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PREVIEW – May 12th 15:00 Kawasaki Frontale v. Kashiwa Reysol at Todoroki Stadium

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15:00 Kawasaki Frontale v. Kashiwa Reysol at Todoroki Stadium

Kawasaki Frontale – DFs Komiyama and Jeci out for at least another month each.

Kawasaki Frontale (P10 W5 D1 L4 GD -1) are riding the crest of the Kazama wave – a new coach, a new team, a new outlook – the Brazilians are benched and they look like a new prospect for a top 10 finish at least, whereas I had them down for a relegation-fighting season under Naoki Soma, who started the season coaching them! They have hit the goal trail since Kazama took over, thankfully, and, while they still have a negative goal difference, even while sitting in 6th place, things are changing at Kawasaki!

Kashiwa Reysol (P9 W2 D2 L5 GD -5) have not found it easy in their post-Championship season so far, also having to juggle their virgin ACL campaign has made it a tough start to 2012. In my opinion, the acquisition of Ricardo Lobo to disrupt a winning team has not helped. How can this player keep someone like Junya Tanaka on the bench? Coach Nelsinho needs to wake up, smell the Brazilian coffee and then select the local blend! Expect a WIN for KAWASAKI FRONTALE!

Six wins for Frontale over the last decade to three wins for Reysol, and three draws over 12 meetings between these two teams.

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PREVIEW – Albirex Niigata v. FC Tokyo – May 6th

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FC Tokyo – MF Otake must be considered out for the season. FW Hirayama expected to be out at least three weeks.

Abirex Niigata (P9 W2 D2 L5 GD -3) shocked Sanfrecce Hiroshima last time out in a game that appeared to be played by two teams under the weather, a case of bad Sanfrecce as opposed to good Albirex perhaps! Albirex have scored just fve goals in nine games this season, although have only conceded eight goals in that time … not much goal action for the Niigata fans so far but they’ll be happy with another 1-0 win, for sure. They will probably not get it, though.

FC Tokyo (P8 W4 D0 L4 GD -2) have gone on a downward slide after a good start and now sit in 10th place after losing four out of their last five J1 games. The capital team will be looking to halt that slide and Kazuma Watanabe will be expecting the start after a goalscoring ACL performance in midweek. Ishihara didn’t start the game in that ACL win so will be rested and ready to create or score as necessary. Expect the speedy FC Tokyo attack to unpick the lock of the stingy Niigata defence. Except a WIN for FC Tokyo!

Albirex have notched seven wins to FC Tokyo’s six, with two games ending in draws. Tokyo haven’t won in league play since doing the double over Niigata in 2008.

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PREVIEW – Kashima Antlers v. Sagan Tosu – May 6th

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Kashima Antlers (P9 W3 D1 L5 GD -2) had begun a revival with three wins in a row, including a 5-0 demolition of Gamba Osaka last weekend, but were put in their place on Thursday by an excellent display from S-Pulse that had Antlers choking all over the field. The good work of three wins was undone and Kashima fans will be hoping for a win this weekend to put that display behind them. As noted last week, Koroki and Osako need to be given a run together and they both scored in the Gamba win…. as long as Juninho knows his place is on the bench harmony will prevail and Antlers will come good!

Sagan Tosu (P9 W4 D3 L2 GD +4) are confounding critics and fans alike with their performances so far in their first ever season in J1 and do not look like they will be returning to J2 any time soon. Four wins, and unbeaten since losing to Grampus five games ago, they will be hoping that they can keep Antlers at bay but it will be a tall order. Antlers will have partisan home support, experience being up against the odds and will be looking for that home win for their fans to forget the S-Pulse debacle! Expect a Win for Kashima Antlers!

This will be the first ever meeting between these two teams.

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PREVIEW – Nagoya Grampus v. Kawasaki Frontale – May 6th

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Frontale to Hold Grampus to more dropped points!

Nagoya Grampus – DF Hayuma Tanaka is suspended. Still no news coming out of the camp on fitness of FW Josh Kennedy so he must still be considered doubtful.

Kawasaki Frontale – DF Jeci out for at least another month. DF Komiyama expected to be out 4 to 6 weeks.

Nagoya Grampus (P8 W4 D2 L2 GD +3) had the J.league week off for ACL play, so have a game in hand on their rivals now, but lost last time out to Urawa Reds – at home – and only managed a draw with Sanfrecce before that, so will be looking to halt the slide. he has his knockers but the top scorer of 2010 and 2011 – Josh Kennedy – is obviously missed by Grampus and the team will be hoping he recovers from injury sooner rather than later!

