Matsumoto Yamaga were relegated last season. Here’s what they’ll be wearing in J2. Green home, white away, red and blue are the ‘keepers’ gear!

Graphic for Shimizu S-Pulse home shirt for their J2 season in 2016.

And S-Pulse neighbours Jubilo Iwata, who have switched places with them in J1 for 2016.

Vissel Kobe home and away, with a special close-up on their home shirt, too.

Kawasaki Frontale 2016 20th Anniversary “Gremio” shirt!

Kawasaki Frontale Home, away, “cup” shirts

V-Varen Nagasaki home (orange) and away

Yokohama F•Marinos home (blue), away (pink) and three cool GK shirts

Albirex Niigata home (orange) and away

Ventforet Kofu home (blue) and away

Kashiwa Reysol home (yellow) and blue GK shirt

Urawa Reds

Thespakusatsu Gunma home (blue away (white) and two GK shirts

FC Tokyo home / away authentic version

Nagoya Grampus home and away

Kashima Antlers home (red) and away

Fujieda MYFC home

Nara Club (JFL), home, away, GK

Montedio Yamagata away

Mito HollyHock home (blue) and away

Zweigen Kanazawa home

At the bottom of J1, S-Pulse are down, and Montedio are all but gone, but mathematically in with a chance of survival as I write. Again, worth noting just in case there is any confusion, the relegation places are decided on the overall season/two stages combined table. Matsumoto Yamaga need to make up five points on Vissel Kobe, or six on Sagan or Albirex to reach safety. A tall order, right?

At the top of J2, Omiya Ardija appeared to have the Championship sewn up weeks ago but are now doing their best to lose it. Jubilo are just two points clear of Avispa Fukuoka with the top two going up to J1 without a play-off fight. Fukuoka seem to be the favourites of many now, while Cerezo Osaka have faded away in the last few games although are still well withing the play-off spots.

The play-offs will be 3rd-placed team v 6th placed, and 4th v 5th, over two legs, with a final play-off for a spot in J1 between the winners of those two ties.

Verdy have dropped a few points recently, while Ehime have also flirted with that 6th spot. Giravanz looked good for the play-offs earlier in the season but are not five points away, while the unlikely names of Roasso Kumamoto and Tokushima Vortis have risen into the frame, although it would be a huge surprise, but there are still 15 points to play for in five remaining games. Anythong COULD (and will?) happen.

At the bottom of J2 Tochigi are six points away from safely, although only two points away from earning a play-off spot – as opposed to straight relegation – against the 2nd placed J3 team. FC Gifu have flirted with wins but have dropped back into danger, just four points clear of Oita in that 2nd relegation (play-off) spot. With five matches to go Kyoto Sanga and Mito HollyHock are still well within reach of the lower teams, too.

At the top of J3 Yamaguchi Renofa are looking good for promotion as the Champions, while Machida Zelvia have pulled away from Nagano going for that play-off spot.

At the bottom of J3 we see the J.League Under 22 selection who, of course couldn’t be relegated anyway, although it seems will be replaced by an Under 19 team next season?! Fujieda MYFC are ten points clear of Y.S.C.C. although it should be noted that no teams will be relegated this season as the J3 expansion continues. With rumours of four (at least) “2nd XI” teams from J1 being added to J3 next season, including Gamba Osaka and Urawa Reds, interesting times are ahead! Not necessarily well-received times, though?!

Leandro – rejoining Vissel from Kashiwa Reysol – and, of course, teaming up again with manager Nelsinho, was thrown straight into the starting line-up and repaid that faith with hard work, creation of chances, and an easy finish to get on the score-sheet himself.

An interesting team selection from Nelsinho – with most of the squad available to him after a 1st Stage beset by injuries – saw nominal defensive midfielder Masatoshi Mihara return to the line-up, although just behind the strikers, while Ryota Morioka seems to have settled into his defensive midfield role, while previously accepted as an attacking player. Marquinhos was selected as a supporting striker/attacking midfielder to Leandro, the lone forward – technically – in a 3-2-2-2-1 formation.

The opening goal came from Morioka, in the 7th minute, who poked home a loose ball after Leandro had controlled a Takahito Soma cross, then created space from nowhere for an excellent shot that the keeper couldn’t hold.

Shunki Takahashi was next on the mark, volleying home another excellent far post cross from Soma in the 19th minute, with Leandro getting his goal four minutes before the break, after having a 22nd minute effort blocked by the desperate home defence. The returning Brazilian’s goal was simplicity itself, as a pinpoint pass from Jung Woo Young found Shunki Takahashi on the right wing. He sprinted to beat Mitchell Duke – no slouch in the speed stakes himself – to the ball and crossed it first time where the unmarked Leandro poked it home from close range.

In the 55th minute it was Soma yet again racing forward to send in a low, early cross for Marquinhos to stab home from close range. 4-0, and Vissel were cruising.

The final goal was, perhaps, the best of the day, and a personal victory for Shohei Takahashi. The central defender won the ball, found Leandro and sprinted off behind the Brazilian forward. Leandro sent the ball long and wide to Marquinhos in the right channel and the Vissel number 18 timed his run to perfection, reaching the ball for a first time cross to Takahashi for the defender to head home the final goal of the game after completing his 70 yard dash.

And so, Vissel end the day on top of J1 and looking forward to a successful 2nd Stage. A win against Shonan Bellmare on Wednesday night is next on the cards!

