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In the Mix, Previews

JSoccer Magazine J1 Preview Sept.22nd, Matchday 26 – 18:00 Cerezo Osaka vs Shimizu S-Pulse at Kincho Stadium

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Cerezo Osaka – FW Nagai has left the club, on loan, to Perth in Australia. MF Sakemoto is out injured.
Shimizu S-Pulse – DF Yoshida out, FW Takagi working on a hamstring injury but very doubtful.

Five games since S-Pulse won this one, with 6 wins for Cerezo, 4 for S-Pulse and 5 draws since 2004.

Despite a win against Marinos in his first game back in charge, and a vital six-pointer in the next game against Albirex, Cerezo coach Culpi now knows what he is up against and he must be aware that the team could still be dragged down into the relegation mire, especially if Ardija and Gamba continue to pick up points. A home loss to Grampus last time out put paid to the Cerezo revival and with rumours sweeping the team of the likely departures of Ogihara and Yamaguchi – joining a long line of players who have moved on in the last year or two – it can only get worse for Cerezo if they do not win this match.

Shimizu S-Pulse will be disappointed that they didn’t get maximum points last week against FC Tokyo, a couple of extra points would have taken them up to 6th, within touching distance of the top 3, or even the top spot. It’s still not an impossible ask, but three points from these kinds of games are now a must if they are to continue their slow rise back up the table.
Genki Omae is back in the goals, and new signing Kim has contributed everything but a J.League goal so far, it is his time! Coach Afshin Ghotbi has cleared out some of the players who were not part of the philosophy and is blooding the youngsters, like Ishige, slowly but surely. EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

In the Mix, Previews

JSoccer Magazine J1 Preview Sept.22nd, Matchday 26 – 16:00 Jubilo Iwata vs Albirex Niigata at Yamaha Stadium

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Jubilo Iwata – DF Cho may be available for selection but GK Kawaguchi, MFs Baek, Rodrigo Souto, Matsuoka and Kitaji all unavailable.
Albirex Niigata – MFs Nakamura and Uchida, and FW Suzuki are all long-term injuries.

8 wins for Iwata, 4 for Niigata and 6 draws since 2004.

Jubilo Iwata were lucky to come out of last week’s match away at Vissel Kobe with a win, thanks in no small way to some help from the referee and are feeling the pressure from a list of injuries. It is surprising to many that they are still in with a chance of an ACL-qualifying top three place, although the top three seem to be locked in now. They should find it no problem against Albirex Niigata – a team that has scored just 17 goals all season, even less than bottom-dwellers Consadole! On the other hand their defence has been strong, but will be sorely tested against a rampant Jubilo, who average more than two goals per game and have won three out of their last four – despite all those injuries.

Maeda, for Jubilo, is looking to creep up on the goalscoring crown-to-be of Hisato Sato at Sanfrecce, and cement his place in the national team, while Albirex are just looking for another season in J1. A decent keeper, an Olympic defender, and some decent players all told are hampered by a total lack of firepower up front, with Bruno Lopes, Yano and Hirai, among others, totally failing in their duty.

EXPECT a WIN for JUBILO IWATA!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. Sept.15th – 19:00 Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Vegalta Sendai at Hiroshima Big Arch

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Sanfrecce Hiroshima – MF Mikic is out, along with MF Nakajima. MF Yamagishi may be ready to return from injury.
Vegalta Sendai – FW Muto is injured, DF Harada is doubtful

In 2008 J2, then J1 since 2010 there have been 9 meetings between the teams, 2 wins for Vegalta, 1 for Sanfrecce and SIX draws!

This is the epitome of the six-pointer at the top of the league … these two teams have switched places at the top for the last few weeks and have almost identical scoring, conceding and goal difference records, so a win for either will really create a gap that neither can afford the other to have. Vegalta sit a point clear right now, having won their last two matches, while Sanfrecce only managed a win and a draw. Sanfrecce, it should also be noted, lost in the Emperor’s Cup last week, so will be looking to make amends / concentrate on the league and will have their home fans to pacify after last weekend’s pathetic loss. While they will be missing influential midfielder Mikic and Nakajima from the middle, they have the squad to cover and will be giving their all.

