Alberto, betray me more and more!
I was greatly betrayed from the opening game. Of course, in a good way.
I had high expectations and at the same time, I had the same amount of anxiety about what kind of changes would be brought about when watching Alberto's first battle in Tokyo.
At the press conference announcing the new system, the coach Albert repeatedly mentioned comments indicating that "there may be difficulties in the first six months until the style is established" and "we are still in the early stages of construction" and "it has only been a month since we started working on this style," both during the camp in Okinawa and after returning to Tokyo.
Furthermore, during the pre-match interview, it was evident that they acknowledged the high level of completion of Kawasaki Frontale, who are currently on a two-time winning streak, and they did not have high expectations.
That premonition came true as soon as the opening match started. From the kick-off, everyone was in chaos, and even when trying to build up, the ball did not move forward and instead allowed Kawasaki to exploit the space behind the final line, causing trouble. At the 15-minute mark, the premonition turned into anxiety, and I almost held my head in my hands.
However, the big betrayal came from here. After about 15 minutes, we gradually regained our composure and after 25 minutes, we took control of the game. The ball started rolling forward with a good tempo.
One of the factors is that Takuya AOKI, who played the anchor position, and Ryoya OGAWA and Ryoma WATANABE, the two fullbacks, increased their number of touches on the ball.
From around the 15th to 25th minute when they made a comeback, it was more of a strong feeling of pushing back with the speed and power of Diego OLIVEIRA, Leandro, and Kensuke NAGAI in the front line. They were too fast vertically and the surrounding players couldn't keep up, but Aoki maintained the overall balance and spread passes wide, while Ogawa and Watanabe, who have excellent game-making abilities, effectively positioned themselves while observing both teammates and opponents, giving the build-up a sharpness.
As a result, the time spent playing in the opponent's territory naturally increased, leading to a strong attack that pushed Kawasaki back, creating a continuous positive cycle. It can be said that for the entire second half of the game, they completely dominated. Shuto ABE and Kuryu MATSUKI, the inside halves, spent most of their time playing towards Kawasaki's goal, and the fierce attack they showed towards the end was a completely different sight from before.
Considering that it was still the opening match, it is not important that we were unable to score despite creating many scoring opportunities and even failed to bring back even one point. What is more important is that in the first 90 minutes of this season, under the guidance of Coach Albert, FC Tokyo has shown that they are heading in the right direction, walking the right path, and trying to change.
I was impressed by the man named Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, who, despite making such "pessimistic" remarks, revealed such a substantial content, and made me think of him as a "director".
Also, the sight of the blue and red fans and supporters gathering in front of the visitor's seat after the match and passionately inciting them. And also, the fact that during the camp, the players worked hard to incorporate tactics by likening the ball to a lover. Coach Albert is skilled at manipulating actions and words, attracting people, and getting those around him in the mood. So, if you think about it, it may have been part of the plan to consistently lower expectations from the preseason and surprise everyone with the performance in the opening match.
＜Passion shown by Coach Albert in front of fans and supporters after the match＞
The coach Albert, who has always maintained a cautious attitude without being greedy or rushing, has one more thing to say as the season begins.
"No matter the game, no matter the opponent, it is important to stick to our own style."
The soccer shown at Todoroki Stadium, which was the stage for the start of the 2022 season, gave many people hope and expectations. Now, what I strongly feel is that I want to experience it at home at Ajinomoto Stadium. I can't wait to see the next 90 minutes directed by Coach Alber.
Text by Daisuke Suga (El Golazo, FC Tokyo Correspondent)
