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MATCH
Match Report
In their previous fixture, Verdy passed the midpoint of their final streak of five consecutive matches this season, but unfortunately marked the occasion with an 0-4 away loss against FC Ryukyu. After two days rest, they returned home on this day looking to do whatever it takes to earn the full three points against JEF United Chiba in a matchup between two teams from the original J-League 10.
The battle for possession in the early minutes saw Chiba play several long balls, enabling them to push deep into Verdy territory. However, the defense stuck tight to Kléber, who acted as a target man on the opposition front line, and collected the second ball before he had a chance to create opportunities. Afterward, the Verdy players executed patient build up play, moving the ball with one and two-touch passes to grasp hold of the pace. In response to Verdy’s up-tempo pass work, the opposition chose not to press from the front and instead retreated quickly into a defensive block. To pull their opponents forward, Verdy moved the ball in all directions over the pitch but they could not carry it into effective areas of the final third. Among their few opportunities in the first half, the team’s biggest chance would come in the 32nd minute when Yuhei Sato received the ball in front of the penalty area facing forward and played a looping pass behind the opposition back line. In response, Junki Koike made a well-timed run into space and met the ball with his first touch, only to see his shot climb over the crossbar. Afterward, the team continued to manipulate the opposition in the wide areas and probe for pockets of space from which they could attack, but the first half ended with Verdy unable to break through the conservative Chiba defense.
To further increase their tempo in midfield, Verdy sent Joel Chima Fujita onto the pitch at the start of the second half, replacing Yuta Narawa, and slid Rihito Yamamoto to left-side attacker. As a result, they would immediately create a clear chance after the restart. It was the 47th minute and Koike swung his right foot from near the penalty area, aiming a shot at the top left corner of the goal. The ball took one hop as it sped toward the net, but the effort was ultimately kept out by a fine save. However, the decisive chance gave the team renewed rhythm as they attempted to maintain possession and push up the pitch. The players showed the toughness required to repel the opposition’s long balls and attacks from set pieces, but also connected their own passes when they had the ball and pushed deep into opposition territory. In the 69th minute, the match saw its first major turning point. The Verdy players executed a fierce, coordinated high press within the opposition half, ending with Fujita closing down and cutting off the angles for a forward pass while Sato was able to intercept the ball. Sato then quickly initiated the attack, playing a sharp direct pass to Shion Inoue as the latter made a run into space left of the penalty area. Inoue then played the ball back across goal with his first touch, sending it in the direction of Fujita, who found the left corner of the net with a placed effort that gave Verdy the lead. Finding themselves behind, the opposition now strengthened their attack with long balls to the front, while Verdy inserted Naoya Kondo to provide extra height in defense. Despite the change, however, Verdy would be undone by a lapse in concentration during the match’s final phase. In the 83rd minute, as they pushed for a second goal, Verdy lost the ball in opposition territory and found themselves hit on the counter. The right side of the Verdy defense was broken down and an early cross was played into the box. As Kleber attempted to get on the end of the pass, Tomohiro Taira also moved to clear and the ball ended up in the back of the net. Verdy had thus conceded with an unlucky goal in the game’s final phase. Still, the players were determined to get a win at home and continued to put pressure on the Chiba goal, even in additional time. In the 91st minute, the team earned a corner kick from the left and after an initial clearance at the near post, Sato’s ball drifted to the far side. There, Shohei Takahashi placed a headed shot on goal, only to see his effort cannon off the right post. As Chiba attempted to counter, Verdy quickly won the ball back and used space on the left and middle as Fujita played the ball down for Koki Morita. However, the latter’s shot was blocked by a strong challenge from a defender and ended up wide of the left post.
For their final opportunity, Verdy elected to pass the ball, rather than trying to score immediately, but they conceded possession at the critical moment and the match ended as a draw. There are now only four matches left in the season and there are no shortcuts that will earn the players a win. To leave behind traces of their growth for next season, their only choice is to increase their precision and further dominate the play.
Post-match comments
Manager Hideki Nagai
Your thoughts on the match?
