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MATCH
Match Report
As the season winds down to its final three matches, Verdy lined up this week for a marquee matchup against Matsumoto Yamaga FC, a team who came in at second in the table. With only three points between them in the standings, it was an encounter that would go a long way toward deciding the fate of Verdy’s season. Verdy had kept the same lineup for the last two matches but today, they would make changes to the squad. Douglas took the place of Leandro at center striker, while Ryohei Hayashi replaced Alan on the right wing. Meanwhile, Ryota Kajikawa was chosen over Shion Inoue to partner with Yuhei Sato at inside half.
As the match began, Matsumoto placed strong pressure on the front line, forcing Verdy to play it safe and make long clearances, rather than build from the back, and the players found themselves unable to build a good passing rhythm. After 10 minutes, Verdy finally began to evade the press and move the ball up the pitch, but they failed to secure it in the final third and turned it over several times before they could set up the finish. The end result saw the team unable to employ their usual style of building from possession and more often than not, passing was confined to their own area, in front of the opposition press. In the 15th minute, after the opposition played a sharp cross from the right into the space between the goal keeper and defense, the Verdy markers lost sight of Maeda and allowed a free header in the box. However, they were rescued by the shot’s lack of precision and the ball went wide of the post. Meanwhile, the team failed to create opportunities on the counter and Matsumoto won a free kick on the right side in the 36th minute. The ensuing cross came off the head of Yuki Kagawa as he was fighting with Takasaki in the box, drifting into the right net for an own goal and giving Matsumoto the lead.
Although Verdy would try to regroup in the second half, the initial moments developed much the same as the first, with the team pinned back and hurried by the opposition press. The manager immediately decided to make a move and in the 51st minute, Leandro was brought on for Sato and Yong-jick Lee for Hayashi. Despite having failed to create any chances in the first half, the substitutions would make a difference and the players gradually began to develop their passing rhythm. In the 61st minute, Douglas made a run into space on the right, with Leandro drawing markers away at the near post, and played a reverse cross into the box that was met by the head of Kajikawa. However, the shot drifted wide left of the post. In the 68th minute, Verdy would have their biggest chance of the match. Tatsuya Uchida took hold of the ball in the team’s own half and played a lofted through pass to Lee, who had split the opposition back line with his run. Lee fought off the challenge of a defender and then found himself in on goal, but the keeper was just able to block the shot with a desperate charge off his line. Having failed to capitalize on the opportunity, Verdy would continue to attack but Matsumoto were now content to drop players deep into the box and the players failed to break down the opposition defense. A final attempt was made to throw numbers forward at the close of the match, but it had little effect. The encounter thus drew to a close with Verdy playing ball after ball into the box but failing to apply the finish.
This was a week in which all six of the league’s promotion contenders faced off against each other, offering Verdy a massive chance to move up the table. As such, there is no doubt that the loss did damage to the team’s chances. Despite that, there is still no time to hang heads. With two matches to go, the players must fight to the end and accomplish as much as they possibly can during the remainder by placing all their focus on the match at hand. Next week, the team have their final home match of the season and must take advantage in order to change the tide and put themselves in pole position for a promotional spot.
Post-match comments
Manager Miguel Ángel Lotina
Your thoughts on the match?
In the first half, they pressed strongly and made it hard for us to pass the ball, forcing us to spend much of our time in defense. We didn’t defend particularly badly, but we gave up a set piece from a questionable foul and then they put in a good ball that led to us conceding. In the second half, we had more of the ball and it was a more even affair. We had chances to score, as did they. In the end, we couldn’t score and we lost as a result.
In the second half, when you had more of the ball, what did you emphasize in attack?
The same points as always – move the ball between the lines and break them down patiently. We also tried breaking them down from the wings. When your opponent plays with a 5-4-1 defensive block, it is also going to be hard to break them down. It was a difficult game for us.
Were your substitutions early in the second half intended to bypass the midfield after their system change?
It wasn’t so much about their system change as it was my wanting to take advantage of players with different skills on our bench. I wanted to move the ball between the lines or take advantage of the space left by their 5-4-1.
DF 17Lee Yong Jick
You were able to initiate the attack from the wings immediately after your substitution.
Watching in the first half, I felt that we needed to do more at the midway point of the pitch if we wanted to secure good positions. Actually, it felt like they were filling those areas and we didn’t know how to deal with that, so that was something I concentrated on. As a team, it didn’t feel like we accomplished what we’d worked on in training until the second half.
Tell us your impressions of the first half while watching from the bench.
More than anything they did, I think the problems were with us today. Despite having all these fans come to see us and the opportunity presented by the matchup, it ended up an ugly game, almost like a relegation match. Not everything was negative, but I know we can do more and I feel like this wasn’t what we had spent the week preparing to do. With all the fans who came today, we had no business playing so passively. More than any tactical differences, what stood out for me is that despite the opponent being above us in the table, we didn’t show any intent to challenge them.
The team seemed to struggle with the opposition pressure when you had the ball in the first half.
I don’t know if it’s that we were too passive, but we needed to be decisive about making runs to pull their markers away or other similar plays. Honestly, their pressure was really strong and it was important to keep them chasing in midfield. We were able to do that in the second half.
You had a big chance from your run into the box in the second half.
To be honest, I think I had other choices, like trying to loop the keeper or trying to put spin on it to curve it to the outside. The ball took a bad bounce off the grass and got a bit ahead of me. Everyone seemed to be indicating handball and I thought I might be called for it myself. I then saw the goalkeeper and that put me off a little. I still have to improve my technique and precision.
