4/6 (Wednesday) vs Vissel Kobe (Ajinomoto Stadium)
Which one will make use of the rehearsal?
Kobe, which has yet to win since the opening, welcomed Kyoto Sanga F.C. at home on the 2nd, but despite taking the lead in the second half, they suffered a comeback defeat. It was the debut match for coach Luis PLANAGUMA, who is currently serving as interim manager, but the goddess of victory still did not smile upon them.
However, the Kyoto match yielded many rewards. Under Coach Luis, the team adopted new tactics and the players embodied them on the pitch. Against Kyoto, who applied intense pressing, the team, known for their possession-based play, demonstrated a certain level of functionality. This became a catalyst for building confidence in achieving results under the new manager.
The experience from the Kyoto match will definitely come into play in this match against FC Tokyo, which also has a strong emphasis on aggressive defense. In the Kyoto match, they positioned players on both wings and showed a clear intention to exploit the opponent's high press. This can also be said to be a rehearsal for conquering FC Tokyo, who have a similar formation.
However, if we look at FC Tokyo from the perspective of a practice exercise, the same can be said. Yokohama F.Marinos, who they faced in the previous match, also adhere to positional play like Kobe. Although there are differences in the speed and other aspects of offense and defense, the direction of taking positions that the opponent dislikes and moving the ball, as well as taking control of the game through ball possession, is the same. One of Kobe's aims in conquering Tokyo will be to aggressively attack the build-up, which includes Diego OLIVEIRA's intense high press and goalkeeper Hiroki IIKURA.
On the other hand, Kobe also emphasizes pressing from a high position, assuming that they will maintain a compact formation, and experienced players such as Yuya Osako and Hotaru Yamaguchi may be able to intercept FC Tokyo's build-up play, which shows a solid skill that is unexpected for positional play "rookies". If Kobe can seize the momentum, the frequency of Andres Iniesta's magical appearances will increase. It seems that the team that can effectively use the lessons learned from the practice match will be closer to victory in this match.
Furthermore, one of the concerns in this matchup is the progress of Kento Hashimoto, who joined Kobe on loan from FC Tokyo. Hashimoto, who has already completed his player registration and is currently improving his condition, shows his fighting spirit by saying, "I am 100% prepared in terms of my mindset." Yoshinori Muto, also a former FC Tokyo player, is currently sidelined due to injury, but if Hashimoto's participation is realized, it will undoubtedly be an unmissable moment for fans and supporters of both teams.
Text by Keita Ono (Ergorasso Vissel Kobe)
