2018 MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE 10th Sec - Tokyo Verdy vs Mito Hollyhock

Match Report

Last week, Verdy’s match with Roasso Kumamoto ended in a draw, their second scoreless draw in two matches and fifth this season. However, Verdy also extended their unbeaten run to nine matches since the start of the season, as they entered the positive atmosphere of Ajinomoto Stadium in Nishigaoka. There was only one change from the previous week’s squad. In place of Carlos, Ryohei Hayashi was brought into the starting lineup to face his old team. Alan also returned from injury to take his place on the bench for the first time in three matches.
Despite the April date, the match took place amidst a heat worthy of midsummer, a factor which would ultimately have an effect on the result.

The match began with Verdy immediately capturing the pace, moving the ball well in positions high up the pitch. With Shion Inoue pulling the strings and Kota Watanabe’s dynamic runs, they pushed their opponents back into their own territory but were not immediately able to create a chance on goal. After bracing themselves for an intense contest through the first ten minutes, Verdy would then find the back of the net from a set piece, an element that has been a particular strength of the team’s play this season. Shion Inoue took the corner kick on the right, playing a cross into the center where Ryohei Hayashi fought to get his head to the ball. As his header drifted to the far post, Shinnosuke Hata made the run, unleashing a volley that found the net with style and gave Verdy the lead they had desperately been lacking in recent weeks. From that point, the team would be tested, as the match became a more even affair. Mito Hollyhock strengthened their pressure up front and moved the ball until they were able to enter Verdy territory. The players responded by dropping into their defensive shape in the vital area, enduring the opposition attack. However, Verdy have proven strong in those situations. The defenders kept a precise line, refusing to drop too deep. In turn, Naoya Kamifukumoto covered for long balls behind, while Akira Ibayashi, Hatanaka, and Tomohiro Taira repelled crosses that aimed for the gaps. While it looked as if the opposition were getting the ball into dangerous areas, the Verdy defense shifted from side to side and showed great toughness to keep them from getting a shot in. In additional time during the first half, a cross entered the space between the keeper and the back line, leading to a dangerous moment of confusion over who would take charge of the clearance, but Kamifukumoto left his line at just the right moment and was able to block the ensuing shot.

Holding the lead at half time, Verdy spent the break confirming their plan to shed opposition pressure and push forward in attack. The team then took the pitch and made a great start to the second half. The biggest shift in the match would come in the 53rd minute, when an opposition player was sent off. It was Ryoji Fukui who picked up his second yellow card of the day and exited the pitch, leaving the Kumamoto players vulnerable to the heat as they ran hard attempting to cover for their numerical disadvantage. In the initial moments after the sending off, the Kumamoto players still showed the will to push forward but before long, Verdy began to build chances on the counter and push them back. In the 72nd minute, Verdy would once again employ their secret weapon. Taking a corner kick from the right, Inoue played a long cross to the far side. The opposition goalkeeper left his line but was unable to get a touch, leaving Hirai the chance to fight off defenders and head the ball down. In the end it was Douglas, who despite standing with his back to the goal, was able to play a back heel shot into the net for the second goal. After this, the opposition had clearly lost their balance and the Verdy players would pounce, creating chance after chance. In the 80th minute, Alan and Douglas combined on their own to threaten the goal, while in the 87th minute, a similar combination between the two led to a clear chance for Ryota Kajikawa but he was unable to get his shot on target. The match seemed poised, then, to end at 2-0, but a final statement would be main in the 90th minute. After being pushed back from an opposition set piece, Ibayashi lept high to head clear a cross in the area. The ball would find its way to Kajikawa on the right side, who would quickly initiate the counter. Kajikawa carried the ball to a deep position, before playing a final ball to Alan, who was charging through the middle. Alan kept one eye on the rushing goal keeper and chipped the ball over his head to find the net.

Looking back, this match was one in which Verdy used their strength in defense as a foundation to establish rhythm and then exploited set pieces to build an advantage. The players showed a competitive spirit that had been missing in the last two matches and came away with a clear 3-0 victory. Further, the team’s unbeaten run since the start of the season has now reached 10 games and they continue to have conceded the fewest goals of any club in the league. Next week, Verdy will celebrate the Golden Week holiday period with a series of consecutive matches against difficult opponents. Their first task is to go on the road against Omiya Ardija, a team who played in J1 last year and should provide a tough test. Whatever the challenge, however, Verdy’s stance will not change. The players must simply focus on the objectives before them and make their best preparations, in order to play to their strengths when the time comes.