Given how deep they were defending, moving the ball quickly from defense to attack probably offered the greatest potential today.
We move in unison, so we were able to retrieve the second ball or force them into mistakes with our pressing. Our positioning was good in that sense. I think that was the key to today’s match and without it early, we ended up with the deadlock that you saw. At the same time, I think the fact that we were able to play as well as we did in the second half shows that we are still lacking in mental strength overall. In looking at the season as a whole, I feel like we haven’t made much progress between the first and second half of the year and our inability to make those adjustments has been our biggest problem.
Your final bow before the supporters occurred in less than ideal atmosphere.
The supporters were in great voice today and I think we owed it to them to secure a result. I myself was extremely grateful for the chance to play in that kind of atmosphere. For that same reason, the loss does damage to us in a lot of ways, but there is no need to hang our heads down for too long. If we win the remaining two matches, we can still control our destiny and put ourselves in a good playoff position. I think the supporters will create a good atmosphere to help us do that, so we have to prepare well over the next week and make it worth their while.
MF 8Tatsuya Uchida
What are your thoughts on how the team moved the ball in the first half, when the opposition were applying their high press?
At first, it felt like what we expected from them. With that said, in defense, I think we made things too easy for them. We corrected that at half time, so I feel like we wouldn’t have had much of a problem if we could have ended the first half without conceding. For that reason, the goal was a wasteful one.
What was most difficult for you on the defensive end?
We were undone by the very things the scouts warned us about, so it was mainly that we couldn’t accomplish the things we had talked about. Of course, part of that is that they exceeded what we had imagined. Still, we were in the process of holding them to zero, so giving up a goal on a set piece leaves some frustration.
Despite having more of the ball in the second half, it seemed like you couldn’t break them down.
I think the problem was in our precision. We created chances in the second half but against a team of their level, opportunities are always going to be limited. It’s not only down to precision, though, but also the fact that on some days the ball will find the net and some days it won’t. Of course, we want to increase the number of chances we create, but it didn’t feel like we were that stagnant.
Did you want to play as you did in the second half for the entire match?
I suppose so. It would have been better if we had played that way from the first half on, but they put a lot of pressure on us in the beginning and it felt like we had no choice but to play that way in the first half. Unfortunately, we conceded during that period and that was a waste.
So, you feel like conceding from that set piece was fatal for the team, today?
Given their play style, I do think we handed them the result with that goal.
Ryohei Hayashi was expected to deliver in attack today, but he ended up spending a lot of his time in defense. Do you feel you couldn’t take advantage of his presence?
If we had Hayashi on the pitch in the second half, I think we could have done things differently. We just spent too much time on defense in the first half and I do feel we couldn’t use his attacking abilities as much as he would like.
DF 5 Tomohiro Taira
Your thoughts on the match?
In the first half, I felt like they came in looking to eliminate our strong points and we played right into their hands. I think they defended well.
The goal you conceded came from a set piece.
We knew they had some good spot kickers. In the future, we have to figure out what more we can do in those situations. They put in a good ball.
You had more possession in the second half, but it seemed like your balls to the front line weren’t being retained.
The opposition were concentrating on shutting down the wide areas and if we don’t play those balls, we can’t pull their defense into the center. They were also very quick to close down the ball holder. Still, they stopped pressing us from the front and we were able to build on the ball, so I wanted us to get a goal. I think the match proceeded according to plan for them and that’s frustrating.
Izumisawa’s play has been one of the team’s strong points lately. Did it hurt that they marked him so effectively today?
As was obvious to anyone watching the match, they defended with strict man to man marking and that prevented us from playing our style in attack. I regret that we ended up relying so much on early crosses.
GK 21Naoto Kamifukumoto
Your thoughts on the match?
In the first half, it felt like they neutralized our strong points. It seemed like we were barely able to approach their goal. The opposition defended well and on the other hand, we were forced to spend long periods in front of our own goal, which led to us conceding from a set piece. From that point, they were able to carry out their game plan and they defended their lead very well.
I understand that the team expected the opposition to play as they did with a high press in the first half.
To some degree, even when we did try to play as we had prepared, the opposition responded well. We weren’t able to express our confidence or at the very least, we were lacking in aggressiveness.
In the second half, the opposition eased up on their pressure and you were able to win the second ball while retaining possession.
I think it was clear that they planned to retreat and protect their one-goal lead. As such, I think we were able to dominate possession and put pressure on their goal, but we couldn’t score and they defended well. I do think we showed intent to try and chase the equalizer, but defense has been a strong point for them all season. We took on the challenge, but in the end we couldn’t get the goal we needed and were unable to pick up points from the match.
Given the importance of goal difference in separating the table right now, were you conscious of managing risks as you went after the equalizer?
They really parked the bus and were intent on shutting down the middle with their positioning, so I think the chances of our handing them a big opportunity were low, even if we put numbers forward. Of course, there were points where they had even numbers in attack, but it didn’t feel like we were going to concede there. If I had noticed anything dangerous watching from behind, I think I would have made my voice heard, which means that the balance was probably right today and there was no problem with what we were doing. At that point, I don’t think we were worried about conceding another goal and just wanted to play in an effective way.
There’s still a lot that could happen, in terms of numbers, but realistically, it seems the team’s objective at this point would be to secure a playoff spot.
Including today’s match, there is no change to our approach of playing one game at a time. I want us to concentrate on the things we have to do in the next match and do everything we can to accomplish those. The future will be clear after the matches are finished, so for now, we must concentrate on the things we have to do.