Tag Archives: Nagai

Previews

J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 14:00 Jubilo Iwata vs Nagoya Grampus at Yamaha

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Team News
Jubilo Iwata – CB Suganuma is suspended. MF Baek is back in training but probably not match fit. MF Matsuoka a long-term injury.
Nagoya Grampus – FW Kennedy is still out with a long-term recurring injury.

Head to Head
9 wins for Grampus, five for Jubilo, and six draws over the last decade or so.

Match Preview
Jubilo Iwata have been in freefall down J1 having lost four of their last five and now find themselves in 10th position. They are six points away from today’s opponents and that 3rd placed spot, so can kiss the ACL 2013 goodbye. Amazingly they are also mathematically still in the relegation race although it would be almost impossible for them to be relegated! While 10th spot would probably have been accepted by the fans at the start of the season, after spending so much time in the top 3 or 4 this season is probably going to turn out to be a disappointment in the end. The influential Korean Baek may well be in contention to return from injury but, even though I feel he was the main reason they did so well (and the reason they dropped so badly when he was injured) I don’t believe he is match fit anyway and will make little difference to this team who have got used to losing.

Nagoya Grampus have been much too inconsistent this season, yet still, with three games to go they find themselves on the verge of ACL qualification, only ot of 3rd place on goal difference from Urawa Reds. With injuries affecting their team selection, coach Stoijkovic has been forced to use Tulio as a forward at times and Australian international Kennedy is still out and not expected back this season, but I believe they should stick with selections from Tamada, Nagai and Kanazaki as forwards, as opposed to Tulio! I believe Nagoya will be motivated enough, and confident enough on their four game unbeaten run for us to EXPECT a WIN for NAGOYA GRAMPUS!

In the Mix, Previews

J1 Preview Nov.7th 19.00 – Nagoya Grampus vs FC Tokyo at Mizuho

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Team News
Nagoya Grampus – MF Taguchi is suspended. MF Tanabe and DF Sato will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty. FW Kennedy has recurrence of back injury and not expected to be fit. MF Isomura is back in training after long injury break.
FC Tokyo – MF Hasegawa is suspended, MF Hashimoto will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty. DF Ota and MF Kaga are back in training and could be selected. DF Hiramatsu and MF are long term injuries.

Head to Head – Since 2003 it’s 10 wins for Tokyo, 6 for Nagoya and 4 draws. FC Tokyo won the home leg of this fixture earlier this season.

Match Preview – A mid-table match-up? Or a couple of teams still with slim chances of ACL qualification? Either way I am not expecting too much from this one! Both teams have had injury-hit, inconsistent seasons with big wins and unexpected defeats and will be happy to start afresh in 2013, I am sure. The return of Kennedy seemed to boost Grampus, and he certainly creates space and chances for Nagai, but the Australian is injured again – a big loss, perhaps. Home advantage and the wrath of manager Stojkovic over recently lost points may well be the catalyst that gives Nagoya this match?

FC Tokyo – a win and a draw after some bad results recently have given FC Tokyo some impetus as the season draws to a close. They are safe from relegation and, who knows, a few wins in the final month could see them challenging for that 3rd ACL spot – a long shot but worth considering, and well worth them doing their best to win this as it would take them above today’s opponents, and there is some cash at stake too, depending on the finishing position in J1! Hasegawa is missing, suspended, but their injury list is clearing up. Players fighting for a new contract, perhaps, after injury-hit seasons, could pull them through this one – I’ll go for A DRAW though!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. October 27th – 14:00 – Nagoya Grampus v. Yokohama F.Marinos at Toyota Stadium

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Team News – Nagoya Grampus – DF Tanaka is suspended. MF Tanabe and DF Sato will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty.
Yokohama F.Marinos – DF Amano is a long term absentee.

Head to Head – Seven wins for Grampus, four for Marinos and EIGHT draws, all in J1 since 2003.

