Kawasaki Frontale 0 - 0 Tokyo Verdy
I’m running out of different ways to write the same thing every week. I’m also running out of ways to say that I’m running out of ways to write the same thing every week. So please forgive me if there is some repetition here. Personally I approached this game a little differently from usual as I was attending with one of my former students so had to remain a bit calmer than I usually might in order to show that I am a mature adult and all that. In contrast to my new approach, Oniki went with exactly the same approach again, those two defensive midfielders really shoring things up and the same safety first approach to attacking once again ensuring that we didn’t score. No goals in four games now and naturally that also means no wins in four. If only Oniki could come up with a way of winning without having to score we’d be quids in! This goalless draw was similar in some ways to the draw against YFM. Similar in the way that we had some shots but never really looked like coming close to scoring. Against YFM we had fifteen shots, only one of which was on target. In this game we had fourteen and managed to ‘hit the target’ an astonishing five times! I say ‘hit the target’ but it was more a case of the ball slowly trickling towards the target and lightly nuzzling against it. Hit sounds way too dangerous. Also like the YFM game, this was a match where it looked like we were probably going to concede from a hopeless error from a situation of little to no danger. We had a few dodgy moments when we were playing the ball around at the back and lost it. I mean, that’s not even worth writing as this always happens, doesn’t it? I guess the real surprise is that we didn’t concede, so that’s got to be a good thing, hasn’t it? Well, yes and no. Obviously I don’t want us to concede, but at the same time, I probably wouldn’t have traded any possibility of us ever scoring again for a series of endless clean sheets. After all, we do go to games for entertainment purposes. Although saying that, our current bluntness is so predictable that going to a game and expecting entertainment and excitement is about as pointless as going to a sculpture gallery and hoping to see the exhibits perform a perfectly choreographed hi-energy dance routine.
Our current situation is causing problems for itself. The longer we go without a goal, the lower confidence gets. The lower confidence gets, the more chance we have of totally wasting any chance we might get. The longer we fail to win, the more Oniki wants to make sure that we don’t lose. I wonder if we have enough points on the board so far to ensure our survival with goalless draws for the rest of the season. In this game there was at least a little bit of a change of personnel from Oniki. The problem is that I don’t think that’s where the problem lies. Finally we got to see our new right back Sai play in a league game. Naturally he played at left back just to keep things interesting. On the other side we still are going with Segawa, who is definitely getting better in that position, but presumably is still not as good as an actual right back might be. Ienaga was finally rested too. So there was at least a slight acknowledgment of the need to try something new. Ze Ricardo also came in to play alongside Tachibanada. There even seems to be some suggestion from the line up on the official site that we were playing 4-4-2. I think that this is clearly just fantasy as it was totally the same formation as always. particularly when you consider Yamada spent a lot of time on the right wing and Wakizaka was in the middle of the pitch. (edit: Have just read Oniki’s comments and he says it was a 4-4-2 but the tweak was that Wakizaka was more central than his right wing position and Yamada was told to go start his attacks from the right. So, exactly the same as the usual formation. At this stage I feel like everyone is gaslighting me. We’re having spaghetti for dinner, but instead of using spaghetti, I’m using chips and I’m replacing the spaghetti sauce with battered fish. But it’s definitely spaghetti, ok?). I don’t really know what the point of this kind of deception is. Is it supposed to panic the opposition before the game into imagining that we’re going to set up differently? Or is it just a diversion for all of those who say that Oniki never tries anything new? Whatever the reason, this was definitely just a case of the same old stuff having the same old effect. Marcinho is clearly having a tough season. The two red cards have probably shaken his confidence. I would suggest that maybe I don’t really want our speedy dribbler being relied on to run back and make last ditch tackles in defence. The rest of his game has crashed too though it seems. All he seems to be able to do now is run fast. I can’t imagine he’s going to regain his confidence by ballooning shot after shot way over the bar or just dribbling to the box and then losing the ball. I want him to pass a bit more and a bit earlier. But of course our problems aren’t down to him. It seems that Erison has settled in now, the couple