Nishibe is out for four weeks following his horrific collision last weekend. Should we make it through, will he be back in time for the cup final on New Year's Day? What am I, Mystic Meg?
Ex-scum striker Takahara is rumoured to be on the S-Pulse Christmas shopping list. Shizuoka lad born and bred, and Shimizu educated, it was always such a waste he got tempted to the dark side as a youth. We've all done things we regret. Will he find salvation in a bright orange t-shirt? Would certainly put some extra bums on seats and flog a few scarves.
DF Ichikawa DF Hiraoka DF Bosnar(yellow 41) DF Ota
MF Ono MF Honda MF Hyodo
FW Okazaki FW Johnsen FW Fujimoto
Subs Used
M. Yamamoto on for Fujimoto (68) Edamura on for Ono (74) Hara on for Okazaki (85)
Report
None, because I'm busy!
Not a fantastic result against 10th placed also-rans Urawa, but it's certainly good to stop the rot after last weekend. The home team will no doubt be more happy with a point against high flying opposition, but despite us missing the chance to close the gap on Nagoya (who stumbled at home to a draw) any away point is valuable. Draw away and win at home and you win the league. Next at home? Nagoya. If you're going to go, then get your ticket now - there are only 2000 left.
I have a few minutes, so just to put on record that Nishibe, while he's prone to the odd howler every now and again, has been solid as a rock in the last couple of games, and has been pretty good all year. With Kaito out of first team contention for the foreseeable, Nishibe has stepped (back) up to the plate and has 1) kept us in the Nabisco Cup, and 2) stopped a couple of cracking shots in this game.
Okazaki's control and finish on his equaliser are top drawer. Check the highlights below. It's worth watching a couple of times in slow motion to appreciate how good his touch was from Jungo's cross to set it up for his volley home.
M. Yamamoto on for Edamura (68) Hara on for Ono (80) Nagasawa on for Johnsen (89)
Report
Well, if you're going to travel over 6000 miles for a 0-0, it had better be a good one. Luckily for me, it was, and while we rode our luck one, two, three - I lose count how many times, Nishibe played a blinder, we didn't concede, and we go through on away goals.
Full time
Tokyo will feel they should have won this - and on shots and chances, they should. They hit the bar and post I forget how many times (that said, we also rattled the woodwork once or twice) but just couldn't find a way through. As time went on, their desperation started to tell as the mistimed balls and over-hit passes increased in number.
Kenta thinks things over with Kazuaki
For our part, we were without both Okazaki and Fujimoto, whose 19 goals between them have seen them both called up to the national team, so with the untried top three of Hyodo, Johnsen and Edamura, I guess things were always going to be a bit on the slow side. We did carve out a few good chances, and Teru had a good game. He'll play to see his 500th appearance yet.
Take a bow - now win the semi!!
We'll meet Hiroshima in the semi finals. Leg one is September 29th in Hiroshima (Wed, 7pm). Leg two is October 10th in Shimizu (Sun, 3pm).
S-Pulse 0-2 G. Osaka --------------------------------- Lucas 14 --------------------------------- Jae-Jin 70
Att. 20011
Line Up
GK Nishibe
DF Ichikawa DF Hiraoka DF Arata DF Ota
MF M. Yamamoto MF Ito MF Edamura MF Paulo
FW Hara FW Okazaki
Subs Used
Fujimoto on for M. Yamamoto (61) Nagai on for Hara (70) Nagasawa on for Paulo (78)
Report
We lost and we fully deserved to. How long ago our top-of-the-table exploits seem now! Down to sixth, but incredibly we've still lost only the joint least in the league. 3rd is now impossible, 4th is going to be a mission, but we're in the quarter final of the cup which is more than can be said for most other teams, so at least we have that.
???
