TOKYOism

The previous home game, which aimed for victory, was a good game where we battled against Sagan Tosu, a strong and tactically refined opponent, for control. However, despite hitting the post twice with decisive chances, we fell just short of scoring a goal. On the other hand, the opponent rarely entered our penalty area, but they managed to score directly from a free kick towards the end of the game. We couldn't hold on to our one-point lead and it was a disappointing result.

This round, which had a one-week preparation period after a series of consecutive matches, will be played against Júbilo Iwata at Yamaha Stadium. This season, we have already played two matches in the Levain Cup, with one draw and one loss. As a team, we have changed the lineup in the league matches and the Levain Cup, actively using young players in the latter. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that our compatibility with Iwata is necessarily bad based on the results.

In the defeated match, we created decisive chances that surpassed the opponent, and it was a game with a sense of accomplishment in terms of content. Young players such as Yuki KAJIURA scored their first professional goal, and experienced players like Yojiro TAKAHAGI took charge of game-making. Throughout the match, Tokyo had the majority of the control. However, we were unable to capitalize on the chances and were reversed near the end.

The same can be said for this Levain Cup match against Iwata and the last two matches, the precision of the finish. If we are holding the ball and pushing the opponent, it is a different problem if we cannot break through the solid defensive block, but we are able to create chances to threaten the opponent's goal while also incorporating counterattacks. The impression is strong that we are missing out on great opportunities by just a little bit of precision and coordination.

For a team that has been working to establish a new style, this is a challenging time. In order to accelerate growth, we will stick to the new style and bring back 3 points.