Team – Yamamoto, Iwanami, Masukawa, Sho.Takahashi, Morioka, Jung, Shu.Takahashi, Soma, Marquinhos, Mihara, Leandro

Vissel Kobe goals:
7′ Ryota MORIOKA
19′ Shunki TAKAHASHI
41′ LEANDRO
55′ MARQUINHOS
75′ Shohei TAKAHASHI

Attendance: 14,037

A traumatic second half of last season saw Shimizu S-Pulse cling to their continuing top flight status only on the final day. It was debutante manager Katsumi Oenoki who suffered a torrid six months in the hot seat having taken over following Afshin Ghotbi’s midsummer sacking.
Aside from a 1-0 defeat of 2014’s disaster show Tokushima Vortis, it took Oenoki nine games to find a victory. Even after 17 attempts the new boss never properly stemmed the avalanche of goals cascading through his beleaguered back four, and by the end of the season Shimizu’s goal difference was saved from being the worst in the division only by the pitiful Tokushima.
Perhaps the only difference between J1 and J2 football this year was the eventual admission that attempts at blooding a number of youngsters were, while laudable, poorly timed and too big of an ask. It is likely with this in mind that Taisuke Muramatsu and Takuma Edamura were recalled from loans. Both former regular starters at Nihondaira, their combined experience will contribute towards the foundation upon which Oenoki can build his vision. Muramatsu’s return in particular, coupled with the retention of Calvin Jong-a-Pin and Jakovic, will be expected to shore up what last year was often an alarmingly permeable back line.
A midfield of Edamura and Takuya Honda may not necessarily set any imaginations alight, but should prove a solid enough basis to work with.
After Novakovic’s departure it was feared that Genki Omae would have to take on forward duties but, following additions to the front line, the ex-Dusseldorf player will be able to assume his preferred role roaming behind the front two. Incoming strikers Mitchell Duke from Australia and Nigerian Peter Utaka offer hope that Novakovic’s absence won’t be felt too strongly, if at all.
So with an intriguing though unproven attack, a defence and midfield having seen meagre improvement, we can perhaps best expect a season not dissimilar to 2014. There exists a concrete foundation, but the biggest question mark remains over whether Oenoki can successfully marshal his defence. If so, there is enough talent elsewhere to see a comfortable spell of mid-table obscurity. After last year’s struggles, supporters may be willing to accept a period of consolidation, and this is where J1’s new format could prove of benefit to the rookie manager. Knowing that entry to the championship knockout is open to anyone who can string a run
together, a wobbly first stage can be forgiven under the guise of perfecting the team ahead of an assault on phase two. Most likely though, multi-stage or not, Shimizu are unlikely to trouble any trophy engravers in 2015. That goal has to form part of Oenoki’s longer-term plan, of which this season is just step one.

 FC Gifu MINAMO

Giravanz Kitakyushu GIRAN

Mito HollyHock HOLLY-kun

Fagiano Okayama FAGI-MARU

Jubilo Iwata JUBILO-kun

Ehime FC IYOKANTA

Kyoto Sanga PURSA-kun

Yokohama FC FULIE MARU

J.League Mascot – Mr. PITCH!

 JEF United JEFFY

Thespakusatsu Gunma YUUTO

Kashiwa Reysol Rey-kun

Roasso Kumamoto ROASSO-kun

Omiya Ardija ARDY

Shonan Bellmare KING BELL I

Cerezo Osaka ROBI

Zweigen Kanazawa GENJI

Tokushima Vortis VORTA-kun

Albirex Niigata ALBI-kun

Urawa Reds REDIA

Tochigi SC TOKKY

Kashima Antlers SHIKAO

Tokyo Verdy VERDY-kun

Sagan Tosu WINTOSU

Shimizu S-Pulse PUL-chan

Avispa Fukuoka AVI-kun

Oita Trinita NEETAN

Vissel Kobe MOVI

Gamba Osaka GAMBA BOY

FC Tokyo TOKYO DOROMPA

Nagoya Grampus GRAMPUS-kun

Yokohama F•Marinos MARINOSUKE

Ventforet Kofu VAN-kun

Matsumoto Yamaga GANS-kun

Kawasaki Frontale FRONTA

 Vegalta Sendai VEGATTA

V-Varen Nagasaki VIVI-kun

Montedio Yamagata DIIO

NUMBER 1!!  Sanfrecce Hiroshima SANCCE

Edited from the Central Coast Mariners official web site at:
http://www.ccmariners.com.au

And why the cover? Of a player that hardly kicked a ball this year due to injury? A player who is not a star by any means? A player who is actually wearing the 20134 season shirt?

Well … why not!!? What a great picture it is! Of a true professional who will – next season – hit an age that is the same as the number he is wearing … and he plays for the team that is our main (or, hey, COVER) story… and, if, and that’s IF he announces retirement – – a fitting tribute indeedf

Yukio Tsuchiya – sterling service to Ventforet Kofu, Tokyo Verdy, Omiya Ardija, Kashiwa Reysol and Vissel Kobe.

Thank you !

Matsumoto Yamaga – debut J1 season

 FC Gifu Home

Shimizu S-Pulse Home (Orange) Away (White)

Vegalta Sendai Home

Kawasaki Frontale

Urawa Reds (home – rumoured)