Niigata 0-1 S-Pulse

Barry writes:

Niigata's first home defeat of the season, and a massive three points for us.

Eleven shots for each team tells the general story of this one. We looked much better than of late, although we were hanging on for grim life at the end. The calming influence of Paulo on 75 minutes went a long way to making sure we protected the lead we'd gained in the 52nd minute.

Seven minutes into the second half, an advancing Okazaki was brought down clumsily which led to a free kick in perfect range for Masaki. After a similar free kick in the first half which Hyodo smashed into the back row of the huge Big Swan stadium, Yamamoto was not about to let this one go waste. He stepped up, WALLOPED it into the top corner, and left the keeper no chance. Brilliant goal.

We still let far too many balls go to waste today, and we still seemed lost for ideas and direction more than is healthy, but for every time we ran the ball deep into Albirex territory only to run out of ideas and lose it, we also put together a sweeping passing move which harked back to some of our better performances last season. After dropping points at home to Chiba and Reysol, we're on the mend, and these three away points are massive.

Niigata and their legions of fans will probably feel a little hard done by not to have grabbed an equaliser, but they're decent team and will be fighting for an ACL place come December. We showed something we've been lacking lately, and that's BALLS. We're still not nearly physical enough and apt to go to ground under any half decent physical challenge, but today was a very important win. Great work lads, and our thousand or so fans who made the huge trip - you did us proud!

Line Up:

GK K. Yamamoto

DF Takaki
DF Aoyama
DF Arata
DF Ota

MF Okazaki
MF M. Yamamoto
MF Ito
MF Hyodo

FW Johnsen
FW Hara

Subs used:

Paulo on for Hara (75)
Tsujio on for Hyodo (78)
Edamura on for Okazaki (89)

Highlights:



Click here for a personal cam highlights. Our goal comes on 8:00.

Links:

Read the report from The Rising Sun here. The write up includes a detailed discussion of something which has been baffling us for weeks. That's the recent promotion of Masaki to the status of a Guaranteed Stating Member ahead (depending on the week) the likes of Jungo, Teru, Paulo, etc etc. Worth a read.

Next up Kashiwa in the cup. I'll be heading up to Chiba Ken next Saturday, so fingers crossed I can see us win away for the first time since the 2007 Shizuoka Derby!

Kashima 2-1 S-Pulse (Barry)

Barry writes:

We were poor. We made countless unforced errors and we lacked direction and purpose. It was a stark contrast seeing how well Kashima moved the ball around the park today. They had purpose. They had direction, and they had physical strength (although they were also extremely eager to go to ground under the slightest challenge).

It's no surprise that they're top with a game in hand - Antlers are by far the most organised and clinical team we've come up against. But even given that, the difference between success and failure is so very, very small. They ran the first half, were pulling us all over the pitch, and 1-0 was probably more than we deserved.

In the second 45 we were let off the hook once when an Antler managed to wallop it over when it was easier to score. But we still outshot the home team, and with Tsujio on for Takaki we displayed, albeit short, periods of confident forward movement. One of these led to Edamura pulling a goal back. An excellent surging run down the right wing by Tsujio resulted in a cross the red defence couldn't handle, and Edamura was there to smash it home.

The problem is, you know it's going to be a long afternoon when your two best midfielders are on the bench. As expected, Yamamoto started, and Hyodo (excuse me while I adjust my shorts) was also in again. And therein lied the difference. The calming, organised influence and solid physical presence of Paulo (not forgetting how he never gets given the run around, and his intelligence in movement) was replaced by the error-ridden play of Hyodo. The pace and attacking mind of Jungo was absent for Yamamoto's speculative long range efforts. When they go in, wonderful. When they don't, the less said the better.

So despite enjoying a healthy amount of possession in the second half, and occasionally looking like a team with a clue, time and time and time again we were reduced to passing it backwards / hopeless long balls which ended up nowhere / losing possession altogether under little to no pressure.

These shortcomings were summed up in our last move of the game when after running it deep inside the red half, the move ground to a halt when noone seemed to know where anyone else was / what anyone else was thinking. Ball lost, full time, zero points and we're down to 15th. Had we shown some decent direction and just a little inspiration in our movement, Kashima were there for the taking.

Well, we face Oita on Saturday. Oita are not defending champions. Oita have lost their last EIGHT games in a row. Oita have only won once all year. Kenta looked like a worried man today, and rightly so. If we don't win Saturday, and win well, his must know his days are numbered. He's a Shimizu legend no doubt, but that only buys so much goodwill with the fans and the board, and with so much quality in the team, to be wallowing where we are is unacceptable. His lack of experience is costing us, and barring a vast, VAST improvement over the next few games (Oita at home, Kyoto at home, Yamagata at home - ALL must win) if he's still at the helm in 2010 will remain to be seen.

Line Up:

GK Nishibe

DF Takaki
DF Aoyama
DF Iwashita
DF Arata

MF Hyodo
MF Ito
MF Yamamoto
MF Edamura

FW Johnsen
FW Okazaki

Subs used

Tsujio on for Takaki (HT)
Hara on for Okazaki (73)
Fujimoto on for Ito (80)

Highlights

Full highlights:



Kashima's 1st: (personal cam)



Kashima's 2nd: (personal cam)



Links

The Rising Sun's report is here.

Kashima v S-Pulse (Preview)

Oooh, what to say about this one? Going away to the defending champions, the runaway most successful team in Japan, and the owners of S-Pulse's very own ex-player and all round danger man up front Marquinhos is never an easy task.

