＜Match Review＞
Tokyo faced Urawa Reds in the third consecutive match against AFC Champions League participating clubs. In the previous match against Vissel Kobe, Tokyo conceded the first goal in the first half but managed to turn the game around in the second half, scoring three goals and securing a comeback victory. They gained a significant boost in terms of performance and approached this home series of matches with confidence.
There were some changes in the lineup due to the consecutive matches in 3 days. Henrique TREVISAN was used as a center back instead of Yasuki KIMOTO, who has been playing in all league matches so far. Kazuya KONNO was placed on the left wing instead of Adailton. Kensuke NAGAI, who set up the equalizing goal in the previous match against Kobe, entered as the right winger.
Tokyo, which showed a high level of intensity at the start, kept possession of the ball and approached the Urawa goal. They were unable to create many opportunities that led to a finish, but they pressed the opponent by moving the ball at a fast tempo. Even when Urawa came out with a strong press from the front line, Tokyo maintained an advantage in each position and skillfully moved the ball with few touches to break the press. As they struggled to bring the ball to a finish, Urawa gradually gained more possession. In the 22nd minute of the first half, they were pushed into the goal area and David MOBERG scored, but it was ruled offside and the goal was disallowed. In the 33rd minute of the first half, a cross from the right side was headed by Hiroki SAKAI on the far side. Jakub SLOWIK couldn't react, but Morishige, who had entered the goal area, cleared the ball and avoided a goal. The closest Tokyo came to scoring in the first half was in the 40th minute. Nagai broke through on the right side with speed. Before the opponent could recover, he dribbled the ball to near the goal line and made a ground pass in front of the goal. Diego OLIVEIRA made a one-touch shot, but it was blocked by the opponent's defender and did not result in a goal. In the final stages, Tokyo had more opportunities to keep possession and took control of the game, but they were unable to unsettle the opponent and break through, and the game reached halftime without a goal.
Even in the second half, both teams shared possession of the ball. Tokyo carried the ball near the opponent's penalty area, but they couldn't finish the play and couldn't take a shot. On the other hand, there were close scenes, such as being threatened with a shot from a counterattack in the 21st minute of the second half. In the 26th minute of the second half, a free kick was given in front of the goal, but Takahiro Akimoto aimed for the top left corner of the goal, and Jakub Slowik reacted and made a big save. Tokyo, who wanted to make a change with a player substitution, replaced Kusei Matsuki with Hota Nakamura in the 19th minute of the second half, replaced Ryo Watanabe with Keiki Mita in the 29th minute of the second half, and replaced Nagai with Keidai Yamashita in the 36th minute of the second half. In the midst of not being able to create chances, Adailton took a shot from mid-range in the 38th minute of the second half, but the curved shot that caught the goal was blocked by the opponent's goalkeeper's defense. In the 40th minute of the second half, Adailton crossed the ball from the left side, and when it was contested in the penalty area, the loose ball was attempted with a jumping volley by Yamashita, but it went over the goal.
In the latter part of the second half, we were pushed back and had to endure, but we persevered and slid as a team to respond to the movement of the ball, locking the game at 0-0. The three consecutive matches against ACL teams resulted in 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, providing us with opportunities for growth and improvement over the past 9 days. The busy schedule continues, with a match against Shonan Bellmare in the Levain Cup on the 13th, followed by an away game against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in the league on the 16th.
[Interview with Coach Albert]
Q: please review the game.
A, I think there were several flows in today's match. It wasn't that the flow was different between the first half and the second half, but it was a match where Tokyo's time zone and Urawa's time zone alternated throughout the 90 minutes. I think today's match was more tactical and more European. It was an attractive match where both teams had chances. And both teams' goalkeepers did a great job. I think it was a very competitive match where both teams played to win. In that sense, it was not a result that matched the course of the match for one team to score a goal and the other team to win, and I think a draw was a fair result.
From the start of the second half, we aimed to utilize the space behind the side by bringing in Adailton. In the middle of the second half, we made a substitution with Kuryu Matsuki being replaced by Ryoma Watanabe in the attacking midfield position, with the intention of gaining more control over the game. However, Watanabe got injured and our game plan was slightly disrupted. Nevertheless, the players gave their all and played with full effort. I would like to comment on Yuto Nagatomo's outstanding performance in particular. He defended excellently with great concentration.
I told the players directly that it is somewhat positive to be frustrated by not being able to win. It is wonderful to always have a hunger for victory regardless of the game content. Our project has only been going on for 3 months. Nevertheless, I am proud of the team that was able to have a competitive match against Urawa, a team that has been working on positional play for over a year. And Urawa is one of the teams that will represent Japan in the ACL. As a Japanese team, I hope for success in Asia.
Q, it seemed like the midfield formation had changed, what kind of strategy was it?
A, Urawa felt that they were playing dangerously in the center. In the Kobe match, there was a period of time when they struggled to break through the center of the midfield. Based on that, we decided to defend with a double defensive midfielder approach. Today, Urawa's forwards and attacking midfielders came down and played on the opposite side, and the wingers came inside to create a numerical advantage in the center of the midfield. We defended with a double defensive midfielder approach to respond effectively to that. In order to maintain defensive stability in the center of the midfield, we couldn't push forward as much as usual. There were times when we gave the ball away to the opponent in that way. As for the attack, we played in a 4-3-3 formation.
[Player Interview]
＜Adailton
Q, I entered the game in the second half, what instructions did you receive and what did you focus on during the play?
