＜Review of the previous match against Gamba Osaka＞
As the game continued with a back-and-forth battle from the beginning, the young guardian of the blue and red team, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, stood in front of the goal.
The first highlight came in the 41st minute of the first half. Despite being caught on a long counter attack and facing a 1-on-1 situation with the opponent, they calmly assessed the situation, limited their options, and reacted sharply to the shot. They stretched out their left hand and deflected the ball.
In the 3rd minute of the second half, he firmly blocked the opponent's middle shot with his right hand and defended the goal. And even in the pinch that came in the 22nd minute of the second half, his big save saved the team.
He was headed from the near side from a set play, but he stretched out his right hand with superhuman reflexes to change the course of the shot from close range and successfully deflected it just above the goal.
Continuous fine saves. It cannot be overlooked that he has become able to quickly reach out his hand to the opponent's shot.
"The goalkeeper is in a defensive position, so it is important to react while keeping an eye on the opponent and the ball, as the play depends on the opponent's actions."
However, in the 40th minute of the second half, we allowed the first goal due to a gap created by the opponent's player substitution.
Tokyo, who is looking to counterattack, launches a fierce attack towards the end. In the second half additional time, it seemed that Henrique TREVISAN scored the equalizer from a left corner kick, but the previous play was judged offside and the goal was not allowed. The time was up. They suffered a disappointing defeat at home and remained winless in 4 league matches.
His performance has been improving with each game. "Personally, I feel like I've been getting better and better in the last few games," says number 41, who also feels confident. That's why he wants to win.
"It's really frustrating because we were able to hold on as a team until the end. Of course, it's important for everyone to put their bodies on the line, and the goalkeeper also needs to put their body on the line as the last line of defense. My biggest desire is for the team to win, so I want to make sure we bring home a victory in the next match against Sagan Tosu."
Following the 3rd round of the YBC Levain Cup held last Wednesday, the 17th round will be played in Tosu. After a tight schedule of matches every 2 and 3 days during Golden Week, this round will see the team face the "Golden J" away with only 4 days of rest.
This round, attention is focused on the players who have been selected for the Japan national team in each age group. Following his selection in March, Yuto Nagatomo will also be joining the U-23 Japan national team aiming for the Paris Olympics, along with four other players: Kuryu Matsuki, Taishi Brandon Nozawa, Kashif Bangnagande, and Ryotaro Araki.
In the away match against Avispa Fukuoka, which took place immediately after the announcement of the March national team members, three players, Nagatomo, Yoshifu, and Araki, who were released to play with the Hinomaru, scored goals and achieved a great victory. They contributed to the team's first win of the season in Fukuoka away, the first since July 2000. We cannot help but expect a high performance from them in their blue and red uniforms in this match as well.
The away game at Tosu marked the first victory in the cup tournament since the 2019 season, but it has been a "difficult place" where the team has not been able to win a league game since June of the 2015 season. Although the team has not been able to produce the desired results with four winless games in the league, they hope to use the victory they won in the penalty kick battle in the previous week's Levain Cup as a springboard for a comeback.
[Interview with Peter Cklamovski]
Q, although we conceded a goal, last week's match was a display of solid defense.
A, I think we had a good overall performance. However, I don't think it was our best and I am disappointed that we conceded and lost. I still feel that there is a lot for us to learn. And I feel the pain of not being able to achieve a victory against Gamba Osaka. Nevertheless, I see it as necessary for our journey. We will focus on developing our fighting style and head towards the next game.
Players understand what they can do and what their challenges are. We must continue to evolve in order to get closer to our ideals. Of course, it is also important to pay attention to details. We believe that in order to become an unstoppable team, it is important to make corrections and improvements, and to move forward.
Q, it will be a rematch with Sagan Tosu in a short period of time.
A, First of all, we want to focus on our own way of playing and play. I think this match will also be tough, but we are making good preparations. If we can play our football, we can score and we are in a situation where we are regaining our defensive solidity. We will continue to pursue our team's goal until the end of the match and aim to take 3 points.