We've not come away from Ibaraki with three points since 2002, and even then we needed extra time to get the job done. That said, they were defending champions that year too. Kashima being Kashima are defending champs more often than not though, so ahead of tomorrow we just have to try and forget the perpetual drawing mode we've slipped into and go for it. Another way of looking at it is that we're bloody well due a result up at their place!

Antlers are unbeaten at home in the league since August last year, and have only lost once this season. They've not had the hardest start to the season however, and drew recently with Yamagata and Marinos. They've also been travelling all over the continent with their bid for ACL glory, so will they be somewhat softened up for us? We can prey!

I'm hoping to see Jungo, Paulo, Teru and Edamura in the centre (although for Paulo, it'll probably be Yamamoto) and Okazaki and Johnsen up front. The back four will probably be as you were with Nishibe punching when he should be catching and generally giving us all heart attacks.

One thing to consider before tomorrow, after today's results, we're now below Little Jubilo for the first time since I can remember. A dodgy start to the season is one thing, but getting overtaken by some small club who can't even manage 10000 in the blazing May sunshine is just plain embarrassing. This is a completely unacceptable situation for Shizuoka's best supported team to be in. Sort it and and soon, Kenta.

Who is the Most Successful Club in the J. League? Debunking the Urawa Myth

Barry writes:

Ask 100 fans the above question, and, after factoring out personal allegiances which sway people's responses, you'll always get the answer Kashima Antlers.

Even newcomers to Japanese football will know how they last year defended their 2007 league title; a crown claimed along with the 07 Emperor's Cup. That alone paints a fairly clear picture of the modern J. League, but how about over the full course of the league's history?

Using a totally arbitrary system conceived by yours truly while down the gym, lets find out! Going back as far as the professionalisation of the game in 1992, teams are awarded:

League title - 3 Points
League runner's up - 1 Point

Cup win - 2 Points
Cup runner's up - .5 Points

Cup points count for both domestic and continental competitions. Show-piece games like super cups and so on aren't counted. So using that system, here we go:

Kashima Antlers 32.5
Jubilo Iwata 21
Yokohama F. Marinos 18
Tokyo Verdy 18
Urawa Red Diamonds 15
Gamba Osaka 10
S-Pulse 10
Yokohama Flugels 6.5
Nagoya Grampus 5.5
JEF United 4.5
Shonan Bellmare 4

Beyond that you start getting into the realms of (so far) one-off cup winners (Oita) or several time cup runners up (Cerezo).

No surprises at the top of the table, then. Kashima are head and shoulders above all comers. Jubilo are up next, and while their time came and went a few years ago, it reflects well the various J. League records they set and which still stand. Marinos always threaten to reclaim, at least in part, their glory days, but it's probably safe to say that Verdy are well past their best. S-Pulse come in far-too-far-below-Jubilo at 6th, joint with Asian Champions Gamba.

So anyway, what made me want to spell out the above? Most people don't need proof for what's self evident. Some people however, a good example being Shintaro Kano of The Daily Yomiuri, seem to be living on another planet.

In an article bemoaning the lack of fight of many Japanese fans, Kano signs off with this absolute gem:

"Is it a coincidence that the fans of Urawa Reds, the most successful club in the J.League, are the toughest to please?"

Is this a well disguised tongue-in-cheek dig at the perpetual Urawa hype-machine, or does he actually believe it? We've already seen it isn't the case, but worse that that, it's not anywhere close to reality. Even if you dispense with my convoluted points system and look at titles won, Kashima come in first with 12, Verdy and Marinos next with 7, followed by Jubilo with 6. Only then do you get to Urawa, sitting level with Gamba at 5.

Average league placings put Kashima first (3.3), Jubilo next (4.5), then Marinos (4.9). S-Pulse pull in a respectable 6.8, and it's only after this that you get to Reds. Last year's finish of 7th should be no big surprise; it's perfectly in keeping with their J1 average - also 7th.

I think what Kano meant to write was:

"...fans of Urawa Reds, the most successful club in the J.League in 2005 and 2006 (but don't look either side of these years as other teams were winning more), are the hardest to please?"

The problem is, that doesn't back up his underlying point of unforgiving fans = successful team, so he seemingly plucked something out of thin air to lend credence to the theory.

Urawa are a big, strong team. They have more money than anyone else, and they've had the potential to deliver for years. This is all common knowledge, but save for a brief burst a few seasons ago, they've consistently failed to produce. Given everything, you'd have to be pretty blind to keep peddling the myth of "most successful team".

Shintaro Kano is guilty of lazy, not to mention entirely inaccurate, "journalism". Re-writing history to suit your own ends? That's how dictators get started, you know.

S-Pulse 2008 Competition Records

The 2008 season is now behind us, so here is a full record of our performance in the league, Nabisco Cup and Emperor's Cup. UK Ultras reports are linked where available.

2008 Final League Table
2008 League Record
2008 Nabisco League Cup Record
2008 Emperor's Cup Record

Click on the above links to jump to the records in question.

