前節、セレッソは、終了間際の前田の２ゴールでジュビロに３-４の逆転負けを喫した。ロンドン帰りの扇原と山口、オリンピック直前にヴェルディと交わしたローン移籍が確定した杉本、新たにチームに加わった選手らが未だ溶け合っていない。清武とキム・ボギョンの抜けた穴を埋める作業には確かに時間がかかるが、来季への準備も踏まえて、目の前の試合を勝利したい。
22試合で29得点は確かに貧相だが、マリノスは現在、ＡＣＬの出場権も狙える５位につけている。そのためにも、この試合は落とせないし、マルキーニョス以外の選手からの得点が欲しい。小野、大黒らの奮起に期待したい。ツボにはまれば爆発する可能性はある。この試合、セレッソ大阪の勝利！
Gamba Osaka – GK Kimura, DF Nakazawa are out with broken legs. FW Kawanishi is working hard to return from a broken leg but not yet match fit. RBs Kaji and Eduardo both injured!
Consadole Sapporo – FW Sakaki joins a long injury list.
Head to Head – Gamba won 4-0 away earlier this season and in 2008 there was a draw and another Gamba victory. That’s all between these two.
Gamba Osaka are on a roll, at last, and are entertaining the bottom team on the back of a 5-0 away thrashing of 2010 Champions Nagoya Grampus, so will be expecting another high-scoring win to take them out of the relegation zone and improve their goal difference. Two wins and two draws in the last four games have seen them come within touching distance of that safe 15th spot, although they will be setting their sights on a much higher position if they can win this one. The return of ace Leandro has kick-started the team into action, Konno scored his first goal for the club last week, Paulinho is a decent back-up player who is scoring goals and Sato sees himself high up in the scoring charts. Amazingly, even in such a lowly position, only three teams in J1 have scored ore goals this season!
Consadole Sapporo have been hit by numerous injuries over the season but seemed to be destined for an immediate return to J2 from the start of the season. They have now conceded 52 goals in their 22 games – scoring just 17 in the process – and bringing in the likes of Tele and Ramon does not seem to be the answer – they have certainly not proved themselves to be J1 players, although, being completely honest, the team are probably already rebuilding for a season in J2 in 2013! Forwards Kondo and Maeda seem set to return from injuries, but will they be given a place over the Brazilian imports? The last four games have seen two wins for Consadole – over Vegalta and Grampus – but the fans have probably accepted that the team are headed for J2 – perhaps this is the only change they have – playing without pressure because they know they are doomed already!?
EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!
ガンバがついに走り始めた。前節、2010年度のリーグ覇者グランパスを５-０で圧倒したその勢いで、札幌にも高得点で勝利し、得失点差を立て直し、降格圏から離れたい。エースストライカー、レアンドロのチーム復帰が起爆剤となり、佐藤も得点を重ねている。下位に低迷しながら、得点数に関しては、わずか３チームしかその上にいないガンバというチームは、確かに驚きだ！
一方、コンサドーレ札幌は22試合で52失点、17得点。テレとハモンの加入が即戦力とはなっていないが、恐らく、来季へを見据えての再構築の一環として考えているのだろう。ＦＷ近藤と前田は負傷からの復帰が見込まれているが、新加入ブラジル選手がいる今、はたして出場機会はあるのか。
ガンバ大阪の勝利！
Kawasaki Frontale – DF Jeci comes OFF the injury list but DF Saneto JOINS the list that also includes DF Morishita and MF Rene Santos.
Nagoya Grampus – DFs Masukawa and Daniel are both suspended. MF Danilson is out for a few weeks. MF Isomura is along term injury. FW Tamada is struggling to be match fit, FW Kennedy is still not recovered from long-term injury.
Head to Head – 10 wins for Frontale, 4 for Grampus and 3 draws over the last decade or so, including a home win each in the ACL Champions in 2008.
Kawasaki Frontale came back from the dead last week in the Kanagawa Derby through two goals from Yusuke Tanaka – ex-Marinos player – to grab a point, but that brings them to just five points in the last five games as they settle into mid-table mediocrity, perhaps. Yahiro Kazama, the coach who took over from Naoki Soma earlier in the season has brought in new players – including his two sons – and is rebuilding a team in his own image and fans may have to be patient and wait until next season to see rewards.
Nagoya Grampus have won just one in their last five and were destroyed by Gamba Osaka at home last weekend, in their 20th Anniversary special match! They are beset by injuries and suspensions again and one wonders if that defeat will have shot their confidence to pieces, or whether the likes of the returning Tulio (suspension) and Tamada (injury) can pull the club back from the brink of a very disappointing season. With centre back Masukawa suspended, and Tamada back – if not match fit – it’s probably time for Tulio to return to centre back but can Tamada and Nagai score the goals to get them the points. Kennedy is missed big time – his creating and post play is what Nagai thrives on.
EXPECT a WIN for KAWASAKI FRONTALE!
