Maintain a position within the top 10 consistently from May onwards
The season that Tokyo approached as the "reform year" is now down to the final three matches. Two of these matches will be played at home in Ajinomoto Stadium. The first is against Cerezo Osaka on October 12 (Wed), and the final match is against Kawasaki Frontale on November 5 (Sat) (the other match is an away game against Nagoya Grampus on October 29). Both teams are positioned higher than Tokyo. It can be said that these two matches will test the true value of Albert Tokyo.
The team made a big transformation this season from a strong counter-attacking play style. To explain it broadly, it is a style of play where the team takes the optimal position, holds onto the ball, and advances the game advantageously. In order to consistently achieve good results, it is necessary to actively fight instead of being passive, as emphasized by Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA in his inaugural press conference.
However, "easier said than done" is always associated with style changes. Even Zoran PETROVIC, who currently leads Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, needed a lot of time during his time at Sanfrecce Hiroshima to incorporate his own philosophy.
Now, Ange POSTECOGLOU, who has become the coach of Celtic and gained fame in Europe, is also the same. In his first year leading Yokohama F.Marinos in 2018, he was unable to fully establish a high-pressure and high-tempo style, finishing in 12th place. He experienced the pain of giving birth. These past examples prove that style changes cannot be completed overnight.
Albert Tokyo also saw cases of losing points due to careless mistakes in the middle of the season. By being too conscious of their positioning rather than the situation or the state of the game, they were unable to connect their passes effectively and lost the ball when transitioning to an offensive play. As a result, they were also exposed to the opponent's counterattacks.
However, it has not fallen into a slump like the aforementioned example. It can be said that the coach has successfully managed to complete difficult tasks while maintaining a good balance. Moreover, without committing the foolish act of abandoning the concept midway. Looking at the ranking changes up to Sec. 32, they were only below 10th place in the early stages. Since May, they have consistently stayed within the top 10.
Currently, Tokyo is in 7th place, but they are only 1 point behind Kashiwa Reysol in 6th place and 2 points behind Kashima Antlers in 5th place. Moreover, they have played one less game than these two teams. If they win against C Osaka in the "Last 2" home game and against Kawasaki in 2nd place, they will be in a position to aim for an even higher ranking.
A different match against C Osaka from last time!
The team's evolution can be seen from the way they play on the pitch. For example, in the 30th section match against Kyoto Sanga F.C. at Japan National Stadium. They connected passes from deep in their own half and repeatedly broke through the opponent's pressing. The way the players worked together and moved the ball forward accurately was something that was not seen in the early stages of the season.
In the 31st round match against Kashima Antlers, which we won 1-0 away, we showed an impressive performance. Especially in the first half, Coach Albert was satisfied with the performance, as our ball recovery rate was high due to aggressive pressing, and we were able to play as planned in both attack and defense. We demonstrated the ability to execute "our own style of play" even against strong opponents.
After the Kyoto match, Keigo HIGASHI, who had been circulating the ball as an anchor, said, "That is the form the team aims for. We have been able to show what we have been doing and we are still in the developmental stage," he said, adding that they are getting closer to the ideal form. The players themselves must also feel the progress they are making.
In fact, in terms of possession, which the coach considers as one of the indicators of achieving the concept, Tokyo has been surpassing their opponents more often. In 5 out of 6 games since September, they have outperformed their opponents (reference: J STATS). Although there is still room for improvement in dealing with cases where they are forced to hold the ball and counterattack, they generally have control and are able to push their opponents back.
One thing to watch out for in the match against C Osaka on the 12th is the possession game. In other words, "do we have the ball or are we being forced to give it up?" In the previous away match (March 6th), we spent a lot of time without the ball and often found ourselves on the back foot. We were able to win 1-0 with Kazuya KONNO scoring the goal after stealing the ball in the opponent's half, but overall we were unable to take control and struggled. In this match, we want to show a different style from the previous one where we had just started implementing a new strategy. Ideally, we want to have possession and attack.
The opponent has also improved their completion level compared to the March match, but there is a way to attack. It is still effective to attack the space behind the attacking fullbacks, Ryosuke YAMANAKA and Riku MATSUDA. In terms of build-up and creating width in the attack, the attacking runs of the fullbacks are the lifeline of C Osaka. There should be several chances to exploit the space behind them in a single match. The key for Tokyo is how they can send players and the ball into space in those opportunities.
There is also the option to aim for a goal with a short counterattack from a high press, as in the previous match, but the opponent will surely be more cautious not to fall into the same trap. This time, not only with that attacking method, but also by involving the inside half and side back in the wing, we want to create a route to the goal by inserting the ball there. If we are allowed to hold the ball and the defense is set, we should move the opponent's defensive formation with passing work and attack faster than being slid by changing sides.
Albert Tokyo has been diligently training for a year without wavering. Can they make the C Osaka match a stage to show their growth? In order to conclude the 2022 season in a good way, a victory with substance is required.
Text by Kei Sato (Soccer Magazine Web)