Vegalta Sendai narrowly overcame neighbours Sony Sendai in the Cup last week and have no major injuries to worry about and have won two and drawn one since their shock defeat to Consadole Sapporo last month. Their bubble burst in the run-in last season and they eventually fell out of the ACL places, will that experience see them in good stead for this year, or will the run come to an end soon? I can’t see them keeping it going for much longer but I think they will be motivated enough to deny Sanfrecce a victory here, doing enough to allow Urawa Reds to keep in touch with both of these teams.
EXPECT a DRAW!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. Sept.15th – 19:00 Shimizu S-Pulse vs FC Tokyo at Nihondaira

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Shimizu S-Pulse – DF Yoshida out, FW Takagi very doubtful with hamstring injury.
FC Tokyo – MF Hasegawa is suspended. The injury list includes DFs Ota, Jang and Hiramatsu, MFs Otake and Kawano, and FW Edmilson. FW Hirayama must also be considered doubtful.

11 wins for Tokyo, 7 for S-Pulse and 7 draws over the last decade.

Sandwiched between two legs of a Nabisco Cup semi-final, S-Pulse take on FC Tokyo having won the away game earlier in the season – their first win in ten against the capital club. S-Pulse are on a revival, after a dry spell mid-season and will want to continue their climb up the table in order to have a run at the top three, or even the top spot, so can not afford to drop points now, especially at home. They will also be looking to psychologically kill off their opponents before their return for that semi-final 2nd leg and the fans will be looking for any opportunity to barrack Tokyo’s Maruyama – who won a penalty lick in that first leg with a spectacular dive. The probable loss of Takagi to a hamstring injury will mean that new signing Kim, and Sho Ito – if given the chance – will need to produce the goods.

FC Tokyo will, on the other hand, feel confident, having won that first leg last week, and have beaten Marinos and Sanfrecce in their last two J1 games. A barren period has come to an end – fans were even concerned about dropping into the relegation dogfight, but it seems that has passed now, and the team can concentrate on rising in J1 and looking to a Nabisco Cup Final. Injuries have beset the team all season and a consistent team selection has not been seen but the players that are fit, and selected, know what they have to do! They just might not do it in this game – especially with one eye on the Nabisco Cup?
EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. Sept.15th – 19:00 Kashiwa Reysol vs Consadole Sapporo at Kashiwa

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Kashiwa Reysol – apart from three goalkeepers on the injury list, nothing else to report.
Consadole Sapporo – FW Tele is out, MF Ramon is doubtful. DF Kim is reported injured, adding to a long injury list.

6 wins for Reysol, 3 for Consadole and 2 draws – Sapporo’s last win was in 2008

Consadole Sapporo are all but mathematically down and the injuries keep mounting up, even new players they brought in in – Tele and Ramon – are suffering the jinx! Up against a high-scoring Kashiwa Reysol, at full strength the Consadole defence – having already conceded 61 goals in their 24 games – will find it hard to keep a clean sheet, and, once they go behind, they’ll lave even more space at the back for Kashiwa to exploit. The likes of Jorge Wagner and Leandro Domingues excel at finding space for their forwards to exploit and Sawa, Kudo and Tanaka all take chances regularly.

Hopefully, for Reysol fans, the acquisition of Neto Baiano will not upset the rhythm up front and / or cause a rift in the team who were scoring regularly already, without bringing in a player half way through the season?

There can be no other result today that A WIN for KASHIWA REYSOL!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. Sept.15th – 18:30 Omiya Ardija vs Sagan Tosu at Kumagaya

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Omiya Ardija – DF Kataoka is out for a month
Sagan Tosu – DF Kitani still out.

6 wins for Ardija, 1 for Tosu and 2 draws, all in J2 since 2003 except for this season’s 1-1 draw in Tosu.

Omiya Ardija find themselves in a must-win game today, and in the next ten, too! They managed to hold Urawa Reds in the Saitama Derby last week, even going down to ten men early on, but anything can happen in Derby matches… can they beat the mean defence of Sagan Tosu, especially as Sagan will be looking to get back on the winning track after losing out in a shock to Kamatamare Sanuki – at home – last week in the Emperor’s Cup.

Ardija are now showing a much worse goal difference than Albirex and Gamba, which may hurt them on the final day – they need to score more goals, concede less goals and, of course, rack up some points, fast, if they are to have any chance of continuing their run in the top division. I can not see this happening, certainly not against one of the meanest defences in the J.League and a team who were stung last week and will be looking to make amends.

Neither team has suspension or major injury problems, but Omiya are getting enough from their new players, while the great hope for this season, Cho, is struggling with consistency, also. Carlinhos seems to have settled in and Higashi is back from London 2012 firing on all cylinders – he scored the equaliser last week. But two players do not a team make!
EXPECT a WIN for SAGAN TOSU!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. Sept.15th – 18:00 Cerezo Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus at Nagai

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Cerezo Osaka – DF Sakemoto out for about two months.
Nagoya Grampus – FWs Kennedy and Tamada are back in action, although still to get more match fit! Reserve GK Takagi injured.