of months of Oniki football coaching having finally removed any vestige of exciting attacking talent from him. Perhaps he’s still not fully recovered from his injury. If that’s the case, I wonder why he’s playing. At the start of the year, having Erison in the side was a guaranteed one goal head start in a match. That is not the case anymore. The frustration of the players is clear to see. I’m sure that they’re not excited about terrible performance after terrible performance. And they’ve got to have noticed that the rush to the exits in the stands on the final whistle of games has become more vital and exciting than what goes on during the game on the pitch. But the fact is we’re adrift and looking lost and need a lucky break to go our way to regain any kind of confidence or form. So, maybe that will happen in the next few games. I’m sure we’ve got some easy ones coming up, right? Hmmmm, next… Hiroshima away… ermmm. Then Urawa at home, who are shit this year, but that probably makes them more likely to be able to beat us. Hmmmm. Avispa away, a ground where we usually don’t play very well. And then games against Sagan Tosu and Consadole, two of the current bottom four. Ah! So that’s the positive, right? We’re playing teams who are worse than us! Except we’ve already lost to Kyoto who are second bottom. If we still haven’t picked up a win by the time those games are done, I think it’s pretty likely that we’ll be bottom. The only way is up from there, right? Well actually I guess down to J2 is also possible. I think I’ve said many times that I think our squad this year is better than last year. It’s unfortunate that our tactics are the same as they were last year, but one year older, and one million times more predictable. Next game expect a nominally different formation with one or two players changed, but in reality, exactly the same old shit. Lovely!
I normally would moan about the opposition here but I don’t have anything to say really. They didn’t look that good so were a perfect match for us who also didn’t look that good. They have some of their best players away with Japan’s U23 team. Praise the lord! Glad that we could come up against a weakened version of them. Some people on Twitter were talking about us getting revenge for the Emperor’s Cup defeat to them a few seasons ago. I don’t know if revenge is really the word though when you haven’t really been wronged and you’ve basically brought it on yourself. I want revenge against JR as I missed my train today because I didn’t bother leaving the house! The cheek of it! They didn’t even have any funny banners. Jofuku was rocking the dark suit and white t-shirt combo that seems to have become popular with J League managers recently. Wonder if he rolled up the sleeves of the jacket slightly to go for that middle ground between Miami Vice and Phil Collins? Perhaps because I was playing the part of a responsible adult at this game was why I didn’t find more to get irritated about. Basically this game was a nailed on 0-0 and that’s what it ended up as. Grump lovers, don’t despair though because the ref on the other hand was an extremely irritating wanker. Kasahara hates us. We all know that. I thought it was brave of him to demonstrate that quite so openly though. Once again thought I should say that our bluntness wasn’t down to the ref, so don’t think I’m moaning in that way. I suppose I should be positive and say that at least we managed to get through a Kasahara game without a DOGSO red card. Kasahara, we know you hate us, and just in case you were wondering, the feeling is mutual.
Next up, a new stadium! Thankfully there is something to look forward to as I suspect that game won’t be much fun. We have trouble against Hiroshima when they’re crap, so a season when they are doing much better will probably not be much fun. Although saying that, as Hiroshima away must be the absolute most nailed on of defeats, we’ll probably end up winning. A win would be lovely, but would clearly ease the pressure on Oniki and give him the idea that all that was needed was for us to persevere by sticking to the same tactics for long enough and then things would come good. And then we’ll lose our next four games. To win though… well… it requires… a goal. And I can’t see where our next one is coming from. Hopefully off the arse of a particularly annoying Sanfrecce player past his own keeper. The demand for the commemorative goods after the game will be immense. First goal in five games with the Frontale crest emerging from behind big OG letters, available for printing on a t-shirt, tote bag or key ring. Actually it must also be a matter of time before OG gets a 100 J League games presentation too, with his girlfriend bringing on their newborn baby ‘og’ on to the field for the three of them to have a photo together. Beautiful stuff! Perhaps retail therapy is the solution for Frontale fans who are feeling disheartened right now. Frontale eye masks so you don’t have to watch what’s going on during the game and branded ear plugs so you don’t have to listen to either Oniki’s excuses or my whining!
