Q: Is there a feeling of fitting in with the team in your first season after transferring?
A, yes. I was worried because it took me a while to fit in when I transferred last time, but there is Kensuke-san, who is my senior in university, and he helped me fit in very well from the training camp, so I think I have been able to fit into the team so far.
Q: Was positional play something you experienced for the first time as a player for the team, Kimoto?
During my time at Cerezo, I was coached by Lotina and he taught me positional play. So, I wouldn't say that I am fixated on a specific position, but rather Lotina was more focused on positions. In that sense, I think I am able to play smoothly and effectively.
Q, how does Kimoto express the positional play he works on with coach Albert?
A, it is difficult, but I never forget to aim for the goal while valuing the pole, and in defense, it is a soccer that aggressively goes to the front line and tries to hold the ball for as long as possible, so I think that it is still far from the ideal soccer without raising the level in both offense and defense.
Q, looking back on this, what stage do you think the team is at in terms of the vision for the desired style of football?
There are some games where we can do it and some games where we can't, but I think the awareness of valuing the ball has changed a lot since the season started, although I don't think it has shown in the results, the possession rate has increased significantly in terms of numbers. In that sense, I think we are conscious of valuing the ball more.
Q, there was also an evaluation that coach Albert has transitioned to the next phase as a team. I think it indicates that the possession rate has increased, but do you feel any difficulties towards the end of the first half?
A, soccer is not a sport where possession rate directly leads to results, so there are games where you lose even with a high possession rate, and there are also games where you win even without having the ball. In that sense, although we had a lot of time where we were being possessed in the early part of the first half, we were able to make adjustments while getting results. However, recently, even though we have possession of the ball, we are having difficulty scoring and end up conceding goals from counterattacks, resulting in a loss of points. So, there are challenges. However, the soccer we aim for is an attacking style that values the ball, so in that sense, I think if we can produce results by doing what we have been doing recently, it will also boost our confidence. So, I want to focus on that.
Q, in soccer where the ball is valued, Kimoto's position has become a starting point. In that, in the early stages of the game, there were scenes where long feeds were very effective, and there were also plays where short passes and middle passes were added as a decoy. How do you feel about the construction of that area?
A, at the beginning, there was a strong impression that a lot of long balls were used. On the other hand, as it has been analyzed that we cannot create chances with just long balls, I think it is important to connect from the back with short passes a little more. I also think that if we use both short passes and long passes, it will be difficult for the opponent to catch us. If the players at the back can adjust the ratio well, I think the team can grow even more.
Q: In the next phase, I think the key is what actions the team can take after pushing the opponent. Do you see anything for the second half of the match?
A, if we can continue to grow, we will have more time with the ball, which means we will have more time with the ball in the opponent's territory. In that sense, I think we can score more goals and increase our points by connecting a little slower and creating more chances. I also think that the defenders will have more opportunities to counterattack than before, so I think there will be a demand for risk management and the ability to defend even in numerical disadvantages in counterattack situations.
