* Not actually a shop

Monday, May 30, 2011

Kyoto 1-4 FC Tokyo

J2 Matchday 8

The build-up to this game was all about us getting revenge on the team that sealed our fate and relegated us on the final day of last season (though in truth, we owe Urawa almost as much for laying down against Kobe, but I digress...), but in reality it was more about us trying to build on the stretches of good play we had shown in the first seven games, and putting it all together for 90 minutes. We were still looking for our first away win of the campaign as well, and what better place to get it, and bury the demons of last season, than at our own Theatre of Nightmares?

After his promising season debut in the home draw against Shonan we all expected to see Sotan Tanabe get another start, and it was happy days when the teamsheet was released, with Yohei Otake drafted in to the XI for his first start since Kobe away at the end of August last year. Ironically, after calling for him to be picked in my last four match previews, I didn't bother putting him in for this game as it appeared to me that Mr. Okuma just didn't rate him! Just goes to show I'll never work out the Big Bear...

Anyway, so apart from Otake in for Tatsuya (Injured? He wasn't even on the bench), the other change was one I did get right (kind of), with Yuhei Tokunaga moving back to right back, Kenta Mukuhara dropping to the bench and Kazumasa Uesato Hideto Takahashi taking Tokunaga's spot in the holding midfield role (OK, so I got it half right!).

Otherwise it was as expected for Tokyo, and the hosts kicked-off in pretty shitty weather, with steady rain falling. Despite the conditions we made a bright start, and Yohei Kajiyama fired off a range-finder in the 5th minute, missing at the near post after Roberto Cesar had done well to control a throw-in and slide the ball back to Casual on the left side of the box.

Nine minutes later we were ahead, after a brilliant move started and finished by Casual. Firstly he slipped a short pass to Takahashi, who played it out to the left sideline to Tanabe. After some fancy footwork Tanabe played it back to Casual, who nutmegged his man and advanced into the box, with Sotan continuing his run and overlapping to the left. Casual slid it ahead and Sotan, who had no time to take a touch with the keeper coming out to close him down, pulled the ball back perfectly for Casual to fire home with ease from the six yard line.

Hang on though, you knew it wasn't going to be that easy, and just six minutes after we went ahead it was Kusatsu flashbacks all round, as the hosts drew level after Shuichi Gonda could only parry out a fierce low shot and their midfielder Naito drove home the rebound. It was a pretty poor goal to concede, as the defence should've been able to clear after Gonda's save. And again without singling out Hokuto too much, he was guilty of ball-watching after following Diego's run into the box, leaving Otake to challenge Naito for the loose ball.

It really would've been Kusatsu all over again were it not for a brilliant but somewhat fortunate save from Gonda in the 28th minute. They broke at speed after a set piece was cleared and Hokuto, who had stayed back, half came for the ball at around the halfway line but didn't commit. Atsutaka Nakamura knocked it by him, and zoomed off, with Hokuto and Casual trailing in his wake and Tokunaga desperately trying to get over to cover. As he bore down on goal Nakamura fired low and hard from inside the D, with Gonda just getting enough on it for the ball to skid off the surface and loop over the bar onto the roof of the net.

We were back on top two minutes later though, after a goal that showed the value of Otake's dead-ball skills. Casual's shot was deflected out for a corner, and from the right, Otake curled in an absolute peach of a ball that begged to be headed in, and Sotan didn't disappoint, planting a bullet that the keeper could only parry into the roof of the net. Questions have to be asked about their defending, as Sotan was completely unmarked as he began his run from the edge of the box, but he still had work to do, and he finished very well, netting his first league goal to restore our lead.

Eight minutes before halftime Otake extended our lead with his first league goal in nine months, as their defence gifted us another chance. After Takahashi lumped a harmless-looking ball into the box, the Kyoto defender made a complete hash of his clearance, and Otake strode onto the ball and lashed home on the half volley from 16 yards, the ball squirming through the keeper and into the net.

With a comfortable 3-1 halftime lead, the only question was if we would go back into our shells, or kick on and try to extend our lead, and with Sotan in the mood the answer was well and truly the latter. Thirteen minutes into the second half he grabbed his second, and our fourth, after a lovely one-two with The Salad, and Sotan's touch to take the return pass and ease it past the last defender was excellent. From there he fired past the keeper into the far corner and that was game, set and match, although The Salad did his best to try and pile on more agony for the hosts, but was unable to add to his goal from last week. Hopefully he's saving a few up for Ehime on Sunday!

