Here is part one of three of my end of season player round ups. These were written before our latest signing, (midfielder Yamamoto Yuki from Gamba Osaka), so don't expect anything relating to that transfer to be reflected in here. Of course these are just my opinions. So with that in mind, expect these posts to be a bit pessimistic after what was, aside from the Emperor's Cup, a pretty disappointing season. Part two coming tomorrow.
1. Sung-Ryong JUNG (GK)
3030 minutes played
Bit of a weird season for him. The arrival of another first choice J1 keeper probably signaled that he wasn’t going to be an automatic starter any longer. But he did begin the season in goal. Unfortunately for him, he made a clanger in the first game which gave his doubters a reason to kick on with their doubting. To be fair to Oniki he didn’t immediately drop him, but I think it was always in his long term plan. After he had been dropped and then later made it back into the team, I think he was one of our better players, saving us on many occasions. Finished the season on a high, doing the business in goal and from the penalty spot to win us a title. I’m a big fan of Sung-Ryong. As the years pass, perhaps a few more mistakes have been creeping in, but as far as I’m concerned, if the same keepers are at the club next year, he should be the one starting as I feel a lot safer when he’s in goal for us.
2. Kyohei NOBORIZATO (DF)
3037 minutes played
Slightly surprised to see he played so many minutes as he has become a bit more injury prone in recent seasons. At the same time, I think he’s lost a bit of his edge too, which is natural as the years catch up with him. But he still was clearly Oniki’s first choice at left back this year. There’s going to be a bit more competition next year though as we’ve already signed a new left back. Somewhat shockingly scored twice this year. Still an important squad member, and not just as a ‘mood maker’, but I imagine he won’t be playing quite as much next year.
3. Takuma OMINAMI (DF)
3009 minutes played
Feel a bit sorry for him as he joined us apparently with the aim of getting himself back into national team contention. Presumably he had no idea we were going to have such an underwhelming season. Took a little while to get settled, but I think looking back, he was our best defender of the year. Thought he did well on the occasions he played at right back too. Occasionally had a rush of blood to the head, but you could say that most of our defenders are guilty of this more often than he is. Looking forward to see how he pushes on in 2024.
4. JESIEL (DF)
573 minutes played
A year to forget for a player who most people would have said is one of our best. After a long term injury in 2022 it was good to see him start the first game of the season. But he managed to get sent off in that game, perhaps an omen for what was to come in the rest of the season. Picked up another big injury which kept him out for seven months whilst trying to prevent the ball going out for a corner. Another omen for how bad 2023 would be for us perhaps. And then a few games after he came back had an absolute first half nightmare when he was responsible for us conceding three times before the break and was subbed off at half time. Steadied the ship slightly after a little break, but really hope the off season gives him a chance to get himself back to being the player we know he can be, as 2023 was really a year to forget for him.
5. Asahi SASAKI (DF)
1137 minutes played
Bit worried about Sasaki. I don’t think he’s ever been given a chance to stake a claim for a place in the starting line up and now we have a new left back joining. This might mean that we see him more at right back, (especially if a certain transfer rumour comes true), or maybe even at centre back. Had a few injuries in 2023 so I guess that contributed to him not getting much time on the pitch, but I hope he isn’t disheartened by his quiet 2023 as I think he has a lot to give.
6. JOAO SCHMIDT (MF)
2462 minutes played
Leaving us after his contract was not renewed. I feel sad about that, but in spite of what he could offer us, I think he was hampered by playing in the same position as Tachibanada who is both our captain and an Oniki favourite. Looking back, the time when he did have a run in the team did correspond with one of our worse periods though. I’m not sure that is connected, but it doesn’t look good. Think maybe he never really was used in the right way. Makes sense for him to go elsewhere as he’s too good to be sitting on the bench most weeks. Wish him the best of luck wherever he ends up.
7. Shintaro KURUMAYA (DF)
2134 minutes played
Clearly Kurumaya is now a central defender in both his and Oniki’s eyes. I’m not sure it’s his best position, but I guess at this stage it doesn’t really matter. I think I probably said all of this in last year's round up too. At the start of the year, in the same way that Jesiel had a dodgy but at the same time portentous start to the year in the first game, so did Kurumaya who got injured (for the first time) in the first game. But not as seriously as the injury that prematurely ended his season in September. In between these two injuries he was able to score a delightful bundled winner away against YFM. I don’t know what’s going to happen in our defence in 2024 but I hope that it’s not as dodgy as it was in 2023. I’m not sure that Kurumaya at centre back is the key to this.
8. Kento TACHIBANADA (MF)
3021 minutes played
Another player who had a bit of a weird year, being our captain but having quite a long period out of the team. Playing him and Joao Schmidt together never worked, so I’m glad that Oniki stopped trying to do it and if one of them had to give way, it made sense that it would be Joao. Tachibanada added goals to his game this year, scoring some important ones, particularly in the ACL against Ulsan. Put in some time at left back and right back too, because… well because Oniki. If he plays in the defensive midfield position that he’s best in, I think he’s very important for us. But I don’t think he should necessarily be played out of position in order to be squeezed in. Fingers crossed that doesn’t happen in 2024.
9. LEANDRO DAMIAO (FW)
1178 minutes played
Farewell to Damiao, as he was another player who didn’t have his contract renewed, (by mutual consent I believe). I think we all knew that this was going to happen. It’s nice to see him able to leave on something of a high, scoring a few goals towards the end of the year and with us taking the Emperor’s Cup. Before his late season revival, felt like things had gone a bit stale for him though and that a move would be best for both parties. This was probably due to our predictable and ineffective tactics though. It seemed that no-one who started in the middle up front for us could really score many goals, probably due to our utterly ponderous football. Now he’s gone, we’ll miss his obsessive desire to do overhead kicks and his nice guy character. Wish him all the best wherever he ends up.
10. Ryota OSHIMA (MF)
768 minutes played
Another season ruined by injury. It’s hard to say much about it. I can’t imagine how Oshima feels about another probably wasted year. I don’t think we even saw him anywhere near his best on the limited occasions he was involved. Don’t know what to say really, apart from the fact that it’s just really sad.
11. Yu KOBAYASHI (FW)
859 minutes played
The best goals per minute ratio of any of our players makes it sound like 2023 was a good year for Kobayashi. But when you look at how few minutes he played, perhaps it wasn’t. Had a few injuries through the year, but the fact that he was involved in 16 league games but only played for 518 minutes shows that a lot of his contributions were ten minute ‘cameos’ from the bench. I don’t know what 2024 will hold for him. Damiao has gone, but maybe the more obvious replacement for Damiao would be Gomis. I know Kobayashi wants to play in the middle, but I’m not sure playing there by himself works so well for him or us, as evidenced on the few occasions he started playing there. So maybe a new approach from Oniki will help him. Whether we get that or not is another thing.
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