Kenta was forced into replacing Johnsen who picked up a knock in training, but the dropping of Kaito in goal for Nishibe had me scratching my head before kick off. One dodgy game against Reysol and the keeper is dropped. This is after an excellent season which resulted in a national team call up recently. A keeper's confidence is paramount, so why knock Kaito's even further? He's clearly the best keeper we have. Nishibe didn't have a terrible game, but he was all over the place on the second goal. To get beaten to a cross by an attacker is poor.
Well, the season nears an end, and the best we can hope for is fourth. Again. I think without any silverware between now and the end of next year Kenta Hasegawa will be looking for another team. I dearly hope he proves us wrong, because I like him, I really do. But football is about winning things, and we've been coming up short time and again the last four years.
Another full house
There were a couple of crazy results this weekend which make our recent rubbish form not quite so hard to take. Kawasaki losing to bottom of the table Oita (ex-Pulser Fernandinho netting the only goal) and FC Tokyo losing to already-relegated JEF both go to show that we're not totally unique in our ability to pull shockers like the ones against Oita and Reysol.
With a bit of unfortunate timing, it was this weekend, after four defeats in a row, that the season ticket renewal forms were sent out. Not that it really makes any difference of course. Thousands upon thousands will be signing up for another year, and you know why? Because this is for life. Through the good times and the bad, WE ARE SHIMIZU S-PULSE, and we're bloody proud of that fact. :)
Well, I'd have preferred this scoreline last November, but beggars can't be choosers!
The players line up
It was a vastly changed starting 11 from Kenta as he continues to search for the best combination. Nishibe was out, and replaced by the safe hands of Kaito. He showed time and again how he can come out with confidence and stamp his authority all over the penalty area. He can also do something Nishibe can't seem able to manage, and that's catch the thing. See Jubilo's opener on Black Sunday for a perfect example of the sort of mistake you don't see Kaito making.
In the back saw Ota making his first start, and while he made one or two sloppy errors in judgement, for his début he looked eager and hard working. He was harassing the Oita midfield with steaming runs up the wing, and I'm looking forward to more from him. Okazaki started in midfield along with Edamura, Hyodo and Yamamoto, with Hara and Johnsen up front.
Despite the threat of rain, S-Pulse fans were out in force
It was defender and secret weapon from corners, Iwashita who opened the scoring on 14 minutes, and the lead was doubled when the long legs of Johnsen brilliantly controlled a ball which he then despatched under the helpless Nishizawa. Oita gave their travelling tens some hope on 37 when they pulled one back, but in the second half, while it took until the 73rd minute, we always looked like extending our lead. It came from Johnsen, but a wicked deflection off a defender was needed to steer his shot into the gaping net. That said, he did really well to win the ball and create space for himself, so top work there, fella.
2-0! Goals make us happy :)
An improvement on recent weeks, but Oita, who had lost eight in a row and have most their team out injured or otherwise unavailable, were never going to a the biggest of challenges. We have a few winnable games coming up, so hopefully we'll be climbing the table as the summer heats up. What I wrote previously regarding Kenta's future at the club still holds true, so despite the win, nothing has changed on that front. Away at high-flying Albirex Niigata on Saturday will be more of a measure of where we stand.
A pitiful away support (and the drizzle) kept the crowd below 14000
Next up is Yamagata in the league cup this Wednesday. Not to be underestimated - Jubilo 2-6 Yamagata anyone? :-D - we should have what it takes to claim all three points and take a huge step towards qualification to the next round. With such a hectic schedule of late, we can expect to see the likes of Jungo, Nagai, Paulo and perhaps even Tsujio start, all of who were rested against Oita.
Line Up:
GK K. Yamamoto
DF Takaki DF Aoyama DF Iwashita DF Ota
MF Okazaki MF M. Yamamoto MF Edamura MF Hyodo
FW Johnsen FW Hara
Subs used
Hiraoka on for Iwashita (63) Ito on for Hara (77) Paulo on for Hyodo (91)
Videos:
Iwashita's opener on 14 minutes:
Johnsen's first. 17 minutes:
Oita pull one back on 37 minutes:
Johnsen's second on 74 minutes:
Loco Loco celebrations after the whistle.