On a personal level it was also great to see Jade North get on the pitch to make his FC Tokyo debut, even if it was for only the last minute or so of stoppage time.

So revenge was well and truly had, a thoroughly deserved win, we doubled our goal tally for the season(!), and most pleasingly, two of our younger players, who had been starved of opportunities in the past, were the architects. Sotan was clearly Man of the Match (so much so I didn't even bother putting a poll up on the blog!), and Otake's performance was also worthy of mention, for his delivery on set pieces almost as much as his goal. The Salad continues to improve as he gets fitter, and Casual is playing better back in centre mid than he did in the more advanced role.

That was the sort of team performance we had been waiting for, and while I wasn't getting carried away after our win over Toyama, this was the sort of display (with the only caveat that Kyoto's defending was woeful) that could kick start our season. The result moved us up three spots to ninth, still four points out of the promotion places, and as I mentioned above, it's Ehime (at Komazawa) on Sunday. With our young guns leading the way, you'd have to like our chances.

Come on you Gasmen!

Friday, May 27, 2011

Kyoto v FC Tokyo: Preview

J2 Matchday 8

We owe you pr#cks. Oh, how we owe you. While our relegation at the end of last season was entirely our own fault, the fact that these decided to go out in style after not winning for almost three months before the last game of 2010 means there will always be a special spot in the bottom of my colon for Kyoto.

And so tomorrow we revisit Nishi Kyogoku Stadium, the scene of our club's darkest (two) hour(s). The place where Mr. Okuma had the brainfart to end all brainfarts, starting Tatsuya, who had played 15 minutes of football in three months instead of Masashi Oguro, who had started EVERY LEAGUE GAME SINCE HIS ARRIVAL! Still bitter? Me? Nah...

US
Naohiro Ishikawa is now back in regular training, but whether he will have done enough to win a spot on the bench for this game is debatable, and with Pedro Junior still seemingly a while away, it appears we'll see pretty much the same 18 as for Shonan last weekend.

football formationsThere were enough encouraging signs in the first half of that game, with Sotan Tanabe a positive inclusion, so I'd expect the manager to go with a similar XI here, with one exception. And that is: Kazumasa Uesato coming in for Kenta Mukuhara. And yes, that means I'm calling AGAIN for Yuhei Tokunaga to return to right back.

I know Mukuhara has his fans (and not just the ladies), but apart from the Chiba game I think he's been fairly average. Tokunaga is a better defender, and while he's not as quick as Muk, he is handy down the flanks and a better crosser of the ball in my opinion.

Uesato has only had two starts, and while he didn't exactly set the world on fire, he showed some good signs, especially in the Toyama game, and would feel hard done by if someone else (Hideto Takahashi, for example) had moved ahead of him in the pecking order.

Takumi Abe returning to start at left back wouldn't surprise me, as Hokuto's defensive frailties were clearly exposed when he was miles out of position for Shonan's goal, but I'm presuming the manager will stick with the more experienced Hokuto here.

Monday, May 23, 2011

FC Tokyo 1-1 Shonan

J2 Matchday 7

FC Tokyo welcomed last years fellow J1 dropouts Shonan Bellmare to Ajista on one of the weirdest days of weather I can remember. From sunbathing in the morning, to chattering teeth after the game, probably as a result of an absolute drenching I got on my bike as I cycled in from Mitaka. Somehow 15,000 squeezed into the undercover areas to watch the afternoon’s events.

We thought we might be in for a game when we noticed that Shonan were actually going to play TWO men up front, something as rare as hen’s teeth for opposition teams to do at Ajista in recent times. FC Tokyo themselves made some interesting changes, bringing in Soutan Tanabe to operate on the right of midfield and Hokuto to replace the rested or dropped (?) Abe. With only one recognised striker available (On the Gas does not recognise Tatsuya as a striker), Hanyu was asked to dry his eyes and play in the hole behind The Salad.

What? A goal? In the first minute!? How do you do the Wasshoi chant again?
How refreshing! After some good work by Soutan and Morishige the ball broke to Kajiyama who cleverly cut it back to Cesar Salad, who opened his body up beautifully and slotted it away past the keeper’s right glove. This was Tokyo, we were back. Perhaps because of Shonan’s unwise shredding of the blueprint of how to get points against FC Tokyo away, we were able to find much more space in the opposition half than usual. Casual was linking really well with those around him, the newly drafted in Soutan especially. Cesar Salad was turning into space and getting into good positions in the box. Hokuto was having some joy from his full back position. The opposition were even giving us the ball back. Chances were created. Clear cut chances! Casual and The Salad could easily have added to the scoreline.

