Gonda

Mukuhara Morishige Hiramatsu Nagatomo

Ishikawa Kajiyama Konno Matsushita

Hanyu

Hirayama

Looking to the Urawa game, hopefully Ishikawa and Casual are fit enough to start because they were the difference against Yokohama.

Our starting midfield had a collective shocker, with Tokunaga in particular taking an age to make decisions and continually gifting possession. Hanyu also struggled to control the game and seems too lightweight to be playing so deep.

Kajiyama, by contrast, knew exactly what was required. He linked defence and attack well; turning every time he took a pass off a defender and looking to moving the ball forward quickly. (If only he was always that purposeful!)

As for the rest, Morishige had a strong debut, looking calm and confident. Matsushita looks like he’ll need more time to settle, but his set pieces were useful. I also thought Mukuhara had a good game, tackling well and putting in one or two decent crosses on the overlap. Why have we made Tokunaga captain?!

And poor Akamine. I was glad he came on as a sub here, but would like to see him start ahead of Tatsuya (whose pace surely makes him more suited to the role of impact substitute). Not knowing anything about Ricardinho, Akamine’s probably our most natural goalscorer but what can he do to get an extended run in the team?

Lastly, 16 grand for a… Hirayama shirt?! Surely some kind of drunken mistake!

Had to wait a couple of days to calm down before posting, still a little euphoric but more clear-headed than Saturday, thats for sure.

Firstly, thank you Sota. The 16 grand I forked out for the authentic kit with your name and number on became worth it with one swing of your trusty (?!) right foot.

As for the game – well the only two real chances we had came in the first (think you’ll find it was Hokuto with the header, dokool) and last minutes and in between we created worryingly little. Definitely a few mitigating circumstances though (probably only seven of our best XI started, slippery conditions, new faces) and overall its the result that matters and I’m not going all glass-half-empty after a win like that. Plenty to build on – defensively we looked steady, players to come back, the squad is smaller but better.

Of the new boys I was very impressed with Morishige. Its not like me to go overboard on things like this but he looks to be (on a very small sample size) our best Japanese signing in years. Good, composed defender and very calm on the ball, much like Konno. I realise he’ll get a proper test away at the Red Cubic Zirconias, but that was a highly promising start.

Matsushita seemed hesitant to take people on in open play, he deferred to others too much, but lets put that down to him still settling in (it certainly wasn’t the conditions, given the amount of rain and snow they get in Niigata!). Or, perhaps, his best position might be in the centre. Good to see his delivery from set pieces was as advertised, and thats a weapon we have lacked, as you pointed out dokool.

I was disappointed when I saw Akamine was coming on instead of Ricardinho, but Aka played a major part in the goal and therefore kudos to Jofuku for getting that decision right. Hope to see Ricky unveiled against the CZ’s, as you can’t deny Tatsuya’s work rate, but to me he just doesn’t have enough quality to be a regular member of the first team.

Anyway, there were other positives (Gonda picked up from where he left off in ’09; Ishikawa’s and Casual’s cameos) and negatives (Tokunaga and Hanyu together in midfield didn’t work; Naga’s pass to Aka that started the move for the goal was just about the only one he completed all game), but the big fella hit the target and three points is three points!

Finally, thank you again Sota. I love you.

Pretty lack lustre game with very few good chances. first game i guess, an i know from A^league experience that it takes a while for teams to fire up in the front third.

Hirayama definately caught my eye. for a big lump his movement with and without the ball is very good.

On to Urawa!!! who i admired pre-japan visit but have now grown to despise.