Japan’s victory over Germany and Spain did not mean that Japanese football made a big leap forward, but compared to the past World Cups, there is no doubt that there was a big harvest.
First of all, not only Plan A, but also Plan B, Plan C and several options were prepared for how to fight. This is something that the past Japanese national team did not have.
In the first game against Germany and the second game against Costa Rica[4-2-3-1]start with and in the middle of the match[3-4-2-1]transition to.That system change is also an attack[3-2-5]In the form of a build-up from the back, in defense, he pressed the German national team one-on-one, and lowered both wingbacks in the Spain and Croatia games.[5-4-1]I assembled a strong block of.
In the second half, Jokers such as Ritsu Doan, Takuma Asano, Kaoru Mitoma, and Takumi Minamino will be sent out one after another to change the “team’s expression” and pull the flow of the game at once. Even the powerhouses of Germany and Spain were unable to cope with this change, and this strategy proved to be a great success in the ultimate tournament match of the World Cup.
Moriyasu Japan’s ability to adapt to any situation on the pitch, which has been a theme since its inception, has definitely improved.
It became the main battle system of this tournament[3-4-2-1]I’ve never been working on it for a long time. The last time they tried three backs was in the final stages of the game against the United States and Ecuador during the European tour in September, and against Canada just before the start of the World Cup. Still, it worked well in the World Cup.
In the match against Spain, in the first half[5-4-1]The gap in the defensive block was poked, and the inside half Gabi and Pedri made chances many times. Then, on the pitch, he changed the way he marked according to the judgment of the players.
“When I step out, it opens up a lot of space, but not just me, but the players who were close to me didn’t like it being carried away (to Pau Torres). Let’s challenge the shape.”
If Ko Itakura, who entered the back right, said so, Shogo Taniguchi on the left also explained.
“In the first half, Yuto-san was locked in the opponent’s right wing, so I couldn’t get into it. Kaoru came in in the second half, so I talked with Kaoru that it would be a waste to let him stand in a low position. , one-on-one, and don’t hesitate to chase twice in the middle stage.”
The lively discussion by the players was the basis of this flexible response. In addition to general meetings, the players exchanged opinions and ideas every time they met, and sometimes asked questions to deepen their common understanding.
The coaching staff also joins there and guides the optimal solution of how to fight while discussing. The final decision is made by Coach Hajime Moriyasu, but by having all the players involved in the team’s decision-making, everyone becomes able to take ownership and find solutions when problems arise.
The national team just doesn’t have time. In the final Asian qualifiers, it was common for all the players to gather three days before the match. Furthermore, in the World Cup production, the game will be digested at intervals of 3 days. In such a short time, there are many things that cannot be tackled in training. Even in such a situation, in order to work out the details, aside from how far it is left to the players, the “bottom-up method” through discussion that gives the Japanese who tend to wait for instructions to take initiative is the best way to compete in the World Cup. Tradition of the Japanese national team, it will be something that can be a weapon.
Of course, even against Croatia, it was a decision on the pitch.[5-4-1]from[3-2-5]Heh, I wanted him to go out to fight somewhere.But both the coach and the players like it[5-4-1]I don’t think I went through. He wanted to keep the ball and attack, but he couldn’t. Japan was not allowed to choose soccer against Croatia, who are skilled in the game and have more ability.
Realistically, this will be the last World Cup for veterans like Eiji Kawashima, Maya Yoshida and Yuto Nagatomo. Therefore, losing to the round of 16 this time has the meaning of a “bridge” to the next national team in terms of experiencing frustration while gaining experience of success.
And, needless to say, the next national team will be Daichi Kamata, Hidemasa Morita, Kaoru Mitoma, Ritsu Doan, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Midori Tanaka, and Takefusa Kubo, who will become veterans and midfielders, and they will be the core of the national team.
Why couldn’t you overcome the wall of the best 16?
They may not be sorted out yet. However, there must be something in their minds about why they were able to make it through the group stage and what the Japanese national team needs to do to take the next step.
While conveying that to the Paris Olympics generation, I would like you to lead the next Japanese national team.
Written by Atsushi Iio
Born in 1975. Born in Tokyo. After graduating from Meiji University, he worked for Weekly Soccer Digest before becoming a freelancer in 2012. He covered the 2010, 2014, 2018 World Cup, and the 2016 Rio Olympics. His publications include “Golden Year 19 Top J League Players Reveal the Turning Point” and “Zanshin Nakamura Kengo’s 1700 Days of Challenge and Frustration”.