5 wins for Cerezo, 8 for Grampus and 5 draws in the last decade or so.

Cerezo have won their last two and are on a one-loss-in-five run and seem to be finally back at full strength after injuries and London 2012 Olympic duties decimated their team. They are five points clear of the drop zone and will be looking for 2 or 3 more wins in their final ten games to reach a safety plateau of around 38 points. Defender Sakemoto is their only injury and they will be looking to build on that decent run.

Nagoya Grampus have Nagai back from London 2012, Kennedy and Tamada back from injury and have won their last two, after two defeats before those games. They are still within reach of the top spot (7 points) or an ACL spot (4 points) and will be looking for a third win in-a-row to keep their hopes alive. If Kennedy is on form, he takes defenders out of the game and creates space for those around him, expect Nagai to take advantage of that, if the Cerezo defence allow it.
EXPECT a DRAW!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. Sept.15th – 19:00 Gamba Osaka vs Albirex Niigata at Banpaku

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Gamba Osaka – GK Kimura, DF Nakazawa and FW Kawanishi all out with broken legs. DFs Kaji and Eduardo out injured. FW Leandro is hopeful of returning from injury.
Albirex Niigata – MFs Uchida and Nakamura injured

7 wins for Gamba, 5 for Albirex, and 5 draws over the last decade, all in J1

Gamba have Leandro to thank for inspiring them to an unbeaten run that got them out of the bottom three and, sure enough, when he was out injured in the last league game Gamba went down to Sagan Tosu. This game is a real six pointer in the battle against relegation and Gamba will be hoping their Brazilian hot shot is fit. If so, expect goals – Gamba ARE the 2nd highest scorers in J1, even though they are in the lower reaches – and the points to go to Gamba.

The Gamba defence is still leaking goals, too, though, but the incoming loan of Iwashita seems to have settled them a little. Albirex are struggling to score goals but Gamba rarely keep a clean sheet, so perhaps we can expect a high scoring game? Albirex Niigata, though, are the lowest scorers in J1, having notched only 16 goals in 24 matches, and have lost three of the last four – surely the form of a team bound for J2?

EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. Sept.15th – 19:00 Kawasaki Frontale vs Kashima Antlers at Todoroki

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Kawasaki Frontale – DFs Saneto and Morishita out
Kashima Antlers – DF/MF Nakata is out for 2 months, DF/MF Yamamura is out for 3 months.

11 wins for Frontale, 7 for Antlers, and 3 draws over the last decade or so.

This probably should be classed as a must-win game for Kawasaki Frontale if they are not to be dragged down into the relegation fight. Last week’s narrow, uninspiring win over Vissel Kobe should have gone some way to seeing Kashima Antlers safe, although mathematically they are still in with a chance of being dragged down and will also be very grateful for a win…
Frontale fired coach Naoki Soma very early in the season, even though he had steered the team to a couple of wins. It was said his football was uninspiring, one wonders what the team management think of the current situation, and how much longer they will be patient if another win or two are not forthcoming?
I think the pressure will get to Frontale, but Antlers are not much better this season so EXPECT A DRAW!

In the Mix, Previews

J1 Preview Sat. Sept.15th – 19:00 Yokohama F. Marinos vs Urawa Reds at Nissan Stadium

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Yokohama F.Marinos only reporting long term injury victim Amano.
Urawa Reds – apart from MF Naoki Yamada who is out for the season, no other injuries reported this week.

Since 2003 we have seen 10 wins each, and five draws – even all the way!

Yokohama F.Marinos had a long run unbeaten and rose up the table before biting the dust against Cerezo Osaka away and then losing another up against FC Tokyo. The Marinos bubble burst and many fans are hoping it will mean that Manabu Saito will get more time on the field after returning from London 2012. Shunsuke Nakamura has not shown too much of his super skills this season, perhaps he should make way for Saito? Marinos have conceded only 26 goals this season BUT have scored only 30, with Marquinos, Ono and Oguro misfiring often.
Up against Urawa Reds, who will be looking for a win to make up for the disappointment of a draw in the Saitama Derby last time out, will be a tough ask for Marinos.

Reds seem to be gearing up for a tilt at the top in the final games and since the top two are playing each other this week, a win for Reds is imperative. They won’t let this opportunity pass will they?

EXPECT a WIN for URAWA REDS!