2008 J. League Final Table

Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
---------------------------------------------------------------
1. Kashima 63 P 34 18 - 9 - 7 56 30 +26
2. Kawasaki 60 P 34 18 - 6 - 10 65 42 +23
3. Nagoya 59 P 34 17 - 8 - 9 48 35 +13
-----------------------------ACL---------------------------
4. Oita 56 P 34 16 - 8 - 10 33 24 +9
5. S-Pulse 55 P 34 16 - 7 - 11 50 42 +8
6. F.Tokyo 55 P 34 16 - 7 - 11 50 46 +4
7. Urawa 53 P 34 15 - 8 - 11 50 42 +8
8. G.Osaka 50 P 34 14 - 8 - 12 46 49 -3
9. Yokohama FM 48 P 34 13 - 9 - 12 43 32 +11
10. Kobe 47 P 34 12 - 11 - 11 39 38 +1
11. Kashiwa 46 P 34 13 - 7 - 14 48 45 +3
12. Omiya 43 P 34 12 - 7 - 15 36 45 -9
13. Niigata 42 P 34 11 - 9 - 14 32 46 -14
14. Kyoto 41 P 34 11 - 8 - 15 37 46 -9
15. Chiba 38 P 34 10 - 8 - 16 36 53 -17
---------------Promotion/Relegation Series-------------
16. Iwata 37 P 34 10 - 7 - 17 40 48 -8
---------------------------Relegation--------------------------
17. Tokyo.V 37 P 34 10 - 7 - 17 38 50 -12
18. Sapporo 18 P 34 4 - 6 - 23 36 69 -33

2008 J. League Results

1) March 3rd - S-Pulse 1-2 Oita Trinita (19054)
2) March 15th - JEF United 1-2 S-Pulse (14566)
3) March 30th - S-Pulse 0-0 Omiya Ardija (13855)
4) April 2nd - S-Pulse 1-2 Urawa Red Diamonds (15223)
5) April 5th - Gamba Osaka 2-0 S-Pulse (16219)
6) April 12th - S-Pulse 0-2 Nagoya Grampus (14167)
7) April 19th -Yokohama F Marinos 1-1 S-Pulse (19763)
8) April 26th - S-Pulse 1-0 FC Tokyo (14145) report
9) April 29th - Kashiwa Reysol 0-2 S-Pulse (11012) report
10) May 3rd - S-Pulse 1-1 Jubilo Iwata (20330) report
11) May 16th - Albirex Niigata 3-0 S-Pulse (36403) report
12) May 11th - S-Pulse 1-0 Kashima Antlers (16195) report
13) May 18th - Tokyo Verdy 4-1 S-Pulse (11426)
14) June 28th - S-Pulse 2-1 Kyoto Sanga (17099) report
15) July 5th - Consadore Sapporo 2-2 S-Pulse (10282) report
16) July 12th - S-Pulse 0-1 Vissel Kobe (14164) report
17) July 17th - Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 S-Pulse (14131) report
18) July 20th - S-Pulse 3-0 Albirex Niigata (17025) report
19) July 27th - Omiya Ardija 0-0 S-Pulse (10193) report
20) Aug 9th - Oita Trinita 2-2 S-Pulse (18743) report　
21) Aug 17th - S-Pulse 1-1 Yokohama F Marinos (18292) report
22) Aug 23th - S-Pulse 3-2 Kashiwa Reysol (14163) report
23) Aug 27th - Nagoya Grampus 3-2 S-Pulse (10071) report 1 report 2
24) Sept 13th - S-Pulse 3-1 Consadore Sapporo (15395) report
25) Sept 20th - Vissel Kobe 0-1 S-Pulse (7839) report
26) Sept 23rd - S-Pulse 1-0 Tokyo Verdy (15206) report
27) Sept 28th - Kashima Antlers 2-0 S-Pulse (15481) report
28) Oct 4th - FC Tokyo 1-5 S-Pulse (30410) report
29) Oct 18th - S-Pulse 2-0 Kawasaki Frontale (18716) report
30) Oct 26th - S-Pulse 3-1 Gamba Osaka (19082) report
31) Nov 8th - Jubilo Iwata 1-0 S-Pulse (24887) report
32) Nov 23rd - Urawa Red Diamonds 1-2 S-Pulse (54709) report
33) Nov 29th - S-Pulse 3-2 JEF United (20079) report
34) Dec 6th - Kyoto Sanga 1-3 S-Pulse (17331) report

2008 Nabisco League Cup Record

Group Stage

1) Mar 20th - S-Pulse 3-1 FC Tokyo (10035)
2) Mar 23th - Tokyo Verdy 0-0 S-Pulse (7154)
3) Apr 16th - S-Pulse 5-0 Tokyo Verdy (8213) report
4) May 25th - S-Pulse 4-2 Jubilo Iwata (12389) report
5) May 31th - FC Tokyo 1-1 S-Pulse (7941) report
6) June 8th - Jubilo 2-0 S-Pulse (11731) report

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
S-Pulse	11	6	3	2	1	13	6	+7
FC Tokyo	11	6	3	2	1	12	7	+5
Jubilo Iwata	10	6	3	1	2	10	7	+3
Tokyo Verdy	1	6	0	1	5	2	17	−15

Quarter Final

1) July 2nd - Kashima Antlers 0-0 S-Pulse (6757) report
2) Aug 6th - S-Pulse 2-1 Kashima Antlers (8949) report

S-Pulse beat Kashima Antlers 2-1 (agg)

Semi Final

1) Sept 3rd - S-Pulse 1-1 Gamba Osaka (8013) report
2) Sept 7th - Gamba Osaka 2-3 S-Pulse (9103) report

S-Pulse beat Gamba Osaka 4-3 (agg)

The Final

★ Nov 1st - Oita Trinita 2-0 S-Pulse (44723) report

2008 Emperor's Cup Record

4th Rd) Nov 5th - S-Pulse 1-0 JEF United (4214) report
5th Rd) Nov 15th - Kashima Antlers 3-4 S-Pulse (5158) report
1/4 Final) Dec 20th - S-Pulse 1-2 FC Tokyo (8051) report

2009 J1 and League Cup Fixtures & Results

The 2009 league and league cup fixtures were released February 6th. For the full league week by week fixtures, click here. For S-Pulse's 2009 league and league cup fixtures in English for the first time anywhere, read on...

