To review J1 Matchday 2, played last Saturday and Sunday, a J-Talk record five (5) guests joined Ben Maxwell to discuss the games they watched. Many thanks to Sam Robson, Steve Barme, Alan Gibson, Bryan Cooper and Cesare Polenghi for being so gracious with their time.

Following our chats, the episode ends with Ben on a quick look back at J2 Matchday 2, and a brief look ahead to the J3 season, which kicks off this Sunday.

If you’d like to skip to a particular J1 game, the guest and game(s) they chat about are: Sam – Kawasaki v Shonan from start; Steve – Omiya v Kashiwa from 13:15 ; Alan – Kobe v Niigata and Kofu v Gamba Osaka from 24:10; Bryan from 41:18; and Cesare from 51:00. I briefly round up the other three from 1:09:23.

I am a great believer in momentum. Over the years I have seen teams plummet down the divisions because they couldn’t reverse their decline. I hope this will not be the case for Vissel Kobe, as four straight defeats in their last J1 outings indicate tough times ahead. However, a new broom can sweep clean, which must be why Vissel appointed Nelsinho as their new boss.
The 64-year-old Brazilian has a wealth of experience at this level, although it has to be remembered that when he took over Kashiwa Reysol they got relegated shortly afterwards; Vissel fans will hope lightning doesn’t strike twice. Having said that, in Nelsinho’s second season, Reysol won promotion back to the top fl ight and followed that by lifting the J1 title. Quite a rollercoaster ride!
How fitting it is that Vissel’s first game of the season is against Nelsinho’s old employers at the Noevir Stadium. In fact, the fixture list has been almost kind to Vissel with three home games in the month of March and just one away trip to Kawasaki Frontale (who finished sixth and beat Vissel in the final game of last season).
So what can possibly go wrong? Nelsinho should know all about his former charges, so you’d expect Vissel to get off to a flyer against Reysol. Points may be dropped at Kawasaki Frontale, but a home win against an out-of-form FC Tokyo would put that right.
Finally in March, the likely new whipping boys of J1, Montedio Yamagata, should be dispatched easily enough in the J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup. Imagine how optimistic Vissel fans will be with three wins out of four in March!
Obviously, a lot depends on how well the new signings bed in. Nelsinho has brought in Kazuma Watanabe from FC Tokyo to bolster the attack. Although the 28-year-old scored 17 goals in 2013, double figures tend to be an exception rather than the norm for him and last season he finished with a paltry three league goals. Nevertheless, his signing will allow the new manager to rest 38-year-old top goalscorer Marquinhos more often. Not only that, there needed to be an injection of new blood upfront, given the barren run of Pedro Junior, who hasn’t scored since September 2014.
Despite the comparative lack of goals at the end of last season, Vissel’s main problem was conceding them at the other end. To rectify that issue, Kobe start this season with two new names at the back: Michihiro Yasuda comes in from Sagan Tosu with Shohei Takahashi signing from relegated Omiya Ardija. The former is a 27-yearold left (wing) back who had the honour of being the first Japanese player to play at Vitesse Arnhem, while the latter is a versatile defender who may have huge boots to fill with centre-back Hiroyuki Komoto moving in the opposite direction to Ardija.
Clearly though, something had to be done about Vissel’s leaking defence: to concede a half century of goals is relegation form. Indeed, only three teams in J1 let in more. Nelsinho will hope his changes plug the holes in what could otherwise be a sinking ship. The Brazilian manager may have his work cut out, which is why I’m predicting a season of consolidation and another mid-table
finish for Vissel.

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 !

Yokohama F•Marinos v Ventforet Kofu
Sanfrecce Hiroshima v Vissel Kobe
FC Tokyo v Kashiwa Reysol
Gamba Osaka v Sagan Tosu
Omiya Ardija v Shimizu S-Pulse
Cerezo Osaka v Urawa Reds
Kawasaki Frontale v Vegalta Sendai
Tokushima Vortis v Kashima Antlers
Nagoya Grampus v Albirex Niigata

J2
Sunday – September 28th

Roasso Kumamoto v Giravanz Kitakyushu
Oita Trinita v V-Varen Nagasaki
Fagiano Okayama v Mito Hollyhock
Kataller Toyama v Avispa Fukuoka
Matsumoto Yamaga v Consadole Sapporo
Jubilo Iwata v Ehime FC
Montedio Yamagata v Kamatamare Sanuki
Thespakusatsu Gunma v Tochigi SC
Kyoto Sanga v Yokohama FC
JEF United Chiba v Tokyo Verdy
Shonan Bellmare v FC Gifu

Head to Head – 9 wins for Sanfrecce, just 2 for Vissel, and 4 draws since 2004.