Manager Miguel Ángel Lotina

Your thoughts on the match?
It was a difficult, highly contested match for us. We made a great start, but after that, they didn’t allow us to play our game. We were lucky to score first from a corner kick. After the goal, they had the ball and we had no choice but to retreat. Even when we won the ball back, we would lose it right away and we couldn’t build the momentum to attack with full strength. After they went down a man, the heat gave us a decisive advantage. We attacked well from possession and on the counter. At the same time, it’s true that they also continued attacking right until the very end.

During the break, while Douglas received treatment at the end of the first half, you had your board and gave instructions to Ryohei Hayashi and Kouta Watanabe. Can you tell us what was said?
We had changed systems and so I wanted to explain the zones I needed them to defend. Ryo (Ryohei Hayashi) is a player with great tactical understanding. We’re using him in a position that’s different from where he’s played in the past, but he understood his role right away.

Can you tell us what it was you expected from Ryohei Hayashi today and his role as a right shadow striker?
I don’t know if I’d call it a shadow striker. We refer to the position as an inside wing. I told him to start on the wing and then push into a forward position. Part of that is due to the opposition’s tactics and part of it is the small size of the ground where we played today. The biggest reason was to get more players into the penalty area, so that Douglas is not in there on his own. When we play with a 4-3-3, he will play further on the wing. But when the system changes or we play from the beginning with a different formation, then he’ll play closer to his natural position as a forward.

You got two goals from set pieces today. Was that something you had prepared for? Please also tell us about your choice of Shion Inoue as the kicker and how you rated his play today?
Of course, we practice corner kicks regularly in training, but the most important thing is the kicker and the players who match with him in the box. Shion (Inoue) can produce very precise balls from set pieces and free kicks. I am satisfied with his play and I think he is doing very well, but it is important that he keep growing little by little. I hope that he will continue that growth and he will play with the mentality of a rookie, even though it’s his third year.

DF 4Shinnosuke Hatanaka

Tell us about your goal.
Ryohei (Hayashi) worked hard to win the ball in a good spot and I was able to make a run and latch onto the loose ball. In my opinion, it’s half his goal. It wasn’t exactly how we drew it up in training, but the ball fell in front of me and I decided to try my luck and give it a blast.

It’s fitting that you scored today here in Nishigaoka, where you also got your first goal as a pro.
That goal came in a match that left painful memories. This time it was in a game where we kept a clean sheet, so I’m happy about that.

As a defender, what are your impressions of the fact that the team has gone five matches without conceding a goal?
Everyone is conscious of their defensive responsibilities and we have defended well overall. I hope we can continue that from now on.

What are your ambitions for the next match?
I want us to train well over the next week so that we can build a winning streak.

DF 3Akira Ibayashi

Your thoughts on the match?
There were actually a lot of dangerous moments today and times where Kami(fukumoto) bailed us out. We may have kept a clean sheet, but if we don’t get closer to our opponents and defend a little tighter, we could concede at any moment.

Getting an early goal from a set piece proved big today.
Changing the momentum with our set pieces was important. In a 0-0 match, you don’t get many set pieces and there aren’t many opportunities to score, which is how we ended up with 0-0 draws against Kumamoto and Gifu. But as we saw today, I think the more set pieces we can earn, the more goals we will create.

You, yourself, had a chance from a set piece to score your first goal of the season.
We got what we were aiming for with that play and after evading the keeper, I was able to keep the shot on target, but they had a single defender who did a great job of covering the line.

Since Tomohiro Taira has returned, the team has continued playing with a true back three. How has that felt?
I don’t think it’s that we’ve gotten used to the formation. It’s more that our approach as a team doesn’t change from match to match and we have drilled it to the point that our bodies know what to do in certain situations. We just do what we are supposed to.

Considering the amount of draws the team has had lately, getting a win today should prove important moving on.
That’s true for us as a team, but I’m a defender and for me, holding the opposition goalless is our biggest accomplishment. Whether it’s 0-0 or 3-0, ending the game with them at zero is the job of those at my position. Of course, I’m happy that led to a positive result, today, and I hope that we can continue that.

Next up, you have consecutive matches during the Golden Week holiday. Your first opponent is Omiya, a strong team. What are your impressions of them?
We played them in the pre-season as well and they’re very good at passing the ball. They also have players with high individual skill on their front line. On a technical level, I think it’s clear that they are one of the best teams in J2. If we do not play cohesively as a team, they will take advantage, so it’s a match where we will have to be cautious.

