＜Match Review＞
In this round, aiming for the first consecutive victory of the season while maintaining the momentum of the previous victory against Yokohama FC at home Ajinomoto Stadium, former coach Kenta Hasegawa, who led Tokyo until the 2021 season, took command and faced Nagoya Grampus, which also had players who have experience wearing the blue and red uniforms.
The system started with a 3-back formation for the first time under the Alber regime, taking into account the team's situation and Nagoya's style. The final line, centered around Captain Masato Morishige, had Yuto Nagatomo and Kashif BANGNAGANDE as wing-backs. In the front line, Diego OLIVEIRA, who scored two goals in the previous match, was the focal point, with Teruhito NAKAGAWA and Koki TSUKAGAWA playing as shadows.
In the midst of a wintry scene with light rain, we aimed for our first away victory alongside the fans and supporters who rushed to Toyota.
1st HALF - A tight defensive battle with a stalemate
It was a tight 45 minutes that can be described as a stalemate.
Tokyo started with a 3-4-2-1 formation, giving the game a mirror-like aspect. As time passed, Tokyo had more possession of the ball, but they were unable to make effective passes and the period of moving the ball in the final line and midfield continued.
On the other hand, they do not lose their concentration in defense. Henrique TREVISAN is marking Kasper JUNKER, the front line player of Nagoya, while Morishige is firmly responding to Mateus CASTRO on the right side. Yasuki KIMOTO did not allow NAGAI, the left side player, to have freedom in marking.
As the first half came to an end, spaces began to open up little by little, and both teams had more opportunities to bring the ball to the area just before the penalty box. However, lacking precision and ideas in the final moments, Tokyo's shots ended in zero.
On the other hand, in the 41st minute of the first half, they were in a pinch as their right side was broken through, but in the end, player Morishige made a splendid covering and did not allow player Matheus to shoot freely. In the end, the shot that was taken near the goal only shook the outside of the side net, and they escaped the danger.
A stalemate game against Nagoya, known for their solid defense. With a difficult balance between offense and defense, we went into halftime with a score that can be considered as expected.
2nd HALF - Despite an increased focus on vertical play, we were unable to break through the opponent's solid defense.
In the second half, there were more scenes where the center of gravity leaned forward and the vector turned vertically.
From the kick-off, the options for passing became vertical, and there were scenes where the ball ended up with Diego. In the 7th minute of the second half, Kashif BANGNAGANDE was able to penetrate deep into the left side.
In the 17th and 19th minutes of the second half, they brought the ball up from intricate passing exchanges to shots. Diego and Adailton both threatened the goal.
On the other hand, although they had to deal with Nagoya's counterattacks as they became more aggressive, the defense remained focused and responded firmly from the first half. Jakub SLOWIK worked hard, even though he had limited opportunities, and put his body on the line in the final moments.
Nagoya also has a high level of concentration and defensive solidity, and the match enters the final stage without any goals being scored. It becomes a tense situation where one mistake can lead to conceding a goal, but no goal is scored and the game ends. The tactical match, where both teams continue to strategize, ends in a scoreless draw.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Masato MORISHIGE/Henrique TREVISAN/Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Keigo HIGASHI/Yasuki KIMOTO/Kei KOIZUMI
FW Koki TSUKAGAWA (13th minute of the second half: Adailton)/Diego OLIVEIRA (45+3rd minute of the second half: PEROTTI)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (33rd minute of the second half: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
SUBS
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Shuhei TOKUMOTO/Seiji KIMURA
FW Leon NOZAWA
GOAL
―
Nagoya Grampus
STARTING XI
GK LANGERAK
DF Nogami Yuki/Nakatani Shinnosuke/Fujii Haruya
MF Morishita Tatsuya/Inagaki Sho/Yonemoto Takumi/Izumi Ryuju (Substitution in the 58th minute: Maruyama Yuichi)
FW Nagai Kensuke (Substitution in the 82nd minute: Sakai Norifumi)/Kasper JUNKER (Substitution in the 82nd minute: Nagasawa Kazuki)/Mateus CASTRO (Substitution in the 90+3rd minute: Leonardo)
SUBS
GK Yohei TAKEDA
MF Riku YAMADA, Ryotaro ISHIDA,
GOAL
―
[Coach Albert's Press Conference Comments]
Q: please review the game.
A, after the game ended, time passed in the blink of an eye, as if a train had passed by. Today's game was a very tactical one. Nagoya's aim was to strengthen their defense and utilize the speed of their dangerous front three in counter-attacks. The plays that utilize their speed after winning the ball have been well-trained. Moreover, we approached the game with a solid understanding that Nagoya is currently in a good flow.
I think we were able to start the season in a good shape this season. However, after that, every team may struggle and suffer during a long and tough season. We have multiple injured players, and Matsuki is also absent as he has been called up to the national team. Especially, the absence of players in the midfield position overlapped, and we were in a difficult situation.
Considering Nagoya's play, characteristics, and the situation we are facing, we have decided to play in the way we did today, taking into account the strengths of the players we have. Our aim was to exploit the space behind their center-backs when they pushed forward. Additionally, we were cautious and fought against Nagoya's two wing-backs who also made forward runs. Taking into account these various factors, the match was closely contested. I believe today's match was one where the team that capitalized on a decisive chance would win.
In my country, we refer to this type of match as a "tactical match". Generally, it is not the kind of match that many soccer fans expect, but for us, it was an important and impressive tactical match. Of course, we cannot be completely happy because we did not earn 3 points. However, I am very satisfied with the performance of the players in these 90 minutes. We had already trained with the system we used in the preseason. Since we had many midfielders absent, we needed to make changes to the system for this match. The absence of players like Matsuki, Abe, Watanabe, and Terayama had a significant impact on us. In the next home game, we want to aim for victory with an attractive style of soccer, utilizing all of our resources.