A, in the first half, we were under pressure from the opponent's press from the front line, so we were in a difficult situation. We were instructed to use space and regain our rhythm, and we entered the game with that in mind. We were able to regain our rhythm, but it is very frustrating that it did not lead to three points.
Q, I think there were many occasions when the play was initiated from Adailton.
A, Urawa is a team that attacks using the middle space, and there were many times when they used that space. However, after taking the ball, I was conscious of attacking the space behind and on the side where the opponent came out, so the ball often came to my side. I hope to connect it to a goal next time.
Q: How would you evaluate the team's growth up to this point?
The team that I feel has grown the most is possession. There are still challenging parts, but I think it is improving day by day and will continue to improve in the future.
Q, what part do you feel is different from before?
A, I feel that the positioning is different from before. Since we have more time with the ball, it has become easier to understand where our teammates are and where the passes are coming from. This has made it easier for me to know where to position myself. I hope to improve with each game and continue to grow.
Henrique TREVISAN
Q: Please tell us about the competition between players Morishige and Kimoto for the center back position.
I think there should be competition within the team, and I believe that competition will push the team in a positive direction. Looking back on the entire game, I feel positive about being able to finish the game without conceding a goal, considering the chances I had today.
Q, do you feel that Henrique is able to make use of his characteristics in his current role, where he is expected to make use of his dominant foot?
A, the current answer to the question is "no". I still believe that my build-up using my left foot will improve, and I think that the level has not yet reached the point where we can break down the opponent's defense through build-up and reach a higher level of soccer. Therefore, considering that I will continue to improve, I have to answer "no" for now.
Q: It has been 3 months since the start, but have you felt any signs of growth during this period?
Regarding the team's growth, the build-up has improved and we have been able to fulfill the coach's demands in each game. And the transition. These two areas are where we feel we have grown the most, and at the same time, we feel the team's growth in being able to have good matches while improving the quality of these two aspects in each game.
Q: What was the most cautious thing about Urawa's attack today?
A, Urawa's attack was dangerous because they effectively used the central space and utilized the speed of their center forward. We were conscious of intercepting the ball in the center and closing the middle, as well as not giving them a chance to break through the space behind. We focused for the entire 90 minutes.
Q, when watching Henrique's defense, there is an impression that his legs stretch out and his body comes out to block at the very last moment.
As a defender, one of my characteristics is to throw myself and block until the very end without giving up, because the goal as a team is to not concede any goals.
Yuto NAGATOMO
Q, please reflect on the tough match.
During the consecutive matches, the temperature was high, so it was a tough game. However, we were able to defend well as a team and had some good attacks. However, we also felt many areas that need improvement, so we will make sure to fix them. We are still a developing team, so we want to improve together.
Q: How was the matchup with Hiroki SAKAI, who plays together in the Japan national team?
A, Hiroki SAKAI's return made me think, "It's a matchup." I myself got excited and my motivation increased. It was a really tough game, but the 90 minutes I played against him today were enjoyable.
Q, please teach the children watching about the charm of the side back.
A, Hiroki SAKAI is once again an amazing player. And the position of a side back has a lot of work and does a lot of work in places that cannot be seen. I think it's a wonderful position that can contribute to the team's victory by running for the team in places that cannot be seen, so I would like children to try playing as a side back.
Q, it was tough for both players in the match-up with Takumi SAKAI in terms of ball control.
A, he was really strong. He is definitely a good player. He is strong in duels, has good positioning, and was a tough opponent to face. I didn't want to lose, so I played while watching Hiroki SAKAI. However, there were also some difficult situations where the midfielders came in between, but I think we were able to defend well in the end with everyone's help.
Q, I think the team as a whole was quite tired after the three consecutive matches. How was the team overall?
A, I was surprised by the unusual heat of the three consecutive games plus today. However, I think we were able to do what we could as a team. But I would like to work on the part of increasing the time we have the ball a little more and making our own time longer, so that we can create more chances if we can further improve the possession part.
Q, How is the atmosphere of the team?
A, we are able to have very good practice and the atmosphere is also good. I think the situation is wonderfully good. If we continue this, it will definitely contribute to the team's growth, and we just have to believe and keep doing it.
Q, please tell us your enthusiasm for the next Levain Cup and league matches.
A, I want to do a good attack while fixing the issues that came up today and connect it to 3 points for a win.
Kensuke NAGAI
Q, please reflect on the 90 minutes of the last match of the 3 consecutive matches.
A, it was hot. It was a closely contested match where either team could have won with just one goal, and I think if we can score from set pieces in games like this, it will make our team even better. We were able to secure 1 point with a solid performance, so I want to take that as a positive.
Q, I think we were able to attack effectively by using the sides while holding the ball.
A, there are challenges because we couldn't push forward in the second half, but we want to make adjustments to be able to attack more from the sides like in the first half and improve.
Q, in the latter part of the first half, broke through the right side vertically and led to a chance.
A, it was good to match with Diego, but I couldn't go easily, so I want to increase the number of times and I think we need to create more time to push the whole team in.
Q: Was there any progress that leads to the next game?
A, I want to become better at it because I was also defending in a different way than usual. I think that various defensive methods will come out if I play a long season, so I want to learn each one and grow while winning.
Q, many fans and supporters came to Ajinomoto Stadium.
A, it's the best. It was a long time since I felt this way. I want to finish the game with a solid win, and if the fans and supporters can cheer us on, it would be even more enjoyable. That's what I was thinking as I played the game today.