Match Preview – Two teams that have disappointed their fans after expecting a decent season, but, having said that, both teams are within sight of an ACL spot. Nagoya Grampus took all three points away at Sagan, who had previously been very hard to beat at home – and find themselves in 6th, just three points out of that ACL spot. After their season of inconsistency to find themselves in this “false”position may well paper over the cracks that the team is experiencing and they really need to rebuild if they are to continue to be a strong challenger in J1. To do that today, they’ll need to beat the best defence in J1 (29 goals conceded in 29 games). With Josh Kennedy under the weather and suffering from regular injuries, Tamada and Nagai have to score more goals, soon!

Yokohama F.Marinos are unbeaten in four games now, after a bad run of losses interrupted their long mid-season unbeaten run, and still find themselves – like their opponents today – within reach of that ACL spot. The fact that they have had to rely on Marquinos to score many of their goals this season, after expecting much from Yuji Ono, does not bode well for the new season, but THIS season is not yet over and Marinos will want to build on their 4-0 demolition of Jubilo last week, although they saw two 0-0 draws before that. I don’t hold out much hope for either team to break out the goals here today – EXPECT a DRAW!

In the Mix, Previews

JSoccer Magazine J1 Preview Sept.22nd, Matchday 26 – 19:00 Nagoya Grampus vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Mizuho Athletic Stadium

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Nagoya Grampus – FW Nagai is suspended. MF Isomura out long-term.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima – MFs Nakajima and Mikic, and DF Hwang will be missing through injury.

6 wins for Nagoya, 3 for Hiroshima and 6 draws since 2004.

Nagoya Grampus took out Cerezo Osaka away last weekend, but the top team will be a different proposition altogether! With three wins in a row, and Josh Kennedy finally back on the field, the team will be quietly confident that they can make up the six points and attack the top of the division but a game against any team above them is a must-win if they are to have any chance of cancelling out their points deficit over the next two months in the final run-up. Nagai will be missing through suspension but, in Tamada, Kanazaki and Kennedy, Nagoya have more than enough firepower at their disposal, but does their defence have the organisational skills to hold back Sato, Takahagi and co?

Sanfrecce took the top spot by winning a vital six-pointer battle of the top two last weekend and will be confident that they can continue, as well as being under no illusions of what they have to do to keep hold of pole position as the final straight of the season looms! Mikic’s creation will be a big loss but Takahagi is doing his best to supply, and catch the eye of Zaccheroni at the same time, perhaps!? Sato just puts the goals in when given the chance, so Tulio and his crew at the back for Nagoya will have their hands full in this match. It’s well known that the team at the top of J1 are under the most pressure and reaching the summit often means the next match is lost – I am following that principle here today! Nagoya also will know that if they win this match they will be within four points of Sanfrecce!
EXPECT a WIN for NAGOYA GRAMPUS!

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!

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 Aug.18th – 19:00 Nagoya Grampus vs Gamba Osaka at Toyota

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Nagoya Grampus – Tulio is suspended. FW Nagai is back from the Olympics., while FWs Kennedy and Tamada are both expected to be out but will be tested for fitness. MF Isomura out for at least a month more.

Gamba Osaka – RBs Kaji AND Eduardo both re-injured themselves and will be out. GK Kimura and DF Nakazawa are both out with broken legs. FW Kawanishi still regaining match fitness after a broken leg – not ready.

Very even over the last decade with 8 wins for Nagoya, 7 for Gamba, and 4 draws.

Gamba have won one and drawn two of their last three games – three games where a mini-revival has begun. They are now within a win of leap-frogging both Omiya Ardija and Albirex Niigata – depending on their results, of course – and KNOW they have to keep racking up the points to reach safety. Nagoya have conceded 7 goals to S-Pulse in their last two games – J1 and Nabisco Cup – and lost both. Before that, they beat Vissel 5-1 with four goals coming from Tulio. With Tulio suspended today, the team will be hoping that Kensuke Nagai – fresh from his Olympic performances – will be fit and ready to play, since Tamada and Kennedy are both still very doubtful. Nagai thrives on being set up by players around him – will Nagoya have anyone to partner him up front?
Gamba Osaka are missing a goalkeeper and at least three defenders through injury but it is the forward line that they will be concentrating on anyway, if they are to win games, they need goals. Leandro has returned, and is scoring goals and Gamba will be confident on their unbeaten run – this is a game that they MUST get at least a draw from, but they will be hoping for a win and I think we can EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!