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February 22, 2004
Preseason Preparations

Though most J.League clubs started their training camps some time in early February, most of the focus up to now has been on the activities of the national team and olympic team, whose matches during February prevented many clubs from putting together a coherent side for the purposes of practice matches. However, over the next week or two there are a number of tune-ups scheduled between various J.League teams, including a few between J.League teams and overseas clubs. There have also been a few last-minute player acquisitions that we will bring you up to date on, as we begin considering each team's prospects for the 2004 season

Marinos Missing More than Matsuda

Of course, in the Marinos defence, they are far from a complete squad at the moment. Coach Okada decided to leave several starters out of his lineup for the A3 championships, and assign them instead to the task of extending the team's lead in their pool of the Asian Champions League, in their match against Indonesia's Persik Kediri, on Tuesday. Missing from the team taking part in the A3 event were the team's captain and core defender Naoki Matsuda, veteran midfielder Yoo Sang-Chul, and 2003 Rookie of the Year Daisuke Nasu as well as young strikers Daisuke Sakata and Yutaro Abe. Nevertheless, there were enough starters on the squad to provide a fairly clear picture of the team's quality, and to sum up the verdict in a few words, they looked rusty and disorganised. The defence played well for most of the first half, but the midfield lacked crispness and Songnam was able to repeatedly dispossess the Marinos before their attack got fully under way. Meanwhile, both Tatsuhiko Kubo and Ahn Jung-Hwan looked less than impressive. Neither one was able to find openings against the Songnam defence, and their teamwork and cooperation was virtually nonexistent. Considering how much newsprint has been expended in describing what a tremendous strike team they will make, this was a pretty weak first outing (The Rising Sun, incidentally, is far from impressed by the so-called "platinum strike team", and will remain skeptical until we see the two start hitting the net on a regular basis).

After a fairly even first half in which shots, scoring opportunities and time of possession, were almost identical, the Marinos began to run out of steam in the second half. About 15 minutes into the second stanza, a breakaway by Songnam finally breached the tiring defenders with Kim Do-Hoon collecting a cross from the left flank and hammering it home. This goal changed the complexion of the match completely, and Songnam were soon rolling towards the Marinos net on a regular basis. The Koreans added two more before the match ended as Yokohama simply ran out of gas and could not keep up with their hard-working opponents.

Naturally this will be a disappointment for Marinos fans, but as a relatively new and not particularly high-profile tournament, coach Okada probably will not be losing too much sleep over his team's final result in the A3 Championship. The more important question is what this says about the team's prospects for 2004. It is still very early in the season, and the Marinos have the legitimate excuse that they were not at full strength. Nevertheless, in their match against Songnam, they seemed to lack not only physical fitness, but also emotional intensity. Simply put, the team looked tired, disorganised and disinterested.

We do not want to jump to any conclusions about team condition or competitiveness until we see how the Marinos perform in their remaining two contests in the A3 championship. Nevertheless, this is as a good an excuse as any to stay off the Marinos bandwagon for the time being. . Though a few Japanese sports commentators have been writing as if a a repeat league championship for Yokohama is virtually a sure thing, the only "sure thing" in the J.League is that there is no such thing as a sure thing. If their performance on Sunday is any indication, Yokohama have a long and difficult road ahead of them in 2004.

Reysol Reign Supreme in 10th Annual Chibagin Cup

Dont expect things to be the same in 2004. After selling off many of their top players like old t-shirts at a flea market, JEF look slow, disorganised and disheartened, while the young and enthusiastic Reysol look like a team of young warriors ready to run out and start slaying top-shelf opposition. The match between the two was no contest, with Reysol steamrolling their opponents from the opening kickoff, and keeping the pressure on until the final whstle. If not for the woodwork in JEF's net, and a referee who seemed more interested is sparing JEF embarassment than in making the correct call, this could have been an even more severe rout.

The difference between the two teams was not only one of energy and enthusiasm. Reysol also looked far sharper and more organised, and they played a strategy that seemed taken straight from Ivica Osim's playbook. In addition to their constant movement, both on offence and defence, Reysol seem to have been well schooled in "movement football", constantly playing passes into wide open space, rather than at the feet of a teammate. Furthermore, they showed excellent positioning and discipline, keeping an extraordinarily tight formation throughout almost the entire match. Regardless of whether their opponent was holding possession (deep in Reysol territory, or out near midfield) the entire defence kept their formation compressed to a mere 25-30 meters. As a result, there was little room for JEF to manouvre.