前監督の相馬氏から引き継いだ風間監督は、二人の息子を含む多数の新選手でチーム再建をはかってきた。風間体制の真価を見るのは来季になるのだろう。
一方、最近５試合でわずか１勝のグランパスは、チーム20周年の記念試合の前節、ガンバ大阪に惨敗。この試合、闘莉王が出場停止から、玉田が怪我から復帰するが、この二人は崖っ淵のチームを救うことができるか。玉田のまだ完全でない体調と、ＣＢ増川の出場停止を考えると、闘莉王をＣＢに戻し、玉田と永井には得点に専念させるのだろうか。永井を生かす術を知るケネディの欠場は痛い。
川崎フロンターレの勝利！
Jubilo Iwata – GL Kawaguchi and MF Matsuoka out for the season, DF Cho, MF Yamamoto and FW Han out injured. DF/MF Riki Kitawaki has been allocated number 28 and may be considered for selection soon.
Head to Head – 9 wins for Jubilo, just 3 for Reysol, and 3 draws since 2003, all in J1.
Kashiwa missed the influence of suspended midfielder Leandro Domingues last week and struggled to create chances, but I question their wisdom in bringing in Neto Baiano and leaving the likes of Sawa and Tanaka on the bench. Proven goalscorers, team players doing well, replaced by a player who was a complete failure in his previous stint in Japan. I can only presume that Reysol see a huge improvement since then and feel he is worth a place – I will reserve judgement for now.
This is certainly a HUGE game for both teams – Reysol have drawn their last three games after an impressive run took them up the table, while Jubilo have been inconsistent lately but still cling to 6th place, just two points behind Reysol. Jubilo have won only one in their last four but remain J1 top-scorers, unfortunately they are 4th worst in defence, having conceded 35 goals. Japan national team forward Maeda scored two late goals to get all three points for Jubilo against Cerezo last week and will be looking to consolidate his position in the Samurai Blue ahead of the World Cup 2014 qualifier against Iraq
Reysol are only two goals behind Jubilo in the scoring stakes so perhaps we can expect a HIGH SCORING DRAW here today!?
ＭＦレアンドロドミンゲスを出場停止で欠いた前節は攻め手の乏しかったレイソルだが、沢や田中を控えに回しネット・バイアーノを起用した策には疑問が残る。コンビネーションも良く結果も出していた二人に代えて、前回の来日時には全く機能しなかった選手を起用したレイソル首脳陣には、ネット・バイアーノに潜在的な可能性が見えているのだろう。静観したい。
チーム得点ではジュビロに２点差でリーグ２位のレイソル、この試合は、高得点の引き分けとなるか？！
Omiya Ardija – MF Murakami and FW Shimizu both injured.
Vegalta Sendai have no injuries or suspensions to report.
Head to Head – 5 wins for Sendai, 3 for Ardija and 2 draws in 10 meetings since 2004.
Omiya pulled off an away win at FC Tokyo last weekend after losing three of their last four before that, while conceding 11 goals. The three points from their FC Tokyo win were vital with Gamba Osaka finally coming good and it is going to be a long struggle for survival in the coming weeks of this 2012 season. The return of Higashi from London 2012, and the instant success of new Slovenian striker Novakovic, who scored the winner last week after coming on as a substitute all helped, but hosting the team in 2nd place will not help them this week. A tough match is in store. On loan centre back Komoto – from Vissel Kobe – will be trying hard to have an impact and prove he is worth a place at Vissel, or a transfer fee for Omiya.
Vegalta Sendai have faltered, as they did last summer – when they saw themselves drop from the top with a winless string of results – and are currently four points off the top spot now, having seen four draws and a loss in their last five outings. Six teams must realistically fancy their chances of overhauling Sendai for the 2nd spot soon, so the team really have to pull out all the stops and get back to winning ways. Poor Omiya may be their victims as they come good this weekend.
Expect a WIN for VEGALTA SENDAI!
前節までの４試合、11失点で３敗を喫していた大宮だったが、前節のＦＣ東京戦には辛うじて勝利。前途多難だ。
昨シーズンと同様やや夏バテ気味のベガルタは、ここ５試合を１敗４分けと、現在、首位から勝ち点４差まで順位を落としている。だが、この試合、大宮を餌食に浮上のきっかけとするか。
ベガルタ仙台の勝利！
Kashima Antlers – FWs Osako and Dutra and DF/MF Nishi are all suspended. DF/MF Koji Nakata will be out for at least another month.
Albirex Niigata – MFs Kim, Nakamura and Ichida, and FW Suzuki are all long-term injuries.
Head to Head – surprisingly even over the years, since 2004, 7 wins for Antlers, 6 for Albirex and 7 draws.
Kashima have won one of the last three – with defeats to Sagan Tosu and Urawa Reds sandwiching a win over Jubilo Iwata. After a terrible start Kashima put some points on the board but still look like a team in disarray at times and are not yet clear of relegation this season. If they can consolidate their position in J1 the powers-that-be need to decide if they keep faith with Jorginho as coach, then they can start the rebuilding process. FW Koroki will have a lot on his shoulders with the suspensions of Osako and Dutra which could be a bonus for Albirex Niigata, who are in deep trouble.
The return of CB Suzuki from the Olympics didn’t make much difference last week in a defeat to top team Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and they are the lowest scoring team in J1, with even less goals than bottom club Consadole! FWs Hirai, Yano et al MUST take the chances that they are given, as they are few and far between.
Even with the suspensions I can not see Albirex getting anything out of this. Expect a WIN for KASHIMA ANTLERS!