Pre-Season Friendly Result
J. League 2009 Fixtures and Results
J. League Cup 2009 Fixtures and Results
Emperor's Cup 2009 Fixtures and Results

Pre-Season Friendly
SDT Cup) 02/21 (Sat) 13:30 S-Pulse 2-1 Jubilo report

J. League 2009 S-Pulse Fixtures

1) 03/08 (Sun) 13:00 Omiya 0-0 S-Pulse report
2) 03/14 (Sat) 15:00 S-Pulse 0-0 Yokohama FM report
3) 03/22 (Sun) 13:00 Nagoya 3-1 S-Pulse report
4) 04/05 (Sun) 16:00 Kobe 0-1 S-Pulse report
5) 04/12 (Sun) 13:00 S-Pulse 1-0 Kawasaki report
6) 04/19 (Sun) 13:00 Jubilo 3-0 S-Pulse report 1, report 2
7) 04/25 (Sat) 13:00 S-Pulse 1-1 Kawshiwa report
8) 04/29 (Wed) 16:00 S-Pulse 2-2 Urawa report 1, report 2
9) 05/02 (Sat) 16:00 Hiroshima 0-0 S-Pulse report
10) 05/05 (Tue) 19:00 S-Pulse 2-2 Chiba report
11) 05/10 (Sun) 15:00 Kashima 2-1 S-Pulse report 1, report 2
12) 05/16 (Sat) 19:00 S-Pulse 3-1 Oita report
13) 05/23 (Sat) 13:00 Niigata 0-1 S-Pulse report
14) 06/20 (Sat) 15:00 S-Pulse 4-1 Yamagata report
15) 06/27 (Sat) 19:00 FC Tokyo 2-1 S-Pulse report
16) 07/04 (Sat) 19:00 S-Pulse 3-3 Kyoto report
17) 07/11 (Sat) 19:30 G. Osaka 1-4 S-Pulse report
18) 07/18 (Sat) 19:00 S-Pulse 2-2 Kashima report
19) 07/25 (Sat) 19:00 Chiba 1-2 S-Pulse report
20) 08/02 (Sun) 18:00 Urawa 0-1 S-Pulse report
21) 08/16 (Sun) 19:00 S-Pulse 1-1 Niigata report
22) 08/19 (Wed) 19:00 Kyoto 0-1 S-Pulse report
23) 08/22 (Sat) 19:00 S-Pulse 5-1 Jubilo report
24) 08/30 (Sun) 19:00 Kawasaki 1-1 S-Pulse report
25) 09/12 (Sat) 13:00 S-Pulse 1-0 Omiya report
26) 09/19 (Sat) 19:00 Yamagata 0-1 S-Pulse report
27) 09/27 (Sun) 13:00 S-Pulse 1-0 Kobe report
28) 10/03 (Sat) 13:00 S-Pulse 1-1 Hiroshima report
29) 10/18 (Sun) 14:00 Oita 2-1 S-Pulse report
30) 10/25 (Sun) 15:00 S-Pulse 1-2 FC Tokyo report 1, report 2
31) 11/08 (Sun) 18:30 Kashiwa 5-0 S-Pulse report
32) 11/21 (Sat) 14:00 S-Pulse 0-2 G. Osaka report
33) 11/29 (Sun) 13:00 Yokohama FM 2-0 S-Pulse report
34) 12/05 (Sat) 15:30 S-Pulse 0-0 Nagoya report

Not a bad fixture list, and as it turns out we weren't wrong about the Omiya opener!

There's rather too many Sunday games for my liking, including the otherwise easy away days of Kawasaki, Marinos, Nagoya and Jubilo all on Sundays. What with work early on a Monday morning, these being on Sundays is going to impact on whether I can get to them or not. The Derby is a given though, obviously!

The trek out to Ecopa for the home game with Urawa is a pain, but home advantage isn't as important for this one as it is for the derby, (which is at 'Daira), so we may as well milk the Red travelling army for as much as we can in gate receipts. Security issues have been officially cited as a reason why this one is to be at Ecopa, and add this to the fact it falls at the start of the Golden Week national holiday bonanza, and we may well see way more through the gates than 'Daira's 20000 limit. Either way, it'll be fun to use Ecopa as a home ground - it's been a while!

Well, the home derby at 'Daira on a summer Saturday night will be awesome, and it's the one out of that lot I really can't wait for, but I guess that's a no brainer. If it's anything like as heated and electric as the 2-1 win back in '07, then we're in for a cracking night. There's a number of potentially huge BDOs in there too, Gamba, Hiroshima and Nagoya to name but three!


