After facing the J1 champions last weekend, we now face another formidable opponent. The western invaders, Vissel Kobe. Their momentum shows no signs of slowing down as they fiercely compete for the top spot with Yokohama F.Marinos.
First and foremost, the standout is the balance between offense and defense. Looking at the numbers at the end of Sec. 24, the total number of goals scored is 44, which is the second highest, and the total number of goals conceded is 20, which is the second lowest. The goal difference of 24 is the highest.
The second half record includes an unplayed match (Sec. 16), with 4 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss. They have accumulated 15 points. The driving force behind this impressive performance is their absolute ace, Yuya OSAKO.
After all, there have been 7 goals in 8 games since the start of the second half. In addition, the scoring patterns are very diverse. Not only with the right foot, left foot, and head, but also from various forms such as one-touch and direct free kicks, the net is being shaken.
However, the most impressive thing is not just the goals. He also has a wide range of tasks on both offense and defense, such as the ability to receive long balls from his teammates on the front line, the skill to quickly turn the game around, and the aggressive pressing. He is not only the biggest source of goals, but also a key player in tactics.
How irreplaceable he is. The previous match against Kashiwa Reysol, where Osako was relegated to the bench, may be one example. From the beginning, the gears of offense and defense did not work well, and Kashiwa took control, eventually conceding the first goal. The reason is clear. After the match, coach Takayuki YOSHIDA reflected on it like this.
"There was no place to settle the ball, no starting point, and the second ball was picked up, and the line also became deep."
In the second half, it was after sending Osako to the pitch that they caught up to the tie. It was none other than himself who caught the cross and brilliantly shot it into the net. Unless there are any accidents, he will surely be named in the starting lineup this weekend. Of course, the Tokyo bench needs to come up with a "strategy plan" based on that.
Kashiwa Reysol and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo both earned 1 point by drawing 1-1 with Kobe in the second half. Both teams aggressively pressed from the front and caused trouble for Kobe, even scoring the first goal. Perhaps Tokyo is also envisioning a similar scenario.
First of all, it is about destroying the build-up. Apply pressure to the enemy's backs with intense pressing, invite unnecessary mistakes, and once you have taken the ball, go for a quick counter attack - this is the main target. By the way, the opening goal of the previous match was picked up in the midfield, passed through the side, and quickly brought to the finish.
Even if you can't steal the ball, there are benefits to continue putting pressure. Make the enemy's backs who dislike risks kick long balls and quickly recover them. If it's a normal opponent--. The real question is whether it will work against Kobe, who has Osako. That is the first focus.
Specifically, it will depend on the performance of the center-back pair (Masato MORISHIGE and Henrique TREVISAN) who are entrusted with the important task of containing Osako, who becomes the target of long balls on the front line. A positive development since Peter CKLAMOVSKI took over as coach is the noticeable improvement in the ability of the players in the backline to disrupt the opponents' play.
Furthermore, the performance of Yuto Nagatomo, who plays as a left full-back, will also be crucial. After all, Kobe's strength lies on the right side. With winger Yoshinori Muto, right behind him is the side-back Takuto SAKAI, and in the inside midfield is Hotaru YAMAGUCHI, a former overseas player and former Japanese representative, all of whom are talented players. If Osako gets involved in the play, they can easily break through the enemy's defensive line.
Furthermore, there may be a strategy to exploit the mismatch between Muto and Nagatomo. It involves competing with Muto's height by playing long balls. If it is deemed disadvantageous, Nagatomo can be replaced by Sakai, and Henrique can be sent as an assassin against Muto. Then, Morishige, who remains, can tightly mark Osako. Utilizing such vertical and horizontal deviations may also be effective.
For Morishige and Nagatomo, it's a chance to pay back their debt from the previous match (2-3). Morishige was unable to stop Osako's post-play and conceded a goal from a sharp counter attack. On the other hand, Nagatomo, who was playing as a right back, allowed Koya Yuruki to make a sharp vertical breakthrough and Muto scored from the cross. This time, there is something to be expected from their one-on-one challenge against Muto.
Replacing Nagatomo on the right side of Tokyo is the newly joined Kosuke SHIRAI this summer. He is incredibly strong in one-on-one battles, and should be able to hold his own against opponents such as Taki or Jean PATRIC.
Under the Peter CKLAMOVSKI regime, the defensive organization has been established and its completion is significantly different from the previous match. In fact, they have achieved a clean sheet in 6 out of 8 matches. However, they have lost in the remaining 2 matches with multiple goals conceded. The reality is that they cannot earn points without keeping a clean sheet. Last weekend, they couldn't hold on until the end and lost to Yokohama FM. Even if they concede a goal, they want to fight tenaciously until the end and grab points.
No matter how much we suppress the goals, we cannot win without scoring. In the last 8 games, only the Urawa Reds game ended with no goals. Good defense is setting the stage for good offense. If, by any chance, the pressing fails, there is also a way to build a compact defensive wall from the midfield. This was the foundation for Yokohama FC's victory over Kobe. When attacking, they skillfully mix in long balls and break through Kobe's high line. Of course, the back line is also a target for Tokyo. With the explosive speed of Adailton and Jája Silva leading the front line, we can expect a suitable return. Even considering the fact that Kobe struggled to break through Yokohama FC's block, this could be a viable option.
Both are similar in their pursuit of high-intensity football. If they both attempt fierce pressing from the beginning, most of the chances will come from sharp counter attacks. They have the talent to make it possible. Can Tokyo stop Kobe's "Real 9" that they boast? If they want to seize the opportunity to win, there is no other way but to accomplish it. The main cast of the new National Final Round will surely be the blue and red assassins burning with the desire to "stop Osako".
Text by Sato Hojo (Football Writer)