Unfortunately though (you knew there was an unfortunately coming, didn’t you?), those missed chances came back to bite us on the backside in the second half. The beginning of the second period was flat, with Shonan seeming to sit a bit deeper and show little urgency despite being 1-0 down. Only a powerful shot from The Salad which the keeper could only fumble onto the post stopped me from nodding off into my beer as Tokyo struggled to produce any meaningful final ball.

And it was in the 78th minute when the Gasmen were caught out, a long ball finding their right back in acres of space where Hokuto should have been (the nearest defender was Cesar!). A perfect ball into the box was delivered for substitute Nakamura to head home, leading to an almost audible sigh of resignation amongst the home support. Shock but not surprise. The balance between attack and defence is something the team is still struggling with. While we should still have been pressing for a second as we were there was no reason for the defence to be so badly exposed when we were 1-0 up with 12 or so minutes to go. Tokyo were unable to rally after that and despite all the good work in the first half we were forced to settle for a point.

Hopefully we can build on the positives: much better passing and movement in the first half, encouraging signs from Soutan, better work by Casual and some sublime skill by The Salad. The plain facts however, are that we are 12th in J2 and not getting results, and judging by the mixed reaction of the fans to the team at the end there will be little relief of the pressure on Big Bear after this one.

Friday, May 20, 2011

FC Tokyo v Shonan: Preview

J2 Matchday 7

After another tumultuous week, FC Tokyo return to Aji Sta this Sunday to face our whipping boys from J1 last season, Shonan. We did the double over them in 2010, winning 3-1 at Hiratsuka and then 3-0 at Kokuritsu, but they visit this weekend in perhaps the most challenging time in our club's history. Already rocked by long-term injuries to key men Sota Hirayama and Takuji Yonemoto, we found out this week that their direct replacements, Daiki Takamatsu and Roberto, will each miss three to four months with a leg fracture and a knee injury, respectively.

This comes on top of rumours of possible home end protest/unrest/boycotts before, during and/or after the game (or staying away entirely in the case of a boycott!), which should make for an interesting atmosphere, and an interesting crowd number to boot. Whether the protests (if they happen) will be directed especially at the manager, the front office or the players themselves is unclear (to me anyway), as is the form they'll take, but from a personal point of view whatever happens is far too little, too late.

US
football formationsYesterday on twitter (@OnTheGas1999), I asked what formation and XI our supporters would like to see on Sunday. I received replies from @aishiterutokyo and @purely_belter, and both went with 4-5-1, though with quite different personnel.

As much as I'd like us to play 4-4-2 at home, our striker shortage means that Tatsuya Suzuki would have to be the support striker to Roberto Cesar, but as we know from painful experience Tatsuya has never really done it up front, in fact his last goal in a game he started as a striker came in Matchday 28, 2009 (Nagoya away).

Therefore its difficult to imagine that Mr. Okuma would set us up like that, so on this ocassion I'm predicting a combination of the team he'll go for, together with what I'd like given the circumstances.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

J2 Power Rankings Matchday 6 Update

#The purpose of these Power Rankings is not to rehash the League Table (which you can find in the right-hand column), but to rank the teams in my opinion from best to worst, taking several (unscientific) factors into account.#

My pre-season rankings piece was basically my prediction about how things will finish after the full season of 38 games, but in these semi-regular updates teams will move up or down depending on current form and results, as well as each team's prospects going forward. Seeing as though we're only six games into the season, the relative difficulty of each team's schedule is a factor, too, meaning that the league table can be somewhat skewed so early into the campaign.

Results between teams head-to-head carry some weight as well, but, for example, FC Tokyo and Tochigi are ranked higher than Kusatsu and Oita, despite losing to the latter pair, respectively, last Saturday. Different reasons apply though: expectations are that The Gasmen will improve after a sluggish start; while Tochigi are rewarded for their unbeaten (until the Oita game) start to the season.

Here we go then, feel free to comment if you disagree with any of my rankings or reasons for moving clubs up or down (The number in brackets is my pre-season ranking).