Nabisco Cup 2009
S-Pulse Fixtures

Group Stage

S-Pulse are in Group B with:

Kashiwa Reysol
Montedio Yamagata
Kyoto Sanga
FC Tokyo
JEF United Ichihara Chiba
Vissel Kobe

With seven teams in the group, we play three games home, three games away. These have been randomly generated as follows:

1) No game
2) 3/29 (Sun) 13:00 S-Pulse 2-0 Kyoto report
3) 5/20 (Wed) 19:00 S-Pulse 0-1 Yamagata report
4) 5/30 (Sat) 15:00 Kashiwa 1-2 S-Pulse report
5) 6/03 (Wed) 19:00 S-Pulse 2-1 Chiba report
6) 6/07 (Sun) 16:00 Kobe 1-2 S-Pulse report
7) 6/13 (Sat) 14:00 FC Tokyo 3-1 S-Pulse report

The top two from each group go into the quarter finals with the four ACL teams to make up the final eight. For a greater breakdown of how the tournament is organised (I use the term loosely) this year, click here.

Final group standings:

1. FC Tokyo 13 (+4)
2. S-PULSE 12 (+2)
---------Q/F---------
3. Kashiwa 11 (+7)
4. Chiba 8 (-)
5. Yamagata 7 (-1)
6. Kobe 7 (-3)
7. Kyoto 1 (-9)

Quarter Finals

Leg 1) 7/15 (Wed) Urawa 2-1 S-Pulse report
Leg 2) 7/29 (Wed) S-Pulse 3-0 Urawa report

S-Pulse win 4-2 on aggregate.

Semi Finals

Leg 1) 9/2 (Wed) S-Pulse 2-2 FC Tokyo report
Leg 2) 9/6 (Sun) FC Tokyo 1-0 S-Pulse report
FC Tokyo win 3-2 on aggregate.

Emperor's Cup 2009

2nd Rnd) 10/11 (Sun) S-Pulse 2-0 Sagawa Printing report
3rd Rnd) 10/31 (Sat) S-Pulse 2-0 Consadore Sapporo report
4th Rnd) 11/14 (Sat) Ventforet Kofu 0-3 S-Pulse report
1/4 Final) 12/12 (Sat) S-Pulse 3-2 Albirex Niigata (aet) report
1/2 Final) 12/29 (Wed) S-Pulse 1-1 Nagoya Grampus (aet Nagoya win 5-3 on pens) report

Emperor's Cup Final: Gamba Osaka 1-0 Kashiwa Reysol (AET)

Today Gamba beat Reysol 1-0 after extra time to claim their first professional era Emperor's Cup title and further cement their position as one of Japan's premier teams. The 117th minute winner was no work of art, but it was deserved. Regardless, and speaking from first hand experience, it must have a bitter pill for the thousands of yellow-clad Kashiwa fans to swallow. Their choreographed display (YES WE CAN in huge black letters against a yellow background) had me leaning their way before kick off! However, when the final whistle went and Gamba lifted the cup, the man their fans must have felt most grateful to was surely manager Akira Nishino.

The former Hitachi (Reysol's forerunners) player took over at the Kansai club in 2002, and while it took him three years to register his first silverware, he has since turned the former perennial also-rans into a real power house. Gamba has now pulled in the league title, the League Cup, the Asian Champion's League title, the Pan Pacific Championship, the Super Cup, and now the Emperor's Cup. And all this within the space of four seasons. It's a mighty impressive haul for a team who spent the lion's share of their early history scrapping around at the foot of the table.

Highlights

Probably the best outcome from today's result is that Gamba gain entry into 2009's ACL - the competition they won just weeks back but were not granted the chance to defend their title. Contrast this to 2008 where the 2007 winners were dumped in at the quarter final stage, and you can well imagine how they might have felt hard done by. Well in that respect, justice has been done, so well done Gamba.

Gamba's recent ascendency as one of the country's best teams is encouraging to see, as it's not been the result of merely throwing money at the squad to buy success. They don't have the best stadium in the league (not by a long shot), nor do they have the most fans (again, not by a long shot). It's just been a good old fashioned story of a team with a good youth system, back room management which allows a coach time to build a team without panicking at the first sign of a trophy-less season, and a club which is now reaping the many benefits of their patience and hard work.

I like to think I can see some parallels between the way we as a club operate and Gamba, and I honestly believe the team Kenta is building won't take long to start bringing in some silverware. Indeed, looking at the last two occasions we've met the new Emperor's Cup holders, we've seen them off each time; 3-2 away in the league cup semi final, and 3-1 at home in the league. I'm counting the days till 2009 kicks off in March, (and you can too, with the new counter at the top of the page!) and we have good reason to steam into the future with every confidence!

Lining up to beat Gamba earlier this year

If you simply can't wait to start planning for next season, here are the key dates, as announced recently.
Xerox Super Cup: February 28th

J.League, Matchday 1: March 7th
J.League, Matchday 34: December 5th

Nabisco Cup, Group Stage March 25th - June 13th
Nabisco Cup, Quarter Finals Legs: July 15th / July 29th
Nabisco Cup, Semi Finals Legs: September 2nd / September 6th
Nabisco Cup, Final: November 3rd

The Emperor's Cup 4th round, when J1 teams enter, is likely to be the first weekend of November if recent years are anything to go by. Don't know about you, but I can't wait!

I'll sign off with the first sunset over Shizuoka City of 2009. Happy new year to one and all - even Jubilo toe-rags! I wish you all health, wealth and fun in the coming year and season!

Urawa Reds 1-2 S-Pa

Beating last year's champions and 2nd place team in the space of a week - a nice pick me up after the league cup and derby disappointments! Having a wedding to attend the previous day meant neither me or Fuz were in any fit state to be waking up at 5am Sunday as per last season. We followed the game from Shizuoka with stinking hangovers, but these were helped considerably by our first ever three points at the Saitama Stadium.

