Mark, at Grampalog’s take on Vissel v. Grampus…http://grampus61.blogspot.com/2008/08/grampus-at-home-at-home.htmlI’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!

JEF Chiba 3-1 Kashima AntlersUrawa Reds 2-2 Kashiwa ReysolNagoya Grampus 0-1 FC TokyoYokohama F Marinos 2-1 Gamba OsakaConsadole Sapporo 1-2 Omiya ArdijaJubilo Iwata 0-1 Vissel KobeKyoto Sanga 1-2 Kawasaki FrontaleOita Trinita 2-2 Shimizu S-PulseTokyo Verdy 4-0 Albirex NiigataI 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!

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!

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 OmiyaKawasaki-F vs ShimizuIwata vs NagoyaUrawa vs Tokyo Verdy 1969

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 …)

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!)?

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!

Consadole Sapporo 2-2 Shimizu S-Pulse Atsubetsu 10,282Tokyo Verdy 3-0 JEF United Chiba Ajinomoto 10,069Urawa Reds 2-0 F.C.Tokyo Saitama.S 49,218Albirex Niigata 2-1 Nagoya Grampus Tohoku Den.S 37,529Vissel Kobe 1-0 Omiya Ardija Home’s 9,172Jubilo Iwata 1-2 Kashima Antlers Ecopa 18,479

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!

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!