Japan start the on the road to South Africa 2010 |
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| Coach Okada pickeda safe squad for the first game against Bahrain on Sept.6th, though jsoccer notes that the addition of Oguro at the last minute is very welcome. A predator, a guy who isn't afraid to shoot from anywhere - it's what Japan lacks - Tatsuya Tanaka (present) and Okubo (not in this squad) are as close as Japan has to that, apart from Oguro. Inamoto also back in the fold after injury, but a starter? Doubtful. The return of Endo to top form could be decisive, but the missing Yasuda is a disappointment for me! | ||
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J.League hots up at the top... |
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| Been a bit lacking in reports recently, been enjoying too much football, live J.league all over the place, plus the return of the Premier League on TV - who has time to write!? Half a J.League program tonight.... | ||
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Vissel Kobe 1-2 Nagoya Grampus |
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Mark, at Grampalog's take on Vissel v. Grampus... http://grampus61.blogspot.com/2008/08/grampus-at-home-at-home.html I'd have to say that I didn't think the ref was biased, more just inconsistently incompetent - it was a pleasure to sit next to you, Mark - except for that shirt you were wearing! |
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... and we're back, and what a (re-) start!! Top teams shattered! |
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JEF Chiba 3-1 Kashima Antlers Urawa Reds 2-2 Kashiwa Reysol Nagoya Grampus 0-1 FC Tokyo Yokohama F Marinos 2-1 Gamba Osaka Consadole Sapporo 1-2 Omiya Ardija Jubilo Iwata 0-1 Vissel Kobe Kyoto Sanga 1-2 Kawasaki Frontale Oita Trinita 2-2 Shimizu S-Pulse Tokyo Verdy 4-0 Albirex Niigata I make that the top ten teams all within 7 points of each other! Antlers top on 36, Reds on 34, Nagoya and Frontale on 33, Gamba and Oita on 32, Reysol on 31, FC Tokyo on 30, Vissel and Albirex on 29 - getting close at the top! |
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Bare quits Gamba for BIG Arab cash! |
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Gamba Osaka's Brazilian forward Bare has been reported as ready to immediately leave the J. League club to join Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates! Consequently, Gamba's forward line - already missing Bando due ti illness, gets depleted even further - expect them to splash out soon! |
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Vissel 3 in a row, Kyoto knock Kashima about! |
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Scores tonight in J1: Vissel Kobe 1-0 Yokohama F･Marinos (9,524) Consadole Sapporo 0-0 Oita Trinita (9,512) Kyoto Sanga F.C. 2-1 Kashima Antlers (15,081) F.C.Tokyo 1-1 Gamba Osaka (27,701) Albirex Niigata 2-2 JEF United Chiba (30,711) Playing tomorrow night: Kashiwa vs Omiya Kawasaki-F vs Shimizu Iwata vs Nagoya Urawa vs Tokyo Verdy 1969 |
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Why Japan (national team) can not score goals!! |
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Hey, regulars will know I go on like a broken record sometimes but, hey, take a look at the top scorers in J1 and then tell me where all the Japanese forwards are... no wonder our youth has no chance to shine... the "first" 65 goals in the table below are foreign, then comes Tulio - not a forward (and arguably foreign!!). Of the top 119 goals - 97 are scored by foreigners! Now, as I've said before, if these foreigners were players like Eto'o, Henry, Ronaldo - players either at the top of their game, or experienced, well-known professionals who can add something to the J.League (such as Lineker, Leonardo, Mboma, Schillacci, etc.) great - but, no, we get - in the main - no-namers who'd struggle to get into a team anywhere in Europe. (read on ...) |
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New faces at the top of JFA |
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Motoaki Inukai is to replace "captain" Kawabuchi as president of the JFA. He takes over at the end of this month. Kawabuchi is expected to remain as an honorary president. The JFA has also added former rugby national team coach, and Kobe Steeler, Seiji Hirao and tennis player Kimiko Date to the executive committee as the first two non-soccer hires ever. Could be an interesting few months as we some changes (or not!)? |