Our current situation is causing problems for itself. The longer we go without a goal, the lower confidence gets. The lower confidence gets, the more chance we have of totally wasting any chance we might get. The longer we fail to win, the more Oniki wants to make sure that we don’t lose. I wonder if we have enough points on the board so far to ensure our survival with goalless draws for the rest of the season. In this game there was at least a little bit of a change of personnel from Oniki. The problem is that I don’t think that’s where the problem lies. Finally we got to see our new right back Sai play in a league game. Naturally he played at left back just to keep things interesting. On the other side we still are going with Segawa, who is definitely getting better in that position, but presumably is still not as good as an actual right back might be. Ienaga was finally rested too. So there was at least a slight acknowledgment of the need to try something new. Ze Ricardo also came in to play alongside Tachibanada. There even seems to be some suggestion from the line up on the official site that we were playing 4-4-2. I think that this is clearly just fantasy as it was totally the same formation as always. particularly when you consider Yamada spent a lot of time on the right wing and Wakizaka was in the middle of the pitch. (edit: Have just read Oniki’s comments and he says it was a 4-4-2 but the tweak was that Wakizaka was more central than his right wing position and Yamada was told to go start his attacks from the right. So, exactly the same as the usual formation. At this stage I feel like everyone is gaslighting me. We’re having spaghetti for dinner, but instead of using spaghetti, I’m using chips and I’m replacing the spaghetti sauce with battered fish. But it’s definitely spaghetti, ok?). I don’t really know what the point of this kind of deception is. Is it supposed to panic the opposition before the game into imagining that we’re going to set up differently? Or is it just a diversion for all of those who say that Oniki never tries anything new? Whatever the reason, this was definitely just a case of the same old stuff having the same old effect. Marcinho is clearly having a tough season. The two red cards have probably shaken his confidence. I would suggest that maybe I don’t really want our speedy dribbler being relied on to run back and make last ditch tackles in defence. The rest of his game has crashed too though it seems. All he seems to be able to do now is run fast. I can’t imagine he’s going to regain his confidence by ballooning shot after shot way over the bar or just dribbling to the box and then losing the ball. I want him to pass a bit more and a bit earlier. But of course our problems aren’t down to him. It seems that Erison has settled in now, the couple of months of Oniki football coaching having finally removed any vestige of exciting attacking talent from him. Perhaps he’s still not fully recovered from his injury. If that’s the case, I wonder why he’s playing. At the start of the year, having Erison in the side was a guaranteed one goal head start in a match. That is not the case anymore. The frustration of the players is clear to see. I’m sure that they’re not excited about terrible performance after terrible performance. And they’ve got to have noticed that the rush to the exits in the stands on the final whistle of games has become more vital and exciting than what goes on during the game on the pitch. But the fact is we’re adrift and looking lost and need a lucky break to go our way to regain any kind of confidence or form. So, maybe that will happen in the next few games. I’m sure we’ve got some easy ones coming up, right? Hmmmm, next… Hiroshima away… ermmm. Then Urawa at home, who are shit this year, but that probably makes them more likely to be able to beat us. Hmmmm. Avispa away, a ground where we usually don’t play very well. And then games against Sagan Tosu and Consadole, two of the current bottom four. Ah! So that’s the positive, right? We’re playing teams who are worse than us! Except we’ve already lost to Kyoto who are second bottom. If we still haven’t picked up a win by the time those games are done, I think it’s pretty likely that we’ll be bottom. The only way is up from there, right? Well actually I guess down to J2 is also possible. I think I’ve said many times that I think our squad this year is better than last year. It’s unfortunate that our tactics are the same as they were last year, but one year older, and one million times more predictable. Next game expect a nominally different formation with one or two players changed, but in reality, exactly the same old shit. Lovely!