1. (2) Chiba
(last two: beat Tottori 1-0 A, beat Okayama 2-1 H; next two: Kumamoto A, Oita H)
They ripped us a new one at their place, took their chances while we didn't. Two 3-0 wins to start the season, but things have been tighter since, and they've scored last-minute winners in their last three games. Kumamoto away will be a good test for them in Matchday 7, but after that its cruise control until Tochigi SC at Fuku-Ari Matchday 12. No goals for big Aarøy since Matchday 2.
2. (5) Shonan
(last two: drew with Ehime FC 1-1 H, beat Tosu 1-0 H; next two: FC Tokyo A, Kusatsu H)
A fast start, then a dip, then a good win at home. Just three goals in five games since their 5-0 win in Matchday 1. Will be interesting to see how they set up at Aji Sta... will they try and follow the blueprint, or go toe-to-toe with us?
3. (8) Tochigi SC
(last two: beat Yokohama FC 2-1 H, lost to Oita 1-0 A; next two: Ehime FC H, Tokushima A)
Their excellent start to the season finally came to an end in Oita, though they have had a fairly easy set of fixtures up to now. They should get back on track against Ehime, but then Tokushima away will be a good test before they play "big boys" Shonan (A) and Chiba (A) in Matchdays 10 & 12.
4. (7) Tokushima
(last two: beat Kyoto 2-1 H, beat Ehime FC 1-0 A; next two: FC Gifu A, Tochigi SC H)
The only team to beat Chiba thus far, and winners of the first Shikoku Derby of the season last Saturday. Their only loss was to...Mito, but for the win over Chiba they get a decent bump. A big clash with Tochigi in a fortnight, a win in that one would see them move up further.
5. (1) FC Tokyo
(last two: beat Toyama 1-0 H, lost to Kusatsu 2-1 A; next two: Shonan H, Kyoto A)
This is clearly not a ranking based on performance thus far! Injuries to Hirayama and Yonemoto have been devastating, losing Takamatsu is also brutal, meaning a lot now hinges on The Salad finding his shooting boots. Uesato seems to be settling into centre mid, and with Ishikawa and Pedro Junior to come back, things are not all doom and gloom. The next two games, against the teams we were relegated with, could determine Mr. Okuma's future.
6. (9) Kumamoto
(last two: beat Sapporo 1-0 H, drew with Mito 0-0 A; next two: Chiba H, Yokohama FC A)
They've played four of six at home, and are undefeated there, but are yet to play any of the big boys in the division. Big chance for them to impress when Chiba visit this Saturday lunchtime.
7. (4) The Spews
(last two: beat FC Gifu 3-1 A, beat Kitakyushu 4-0 H; next two: Oita A, Tottori H)
Where have all these goals come from?! After the derby draw, they've gone mental. Just as well, because their start was horrible.
8. (12) Tosu
(last two: beat Oita 2-1 H, lost to Shonan 1-0 A; next two: Sapporo H, Mito A)
They've been great since the resumption, highlighted by 3-1 wins over The Spews and Yokohama FC. Sunday's loss at Shonan was their first since we beat them in the opening game.
9. (15) Oita
(last two: lost to Tosu 2-1 A, beat Tochigi SC 1-0 H; next two: The Spews H, Chiba A)
They bounced back well from their derby defeat to Tosu by becoming the first team to beat Tochigi this season.
10. (10) Kusatsu
(last two: lost to Okayama 2-1 H, beat FC Tokyo 2-1 H; next two: Toyama A, Shonan A)
They beat Oita, but are below them because beating Tochigi carries more weight than beating us (at this stage). They should be very grateful to us, too, for playing Rafinha into form.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Kusatsu 2-1 FC Tokyo

J2 Matchday 6

Well....is that it, is that rock bottom? Can things get any worse than being beaten by a middle of the road J2 team from the middle of nowhere? Unfortunately, the answer to those two questions appear to be no, and yes, respectively, as our frankly dreadful start to the season continued on Saturday.

Again having the chance to notch consecutive league wins for the first time since October 2009, FC Tokyo travelled up to Maebashi to take on Kusatsu, the very epitome of an average J2 team we thought we'd chew up and spit out this season. But as we are quickly discovering, we are the big fish that all other teams are looking to take a bite out of.

Roberto Cesar returned from suspension but had to make do with a place on the bench, as Daiki Takamatsu was preferred as the lone frontman in the same 4-5-1 formation as we used against Toyama. You have to wonder at this point how much the boss rates The Salad, as Takamatsu had been poor the past three games and Cesar appears at (or very close to) full fitness. Elsewhere Tatsuya Yazawa came in on the left of the midfield 5 in place of Hokuto Nakamura, but otherwise it was the same XI that laboured to that win at the end of Golden Week.