JEF, by contrast, were extremely static, especially the two strikers Marquinhos and Sandro, and the back line. As a result, Reysol players constantly seemed to be running away from their defenders and into openings that offered a chance at goal. One major problem for JEF was the fact that Yuki Abe is still clearly in poor physical condition, following an injury. He played at the center back position, rather than his usual spot in midfield, and this was obviously not because he has an aptitude for the position. More likely, Osim wanted him to run as little as possible, but despite Abe's good defensive instincts and ball control, as a central defender he was caught time and time again by quick through balls to a cutting striker. JEF's usual key man in the middle, Zeljko Milinovic, was absent, and this certainly did not help. But it seems unlikely that the result would have been any different even if Milinovic had been available.

On Reysol's side, a number of players had good performances, but the most satisfying one for coach Tomoyoshi Ikeya was surely the debut performance by striker Yoshiteru Yamashita. The 26-year-old will be Reysol's "veteran" striker this year, on a team overflowing with talented young strikers but lacking in experience. Yamashita failed to do much last season, at Vegalta Sendai, where he was called upon to penetrate defences on his own. However, Yamashita has always had excellent instincts as a poacher, and in a team replete with nifty dribblers, speedy slashers and tall post men, Yamashita's ability to pounce in the penalty area and drill the ball home may be put to maximum use. He scored one goal, had another cleared off the line (only to be driven back into the net by a teammate), and hit both posts over the course of the match.

Reysol got off to a quick lead when they won a corner kick from the left side, in the 8 minute. The kick was played to the near post, and a tangle of JEF and Reysol bodies scrambled on the ground for the loose ball. Two JEF defenders had chances to slam the ball clear, but failed to do so (how many more times this season will Osim have cause to rue the loss of Nakanishi and Yoshida?). Finally, Mitsuru Nagata managed to pry the ball free, spun around quickly and fired into the roof of the net.

Just before half time, Reysol won a free kick just oustide the penalty area. Ricardinho sent a beautiful shot for the high left corner that Ryo Kushino just barely managed to palm off the crossbar. But the poaching instincts of Yamashita were in fine form, and he swooped in to head home the rebound.

Midway through the second half, Reysol closed out the scoring on a spectacular exchange play between Yamashita, Kisho Yano and Yuji Yazawa. Yazawa fed Yano into the corner, and Yamashita took the return pass when the defence collapsed on the big striker. With his first touch he played a give and go with Yazawa as he broke for the right post, and then one-timed the return pass for a low-angle shot on net. The keeper was way off his line, and Yamashita's shot seemed to cross the goal line, but Yuki Abe raced back and cleared the ball off the line and the official did not immediately indicate a goal. But the defensive play was ultimately pointless, as the clearance fell right to Yazawa, who slammed the ball into a wide open goal mouth from five meters out.

With time running out in injury time, Yano made a lovely individual run into the box and was clearly hauled off his feet. The official blew his whistle, but only to signal full time, saving JEF from any further embarassment.

Naturally, it is impossible to draw deep conclusions based on one match. But coach Osim was obviously as disturbed as we were by the lackadaisical and disorganized play. At half time his comments were "obviously we cant win a match unless the players stop walking and start running", and he drove home this point by forcing the starters to play the full 90 minutes, despite the fact that it was an exhibition match (Reysol made five substitutions). As we noted in our preseason forecasts, Reysol could be a surprise contender this season if their youthful energy is channeled effectively by coach Ikeya. Unfortunately, things do not look so good for JEF. If this is any indication of what we can expect in the regular season, JEF fans may find that the thrill of a title chase is nothing more than a fond memory from yesteryear.

Substandard Singapore Stadium Startles Seatless Spectators

Singapore in holding a rugby sevens match at the national staduim at around the same time, and although the stadium has not been booked for March 31, the date that the Singapore-Japan NT contest is due to take place, the organisers have indicated that they will not be able to let the match take place at the national stadium. The only other venue they have available is the Jalan Besar facility, which not only seats a mere 6,000, but has also been described by some JFA officials as being in "unacceptably poor condition".

Responses from tour organisers who were planning package tours to Singapore for the event, as well as members of "Ultra Japan" -- the largest Japan national team fan club -- have indicated that they expected somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000 Japanese fans to travel to Singapore for the event. Local organisers agree, indicating that their preliminary estimates were that 40,000 people (both Singaporean and Japanese) would attent the event Since 6,000 seats will be inadequate even to accomodate the home team's supporters, most of the tour organisers have been forced to suspend their plans, for the time being. However, there are indications that pressure is building on the JFA, to refuse to play the match in a substandard venue and ask the Asian Football Confederation to hold the match at another venue (effectively, stripping Singapore of its home advantage).