[Player Interview]
＜Player Teruhito NAKAGAWA＞
Q, How do you want to tighten the team again while being far from victory in the recent official game?
A, We want to aggressively go after the ball as a team from the start of the game, and show the intensity of our play by ending with shots. As for defense, I think it is important to not give the opponent any freedom and maintain a strong presence. We want to thoroughly review our team's defensive strategy.
In terms of attack, monotony was also noticeable. In recent games, I feel dissatisfied with the scenes of breaking through by firmly passing the ball in the opponent's territory and the length of time holding the ball. We need to raise our level more to become a threat to the opponent and we cannot give fear to the opponent's defense with a monotonous attack. In addition to the league, we will have a series of games in June, such as the Levain Cup and the Emperor's Cup. As a team, we want to share again as a whole how to maintain a high performance with the same consciousness no matter who is on the field. We believe that it is important to clear each challenge on both offense and defense, and the most important thing is to "keep doing it".
Q, Please tell us about what Teruhito NAKAGAWA is focusing on and what he is conscious of in his own play.
A, it depends on the position you play. When playing in the central position, such as attacking midfielder or lone striker, I always try to create rhythm by receiving the ball and making runs behind the defense, using my own strengths to support the team's forward movement. When playing on the right wing, I communicate with the players behind me and not only focus on staying wide, but also make runs towards the center to create space for the fullbacks to join the attack.
Basically, I am not always playing in the front line, but I am conscious of increasing the number of times I touch the ball by dropping back to the midfield position. I do not want to be too caught up in my position, but rather want to sense the situation on the pitch and make the best decisions.
Q, this is a match against Sagan Tosu that took place about a week ago in the Levain Cup. What kind of performance are you expecting?
A, Through the recent Levain Cup match, we were able to experience the opponent's playing style and tactics on the pitch to some extent, and I believe the opponent team is in the same situation. Tosu is a team that connects from the back, and in the previous match, we played with the consciousness of aggressively taking the ball from the front. It's not about recklessly trying to take the ball from the front line, but if we can compactly take the ball in the opponent's territory as a team, it can lead to attacking opportunities. I think the opponent has also scouted us, so I want to make plays based on reading the flow of the game. Especially in the first 10-15 minutes, it will be crucial to create chances and score the first goal, which I believe is the key point to winning a difficult away game.
＜Kashif BANGNAGANDE player＞
Q, in the league we are in a situation where we have not won in four games.
A, although we are far from victory, when looking at the details, I think there has been improvement in the defensive aspect compared to the beginning of the season. If we say that there were no chances or opportunities in the games we lost, that is not true. There are many cases where we are unable to take the final step or where we give the opponent the only chance they need. First of all, we want to fix those areas. In terms of attack, we feel that we are able to create the shape we aim for. We want to improve the quality of the final shot and, personally, I want to improve the accuracy of crosses and the timing of supplying them. If we can solve these challenges during the game and turn them into victories, I believe we can continue to aim higher as a team. I think other players also feel the same way on the field. We want to continue to strive for correcting our challenges and turning them into results.
Q, Victory, please tell me what is necessary to continue winning streaks.
When it comes to decisive moments and finishing chances, I think it's important to throw your body into the last defensive situation and stick to the ball, and pay attention to the small details. Even though it may feel like we're doing it during the game, when we look back later, it seems like we're lacking compared to when we were on a winning streak. I want to demand more from myself and those around me. By communicating with those around me, I believe it will increase my responsibility for my own play, and I want each and every one of us to play with a heightened awareness.
Q, Sagan Tosu, who played against us in the Levain Cup, is our opponent this round.
A, although we did not participate in the Levain Cup, I think it was a very tough match after watching the footage. Looking at the past results of our away games against Tosu (league matches), we have been far from victory, but if we can win, I am sure we will gain momentum. It is a game that can be a turning point, and I want to make it a game where we can settle the score in 90 minutes, which we couldn't do in the Levain Cup. I want to bring back only a win to Tokyo.