Anyway, to the game (if I must...!). After a slow start, we grew into the game and took the lead in the 28th minute when Yohei Kajiyama slotted home from the spot after Tatsuya Suzuki was brought down. Goals in consecutive games for the first time this season gave us something to build on, or so we thought... Just three minutes later though, the hosts pulled level after Rafinha lashed a first-time shot back across Shuichi Gonda after he was played in by a nice ball from Shingo Kumabayashi.

Just before halftime Kazumasa Uesato fired in a shot from the right that the keeper couldn't handle, but Takamatsu was slightly slow pouncing on the rebound and the teams retired to the sheds level. We started the second half on the front foot, with the Tatsuyas both firing in efforts, and perhaps sensing a chance to take better advantage of our build-up play, Okuma introduced The Salad in the 53rd minute, with Uesato making way and Casual moving back into the centre of midfield alongside Yuhei Tokunaga.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Kusatsu v FC Tokyo: Preview

J2 Matchday 6

The Gasmen claimed a much-needed win over Toyama to round-off Golden Week, ending a run of three games in eight days at Ajinomoto Stadium. Tomorrow, the travelling Tokyo Kop will descend on Gunma, for our first-ever league meeting with Kusatsu, the only football club in the world nicknamed after hot springs, Thespa (The Spa).

US
Depends how you look at things, really, doesn't it? Are you a glass-half-full, or half-empty, kind of person?

Half full? Hey, we're unbeaten in three, have kept clean sheets in four of five, and sit two points outside the promotion places, having managed so far with nothing from the still-rehabbing Naohiro Ishikawa, and next to nothing from much-lauded imports Pedro Junior and Roberto Cesar.

Half empty? Well, as good as the defence has been, we've scored two goals in five games, we clearly still struggle with teams who sit back and follow the blueprint, and Daiki Takamatsu and Yuhei Tokunaga, who are trying to fill the boots of our two long-term injury victims, Sota Hirayama and Takuji Yonemoto respectively, have been pretty poor imitations thus far.

football formationsSo what does Mr. Okuma do here? Probably the same XI I guess, not wanting to change a winning side and all that, but I'd like to see two changes from the team that started against Toyama, with The Salad returning from suspension to play on his own up front, and Yohei Otake coming in on the left of a midfield 5.

Those changes would see Takamatsu and Hokuto Nakamura replaced, and they could have few complaints after indifferent performances in the last game. I'm against us playing two holding midfielders in any game, but there's no point banging on about it because Okuma clearly favours that in the absence of Yone, so I'm begrudgingly pairing Kazumasa Uesato with Tok.

THEM
This is actually our second visit up there this year, after a 1-1 draw in a preseason friendly, a game described at the time as the perfect introduction to what we could expect in J2.

Monday, May 9, 2011

FC Tokyo 1-0 Toyama

J2 Matchday 5

I won't keep you too long (for a change) with this, I promise. A baking hot day, 80 minutes of frustration, and then, finally, a goal, breaking our drought that had lasted for roughly 380 minutes. The right result on the run of play, but for so long it looked like we'd end up with our third 0-0 of the Golden Week period.

At the selection table we were missing the suspended Roberto Cesar, and the recently crocked Pedro Junior, so any doubt about whether Daiki Takamatsu had done enough to keep his job up front became moot as he was the only recognised striker we had available. Yohei Kajiyama was listed as a forward, but roamed wherever he fancied as usual. In midfield, we finally got to see Kazumasa Uesato, and our new number 32 joined Yuhei Tokunaga on holding role duty (more on that later), while on the left flank Hokuto Nakamura came in for his first start since the first game of the season, replacing Naotake Hanyu - though Roswell was to end up being the hero. Jade North made the bench, as did Sotan Tanabe, both to warm applause.

Much was made of Toyama's "3-3-3-1" in the build-up, but in truth their formation was fairly fluid, and alternated (the best that we could make out) between 5-3-1-1 when we had the ball, to 3-1-4-2 when they came forward. If someone wants to pull me up on that and tell me different I'll take your word for it, but thats the best Tokyo Bairn and I could deduce as we basted and slowly marinated in the afternoon sun. The terms of Ryo Hiraide's loan meant he was ineligible to play, which was a shame as I was looking forward to seeing his massive cranium and ridiculous hairstyle, but there you go, you can't win 'em all etc. etc.

