The Cerezo Osaka Thread

So, any other Cerezo fans around here?

3 wins in a row now! if they beat Thespa away next weekend they might be able to join the very tight race for promotion ( at least playoff )

Anyway, I keep an english Blog about Cerezo, as well as posting previews for all the J2 games every round.

so, if you're interested in J2 feel free to drop in at :

www.cerezo-osaka.blogspot.com

 

Re: Cerezo Osaka FC thread

hehe ,well i thought so i will keep to that general J.League thread then

why isn't there a J2 thread btw? wouldn't it be a good idea to split the 2 leagues?

 

He also looked a bit weak in our first two matches this season, when he stepped in for a suspended Kim, and he was to blame for atleast 2 of the 4 goals we conceded against Omiya and Gamba imo. But our defence looks alot better now than in those games, so perhaps Matsui will have an easier time this around.

but as you said, I doubt the Kim / Matsui situation will be a decisive factor regarding us challenging for a top 3 finish / getting involved in the relegation zone anyway, so it shouldnt matter too much. But of course its depressing to get our best GK by far injured when we are actually as high as 5th place, and it would have been nice to have our best possible squad available to see if we actually could stay up there.

But when i think about it, its only a handful of matches where we havent lost one or more important or key players this season. MArtinez has been out for over half the season, and Inui, Uemoto, Ienaga Kim and Adriano have had spells on the sidelines as well. Luckily we got a fairly big squad.

 

good game against Frontale. IT could have tipped both ways, as it was very open and entertaining and both teams created lots of chances. Perhaps Frontale had the two biggest ones, but overall I think we were just as good, if not slightly better than Frontale.

A point to each team seems fair though, and we should be happy with that, considering we were without two of our most important players ( Kim and Adriano).

This was also our debut at our new home-venue Kincho Stadium. A small and intimate stadium it looked like, but as there are no roof to keep the sound within the stadium, you kinda lose a little bit of the atmosphere. I still prefer Nagai, but for smaller matches Kincho certainly seems to be a good place as well.

 

Just saw the highlights from the Cerezo-Antlers game, and it was a really nice goal by Inui. Or atleast the play leading up to the goal was impressive! WE also had a header from Kiyotake that hit the post, so based on the highlights we played a very good game. WEre put under alot of pressure near the end of the match, and let Kashima come to some big chances, but did well to keep another clean sheet.

Gotta give credit to Matsui as well. He's only conceded 1 goal in 4 games after stepping in for Kim, and have looked solid on pretty much everything that he have done.

I'm impressed with how Kiyotake have "replaced" Kagawa as well, and has become a major part of our offensive play.

 

It's surely closer to the pitch and everything, and in that way its a better place to watch games, but I wouldnt really say its a nice stadium in any way, and atmosphere-wise its not that great either, as only one of the terraces have proper roofing.

My impression from my time in Sapporo especially but also in Osaka and other places is that people want to watch games in NICE stadiums, which is one of the reasons why for example Consadole - Toyama at Sapporo Dome drew double figures of what for example Consadole against Cerezo or Kofu did at Atsubetsu.

Now, the situation in Sapporo is different from Osaka of course, where all 3 of Cerezo's stadiums are located next to eachother, but I still think the same pattern can be seen.

Because no matter how intimate Kincho might be, its not as majestic and nice as Nagai is, and for the not so hardcore supporters that mostly goes to games just to get a nice experience Nagai is definitiely more appealing.

The last seasons in J2, our attendance have always been alot higher during the last 3-4 months than at the beginning of the season, and considering how well we have done so far one should think that would just get even higher now, but so far that has not been the case, and I would imagine Kincho is one of the reasons for that. I mean, 9000 on a game in end of August when we are in 2nd place on the table?? There were much more insignificant matches around the same time the last seasons against poor J2-teams that drew closer to 20 000 actually, so again, I think Kincho is one of the factors why our attendance have dropped ( I'm bad at explaining but... )

 

just watched the highlights of Cerezo - Omiya, and it was another fantastic performance by the Flaming Pinks^^

I got to say I'm impressed with Culpi, and his ability to find players suitable for his system. Like how he have rejuvenated the career of Ienaga, turned Inui into a NT-player, and giving Kiyotake, whogets better and better for each round, the chance to fill Kagawa's shoes in addition to signings like Martinez,Adriano,Uemoto etc. In such a way he actually reminds me a bit about Arsenè Wenger, and his works with Arsenal.

Im actually starting to believe we can be a serious contender for an ACL-spot now.