As this was a home game taking place after we’d lost any chance for promotion to J1, both in the days leading up to the match and before we took the pitch, I spoke with the players about what our objectives would be and what we can play for during the remainder of the season. As a result, I think the players did well to maintain their motivation as they entered the match. In the first half, our plan was to try and pull them out of position more as we broke them down, but that didn’t go very well for us. In the second half, we changed the way we lined up and tried a new approach. I felt that the game improved after that. We were able to pin our opponents back, maintain possession in their territory, break them down and earn a good goal. However, our biggest regret from the match was the fact that we couldn’t get a second goal. In addition, our second regret was the fact that we didn’t carry out our game design. While we were winning 1-0, we had to think about how to best use our remaining time and incorporate dominance of the play into our approach. We still have a lot to learn in that area and it is something that we must improve. To be honest, it was a very disappoint result in the end. The players have done their part by staying motivated throughout this streak of consecutive matches and we performed over the full 90 minutes with the strong feeling that we needed to play brilliant football and get a win at home for the fans and supporters. I am grateful to them for that. Once again, we have little time for preparation, so there is no room for us to hang our heads and we will keep looking forward as we train for the next match. Finally, I am truly grateful to the fans and supporters for coming today, despite the low temperatures, and giving us power until the very end. I am very sorry that we weren’t able to repay them with a victory. I and the players will prepare so that next time, we can all share the thrill and joy of victory together.
Is the reason that your first half plan didn’t go well that Chiba began the match differently than you expected?
That’s not the case. In my mind, there were two things about the way we moved the ball that don’t sit well with me. Not everything was bad, but considering the potential of our players, I know that they can better. That’s what I meant.
Can you tell us why you substituted Yamamoto for Kondo after the opening goal in the second half?
I knew they would put numbers in the box or try to earn set plays, so it was about having the necessary height in our defense to deal with that.
Perhaps due to Hanato’s absence, it seemed like you were unable to build the game from the free man position at the front and that had an adverse effect on the rhythm of your attack.
Of course, if Jin (Hanato) had been with us, we may have used a different plan of attack. Rather than build moves from the front, we instead used the square zone and Inoue, in particular, did a good job of finding making well-timed runs and finding space. Our scouting report told us that their center backs wouldn’t close us down and as we began the match, that was the case. Shion (Inoue) was doing a good job of receiving the ball, but once he had it, we needed to do what I mentioned earlier, which is to force them to slide their defensive shape. Personally, I feel that the reason we couldn’t do that, especially at the libero position, is due more to the fact that Rihito (Yamamoto) wasn’t able to switch the play to the opposite side during the flow of play, rather than a problem at the front.
MF36Joel Chima Fujita
How did the first half look from the bench?
I kept a close eye on things from the bench in the first half and it felt like we weren’t moving our opponents into the areas we wanted to. Overall, I think our positioning was too deep.
What instructions did you receive from the manager when you came on and what did you focus on, individually?
Rihito (Yamamoto) played at libero in the first half, but Coach Nagai pointed out that his position should have been a bit further forward. I also think we didn’t do enough to play the ball to one side and then switch it to the other. When I came on, I was focused on receiving the ball and elevating the tempo. It was in the second half, so I didn’t have much time, but I think I was able to play with aggression.
Tell us about your goal.
At that time, we had already lost the ball once, so we surrounded the ball holder and won it back. That was the key to earning the goal, as both Shion (Inoue) and I were able to get forward. I was the third runner and when I received the ball, I was unmarked, so I was able to remain poised and I only had to get a touch. As far as the interception goes, Koki (Morita) did a good job of erasing their passing angles and I focused on the only one that was left, so I was able to deflect it. (When I took the shot) I knew I was unmarked, so I didn’t have to hurry and I think I made good contact.
In the lead up to the goal, Sato played a rapidly moving diagonal pass to Inoue. Did you anticipate Inoue playing it back across goal with his first touch and is that why you were in that position?
At first, my intent was to receive the pass directly from Yuhei (Sato), but it was a pretty strong ball and I realized that Shion was behind me, so I prepared for what would happen after it reached him. I felt that he was in position to take the shot himself, so I moved to give him an extra option if he wanted to pass to me instead. I knew that I was unmarked, so even though the pass was slightly behind me, I was able to control the ball in the way I wanted.
