1]


    What did you think about it?;)
     
    weka repped this.
  25. Blue-San

    Blue-San Member+

    Jun 21, 2011
    Club:
    Kashima Antlers
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    I agree with the goalkeepers 100%

    Defence, is a mistery and probably the most important choice since I think this is where Japan is "weak". Currently I would go with Konno and one more guy Yoshida...I dont know...I wish Japan can find a really good one in next year or so...

    Right back Hiroki Sakai

    Left back Nagatomo

    (back ups well again I hope they find a good one, perhaps Gotoku Sakai can be it, but it is important to note, that even Hiroki needs to advance and Uchida...)

    MF Hasebe and... who Endo imo will be a bench warmer who will travell to Brazil but imo should not be first team. 34 years of age takes away a lot of stamina and midfielders need it, especially for Japan's style of play...
    I am hoping a guy like Gaku Shibasaki or someone like that can develop and be the one to hold the midfield even though we may get a young player, I think Japan desperetly needs one good young midfilder if they wish to succeed.

    But perhaps Japan could also look into the prospects of Hiroki Yamada or someone like him

    AMR/AML/AMC

    something like:

    left: Takashi Usami
    center: Shinji Kagawa
    right: Honda

    and substitutions: - Takashi Inui, Hiroshi Kiyotake and Genki Haraguchi

    And in case of any injuries there are the likes of Naoki Yamada, Kikitani and Miyaichi waiting in the backgrounds, really it would be a disaster if Japan does not send 6 amazing players to WC on that position and we will probably be talking how its too bad some of these guys were left behind.

    Attack. I am starting to worry less and less about this as well.

    Junya Tanaka, Kanazono, Havenaar, Okazaki (but needs to raise his level of play especially for club) and Tadanari Lee currently are all great for me...and with the likes of Ono waiting in the backgrounds I am excited about the attack too.


    Basically I am only worried about defence and holding midfield, and especially abotu central defence.


    Japan needs to get better players in 1 year time on that position
     

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