＜Match Review＞
In the previous match, Tokyo started the Golden Week with a good start by defeating Albirex Niigata 2-1 at home Ajinomoto Stadium. The remaining matches will be away games, which will involve long-distance travel to Kyushu and Hokkaido, making it a challenging schedule.
This round, we will be playing against Avispa Fukuoka on the same day as last season.
There were changes in the member selection in the midfield and the backline in Tokyo. Yuto NAGATOMO was selected as the right fullback, Shuhei TOKUMOTO, who had been absent for two games, was chosen as the left fullback, and Seiji KIMURA, who made his first appearance in the league this season, was included in one of the center back positions.
1st HALF—Watanabe's shot hits the post amid a stalemate
In the early stages, Tokyo, with a strong forward mindset, had many opportunities to enter the opponent's half but could not find a clue to finish. They responded to Fukuoka's quick attacks by retreating quickly, and although the ball was carried deep, they slid swiftly to the ball side in decisive moments, preventing easy shots.
In the build-up phase, there were scenes where mistakes occurred when pushing up from the back and moving the ball in the opponent's half, and the flow was stopped by the opponent's counter before getting into rhythm. The number of ball losses in the midfield gradually decreased, but they were unable to create space in front of Fukuoka's defensive block and had to continue receiving the ball at their feet and resetting.
In the midst of not being able to create attacking opportunities, the first chance came in the 19th minute of the first half. Teruhito NAKAGAWA kept the ball in a deep position on the right side and entrusted it to Ryoma WATANABE, who had come to support. Watanabe, who had cut inside, found a shooting lane and aimed for the bottom left corner of the goal with a ground shot. The shot seemed to be on target, but it hit the left post and bounced back into the field, unfortunately not becoming a goal.
On the other hand, in the 22nd minute of the first half, a situation called "almost" was created from a corner kick. When the corner kick from the right side flowed to the far side, it was combined with one touch. There was no momentum in the shot, but the ball that headed towards the goal in a state of no player reacting in front of the goal slightly deviated to the right of the goal.
As the first half approached the end, the flow of the game shifted towards Fukuoka. They put the ball into the gap between Tokyo's defenders and attempted to break through the center, aiming for the gaps in the marking. On the other hand, Tokyo's players Yasuki KIMOTO and Kimura closed the center tightly, preventing Fukuoka from freely shooting despite being able to break through towards the goal.
There were shooting scenes that hit the post, but while trying various ideas to break down the opponent who pulled back, we maintained intensity in both offense and defense and reached halftime.
2nd HALF—Unable to Close the One-Goal Gap
As the second half began, there were increasing moments of being pressed. In the 3rd minute of the second half, a free kick was conceded near the right side of the penalty area, and Konno's direct shot hit the right post.
In the 10th and 12th minutes of the second half, there were shooting opportunities created in front of the goal, but both times Jakub SLOWIK quickly closed the distance and blocked the shots without any problems.
In the midst of not being able to grasp the rhythm of the attack, Tokyo made substitution cards in the 18th and 25th minutes of the second half, sending in four fresh players. Gradually gaining momentum, they also created situations where they pushed forward from the sides, but were unable to bring it to a finish.
On the contrary, in the 27th minute of the second half, when a starting point was created inside the penalty area, we were unable to completely steal the ball and allowed Yamagishi to score and take the lead.
Against an opponent who decisively focused on solid defense and quick counterattacks, Tokyo maintained possession of the ball but could not break through. They were unable to close the one-goal gap and the match ended.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Yasuki KIMOTO/Seiji KIMURA (32nd minute: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)/Shuhei TOKUMOTO (25th minute: Kashif BANGNAGANDE)
MF Keigo HIGASHI/Shuto ABE (25th minute: Masato MORISHIGE)/Kuryu MATSUKI (25th minute: Adailton)
FW Ryoma WATANABE/Diego OLIVEIRA/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (18th minute: Kei KOIZUMI)
SUBS
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
FW PEROTTI
GOAL
ー
＜Avispa Fukuoka＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Takumi NAGAISHI
DF Yota MAEJIMA / Douglas GROLLI / Tatsuki NARA / Itsuki ODA
MF Kazuya KONNO / Masato SHIGEMI / Yuya YAMAGISHI (29th minute of the second half: Kennedyegbus MIKUNI) / Hiroyuki MAE / Lukian (43rd minute of the second half: Takeshi KANAMORI)
FW Reiju TSURUNO (23rd minute of the second half: Ryoga SATO)
SUBS
GK Masaaki MURAKAMI
DF Tatsuya TANAKA
MF Sotan TANABE
FW Wellington
GOAL
27' of the second half: Yuya YAMAGISHI
[Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Press Conference Comments]
Q: please review the game.