Once the score was at 1-1, what image did you have in mind for how you could get a second goal?
We stuck to our usual approach. By moving the ball and pulling them out of position, I had hoped to create an opportunity for me to be the 6th man in attack, but I wasn’t able to do that very well today. Instead, we placed one player in each of the five lanes and tried to break them down from inside the penalty area. Either way, it didn’t work well.
MF11Haruya Ide
Your thoughts on the match?
Individually, I wanted to get on the ball more and help the team begin the match with a better rhythm, but our opponents stuck to their 4-4-2 shape and didn’t close us down. In response, I think the players on the inside could have tried a different approach to pulling them out of position. Today, we tried to have three players combining passes to get past their front two, but even when we did get past them, the other players didn’t close us down. Myself, Rihito (Yamamoto) and Yuhei (Sato) should have altered our rhythm and exploited our positional advantages better.
Do you have the impression that you weren’t able to receive the ball between the midfield lines or the gaps in space in the first half?
In my conversations with the other players, no one seems to have felt that we were playing with a good feel for the game or good spacing. Looking back over the match as a whole, I have the same impression. We didn’t take up the positions we needed to stretch their shape.
Did the fact that your opponents didn’t close you down have an effect?
When we play against a 4-4-2 with Joel (Fujita) on the pitch and the opposition doesn’t come forward, we normally try to have three players combine in breaking down their front two. Today, however, Rihito (Yamamoto) was playing in more of an anchor role, while myself, Ryoya (Yamashita), and Nara(wa) took positions on the left. We weren’t able to make our opponents run enough and I think those of us in the middle should have changed our approach.
You were more aggressive about switching play to the opposite side in the second half. Is that something the manager discussed with you at the break?
We tried to do that in the first half as well, but we couldn’t do so within the flow of our passing game and as a result, we couldn’t execute those switches as much as we normally do. As usual, Chiba’s approach was to let us get touches, clear the ball and try to get forward on the counter. We were able to force them to slide, but in the moments when we would usually push into higher positions, today we were switching sides from deeper positions. If we could have pushed up the pitch before switching the play, I think that would have been more effective. In those terms as well, we didn’t achieve our usual spacing and were a bit too far apart. In the end, our inability to push them back was the reason we weren’t able to attack effectively.
I imagine this wasn’t the match you wanted against your old club?
Whenever we struggle to make adjustments in the middle or things aren’t going well, it’s usually because we’re taking up the wrong spots and failing to make to good runs or build positional advantages. When we don’t observe and gain a greater understanding than our opponents, we don’t move the ball the way we need to. I want to reduce the number of matches where that happens and we will discuss that in our upcoming team meetings.
MF19Junki Koike
Your thoughts on the match?
My honest opinion is that we didn’t do enough to win. We conceded at a point when we had possession and got hit on the short counter after losing the ball, so I want to do a better job in that respect. Individually, if I had converted the chance I had in the first half, things might have turned out differently, so I feel responsibility for the result.
Midway through the first half, you received a looping pass from Sato and had a clear chance to shoot with a volley. Did you not make contact the way you wanted to?
In terms of my run, the timing and the space I got into, everything was perfect, but as far as the shot goes, I wanted to keep it down more. The angle of my left foot wasn’t quite right and it ended up flying over the bar.
Both teams seemed to show each other respect in the first half and you seemed unable to develop a positive rhythm.
Our opponents retreated into a defensive shell and rather than trying to win the ball, they filled in the spaces. I think we could have done a better job of coming up with ways to pull them out of position. We had several chances to get between the lines and having me stretch the defense in the wide areas was a fundamental part of our approach, but I think we could have done more in the near-post zone as well.
In the second half, you switched sides with Yamamoto.
During a set play, we had an opportunity to switch players on the left and right, so we kept that shape for a short period afterward. It wasn’t something that we were instructed to do. It happened naturally during the flow of the game.
In the second half, Yamamoto was moved to a new position. Did you make other changes to your build up play?
Every player has their own particular characteristics, and we try to be flexible in that regard. By doing that, we were able to create chances to shoot and the ability to convert those chances determined the outcome of the match. That’s been a constant theme for us, so we will work in training on finishing our moves better.