Urawa were going for the league title. We were playing for pride. We came away with all three points and were utterly deserved winners. Both teams had 14 shots on goal, and the fact both teams also had 15 goal kicks also speaks for the many chances created.

Edamura's opening goal was an absolute peach, and one of those you can just watch again and again. Tulio smashed it home in the second half to level, and S-Pulse got away with a goal line clearance a little later, but a lovely move which ended in a perfectly place shot by substitute Yajima won the game for S-Pa.

We now sit five points off an ACL spot with only two games left, so our only realistic route into continental football next season is via the Emperor's Cup. Going into the quarter final with FC Tokyo, I'm pretty confident.

Our squad this year has matured and evolved with each game, and having dispensed with last year's top two placed teams (not to mention the recent defeats of Gamba and Kawasaki) we are clearly a different prospect to the stuttering outfit which spent the first third of the season hovering around the drop zone. With rumours of Nagoya's proven goal scorer Johnsen set to join us, his experience, no to mention 13ish goals a season, would help wonders in the continued development of some of our young guns like Okazaki, Hara and Yajima.

Well, with the season starting to draw to an end, it's hard to look past Kashima as champions yet again. They only need three points against relegation threatened Jubilo this Saturday to wrap up their sixth championship. Sixth out of only sixteen seasons, bare in mind! An amazing record, but one not quite secured yet. If previous years have shown anything, it's that the championship is very rarely a simple matter! Jubilo are fighting for their lives, and Nagoya and Kawasaki are waiting in the wings to step back to first place should Antlers slip up!

I've said it time and again, but there really are few leagues which can match the J. League for drama - bring on the final two weeks!

Highlights:



The final few seconds. The silence that engulfs the stadium at the whistle is soon filled by our travelling thousands. Listen and look out for Loco Loco at around 4 minutes!



Good stuff. :)

Iwata 1-0 S-Pa

I have nothing to say about this, so here's a couple of videos instead:

The players come out as thousands of S-Pa fans turn the stadium orange, white and black:



After the whistle, the players get what's coming to them when they let down 10000 travelling die-hards:



And if that doesn't give you a headache, I don't know what will...

And finally, here's a video of Jae-Jin scoring the winner in the 93rd minute of last year's Shizuoka Derby.



Not that you can see it, but God that felt good. :)

The Nabisco Cup Final! S-Pa v Oita

The last league game before it has been played. The last of the tickets have been sold - the game is totally sold out. The bullet trains to Tokyo the morning of the game are all either full or very close to it. All that remains is for Shimizu S-Pulse to march out side by side with Oita Trinita on Saturday in 2008's Nabisco Cup Final!

The route to the final, which started back in March, has been long and filled with tension, derbies and goals. In summary, here is S-Pulse's road to the Kokuritsu, with UK Ultras article linked where available.

Group Stage

March 20th S-Pulse 3-1 FC Tokyo
March 23rd Tokyo Verdy 0-0 S-Pulse
April 16th S-Pulse 5-0 Tokyo Verdy
May 25th S-Pulse 4-2 Jubilo Iwata
May 31st FC Tokyo 1-1 S-Pulse
June 8th Jubilo Iwata 2-0 S-Pulse

Quarter Final

July 2nd Kashima Antlers 0-0 S-Pulse
August 6th S-Pulse 2-1 Kashima Antlers

Semi Final

September 3rd S-Pulse 1-1 Gamba Osaka
September 7th Gamba Osaka 2-3 S-Pulse

As you may expect, I'm not physically capable of anything other than a massively biased preview and that's exactly what you're going to get! Luckily when it comes to this blog, I am my own boss, so I'm going to say it loud, and I'm going to say it proud:

S-PA WILL WIN ON SATURDAY!!!

That is based in huge part on pure belief, but what is 90% of being a football fan if it isn't believing in something in the face of indisputable evidence to the contrary? Fortunately in this case we don't have to play too much with the facts to twist things in our favour! Here are some points to help fill you with confidence leading up to the game:

• S-Pulse can play a full strength team of the type which recently disposed of titles chasers FC Tokyo (5-1 away), Kawasaki (2-0) and Gamba (3-1).
  
• Oita are missing first choice keeper through injury.
• Oita have scored less goals than Sapporo who were relegated to J2, what? five games ago?
• S-Pulse have players brimming with confidence and Edamura is gunning for competition top scorer
• Oita have lost three from their last four, scoring only once. That goal scorer is suspended.
• Kenta Hasegawa experienced the last time we won the Nabisco in 96 as a player, and the last time we lost a cup final as manager. He is NOT about to let that happen again!
• The hundreds who are marking their spots in the queue days before the game are the same - we are simply aching for victory.

Oita are undeniably one of the most negative teams in the league. They may have scored the third least in the league, but they have also conceded the least - seven less than leaders Kashima Antlers. Saying that, we've breached that defensive line three times in our two meetings this year, so we clearly know what to do.

At our last meeting, we blew a two goal lead at their place to draw 2-2. That was back in early August. I believe that was two different sides playing each other. Since then we've well and truly found our form and feet, while Oita have been severely faltering. Indeed, Oita have conceded as many goals in their last five games since keeper Nishikawa was injured as they had in their previous SIXTEEN.