I normally would moan about the opposition here but I don’t have anything to say really. They didn’t look that good so were a perfect match for us who also didn’t look that good. They have some of their best players away with Japan’s U23 team. Praise the lord! Glad that we could come up against a weakened version of them. Some people on Twitter were talking about us getting revenge for the Emperor’s Cup defeat to them a few seasons ago. I don’t know if revenge is really the word though when you haven’t really been wronged and you’ve basically brought it on yourself. I want revenge against JR as I missed my train today because I didn’t bother leaving the house! The cheek of it! They didn’t even have any funny banners. Jofuku was rocking the dark suit and white t-shirt combo that seems to have become popular with J League managers recently. Wonder if he rolled up the sleeves of the jacket slightly to go for that middle ground between Miami Vice and Phil Collins? Perhaps because I was playing the part of a responsible adult at this game was why I didn’t find more to get irritated about. Basically this game was a nailed on 0-0 and that’s what it ended up as. Grump lovers, don’t despair though because the ref on the other hand was an extremely irritating wanker. Kasahara hates us. We all know that. I thought it was brave of him to demonstrate that quite so openly though. Once again thought I should say that our bluntness wasn’t down to the ref, so don’t think I’m moaning in that way. I suppose I should be positive and say that at least we managed to get through a Kasahara game without a DOGSO red card. Kasahara, we know you hate us, and just in case you were wondering, the feeling is mutual.
Next up, a new stadium! Thankfully there is something to look forward to as I suspect that game won’t be much fun. We have trouble against Hiroshima when they’re crap, so a season when they are doing much better will probably not be much fun. Although saying that, as Hiroshima away must be the absolute most nailed on of defeats, we’ll probably end up winning. A win would be lovely, but would clearly ease the pressure on Oniki and give him the idea that all that was needed was for us to persevere by sticking to the same tactics for long enough and then things would come good. And then we’ll lose our next four games. To win though… well… it requires… a goal. And I can’t see where our next one is coming from. Hopefully off the arse of a particularly annoying Sanfrecce player past his own keeper. The demand for the commemorative goods after the game will be immense. First goal in five games with the Frontale crest emerging from behind big OG letters, available for printing on a t-shirt, tote bag or key ring. Actually it must also be a matter of time before OG gets a 100 J League games presentation too, with his girlfriend bringing on their newborn baby ‘og’ on to the field for the three of them to have a photo together. Beautiful stuff! Perhaps retail therapy is the solution for Frontale fans who are feeling disheartened right now. Frontale eye masks so you don’t have to watch what’s going on during the game and branded ear plugs so you don’t have to listen to either Oniki’s excuses or my whining!
Team
GK 1. JUNG Sung-Ryong
DF 30. SEGAWA Yusuke
GK 1. JUNG Sung-Ryong
DF 30. SEGAWA Yusuke
DF 3. OMINAMI Takuma
DF 5. SASAKI Asahi
DF 31. Sai VAN WERMESKERKEN
MF 8. TACHIBANADA Kento
MF 6. ZE RICARDO
DF 31. Sai VAN WERMESKERKEN
MF 8. TACHIBANADA Kento
MF 6. ZE RICARDO
MF 14. WAKIZAKA Yasuto
FW 20. YAMADA Shin (Yellow card 32')
FW 9. ERISON
FW 23. MARCINHO
Subs
GK 99. KAMIFUKUMOTO Naoto
FW 20. YAMADA Shin (Yellow card 32')
FW 9. ERISON
FW 23. MARCINHO
Subs
GK 99. KAMIFUKUMOTO Naoto
FW 11. KOBAYASHI Yu (on for ERISON 64')
DF 15. TANABE Shuto
MF 16. SEKO Tatsuki (on for VAN WERMESKERKEN 72')
FW 17. TONO Daiya (on for MARCINHO 64')
DF 15. TANABE Shuto
MF 16. SEKO Tatsuki (on for VAN WERMESKERKEN 72')
FW 17. TONO Daiya (on for MARCINHO 64')
FW 18. Bafetimbi GOMIS (on for WAKIZAKA 84')
FW 41. IENAGA Akihiro (on for YAMADA 72')
Goals
Not a sausage
FW 41. IENAGA Akihiro (on for YAMADA 72')
Goals
Not a sausage
Well, if we were playing a tweaked 4-4-2 which wasn't the usual 4-2-3-1, I thought I should tweak this section too. This week in a totally different way from the last few weeks when I haven't given it to anyone, this week I've decided to give it to no-one. I hope you appreciate the new way I'm doing things here.
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