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Korean Vissel star, Kim Nam-Il Selected for J.League vs. K.League All Star Game! |
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Vissel Kobe midfielder Kim Nam-Il has been selected for the J-Allstars vs. K-Allstars game, to take place in Tokyo on August 2nd. The J-Allstars will be coached by Antlers boss, Oswaldo Oliveira, and includes goalkeepers Narazaki (Nagoya) and Tsuzuki (Reds), defenders Nakazawa (Yokohama F Marinos), Iwamasa, Araiba (Kashima), Tulio, Abe (Urawa), midfielders Kim, Konno (FC Tokyo), Nakamura (Kawasaki), Komano (Iwata), Futagawa (Gamba Osaka), Yamase (Marinos), Kanazaki (Oita) and Ogasawara (Kashima). Forwards selected are Bare (Gamba), Johnsen (Nagoya) and Chong (Kawasaki). Um, NO Japanese forwards - what a surprise! |
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Scores today! Reds, Antlers win, Vissel knock off Omiya! |
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Consadole Sapporo 2-2 Shimizu S-Pulse Atsubetsu 10,282 Tokyo Verdy 3-0 JEF United Chiba Ajinomoto 10,069 Urawa Reds 2-0 F.C.Tokyo Saitama.S 49,218 Albirex Niigata 2-1 Nagoya Grampus Tohoku Den.S 37,529 Vissel Kobe 1-0 Omiya Ardija Home's 9,172 Jubilo Iwata 1-2 Kashima Antlers Ecopa 18,479 |
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Japan's Road to South Africa 2010 |
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| The group looks a tough one, with Australia in there, as well as Uzbekistan.... Qatar and Bahrain look to be the minnows - let's hope Japan can get the ball in the net against those teams, at least!! Full game schedule.... last game Japan away to Australia on 17th June, 2009! | ||
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J.League back in action... almost |
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| Both Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka recorded 1-0 wins on Wednesday night, to see them both up on 22 points and closing in on the top spot. The two games were leftovers from the first part of the season, games postponed due to the two teams' involvement in Champions League matches. The fact that they both won this game in hand, keeps it exciting at the top! | ||
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Vissel robbed by balding Collina wannabe ! |
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Vissel could only come up with a home point against Kyoto Sanga on Sunday, June 8th, even though it was with a wonder goal from rookie Baba in the 63rd minute breaking the deadlock. Baba won the ball from a defender out on the right wing with a determined challenge, turned inside, lifted his head and stroked a curling 25 yarder into the far corner with the outside of his right boot. Baba had replaced Kurihara, who had gone off with a facial injury in the 35th minute. Kyoto Sanga got the draw with a left volley from Tahara, after he had wrestled Ishibitsu, his marker, to the ground and turned away from him. The referee missed the foul, along with a couple of other OBVIOUS Vissel Kobe PK calls, and two points were lost, and with it, place in the Nabisco Cup Quarter Finals! So, the Kobe-less Quarters look like this: Quarter Final 1st Leg 2nd July Kashima Antlers vs. Shimizu S-Pulse JEF Chiba vs. Nagoya Grampus FC Tokyo vs. Oita Trinita Gamba Osaka vs. Yokohama F. Marinos The 2nd leg will be played 6th August. |
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Gamba take Reds out in Saitama! Kashima held.... JEF continue recovery! |
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Urawa Reds 2-3 Gamba Osaka Jubilo Iwata 1-2 FC Tokyo JEF Chiba 1-0 Oita Trinita Kyoto Sanga 1-0 Yokohama F Marinos Kashima Antlers 1-1 Kashiwa Reysol Consadole Sapporo 1-3 Nagoya Grampus The only thing sure about this season's J1 is that it's NOT going to a one horse race at the top.... Gamba are recovering, FC Tokyo and Nagoya are surprising, Kashima are faltering, Reds had a bad start, came back, now beaten at home... Reysol, Trinita, even Vissel - as players come back from injury - and Albirex - who seem to have finally hit stride, are gunning for a top 6 place! It's anybody's title right now! |
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The answer to the refereeing problem? |
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| Players should be encouraged to become referees...... and given breaks, incentives and all the help needed! | ||
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