First half was predictable and tedious. Toyama sat back, we probed, but with Takamatsu doing an excellent impersonation of a statue, there was little movement in our final third and we were reduced to shots from distance. Casual, Morishige and Uesato all tried long-rangers, and then our best chance fell to Casual, who forced an excellent low save from their keeper in the 40th minute. Despite our dominance, I'd wager not a single person in the crowd of 14,174 was surprised we retired to the sheds at 0-0.

And so it continued in the second half, the home end urged the players to shoot, Toyama were resolute defensively and looked somewhat of a threat on the counter, though their legs grew heavy as they had been forced into two substitutions due to injuries in the first half. We continued to dominate possession, Tokunaga was just wide with a rasper, but persisting with two defensive midfielders wasn't getting us anywhere (no link, I just want to make a point), so finally, in the 68th minute, Hanyu came on for Uesato (Tatsuya Yazawa had replaced Hokuto 12 minutes earlier). This sort of role may be the future for Roswell, as we all know he struggles to get through 90 minutes, so using him in half hour-or-so bursts could help both himself and the team.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

FC Tokyo v Toyama: Preview

J2 Matchday 5

Four games played, one win, with one goal scored. Certainly not what we expected life in J2 to be like. The performances of the past week (goalless draws v Sapporo and The Spews) have been pretty dire, and the natives are getting restless...finally...(only about eight months too late). The rumblings of discontent amongst the Aji Sta faithful seem to be ever-increasing, and should reach a crescendo if we fail to beat Toyama, the worst team in J2 not named Kitakyushu last season.

US
Right, stuff it. Okuma changed a couple of things between last Saturday and the Derby (Casual further forward in a midfield diamond, with Naotake Hanyu on the left of it), but I'm proposing we blow the whole thing up this weekend. I know there's no need to panic after just four games, after all we're only two points behind Shonan, who are third, but nothing we've tried thus far has worked, so I'm pushing the boat out and suggesting 4-3-3.

football formationsThis XI features four changes from Wednesday, and would see Kazumasa Uesato make his FC Tokyo debut at the base of a central midfield three, while The Salad's sending-off in the Derby, and Daiki Takamatsu's general ineffectiveness, means I think Pedro Junior should make his first start for the club as the target man in a front three, where he'd be joined by Yohei Otake, who'd be making his first start since the end of August last year. The little wizard has never really done the business as a first XI player, but I think he deserves his chance here and his creativity and dead ball skills could have a big impact on our overall performance.

Hokuto Nakamura is the other inclusion, and he and Yuhei Tokunaga would be expected to provide energy down the flanks, while along with Takamatsu, the other omitted players are fullbacks Takumi Abe (consider him rested rather than dropped) and Kenta Mukuhara (unlucky, he's been one of our better players thus far, it just appears that Tokunaga is undroppable so he'll shift back to right back).

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Gas Talk Episode 5

Wow, what an eventful game that was! It ended scoreless, but there were enough talking points for the three Gas Talk'ers and our special guest to chew over for 20-odd minutes. It was pretty noisy in the izakaya we visited, but we managed to muddle through and I think we covered the big moments in the game.

Our guest was Nick, the man behind the Verdy blog Tokyo Nerdy, and it was interesting to get his take on the game, when his son Joe wasn't assaulting him or needed to be taken to the toilet, that was.

As usual, you can listen on the player below, download the mp3 by clicking on the Gas Talk logo to the right, or through iTunes, where you can subscribe by searching "Gas Talk."

Enjoy.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Tokyo Derby XIII: Preview

J2 Matchday 4

Most FC Tokyo fans probably thought we'd never see them again, but our relegation at the end of 2010 meant that the derby against Yomiuri Tokyo Verdy Kawasaki 1969 (aka 'The Spews') returned to the fixture list this year for the first time since the 2008 season. Both clubs have started poorly and failed to live up to expectations thus far: we sit 13th on four points; while they are bottom and the only team with no points from the first three games. But as the cliche that applies to derbies all across the footballing world goes, the formbook goes out the window in games like these etc. etc.