A: There were two different Tokyos in the first and second halves. Regarding the first half, although we were not able to play particularly outstandingly, we expressed our style of play and created multiple chances. However, the second half was different from the first, and we were unable to express our football. At the same time, we kept losing in one-on-one situations and struggled defensively. Therefore, we switched to a three-back formation to fix the defense. However, we were unable to make effective adjustments there, which led to conceding a goal. After conceding the first goal, we naturally played aiming to equalize and then take the lead, but Avispa Fukuoka’s defense after scoring first was very solid, and they are skilled at controlling a 1-0 match result. We have been competing against them for four seasons, and we recognize that as their strength. We could not break down their solid defense and ended up losing.
We knew that once they scored the first goal, they were good at effectively defending a 1-0 lead. Therefore, we had planned a game strategy to score the first goal, but contrary to that intention, they scored first. We were unable to defend the central zone, which should not have been breached, and being broken through there remains a point for improvement.
Q, I think you changed your position a lot, what point were you not satisfied with?
A: Regarding the first half, when building up from a deep position, I thought placing Ryoma WATANABE more centrally would allow us to advance the ball more smoothly, so I made that change. I believe that change worked well. Then, during the second half, there were many scenes where the opponent dominated the central area. At the same time, we were struggling as the left center-back position was being exploited, so to prevent conceding the first goal, we tried to fix that area along with multiple substitutions.
Q: Did you feel the pressure from the opponent in the second half? Please tell us the reasons.
A, I believe the biggest reason for the second half was that we were unable to play the style of football we wanted. Of course, in a home game, if the score is tied at halftime, it is natural to aim to score and win. Losing control of the game so easily against such a team is proof that we were not playing our game properly. If we aim to be a team worthy of being champions, we must correct the parts where we lost game control in the second half. If we aim to be a team worthy of being champions, we will face difficult matches like today in every game. Winning those matches is the destiny of a champion. For Tokyo to become that team, we must firmly address and improve the points for improvement that emerged today.
Q, I think the movement of the third person was lacking and the start was a bit slow in the scene before going for a shot.
A, that is still an area we are working on as a challenge. Regarding that part, we conduct training and aim for improvement. Sometimes it goes well, but today it did not go well. I believe we must work on that part thoroughly. It is certain that we were not able to play effectively in the part of building up the attack. I also understand that there is plenty of room for improvement. That is why we must take time and steadily grow day by day. Matches do not wait, and we must accumulate points. That is why we need a mentality that is committed to winning. However, I think that part was lacking in today’s second half.
[Player Interview]
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q, it seemed like there were trial and error attempts from the first half.
A, when we had possession of the ball, the opponent dropped back to defend, so we communicated about how to break them down. It’s good to create time on the same side, but since Diego OLIVEIRA was the only one inside, I think we could have had a few more simple crosses aimed at winning the second ball.
Q, you seemed to be very conscious of switching between offense and defense to avoid being caught by the opponent's counterattack, didn't you?
A, Avispa Fukuoka also defended and aimed for counterattacks, so we felt it was very difficult to play. I believe we need to become a team that can win against teams like this.
Q, do you ultimately want to become a team that can break down teams that sit back?
A, yes. That is the style of football we are aiming for, so we want to be able to build up properly from deep positions.
Q, I think this was a match where we wanted to secure at least 1 point. How do you feel about it?