Kawasaki Frontale (P9 W4 D1 L4 GD -2) made the coaching change early on, even though they had a decent start results-wise to the season. Coach Soma bit the dust as the style of play was not satisfying to the powers-that-be at Frontale and the new coach has certainly stamped his mark on the team already. leaving Brazilians on the bench, for example! Playing Inamoto at centre back may be a master stroke, only time will tell, but a 4-3 win over Jubilo in the last game will give his team some confidence, although they’ll be looking to concede less goals in the next game! The adrenalin of a new coach and that last win may carry Frontale to a point this weekend. Expect a Draw!

Frontale have nine wins, to Grampus’ four, with three draws over the years. Nagoya won both games last season.

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PREVIEW – Jubilo Iwata v. Urawa Reds – May 6th

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Jubilo Iwata – MF Kosuke Yamamoto is suspended. GK Kawaguchi out for at least 4 more months.

Urawa Reds – MF Kashiwagi is doubtful with a left leg injury. MF Naoki Yamada is out, probably for the season.

Both teams lost, perhaps unexpectedly, last time out and will be looking to bounce back from those defeats. Jubilo Iwata (P9 W$ D2 L3 GD +1) have lost two in a row, and conceded seven goals in the process and have only won one in the last five – that a 1-0 win over a struggling Marinos – and loo to be settling into the season of mediocrity that I predicted for them after a start that saw them rack up points, if not with decent displays! They have dropped to 7th and seem to be on a downward spiral now. Don’t expect them to come out of it this week.

Urawa Reds (P9 W5 D1 L3 GD +3) must be very disappointed after losing their Saitama Derby to Omiya Ardija, but bouncing back to beat fancied Nagoya Grampus, only to lose again last time out to lowly Yokohama F.Marinos! Reds may well be challenging Cerezo Osaka for the title of most inconsistent J1 team this season! Coach Petrovic’s three-man defence has only conceded nine goals in nine games, but the team has only scored 12 goals and really have to hope that the resurgent form of Marcio Richardes continues, as well as hoping that Genki Haraguchi returns to the form and fitness that had him challenging for a place in the national team, and certainly for the London Olympics. Expect a Win for Urawa Reds!

Reds have ten wins, to Jubilo’s seven, with four draws over the years, but Reds have not won this fixture since 2009!

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PREVIEW – Omiya Ardija v. Gamba Osaka – May 6th

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Gamba Osaka – FW Kawanishi out for another month recovering from a broken leg.

Omiya Ardija (P9 W3 D2 L4 GD -6) were sent packing in their last match, away at Vissel Kobe, with the whole team having an off day it seemed. Barely a shot on goal and Vissel were unlucky to only get three goals. Rafael will be trying to prove he is worth the big salary he’s getting, while Cho will need to be on form to ensure a call-up for the Korean national team next time out. Higashi, in central midfield will be looking to cement a place in the London Olympic team so plenty to play for outside the J.League for some of these players – only good performances will do! Omiya have the players, but do they have the TEAM?

Gamba Osaka (P8 W2 D1 L5 GD -8) have the 6th best attacking record in J1 but by far the worst defensive record in the division, little change from previous seasons, some might say, but the results have not gone Gamba’s way yet and coach Matsunami needs to get his players working together as a team and seal up that defence. Will veteran keeper Fujigaya make way for understudy Kimura in J.League play after Kimura started in the ACL defeat in midweek? Gamba made many changes during the pre-season AND have already changed their coaching staff once this season, so no-one could really expect them to be challenging for honours in this season of rebuilding but they will need to win games like these to ensure a respectable mid-table finish. Expect a WIN for Gamba Osaka!

Gamba have registered nine wins to Ardija’s five in 14 meetings. These teams have never played to a draw!

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PREVIEW – Kashiwa Reysol v. Sanfrecce Hiroshima – May 6th

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Kashiwa Reysol (P8 W2 D2 L4 GD -2) were on ACL duty in the week so did not play in the J.League. Last time out, last weekend they were held by Sagan Tosu and have now dropped to 15th place (although they do have that game in hand now). Their season has probably been disappointing so far, although all first time entrants into the ACL, if not ALL ACL entrants, seem to have trouble juggling the schedule of two competitions, Reysol being no exception so far this campaign. They will be looking for a home win to appease their unruly fans!