I could ramble on for hours, but I'm going to call a it a day here. I know as well as anyone that form guides, histories and what people think will happen on paper can count for nothing once the game kicks off. Oita will be desperate for a glorious end to a season in which they've surprised so many. They won't want to make the long journey home empty handed. If it is to go their way, I just prey it's not a result of an anti-football 1-0 snooze-fest, or, God forbid, a penalty shoot out. There's been only three goals in the last four finals, and a third of all finals have gone to penalties. Saturday is going to be HUGE. It's going to be MASSIVE. So Oita and S-Pa, it's down to us to do our bit - let's both come to play football and make it a final to remember!

All I ask now is this: To S-Pulse's team of young, hungry heroes, you get out there and you bring that trophy back to Shimizu!! Then jump in your team bus and join us in our party by the sea! The whole of Shizuoka is willing it!

BRING HOME THE CUP!

WE BELIEVE!!!

S-Pulse 3-1 Gamba Osaka (Review and Goals)

I get the feeling Gamba must be really starting to hate us. First we put them out the Nabisco Cup in the semis at their home and end their hopes of defending their crown. Then we ensure the thundering momentum which helped sweep them past Urawa in the semi of the ACL came to a shuddering halt by turning them over 3-1 today at Nihondaira. At the same time we all but ended what hopes they had of a title challenge. Taking that into consideration and I wouldn't begrudge them a little ill will towards the oranges of Shimizu!

Feel free to use this as a wallpaper!

A near capacity crowd packed in early and expectations where high from both ends of the ground. Gamba who on Wednesday had won 3-1 away in Saitama were missing Endo through suspension, but were coming for all three points. They needed nothing less to get their title charge back on track. Failing that, the nonsense that even if they win the ACL they won't automatically get to defend their title, and they are clearly desperate to finish in the top three to ensure international football next year.

Despite the incentive Gamba had, and, when you look at it realistically, the lack of any real goal to aim for S-Pa (Title - no chance. ACL qualification - very unlikely. Finishing above Jubilo - already secured. J1 football next year - already secured), despite all this, the game never felt in doubt, as a team off the back of five wins in six marched on to six wins in seven.

Moments after our third

Edamura has been in form recently, and not least of all against Gamba! After doing them in in the league cup, he was there to put us one up on 38m in a goal not entirely unlike his second against Gamba in the league cup second leg. He was also there to score one of the easiest of his career moments into the second half. A surging run down the right from Hara saw him put a perfect ball into the six yard box which beat both the keeper and defender and left Edamura with the simplest of jobs to put it in the net.

Our third just minutes later and was the result of a mid-range Okazaki effort getting a wicked deflection off a defender. It totally wrong-footing the keeper, and as the ball rolled almost in slow motion into the bottom corner the beleaguered goalie tried in vain to get back across goal. For the faithful behind the goal it was party time! Gamba threw everything they had at us, but the best they could do was grab a 75th minute consolation from a corner. Kaito was a wall between the sticks, at one point making a double-stop from point-blank range. Having total confidence in your keeper is an awesome feeling!

A small section of the S-Pulse wall of colour

The after-game celebrations had the added spark that every second word from people's mouths seemed to be "Kokuritsu!" or "Nabisco!" The buzz was palpable! We're surging into the final in red-hot form. Oita, with just one goal from their last 360 minutes of football and three points from twelve, have been stuttering severely of late. The desire for a win next week is achingly apparent around Nihondaira. Oita surely won't be too pleased to see us in such pulsating form, and that coupled with the sheer will power of our supporters, we're going to bring that trophy home. Next week - bring it!!!

Here's all the action:



And to end, a pic taken from just outside the stadium. Gorgeous.

Football Kingdom - Shimizu

S-Pulse 2-0 Kawasaki Frontale

Special feature: Courtesy of fellow S-Pulse supporter and J. League follower Mike Tuckerman, we present an interview with a Japanese S-Pulse fan. In an interview fully in English, Shimizu-born Yuichi Korenaga discusses S-Pulse's current season and football in Japan in general. Full interview can be found here.

Probably one of the better pictures I've managed at the 'Daira!

A classic Saturday afternoon down the 'Daira. Sunshine, beers, mates, goals, a clean sheet, a near-full house. There are certain days where it all just seems to fall into place, and as I left my flat at 11am and saw the clear blue sky overhead, I had a feeling things were going to go our way.

For those who read anything into past records, Kawasaki, who have never won at Nihondaira, were always going to be fighting fate. As it turned out, their poor record under Fuji's shadow continues, and with it, their title challenge takes a huge knock. With it being as open as it is, they're no means out of the race, but dropping points as both Kashima and Oita won again leaves them with a lot to do to get back into it.

The first S-Pulse goal was a lovely worked piece of play, and it had goal written all over it from the outset. It came on 24 minutes and Edamura, after the cross was headed back across goal, was there to slam it home under the Frontale keeper. Frontale's undeniable ability up front was, for the most part, well neutralised, although a couple of occasions saw them go close.
Our second goal came from one of our 11 corners and it was man of the moment Kazuki Hara who put it home. After a poor clearance attempt the ball fell to his feet and he calmly put into the net in front of the two tiered bank which was full to bursting. The poor lad lost his mother earlier in the month, but he's been one of our several break-though players this season, and another goal was no more than he deserved.

The after-match party was as good as ever, and as we had a do pre-arranged back near the station, we rushed off to that with the win just adding more reason to get happily battered. And get happily battered we did.

Next up, outside title hopefuls Gamba Osaka. They have a game midweek they simply have to win, away to Urawa in the semi-final of the Asian Champions League. Fingers crossed they'll be shattered from that, and we can continue our great run. Last year's Gamba fixture was one of the games of the season, so a repeat of the 3-1 scoreline would be just great, thank you!