FAS officials have said that there is nothing that can be done, since Singapore has no other venues available for football, and since the rugby sevens event was organised several months earlier. However, there are numerous international-quality facilities available in nearby Malaysia, and given the numbers that Japanese tour groups are talking about, even Singapore's own tourism industry seems to be putting pressure on the government and the FAS to choose another venue. "It is very disappointing, for we are expecting a big crowd for the game." said a major hotel operator. "We've already had several inquiries from Japanese tour agencies."

However, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) indicated that their decision to hold the match at the Jalan Besar facility was already cleared with the JFA, and would not be reconsidered. "The FAS and SSC reviewed all options and explored all ways of fulfilling Singapore's obligations to host the Singapore-Japan leg of the Fifa World Cup qualifier. The two stadiums with the largest capacities With the existing booking at the National Stadium, at least a week is required for setting up the Stanchart Singapore Sevens. In view of this and the inability to move either event, a decision was made to hold the Singapore-Japan World Cup qualifying match at Jalan Besar Stadium."

Marinos, Jubilo Undefeated in ACL Action

Because the team was shorthanded, Yokohama made J.League history at this match, when 16-year-old Asato Miura, a member of the Marinos youth team, became the youngest Japanese player ever to take part in an Asian club championship match. Indee, a number of youngsters got a chance to show their stuff in this match. Rookie striker Sho Kitano found the net twice in the first half, while his strike partner Yutaro Abe added a goal in the second period and another rookie, Masato Yamazaki, provided the fourth strike after coming on in place of Kitano, in the second half. In a piece of news that will please Marinos fans, defender Naoki Matsuda made his first competitive appearance since an injury sidelined him, late last year. He played only 75 minutes, but seemed to be back in reasonably good physical condition. Assuming that his recovery continues at this pace, he should be ready to start for Yokohama when the regular season kicks off, on March 13.

Jubilo Iwata also had a comfortable stroll in the park, claiming a 3-0 win over Thailand's BEC Tero Sasan, thanks to two goals by ace Rodrigo Gral and a late strike by Toshihiro Hattori. Jubilo were drawn into a more competitive group than the Marinos, but have also managed to stay undefeated in their first two matches (they managed a 2-1 win over Chonbuk Hyundai, in Korea, earlier in the month).

The initial round of the ACL is a double-round-robin (home and away) involving four teams. Yokohama were drawn with Binh Dinh, Persik Kedri, and Korea's Songnam Ilhwa, while Jubilo drew Chonbuk Hyundai, BEC Tero Sasana and China league champs Shanghai Shenhua. The top team in each group will advance to the knockout stage of the ACL.

Reds Al-red-y Red Hot

As we have been predicting since the moment the Reds announced that Buchwald and Engels would be at the helm, this season, the reds played a non-traditional lineup which, over the course of the match, varied from what looked like a 3-4-3 to what might easily be characterised as a 3-3-4 (though most of the sports tabloids called it a 3-3-3-1). This is something that we considered almost obvious based on the strategic inclinations of both Engels and Buchwald, and even more apparent once the team completed its off-season acquisitions. Yet every one of the "meikan" (preseason team roster and 2004 league preview) issues of Japan's leading sports magazines have predicted that the Reds would employ a pretty standard 3-5-2 lineup. This, coupled with initial indications coming from the Grampus and Verdy training camps, have given us increased confidence about our predictions and expectations for other teams, this season. We will be posting our preseason predictions for each team some time later this week, or the first week of March at the latest.

The match against Adelaide quickly demonstrated the no-nonsense playing style favoured by Engels, as well as the speed and attacking capabilities of the Reds team. Though we will have to wait until all of the national team members return to get a true picture of how effective the team will be in 2004, the second goal against Adelaide demonstrated exactly the type of quick-fire passing and pell-mell attacking that we have been calling for the Reds to adopt since early last year. After an Adelaide attack was broken up in the back by Ichiei Muroi, he sent an outlet pass to Nobuhisa Yamada, in the second line, who immediately fired it along to Makoto Hasebe in the front line, who one-touched it to Emerson for a point-blank shot. The ball travelled over 80 meters -- from the Reds defensive line to the back of the Adelaide net -- in seven seconds flat!

Grampus Giving No Goals

Nevertheless, for Nagoya, it is particularly vital that they reach peak form quickly. Their schedule over the first three weeks is sure to be a severe test, away to Cerezo Osaka in the opener, followed by a home match against Jubilo Iwata and another road trip to Kashima Antlers. On the positive side, though, if Grampus make it through the first three weeks undefeated, they will be in a strong position, with a comparatively easy ride over the remaining 12 weeks. The way things look now, we are starting to consider Grampus as one of the favourites to win the league in 2004.

Nagai Comes Out of Retirement for Trinita

Rumours and Rumblings