Q, is it more of an impression that Nagoya's defense was solid, or is it more of an impression that we couldn't break them down?
A, we were able to control the game. I think we were able to effectively prevent Nagoya's dangerous counterattacks. We couldn't create decisive chances in today's match, but I hope you understand the circumstances that forced us to use winger Nakagawa, who is suitable for the position, as a shadow player. Nagoya's defense was certainly solid. We wanted to utilize the wings and launch side attacks against a team that has been strengthening their defense, but it is true that we needed midfielders who could coordinate with us in that aspect. With multiple midfielders absent, we prioritized emphasizing defense.
And regarding today's game development, I originally assumed that it would be a game with few chances, and I thought that the team that could make the most of those few chances would win. I think it turned out to be exactly that kind of game. It's difficult to break down a team that defends with 7 or 8 players. It's unfortunate that we couldn't use our dangerous wing players in that position because we had a shortage of midfielders. If we had tried to utilize side attacks by rearranging the team in a different formation, our possession rate might have increased, but we might have still lost. In the absence of midfielders who can build attacks in the midfield, I don't think we were able to create the kind of attacks we had hoped for.
[Player Interview]
＜Kashif BANGNAGANDE player＞
Q: Did you have any specific thoughts or considerations when playing in a different position than usual?
It was a game as a wing back. I knew it would be a Miller game, so I wanted to take control on the side and play aggressively.
Q, the game ended in a draw. How do you reflect on it?
A, I was able to break through, but I hit the cross on the opponent's foot and wasted the chance, so I want to improve the final accuracy.
Q, I think the flow of the ball has changed because the system has changed.
A, the first half didn't go well, but I think it improved after making adjustments in the second half.
Q, I think in the second half, the ball was also going vertically and we were able to make progress.
At halftime, the team discussed changing the tempo and approach to support as a whole and approached the second half.
Q, this was the last game before joining the Japan national team. How did you approach it?
I approached the Nagoya match without thinking about the Japan national team. I had also been preparing for the Nagoya match, so it is frustrating that we couldn't win.
Q: Finally, I also spoke to Nagoya's coach, Takumi HASEGAWA. What kind of conversation did you have?
Since I was told to do my best, I will work hard to meet expectations.
＜Yasuki KIMOTO player＞
Q, was it possible to evaluate the fact that we were able to take 1 point without getting impatient in a match that unfolded like a test of endurance?
A, after the game ended, I am not satisfied with the result, of course, because I came to win. However, the opponent's defense was solid, and it was difficult to score a goal in a tough situation. But we were able to patiently secure at least 1 point, so I want to take it positively.
Q: I think the opponent's front three were strong, but I believe the aim was to defend against them with a back three. How did it go?
A, the three opponents have such a high level of ability to play freely that they are difficult to handle, so in that sense, we were defending with the three players at the back in a man-to-man style, so we didn't create any scary scenes, which I think is a good thing.
Q, How was the matchup with Kensuke NAGAI?
A, I think I was able to defend at least to some extent by making them receive the ball at their feet so that they wouldn't be beaten because they have speed.
Q, Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA saw the defensive battle as a positive, but what were your thoughts on the pitch?
A, I think it would have been good for me or Morishige to join the attack because we had a lot of possession, but considering the counterattack when the ball was taken away, there were many scenes where we had to maintain balance in the back. It was a quite difficult game, to be honest.
Q: How did you feel about the difference in ball movement between playing with a 4-back and a 3-back?
It was difficult to play with a 3-back formation, but we have been practicing. Although it was a short period of one week, there were challenges when we actually tried it in the game.
Q: In the end, I think the goal is to be able to break through and score even when the defense is strong, like Nagoya. Can you tell me your impressions of the attack from the back?
A, since the end of last season, the challenge has been the attack after entering the opponent's territory with the ball, so in that sense, I think there are still many challenges as we couldn't score.
＜Kei Koizumi player＞
Q, please reflect on the game considering the fact that you have changed your position so far.
A, there were difficult parts in the 3-back, but it wasn't all bad. Among them, the players were able to communicate with each other to win. We were able to get a minimum result of 1 point away, but it's frustrating because we wanted to win.
Q, I think Nagoya's defense was solid. I think how to break it down will be a theme going forward.
I think it is necessary to be a little more daring, such as breaking through to the back or taking a middle shot. It would be great if we could break through and score beautifully, but I also hope to do more things like taking daring shots.
Q, does it have anything to do with the system?
I don't think it's a system problem. For example, today when Diego OLIVEIRA entered the field, the players behind him quickly moved forward and I think the opponent was scared by the support.
＜Player Jakub SLOWIK＞
Q, we drew against Nagoya, how do you feel about it?
We aimed for 3 points and approached the match, but it was very good that we were able to take points against Nagoya, who are in good form away from home. It was a match where we had a lot of response in terms of content more than the match result. However, it is a little disappointing that we couldn't take 3 points.
Q: I think there were fewer shots compared to the previous match, but from your perspective at the back, what do you think was lacking?
A, we are always working on attacking formations in practice, but I think the opposing team's defense players had better responses than our own attacks. Furthermore, the opposing team has a wonderful goalkeeper named LANGERAK, and they were able to adapt with a solid defense, sometimes using a 3-back or even a 5-back formation. We couldn't respond well to them, but it was good that we were able to earn 1 point in the match.
Q, there was a big save today that saved the team.
I think it is my job to make saves in situations like that. It is a big thing for me to have prevented a shot, but whether we earn 1 point or 3 points, I believe it is the collective effort of the entire team.
