S-Pulse 0-1 Hiroshima

Barry writes:

S-Pulse 0-1 Hiroshima
-------------------------------- Mujiri 70

Att. 18847

Line Up

GK K. Yamamoto

DF Tsujio (yellow 84)
DF Hiraoka
DF Bosnar (yellow 89)
DF Ota

MF Iwashita
MF Edamura
MF Brosque

FW Omae (yellow 2)
FW Ito
FW Takahara

Subs Used

Takagi on for Takahara (55)
M. Yamamoto on for Edamura (68)
Atomu on for Hiraoka (80)

Report

Two teams destined for midtable finishes if this game was anything to go by. Granted, Hiroshima are not a team under reconstruction, so I guess we can take more hope for the rest of the season than the visitors. Maybe that's just my blind optimism, though? :D Fair play to the purple bears, they smashed and grabbed and made off back west with three points.

Koinobori out for the Children's Day national holiday

Ito up front drew another blank with no attempts of note. Not calling for his head, but he needs to start to find his killer instinct sooner rather than later. He's playing up top with Takahara and Omae either side. Takahara was working hard on the left, but he's not got the pace of old to beat defenders every time, and after half an hour was drifting into his natural predatory zone of centre top.

There was no Ono today, presumably rested for the clash away in Nagoya. We did miss his creativity, and Brosque playing back behind the top line didn't really do it for me. I'd have him up front instead of Ito for Saturday, but then I'm not the manager, so it's easy for me to sit here and pretend like I know what I'm talking about. I'm 100% behind Ghotbi while he figures it all out. Game by game, the level of interest re the line up and tactics is above anything in the steady steady Kenta years. Need to get a few three points under our belts though, obviously.

Toshiyuki Takagi - Future S-Pulse Legend

So, good points? Takagi and Atomu both looked good, especially Takagi who had a longer run out. Can't wait to see more of him. Pacey and imaginative. He even had a cheeky crack from outside the area which went just over. 18800 people turned up was above and beyond expectations. A good following from Hiroshima too, but had this been against a nearby team it would have been sold out. Ota was exciting down the wing, but on the left, any chance we can sign Hiroshima's Mikic? He's got a great cross on him, and can turn defenders with with ease. Definitely a dangerman.

Nagoya away on Saturday. Shall I go? Maybe.

Videos

Here's a personal video from the purple zone of their goal. Be sure to DISLIKE it. ;)