Links:
Read The Rising Sun's report here, and click here for Mike Tuckerman's take on events which, I'm sad to report, will be his last from Nihondaira for the foreseeable future. Good luck fella, and if you're ever back in town, drop me a line!
Well, for me, that would very easily be Paulo. What a difference one man can make. I felt at the end of last season that Paulo's presence on the park changed the way the team worked, and it certainly did so today. Marcos "Glue" Paulo - holds the team together and the ball sticks to him! He worked so hard yesterday creating chances and getting the ball forward, it was a pleasure to watch and I found myself thinking, yes, we can win this after all. Before a ball was even kicked it was clear Paulo was up for it, high fiving each and every player and raising spirits - and after half time, he was so keen to be back out he was almost at the half-way line before the rest of our team appeared.
Ok, so he can't shoot - well neither can Johnsen apparently and he's actually a forward. Although, without being too harsh on Johnsen he looked more full of fight than before and is certainly trying harder, so we'll see.
I like the way Nagai looks, and would like to see him on the park a bit more - Johnsen's going to have to do something soon to keep his first team place out of Nagai and Hara's clutches, who both look ready for the fight.
Yesterday was a great day, good weather, good crowd, the S-Pa fans were out in force and the changes in the team proved to be vital. Let's see some more football like this and start winning some games - it's still early days in J1 and we can still finish up top.
Oh and in other news - Nishibe, despite letting in two yesterday, wasn't particularly to blame and appears to have learned how to catch the ball. That was a great big relief to the UK Ultras (minus one, who loves Yohei regardless of how many mistakes he makes, such undying loyalty has to be admired).
So, the season is young, Marcos proved himself yesterday and if he doesn't start / make more appearances now then Kenta either has a personal vendetta or an eye problem. We have a fit bunch of strikers raring to go and the defence was on the ball yesterday - literally. Paulo was my man of the match yesterday, but Iwashita would be a second - he was so quick on it yesterday and more than once got the ball cleared and out past midfield to create opportunities.
Oooops, bit late this blog post - been a busy week of parties (Happy Birthday to me) and fun. Sunday last was my first BDO (Big Day Out) this year due to monies, and I've yet to see an away win. Mind you, I'm thanking my lucky stars it was an away draw seeing as it nearly went down the pan in the last few minutes!
The rain at the start of the game was initially cooling and pleasant, we UK Ultras get a tad hot every now and again and welcomed the first drops. The torrential downpour that followed was somewhat less desired however! There was an awesome turnout of Shimizu peeps at Omiya Park and the rain did not put them off, the singing was as loud as ever. We do love our team.
It was another frustrating game though, with S-Pa having plenty of chances, and plenty of shots on-target - so on-target in fact that the ball continually landed in the keepers' hands. Frustrating as ever. In fact, there was only one occasion when the keeper actually had to make an effort to save the ball. Its not that we are a bad team, we are good, but when will we start scoring more?
Jungo was injured early on in the game due to a careless tackle which may or may not have seen certain members of the UK Ultras shouting abusive language. Looks like he's out all season, can't say I am overly chuffed about that, here's hoping he recovers quickly and as well as possible.
When Omiya scored their goal, I thought I was going to die, and could sense Shizza next to me, in the same, "oh-my-God-you-must-be-kidding-not-another-last-chance-loss" and the relief that swept through me when it was declared offside is uncomparable. Nishibe was on pretty good form on Sunday too, he has almost been forgiven now for last year's appalling "the sun was in my eyes" event.
Still, we love the 'Pulse and I'm sure when Oka-chan and co get back, there'll be goals a plenty.
Oh yeah, and does anyone else think Ardija are more red than orange?
Highlights (Got to be happy with those travelling hoards on a Sunday evening!) :
The Offside (Check the bag which goes flying spraying it's contents all around :-D ) :
Barry writes:
