After facing the J1 champion last weekend, we now face a formidable opponent. The western assassin, Vissel Kobe. Their momentum shows no signs of waning as they engage in a fierce battle for the top spot with Yokohama F.Marinos.
First and foremost, the standout aspect is the balance between offense and defense. Looking at the numbers at the end of the 24th section, the total goals scored, 44, is the second highest, while the total goals conceded, 20, is the second lowest. As for the goal difference, it is the highest at 24.
The second half of the season's record includes 4 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, including the unplayed match from Section 16. They accumulated 15 points. The driving force behind this impressive performance is the absolute ace, Yuya Osako.
In any case, since the start of the second half, there have been 8 matches with 7 goals. Moreover, the scoring patterns are very diverse. Not only with the right foot, left foot, and head, but also from one touch to direct free kicks, the net has been shaken in various ways.
However, it is not just about scoring. He also has the ability to receive long balls from his teammates in the front line, the skill to transition to counterattacks with post-work, quick switches and intense pressing, and a wide range of tasks on both offense and defense. In other words, he is not only the biggest source of goals but also a key player tactically.
How irreplaceable is he. The previous match against Kashiwa Reysol, where Osako was substituted, may be an example of that. The gears of attack and defense did not work well from the beginning, and Kashiwa took the initiative and eventually conceded a goal. The reason is clear. After the match, coach Takayuki Yoshida reflected on it like this.
"There is no place to settle the ball, no starting point, and the second ball is picked up, and the line has also become deep."
After the second half, it was Okazaki who equalized. No one else but him caught the cross and brilliantly shot it into the net. Unless there are any accidents, he will surely be in the starting lineup this weekend. Naturally, Tokyo's bench needs to come up with a "strategy plan" based on that.
Kashiwa Reysol and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo drew 1-1 with Kobe in the second half, earning 1 point each. Both teams aggressively pressed from the front and caused significant difficulties for Kobe, even scoring the opening goal. Perhaps Tokyo is also envisioning a similar scenario.
First, it is the destruction of the build-up. Apply pressure to the opponent's backs with intense pressing, provoke unnecessary mistakes, and once the ball is stolen, immediately launch a counterattack - this is the biggest target. By the way, in the previous match, Kashiwa's opening goal was scored by picking up the second ball in the midfield, going through the side, and quickly reaching the finish.
Even if you can't steal the ball, there are benefits to continuing to apply pressure. Make the enemy's backs kick a long ball, which they dislike, and quickly recover it. If it's a normal opponent... Whether it will work against Kobe, who has Osako, 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, this is an opportunity to repay their debt from the previous match (2-3). Morishige was unable to prevent 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 breakthrough and Muto scored from the resulting cross. This time, there will be a certain expectation for their one-on-one battle with Muto.
Replacing Nagatomo on the right side of Tokyo is the newly joined Kosuke Shirai. He is extremely strong in one-on-one battles, and should be able to hold his own against opponents like Taiki or Jean Patric.
Under the Klamovski regime, the defensive organization has been established and the result is significantly different from the previous match. In fact, they achieved a clean sheet in 6 out of 8 matches. However, they were defeated in the remaining 2 matches with multiple goals conceded. The reality is that they cannot earn points without keeping a clean sheet. They couldn't hold on until the end last weekend and lost to Yokohama FM. Even if they concede goals, they want to fight tenaciously until the end and secure points.
No matter how much you suppress the number of goals conceded, you cannot win if you do not score. In the last 8 matches, only the Urawa Reds match ended with no goals. Good defense is becoming a prelude to good offense. If, by any chance, the pressing fails, there is also a way to build a compact defensive wall from the midfield. Yokohama FC defeated Kobe by building on this foundation. When attacking, they skillfully mix in long balls and break through Kobe's high line. Of course, the backline is also a target for Tokyo. By placing the explosive speed of Adailton and Jája Silva at the forefront, you can expect a corresponding return. Considering the fact that Kobe struggled to break through Yokohama FC's block throughout the match, it will become a viable option.
Both are similar in their pursuit of high-intensity football. If they attempt fierce pressing from the beginning, many scoring opportunities will likely arise from sharp counterattacks. They have the talent to make that possible. Can Tokyo stop Kobe's "Real 9" that they boast? If they want to seize the chance of victory, there is no other choice but to accomplish that. The main cast of the New National Stadium battle is undoubtedly the blue and red assassins burning with the desire to "shut down Osako".
Text by Satoshi Hojo (Soccer Writer)