How did you feel about the way you carried the match during the interval between your opening goal and the equalizer you conceded?
We all remembered the Fukuoka match, so after we scored, we talked on the pitch about maintaining concentration. We were able to remain in possession, but we conceded after losing the ball, so we need to recognize that there is inherent danger in the space behind the ball holder and do a better job of managing that risk.
Did you have a chance to earn a second goal at the end of the match?
Shohei (Takahashi) took a shot that deflected off the post and it felt like we were just one step away. There’s a big difference between teams that win by converting those chances and those that don’t. As a forward player, I myself feel a strong need to impact the result by earning goals or assists. It will be a big plus for us if we gain the ability to win matches like this one. I believe that we’ve come a long way and we’re not far off from that objective, so I hope we can end the season on a positive note by winning the remaining four matches.
The team had hoped to recover today after a frustrating result against Ryukyu. Howe do you feel about that?
In our previous fixture, we had a lot of supporters travel all the way to Okinawa to witness the match but ended putting in a very tame performance. There are now only five matches left and today was a home game, so we considered this an important occasion where we had the opportunity to demonstrate to everyone the value of our football. In that sense, I think we did a good job of recovering mentally from the previous match in only two days. If we had won, today, things would have been perfect…
With only four matches left, your next fixture is a derby against Machida.
Our task is merely to continue improving our football and I think we can do that even more in the four remaining fixtures. However, that has nothing to do with the actual number of matches remaining. We simply have to play good football and earn wins. Our last match was a loss and this one ended with a draw. There’s a lot of frustration building up, so we’ll try to take that out on Machida this weekend.
MF14Koki Morita
You entered the match as a substitute. How did things look from the bench?
We had control of the ball, but we couldn’t put ourselves in position for a shot. As I’m a forward player, I wanted to go out there and get a goal. Our opponents lined up with a clearly organized 4-4-2, but I think we could have done a better job of pulling them out of shape or creating space. Our positioning is pre-determined to some degree, but to stretch the defense, I think we needed to do things differently.
You had a good chance at the end of the match. Did you take the shot the way you wanted?
My teammates supply me with the ball because they expect me to score. I think I had the right idea, but if I don’t convert those chances, the team will have difficulty winning.
In terms of keeping possession and switching quickly between attack and defense, you made good individual contributions.
I felt in particularly good condition today and had even more confidence in my touch than usual, but as long as we play with a team philosophy where everyone takes part in the attack and defense, I have to continue performing defensive tasks and the transition is something that I am particularly focused on.
You did an impressive job of beating your defender and breaking forward on the left touchline at one point, but your pass was intercepted by the defense. How do you feel about the precision of your play at the end of moves, which is something that has been a constant talking point?
In our team meetings this year, we discussed our decision making after running with the ball in those moments. I have to be brave and express myself in front of goal, but for some reason, I ended up being too conservative. In the end, I think that leads to mistakes.
How did you feel about the way you carried the match during the interval between your opening goal and the equalizer you conceded?
It was the same in the match against Fukuoka. Our play after we earn the opening goal remains an issue for us. When we have the lead and our opponents start to come forward, we often find ourselves playing at the opposition’s pace and our football suffers as a result. It’s not that we need to slow things down, but if we can continue moving the ball at our own pace, I think we’ll improve. It’s important for us to try and earn a second goal, but attack and defense are two signs of the same coin. If an accident occurs while we’re pushing forward, that will set up our opponents on the counter, so we have to maintain our defensive awareness. That means preventing the opposition from gaining possession and continuing to think about defense while we attack. To do that, it’s important that we win the ball back while it’s still in opposition territory.
With four matches remaining, I’m sure your objectives are to finish higher up in the table and play in a way that will contribute to your next campaign. Individually, what do you want to accomplish?
There is no one on our team who lacks motivation right now and we believe that seeking improvement in our football is something that is without end. Our hope is to constantly evolve. Individually, I haven’t contributed in ways that are reflected in the numbers or our results this season and I want to be involved more in getting assists and goals. I will think on that and if I have a chance during these final four matches, I hope that I can execute.