4/10 (Sun) vs Urawa Reds (Ajinomoto Stadium)
How to control "special"
The power dynamic between FC Tokyo and Urawa Reds varies depending on the time period. While Urawa has a significant overall lead, they have never been able to defeat FC Tokyo in the league since their first encounter in the 2001 season until the 2003 season.
However, since the 2004 season when Guido Buchwald became the manager, it has been a period of dominance for Urawa. Although FC Tokyo managed to win one game and draw three in the 2012 and 2013 seasons after being relegated to J2, from the 2014 season when Mihailo Petrović's tactics took hold until the 2019 season, Urawa remained undefeated for a period of time.
However, the situation changed drastically again from the 2019 season, which marked the second year of Kenta HASEGAWA's tenure as head coach. The long-standing unbeaten home record was broken, and FC Tokyo was unable to defeat Urawa in either the 2019 or 2020 season. It seemed as though the era of FC Tokyo dominance had returned.
And, this is the end of a chapter in history. The problem starts from here. The 2021 season will be an epoch-making year for both clubs. As mentioned in the preview column for the Yokohama FM match, it was Marinos who gave the guiding light to FC Tokyo's era. However, it was actually Urawa who lit the fuse first.
Urawa, who lost to "Intensity Showdown", turned the helm one year earlier than FC Tokyo. They invited Ricardo RODRIGUEZ as the coach and aimed for a style of dominating the game by holding the ball and pushing the opponent. The first time this soccer was shown was in the opening game of the 2021 season, and although the result ended in a 1-1 draw, it was a game where Urawa continued to dominate the ball and the game.
In addition, in the second round of the 30th section, FC Tokyo, who took the lead in the first minute, attacked Urawa with intensity, but Urawa gradually regained their composure and overwhelmed them. Urawa pinned FC Tokyo in their own territory and took a come-from-behind victory. From here, FC Tokyo suffered three consecutive losses and will face the fateful November 6th after a victory against Shimizu.
And this time, we will meet again. Both teams have become closer to each other, but does Urawa have the upper hand in terms of style penetration? However, FC Tokyo is currently able to demonstrate the power to decide the game. Looking at the results, FC Tokyo is in a mentally good state. Urawa is struggling a bit. For Urawa, it is a game where they want to regain confidence by holding back FC Tokyo's powerful front line.
The key point to watch out for is how to contain each other's special players. The most dangerous player in the current Urawa is undoubtedly the new addition, David MOBERG. His dribbling from the right side to the center is sharp, and he also possesses a momentary speed and a powerful shot. If he is in top form, he can show us what a "real deal" from Europe is like. The matchup with Yuto NAGATOMO alone is worth watching.
Text by Yuichiro Okinaga (El Golazo, Urawa Reds Correspondent)