The #13 in the title refers to the number of league meetings since they moved to Tokyo in 2001 (by the way, 44,030 at the first-ever derby at Aji Sta in '01 - WOW), and of the 12 previous J1 clashes we've won six and lost four, with two games drawn (just for the record, they won both games in 2000 when they were still in Kawasaki, and we've won all five Nabisco games). This will be our first-ever meeting in J2, and hopefully the second, in late-October, will be the last!

US
Sapporo used the 'How to Play Against FC Tokyo Away' blueprint to perfection on Saturday, and the fact that we weren't able to break them down early, when we dominated possession, meant that the positive signs that we'd shown in the Chiba game (and there were several, despite the result) - a much more open, end-to-end affair against a fellow contender - went out the window, as Okuma demonstrated again that his blind faith in our players to counter the blueprint is severely misplaced. About the only good thing we could take from the Sapporo game was getting minutes on the pitch into the legs of The Salad, Takamatsu and Pedro Junior.

football formationsWith this team to the right (again, its the way I want us to line up), I'm resisting the urge to push the panic button both formation and personnel-wise, and would start P.J. (I guess that has to be his nickname, right?) on the bench, hoping that he'll be able to make an impact in a late 30 minute-or-so cameo.

My two changes from Saturday would be Yohei Otake for Tatsuya Suzuki, with Tatsuya Yazawa switching over to the right, and Kazumasa Uesato for Kenta Mukuhara, with Yuhei Tokunaga taking Muk's place at right back and Uesato playing the holding midfield role (wishful thinking, I realise).

So, if these are pretty much the same players, how do we counter the blueprint, you ask? Good question! We are the away team in this game, but I expect The Spews will try to flood the midfield and the game will follow the pattern of most of our Aji Sta home games. Therefore, if this is the XI chosen, its up to Otake and Yazawa to keep our width and not get sucked into the centre, which would clog things up further. Yazawa also needs to move the ball on quicker, and come to think of it, thats a criticism I've had of Otake in the past, too. On Saturday our fullbacks weren't able to overlap as much as the Chiba game, especially in the second half, and that could be a weapon we can exploit.

Uesato would be the deeper-lying midfielder, but also offers a lot more going forward (cracking goal in the Matsumoto charity match, for example) than Tokunaga has thus far (or ever will), and I could see him working well with the tortured genius, Casual. Up front, The Salad has shown flashes, but there's been basically no link-up play with Takamatsu yet in their 80-odd minutes on the pitch together, so hopefully they've been working on that at training and he just needs a goal for it all to start clicking.

THEM
They've lost to Kumamoto, Ehime and Tosu thus far, but are the holders of the Championship Belt, having won our last league meeting, in the torrential rain at Kokuritsu, in 2008. Despite having blooded a lot of youngsters, they're still anchored by our former 'keeper Yoichi Doi.

Their XI from the battering they took at Tosu was: Doi; Fukuda, Tsuchiya, Fukatsu, Mori; Takagi, Saeki, Kikuoka, Iio; Kawano, Hiramoto; though their goal was scored by sub Ryuichi Hirashige.

I dunno, what can we really say about these? Let's just hope its an open game, with the right result.
Which is....Away Win.

You'll Never Walk Alone

Sunday, May 1, 2011

FC Tokyo 0-0 Sapporo

J2 Matchday 3

There was a bit of an opening day of the season revisited feel to Ajista on Saturday, with the enforced lay off meaning it had been a massive eight weeks since we had last seen home action. Such a break always leads to outbreaks of unfounded optimism that is often dashed, and so it was to be the case again. Except that the optimism shouldn’t really have been unfounded, what with the amount of new signings made and the much higher wages and level of experience of our squad compared with our J2 rivals.

But football doesn’t work like that does it? The seeds of familiar disappointment were there in the scrappy opening day win against Tosu and of course last weeks demolition by promotion rivals Chiba, and those seeds had blossomed into great weeds by the time we had filed out after having been treated to a turgid goalless draw.

The most depressing thing of all was there was no apparent difference to what we went through last year when we saw FCT at home against the supposed weaker teams of J1, who very quickly worked us out, got men behind the ball and stifled our powder-puff attack. Most often these teams were able to break quickly and score at some point or get something from a set piece.

On Saturday it was the same story with on paper a very weak team in Consadole Sapporo (13th in J2 last year and without a point yet this year). They played well, and arguably had the better chances in the game, despite having the ball much less than we did. It really is mind boggling how familiar Tokyo’s pattern of play was despite new personnel in key positions, namely The Salad, Takamatsu and Yazawa.