Time to go, but thank you S-Pulse - you made my birthday celebrations all the more brilliant! Enough from me, time for the highlights!



And here, taken on my camera, is Oja no Hata, our victory song, and which, after four years, I'm embarrassed to say I'm still learning the words to!

Kashima 2-0 S-Pulse

Well, it took them four attempts, but champions Antlers finally overcame S-Pulse. After beating them twice at Nihondaira (once in the cup, once in the league), and holding them to a goalless draw at their place, Kashima were not about to let themselves lose any more ground on Nagoya and Omiya at the top of the table.

I wasn't either at the game or watching on the box (so sue me) but the stats tell the story:

Antlers -- S-Pa

16 Shots 8
9 Goalkicks 12
7 Cornerkicks 1
22 Freekicks 11

Stats alone are never that much of a gauge, but by the looks of it, Kashima were desereved winners, and we only won when it come kicking them all over the pitch and not having anyone sent off.

Ah well. Onwards and upwards! Next up is Tokyo away this Saturday. Being so close, you'd probably think we'd be going up to the Ajisuta, but you'd be wrong. We already have a previous engagement with a certain band called Radiohead who we're going to see that night. Tokyo are on form, and getting three points from them won't be easy.

OK, I'm off to do something other than type at a keyboard. have a good week!　For anyone who's interested, here's the highlights:

S-Pa 3-2 Kashiwa

This just in: full match report from someone actually in attendance! Click here for Mike Tuckerman's report on events.

Unbeaten in five, in the semi final of the cup and having just completed the double over a team in sixth - with the right spin, even the most mediocre of seasons can look almost presentable! While S-Pa pummelled the Kashiwa goal, and ultimately claimed their seventh win of the season, yours truly was riding a bullet back to Shiz after a weekend away in Chiba. As a Disneyland virgin, I had a thoroughly good time and would recommend it to anyone, but as seven o'clock rolled around on Saturday, much to the better half's chagrin, my attentions turned to my mobile phone as updates poured in from Shimizu.

It didn't take long for the first goal notification. With Okazaki in the starting line up for the first time since Frontale away, he wasted no time in staking his claim to his place by making it one nil in the first minute. The score was doubled by Edamura on eleven minutes, but when the half time score of 2-2 came through, as infuriating as it was, it sadly didn't come as that much of a shock. Losing a two goal lead to Oita not long back softened the blow somewhat... That said, S-Pa came out in the second half and thanks to Okazaki were in the lead again in less than five minutes. We continued to pepper the Kashiwa goal with shots matching our first half tally of seven. Kashiwa only managed two efforts, one less than the first 45. They weren't helped by being reduced to ten men on 78 minutes.

Time for a little more spin / looking on the bright side: We're now up to the giddy heights of 14th, and are only one win from 9th. We're above Jubilo who crumbled to a 3-1 away defeat and who will probably be in the drop zone once Marinos have dispatched Sapporo later today. Perhaps most amazingly, we've only lost once more than Nagoya who sit in second. However, it's Grampus who we face away on Wednesday - not a game I'm expecting a hell of a lot of return from! Still, we have a habit of rising to the big occasions, and Nagoya may well be knackered from being the first team to beat Antlers at Kashima Stadium in God knows how long, so lets have it!

Here's a couple of personal videos from yesterday's game starting with Okazaki's opener:



Okachan's second to make it 3-2 to the Mighty Oranges:



The obligatory post match celebrations:

We've got the best fans in the league!

Not my words, but those of a totally unrelated Oita Trinita supporter. As spied on the World Soccer News Message Board this week, User Oitim confirmed what S-Pa fans the world over already knew, (admittedly what all supporters believe of their team's fans), and that's that S-Pulse are proud owners of the best fans in the J. League! Not only that, it was quickly corroborated by another J. League match-goer:

Cheers, chaps - good to know all our efforts are appreciated! In seriousness, I've always been impressed with the devotion shown by so many S-Pa fans. The efforts they go to when it comes to maintaining a cracking atmosphere down at The 'Daira can't be understated. For example, The One Person One Flag Project which has voluntarily worked to produce hundreds of orange flags to be distributed at games. Coupled with the huge number of other individually produced flags, it produces a wall of colour - especially effective when on the road as at the Yamaha earlier this season.
The OPOF Project is but one of many similar fan-led initiatives; another being the band which plays non-stop, from start to finish, and never missus a game, home or away. The point of the thread I quoted from earlier was the tendency of certain fans to expend the majority of their energies on booing their opposition, seemingly supporting their own team in the gaps. I'm glad down at The 'Daira we've got such a positive, passionate, hard-working and imaginative group of supporters, and I'm made up that other fans are coming out saying we're among the best in the league! I also know for a fact we're attracted new fans from around the country simply because of our colourful support.

This blog's been rather doomy and gloomy of late. Nabisco Cup aside, this year has been a total wash out. The growing group calling for an end to Kenta's reign is creating a split in opinions on the terraces, but looking at the bigger picture, we're got a lot to be proud of. I've seen in the last few years the efforts the club is making in increasing its fan base around the City of Shizuoka and beyond. It's clearly been paying off too, with average crowds way up on three years ago - and that's continued despite this year's indifferent form! Now let's pull our fingers out, secure J1 football for another year (maybe picking up the Nabisco Cup along the way) and then use our considerable supporter power to ensure mediocrity is not tolerated at Nihondaira!