A, it was a tough away game, and it’s frustrating that we couldn’t get either 1 or 3 points. With only two days before the match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, we want to prepare well to win that game.
<Seiji KIMURA>
Q, it was your first appearance and first start in the league this season, but it ended up being a tough result. Please share your thoughts on the game.
A, during the scouting phase, we knew that Avispa Fukuoka is a team that kicks the ball frequently, so we understood that we had to clear everything. However, since they were also winning the second balls, I think we needed to push the line higher to keep the distance with the midfield compact, connect clearances accurately, or if that wasn’t possible, clear the ball far away. In the scene where we conceded the goal, the cover was delayed, and in a situation where someone close to the goal had to clear the ball, we lost sight of the ball and ended up relying on Yasuki KIMOTO. They used up time, passed the ball, and we conceded. I definitely take responsibility for that moment. The fact that we couldn’t build up play throughout the match is also my responsibility as someone positioned at the back, so I believe we need to raise our level further to win such difficult matches. Not only when the team is in good form but also when it’s struggling, I think there are still many areas for me to improve to become a player who can shine.
Q, regarding the first half, there were times when we pushed back, but A, we were losing the second balls and often simply couldn't carry the ball forward. There were also moments when we lost the ball due to our own mistakes. Since we couldn't create much time in possession, I think the opponent was able to take control of the rhythm.
Q, the result was only two shots throughout the match, but what do you think was lacking?
A, in the first half, we were able to carry the ball up to the middle zone, but I think we lacked the patience not to rush when moving forward and the ability to switch the ball to the opposite side when many players were gathered on the same side. This was something we worked on in practice, so it is something we should have done in the match as well. Also, I felt that unless we reduce the instances of losing the ball due to our own mistakes, it would be difficult to reach the goal. If we had been able to carry the ball forward a bit more, I believe it would have given the forwards more room to operate, and the result of only two shots is not solely the responsibility of the forwards.
Q, you switched to a 3-back system midway through the game. Had you been practicing this as well? Did you have any concerns about changing the system during the match?
A, we have done it several times in matches, and of course, we practice it as well. With a three-back system, since there are more players at the back, my positioning range becomes narrower, but there is a need to push the ball forward a bit, which is different from the four-back system. The three-back system basically requires a solid defense, but since we conceded a goal after switching to three backs, I feel a heavy responsibility. I think we conceded by being caught off guard for a moment, so I want to work hard to become a center back who can stay attentive throughout the entire match.
<Shuto ABE>
Q, the 100th game, became a tough match.
A, looking back on today's match, I personally had many poor plays and noticeable mistakes. My body felt heavy, and I wasn't able to perform well. Regarding the 100th match, it was disappointing that it did not become a good milestone.
Q, you changed the system from the first half. How was it for you as a player on the pitch?
A, there was no clear shape in the attack leading up to the final shot, so I talked with Ryoma WATANABE and Kuryu MATSUKI and focused on receiving the ball in many situations regardless of the formation. However, we couldn’t create good opportunities, and the first half ended like that. The second half started with the same flow, and we conceded a goal without things going well.
Q, until now, there have been many scenes where Hotaka NAKAMURA's aggressive and dynamic play has displaced the opposing defenders.
A, all the players seemed physically heavy. There were few instances of chasing the ball a second time, and if you can't run when you need to, I believe the team won't have energy, nor will we be able to apply pressure on the opponent. I once again felt that such play is important.
Q, regarding the second half, I think the play continued while feeling the opponent's pressure.
A, Avispa Fukuoka had many good scenes, and we also made many passing mistakes. There were many situations where we had to respond to their long balls, and Tokyo spent a long time somehow enduring that play. After all, if we keep receiving pressure for a long time, I think we will eventually collapse like in today's conceding scene, so first, we want to thoroughly focus on not losing the ball and not making passing mistakes.
Q, There is a match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo with only two days in between. Please share your enthusiasm for that game.
A, today we return home and then move the day after tomorrow, so it’s a tight schedule, but I think it will be an all-out battle. I want to rest when I can to recover from fatigue and approach the match in as fresh a condition as possible.