Sanfrecce Hiroshima (P9 W5 D1 L3 GD +7) were probably hoping, if not expecting to be sitting pretty in 2nd place now but went down to Albirex Niigata last time out, surprising everyone. Very much an off day for an inspired 2012 Sanfrecce, under young coach Moriyasu. Hisato Sato is leading by example and must be pushing for a recall to the national team. Expect Reysol to get the backlash from last week’s surprise defeat and for Sanfrecce to come out of this with a point to stop the rot. Except a Draw!

Reysol have three wins, to Sanfrecce’s two, and we have five draws in ten meetings between these two teams. Sanfrecce’s wins came in 2009 and 2004.

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PREVIEW – Cerezo Osaka v. Vissel Kobe – May 6th

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Cerezo Osaka – DF Takahashi expected to be out for at least two more weeks.

Vissel Kobe – A new coach has not yet been announced, the team will play under interim coach Adachi. FW Okubo is on the injury list but REALLY wants to be considered for this game against his old club. FW Tashiro expected to be missing at least two weeks.

Vissel Kobe (P9 W4 D0 L5 GD -3) fired coach Wada before the last game and promply walked all over Omiya Ardija, winning with ease on goals from Ogawa, Lee and Mogi – with his first touch as a substitute, and will be high on that win and hoping that Cerezo bring along their bad side this weekend. The Vissel line-up was registered as 2-7-1 last game which interim coach Adachi said was a psychological thing to get the opposition guessing. He also made changes in personnel, notably giving Kang Jo Park a start. In what could be his last game before a new caoch comes in, ADachi will want to make his mark, so expect 100% effort from this Vissel team.

Cerezo Osaka (P9 W$ D1 L4 GD +2) once again showed how wildly inconsistent they are this season after beating Jubilo Iwata last week then capitulating to give Consadole Sapporo their first win of the season on Thursday. They are just too tough to work out which team will come into this game but the law of averages says their good team! Having said that, I feel the adrenalin of the win last week, and the desire to win for Adachi will give this game to Kobe. Expect a Win for Vissel Kobe!

Vissel have five winds, to Cerezo’s three wins, with two draws over ten games. Vissel won both games by three goals last season!

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PREVIEW – Yokohama F.Marinos v. Consadole Sapporo – May 6th

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No new or major injuries or suspensions for either team to report.

Yokohama F.Marinos (P9 W2 L4 D3 GD -1) won their 2nd game in a row on Thursday – away at Urawa Reds of all places – after a start without a win until last weekend! Some fans were hoping for a new coach by now and the fact that the team have won two games may mean that they do not get a change – many critics feel that a change is needed so the inevitable may only have been postponed by two good results. Marquinos finally made his debut after his unexpected return to the team this season and did what he had to do by scoring a late winner after coming on as a substitute! Many feel that it was not really a case of Marinos playing well last time out, but more a case of Reds playing badly!

Consadole Sapporo (P9 W1 D1 L7 GD -8) finally won their first game of the season last time out against the wildly inconsistent Cerezo Osaka and, while Marinos have won their last two, Sapporo must feel that they have a chance now that they have broken the magic spell over them! The style of play of Marinos will not change unless the coach changes so expect the surge of adrenalin that a win for Consadole gave them to at least help them to a point. Expect a Draw!

Consadole beat Marinos away from home in the Nabisco Cup already this season…. in League play Marinos won both of the only other two games between these teams, back in 2008 in J1.

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PREVIEW – Vegalta Sendai v. Shimizu S-Pulse – May 6th

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Vegalta Sendai – FW Akamine still expected to be unavailable through injury.

Shimizu S-Pulse – MF Alex Brosque and FW Jymmy Franca are available after suspension.

Shimizu S-Pulse (P9 W6 D0 L3 GD +4) sit in a confident 2nd place after destroying a resurgent Kashima Antlers on Thursday, despite being without Brosque and Franca. Another fine goal from Takagi underlined what a strength in youth this team has under coach Afshin Ghotbi, who believes that his team can win the Championship this year. This game will be a huge test for his team as they seek to end Vegalta Sendai’s unbeaten start to the season.

Vegalta Sendai (P9 W7 D2 L0 GD +13) have confounded the critics by remaining unbeaten so far but the same thing happened last season before the team ran out of steam amid some tough challenges. With this visit of the 2nd place team being a tough test to their title credentials expect them to pull out all the stops but, unless all of their players are firing on all cylinders, this could be the end of tht unbeaten run. EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

S-Pulse have three wins, Vegalta have one, and we have two draws. Vegalta’s only win in this fixture came back in 2003!