FW 11Ryohei Hayashi

You made a big contribution today in a game against your old team.
In terms of getting the win, an assist, and getting a player sent off, I think I met my minimum quota. For me, the most important thing is goals and every forward wants to score, so I’ve only put that off for a match. With that said, I’m happy that the team won and that I got an assist at the end. I’m also happy that we were able to control the game well at the end, after they went down a man.

You previously stated that you wanted the team to get more numbers in the box. It felt like you accomplished that today.
If we can get more numbers inside the box, I think we’ll create more chances. I think we did do a better job of that today.

You played on the right as a shadow striker, today.
During training, Ivan and the other coaches have told me that I’ve been getting into good positions. I was able to keep that awareness during the game today and I aimed to get into the penalty area whenever the ball was played to the opposite side. In defense, however, I took the same position as a traditional wing and my role changed enough during the match to make me dizzy. It might look obvious to those watching the game, but the players themselves have to use their brains as the game goes on. I feel like I have a high level of that kind of understanding and it worked well today.

You’d have to say it was a pretty comprehensive win.
I think that sounds about right. I think them going down a man was a major factor, as was us getting an early goal. We haven’t been able to get points this season, although we haven’t been conceding any goals either, but lately we couldn’t get any of our own. With that in mind, I think the early goal invigorated the entire team.

Tell us about your assist.
I’m not sure if it was a shot or not. I just knew that I would be able win the 50/50 with the player who was marking me. I got my head to the ball and Hatanaka made the run onto rebound.

You also helped the team on the defensive end. It seemed like you had a good understanding of your old team’s habits.
I think the switch between offense and defense will end up being one of the most important aspects of our game. I think we defended well today, even in terms of the finer points. In particular, I knew their back line and holding midfielders very well, so I kept that awareness as I played.

In the second half, you had a chance off the rebound from Kota Watanabe’s shot.
We had a lot of players in the penalty area and I could have tried to trap the ball myself, but Kota was free behind me and I let him have the shot. After that, I knew the rebound was coming my way and thought for a moment that I would have a goal, but we’ll just have to put it off until next time. We’ve gone 10 games without a loss and today, we won an important match against an opponent who are near us in the table. Getting that win is a big deal. It’s also important that we keep clean sheets as we continue this streak.

Getting a win was also important after so many draws, lately.
Lately, you could be forgiven for having the view that we don’t have what it takes to win and I think the overall team atmosphere is important for us. Here at Nishigaoka, the stands are very close to the pitch and winning 3-0 in that environment created a great atmosphere. By the same token, had we lost 0-3, I’m sure we would have heard the shouts. So it’s valuable to us that we won.

MF 20Shion Inoue

Tell us your thoughts about being picked to take the team’s set pieces.
I believe we got a lot of goals off set pieces last year and I felt that this year, we hadn’t done that enough. That placed a bit more pressure on me, so getting two points off set pieces today definitely makes me feel a lot lighter.

Given the number of scoreless matches the team has had recently, it must have been important to get the early goal.
Not just myself, but I think the entire team relaxed a bit after getting that goal. I think set pieces will be key for us as the season continues.

It seemed like the team was indecisive about whether to pass or shoot during some of the counter attacks in the second half.
Since the season started, we’ve been of two minds on whether to shoot from those locations or aim for a through pass. Before the match began, I had it in my head to shoot, but I too was a bit indecisive and we actually ended up being hit back on the counter as a result. I do feel that I should have been more selfish and try to end moves by getting a shot in.

You’ve played as a holding midfielder the past two matches. Have you been particularly conscious of anything in that role?
I am conscious of what I need to do differently when I play further forward and when I play in a holding role. I played in a holding role last year, so it’s not that I’m unaccustomed to it. I just keep in mind the importance of what I have to do in each position.

You were substituted not long after the second goal. Did the manager give you any words of appreciation as you came off?
I knew that I was struggling to keep up defensively at that point, so I imagine that the manager wanted to bring on someone fresh to defend the lead and aim for the third goal on the counter. It tells me that I haven’t yet built up the conditioning or trust level to play the full 90 minutes.

MF 24Yuta Narawa

Your thoughts on the match?
We feel that if we play our game and don’t leave any gaps, the chances will come. It’s not that we were particularly conscious of attacking today. I think those watching the match will get the impression that they just weren’t able to hold up in defense.

You and Kota Watanabe combined well and did a good job containing your counterparts on the opposition.
The reason Kota played on my side was not as a tactic to negate their players but to deal with their pressing. With his mobility and ability to cover broad areas in defense, I think we were able to combine well and work with Hayashi to build an advantage on our side of the pitch.

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