＜Match Preview＞
The "journey" of the 2022 season, which began on February 18th, has come to its last two matches.
The final away game was against Nagoya Grampus. The match was led by coach Kenta Hasegawa, who had been in charge of Tokyo for the previous four seasons. Despite being familiar with Tokyo's players during the first half of the season, they were unable to score against the coach's tactics and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
The biggest threat to Tokyo is undoubtedly Kensuke Nagai, who played in Tokyo until this summer. He is known for his speed, goal-scoring ability, and beloved personality, making him an important figure for Tokyo fans and supporters. However, this time he will be aiming for Tokyo's goal as a key player for Nagoya. Like Coach Hasegawa, Nagai also has a deep understanding of Tokyo's players. How to stop him, as he continues to push forward with the support of the home crowd, will be the key to this match.
On the other hand, Tokyo's players are also well aware of Nagai. Masato Morishige will face him, Yasuki Kimoto, who was cherished as a junior in college, will try to stop Nagai's speed, and we hope for an intense matchup and ultimately expect Tokyo's center-back duo to "shut down Nagai".
The opponent's defense is led by player Yuichi Maruyama, who will be facing his former team. Tokyo's attack, which scored four goals in the previous match against Cerezo Osaka, will surely face careful countermeasures from Coach Hasegawa. Tokyo's build-up play can vary in accuracy depending on the match, but if the opponent aggressively presses from the front, they should calmly break the press and if the opponent defends with a compact block in their own half, they should move the ball quickly to unsettle the opponent and take advantage of any opportunities without hesitation.
A season that has built a new style for Tokyo through a "journey" with Coach Albert. As a culmination, we bring back 3 points in soccer by "traveling with the ball" (Coach Albert).
[Interview with Coach Albert]
Q, how is the team's condition during the league break?
A, I was able to engage in good training. I think it was a two-week period where various things went smoothly. Just because things went well doesn't mean we can win the game, but I have a good feeling. I feel that the team is continuously growing and I also have a strong sense that the team is in a good state. However, each game is different, so there are various factors that can influence the game result, and there is a saying that you won't know until you actually play.
Q: At the beginning of the season, you mentioned that it would be good to achieve around 50-60% for the new style this season. What percentage are we at now?
A, I think we have reached about 60% of the level we are aiming for.
Q: Where is the basis for that?
A, the current players have a sense of adapting well to this style. Of course, I also had to adapt to the players' characteristics. As I mentioned before, I never thought of doing the same thing as Niigata here. My intention was to do a better job based on the players' characteristics. Of course, taking care of the ball is an essential part, but from there, I incorporated the team tactics based on the players' characteristics. As for changing the style in the first season, I think the players have adapted well and reached a good level. The attacking in tight spaces is also growing steadily, and it is important to continue that growth in the future. However, there is still 40% left, so we still have a long way to go. I want to continue to make efforts in that aspect. I think it is worth evaluating that we have reached the current level in about 8 months. For example, Yokohama and Kawasaki, who are ranked higher than us, have been playing with this style for several years. We also need time in the same way. I think the club will grow into a championship-worthy club by traveling together with all the fans and supporters. I don't think there is any other secret.
Q: In order to fill the remaining 40%, you mentioned about the distance between players during the last practice. Will such aspects become necessary?
A, Yokohama is skilled at playing in tight spaces. One of the very important concepts is playing in tight spaces. In addition, we emphasize making runs behind the defense. This is because we want to take advantage of the fact that we have many players in the second line who are good at making runs. If a player who is extremely good at playing with their feet joins us next season, we will need to adapt the team tactics based on that player's characteristics. However, it still takes time to create good combinations in tight spaces.
Q: Is it important to maintain possession of the ball even against teams that apply high pressure, in preparation for the Nagoya match?
A reason why we want to build up from the goalkeeper is that if we can successfully break through the opponent's defense that comes from the front line with high press, space will open up behind the opponent and the possibility of creating chances will increase. It is not about connecting from the goalkeeper with the aim of beautiful play. Teams that build up from the back against opponents who apply high press have inherent dangers when the ball is taken away. On the other hand, teams that apply high press take the risk of leaving a large space behind if they can steal the ball, which also presents the possibility of a chance. I think there is such a battle between these two teams.
Q, what did you think about Diego as an important presence as a foreign player this season?
I think he contributed with two points. There are several reasons why the number of goals decreased. One reason is that he felt discomfort in his hip joint since the preseason and continued to play while enduring it. In addition, if you look at the team's growth process, you can see that the number of chances gradually increased. For example, Adailton is particularly good at making runs into space. I think he had opportunities from the beginning of the season. As the team grew and had more chances to push the opponent, players like Watanabe, Leandro, and Diego had more goal-scoring opportunities. That's why I think Diego's goal count decreased due to various factors. Like Morishige, I think Diego is a very important player for Tokyo and there is no doubt about it. As vice captain, it was important first and foremost that he was respected by all players, not just foreign players, for his past performances. In addition, there were multiple foreign players, including new signings. Diego was the one who cooperated the most to adapt them well to the team.
[Player Interview]
＜Yasuki KIMOTO
Q: What is your impression of the match against the former team led by coach Kenta HASEGAWA?
As an impression when we played against them, everyone worked hard together and I felt that no one on the team slacked off. In terms of attack, the fast attacks utilizing the talent in the front line left an impression.
Q, I think it's a game at Toyota Stadium, which has a special meaning for you.
A, it's a really good stadium and I think it will create a great atmosphere with a lot of people. I had a good time during my one year in Nagoya, and I am grateful to the club for that, but more than that, I have a strong desire not to lose and I want to focus on winning.
Q: In a previous interview, you mentioned that thanks to Kensuke NAGAI, you were able to enjoy soccer. Was his presence in Tokyo still significant?
A, yes. I am really grateful that even though I am a senior in college, I was able to blend in with the team that I just joined, and I am always told to enjoy playing soccer, which I think is the reason why I am involved in the game now. I also have a feeling of gratitude, but I don't want to be defeated, so I want to find a way to defend myself.
Q, this time, you will be matching up against the opponent's players. How do you feel about it?
A, speed is the fastest in Japan, and I think it is important to take a position first and not be defeated by speed because I cannot match it in terms of speed.
Q, I think it is also important to build attacks while maintaining possession of the ball against opponents who come with a high press from the front line.
A, I think they will put pressure on us from the front line, focusing on player Ryo NAGAI. We haven't been able to achieve good results against teams that come forward, so we need to overcome that. We have been building up the ability to use long balls when there is a risk, not just relying on escaping with long balls, while connecting from the back. I think it is important to use them appropriately in the Nagoya Grampus match. While doing that, I want us to calmly connect from the back without being intimidated and show what we have been doing for a year.
Q, how do you feel about looking back on yourself up to this point in the season with only 2 games left?
A, I have been starting in the league matches all along, and it was the season where I had the most playing time in my career so far, and I have been able to have a fulfilling season. In these two matches, I want to make it the best season for myself by seeking both performance and results.
Q: What kind of game do you want to play while being in a position to aim for the ACL?
We can aim for third place, but honestly, there are also external factors, so in order to aim for that, we have no choice but to win two consecutive games. I hope to focus on the remaining two matches, both in terms of performance and results, without worrying too much about that, and end the year in a good way.