Match Preview – Vissel Kobe simply need a win to save themselves. A draw would see both Gamba and Albirex able to overtake them with a win. If Cerezo, one place above Vissel lose, it would allow Vissel to overtake them . . . plenty of permutations and Vissel have their fate in their own hands, unlike Gamba and Albirex below them. Tanaka is suspended while Sanfrecce have no suspensions or injuries or . . . anything to play for!

Sanfrecce clinched the Championship last week and could well be hungover, or just simply unmotivated. Either way Vissel fans will be hoping for an underpar Championship-winning team to visit! Vissel have previous experience in surviving on the final day and this could stand them in good stead for this huge game. Vissel fired coach Nishino two games back and caretaker boss Ryo Adachi won the first match in charge (again – he also took over Vissel temporarily earlier in the season when coach Wada was moved on!) but went down, narrowly, to Kashiwa Reysol, with ten men for the best part of the game, and now find themselves with this final big match to finish off the season, again! This is tough to call but I think we should EXPECT a DRAW – which may still not be enough for Vissel!

Team News
FC Tokyo – DF Otake out long term, MF Hiramatsu out for the season.
Vissel Kobe – DFs Hayashi out for sure, Soma doubtful. FW Yoshida facing a fitness test. GK Tokushige not expected to return this week.

Head to Head
Vissel Kobe have suffered 10 defeats and managed just 6 draws, NO wins in 16 meetings since 2003.

Match Preview
If one is realistic, FC Tokyo are one of the few clubs with nothing left to play for this season. They are five points and 6 positions away from an ACL-qualifying spot, and one point safe from relegation with three games to play. They’ll be playing for nothing but pride and bragging rights – and to keep their unbelievable record against Kobe intact – no loss in their last 16 meetings! Their injuries are clearing up, but too late to have any positive effect this season. The cull has begun already with the announcement that on loan striker Edmilson will not be returning in 2013.

Vissel Kobe, on the other hand, need at least one win in their final matches, perhaps more, to overhaul Omiya Ardija, or stay away from Gamba and Albirex. Last week they fired coach Akira Nishino who, it is rumoured, had “lost the dressing room”. The desperation of recent seasons saw Vissel take vital points in the final games, indeed on the final day, and their experience in fighting the pressure will help. They ARE desperate and so will have so much more motivation that their opponents today. Add to that the “new coach” effect or, in this case, the players playing for the man who they all know so well – Adachi, who took over for a few games when Wada was released earlier in the season, also. He began his short caretaker career then with two wins – can he do it again? Yes, he can! EXPECT a WIN for VISSEL KOBE! Their first in three months!

Reysol 2-2 Gamba
S-Pulse 0-1 Albirex
Sanfrecce 3-0 Consadole
Vegalta 1-1 Cerezo
Frontale 4-2 Reds
Ardija 0-0 Antlers
Vissel 1-2 Marinos
Nagoya 1-0 FC Tokyo
Tosu 3-2 Iwata

Updated table at: http://www.jsoccer.com/tables/

Head to Head – 8 wins for Marinos, just 4 for Vissel and NINE draws in this fixture since 2003.

Match Preview – Vissel Kobe went through September with loss after loss – October is was draws galore, so November starts with a win? They are just three points above Gamba Osaka in the final relegation spot, and only five above Niigata one spot below. A win here would go a LONG way to ensuring safety in J1 and allow them to build on the fine young players that they have. Injuries and bad luck have plagued the team and they SHOULD be higher than they are. Relegation would not do them justice, and could well see them lose thee promise of the likes of Ogawa, Morioka and Inui, among others, as J1 teams snap them up.

Yokohama F.Marinos are in 7th position, five points off an ACL spot which must seem far away now but is much closer than it ever would have seemed after their dire start to the season. Rumours of Nakamura moving back to Celtic abound right now, and may unsettle the team, or give the fans something to attack the team with, and the promise of Yuji Ono in 2011 has completely disappeared this season. Just 38 goals in their 30 games so far has not been good enough, although their defence is the best in J1 up to now. more goals, more points, more confidence, they could be much higher – find a natural goalscorer and have a great 2013? For now, they have little to play for and may suffer in this game. EXPECT a WIN for VISSEL KOBE!