Tag Archives: Suzuki

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. October 27th – 17:00 Albirex Niigata v. Sagan Tosu at Tohoku Den Stadium

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Team News – Albirex Niigata – DF Suzuki is suspended. DF Kawaguchi will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty. MF Nakamura back in training. GK Higashiguchi out for the season and more.
Sagan Tosu – DF Yeo will be out for the rest of the season.

Head to Head – Four wins for Albirex, to one for Sagan and no draws. Albirex’s wins were all in J2. Sagan won their previous J1 encounter earlier this season.

Match Preview –
Albirex Niigata look doomed to J2, and have done for a long time. A freak 5-0 win against Nagoya Grampus gave them 5 of their 23 season goals – just 18 goals in their other 28 matches is a pathetic haul which does not do their quite decent defensive record justice. Their goals conceded column matches top team Sanfrecce and they can expect to lose a defender or two to other teams if they do drop to J2 – which they will if they do not score goals against Sagan Tosu today – this could well be their last chance with Gamba and Omiya in decent form going into the final five games.

Sagan, on the other hand, have lost four of their last five after their bubble finally burst? They have dropped down to 9th and are mathematically still not safe from relegation! That won’t happen and they will have consolidated their J1 position in their debut season, the fans will not be complaining, but their season promised so much more just five games ago. They will be looking to end this bad run and it could be Albirex who feel the force today, especially without key defender Suzuki!! EXPECT a WIN for SAGAN TOSU!

In the Mix, Previews

J1 Preview – Albirex Niigata vs Vissel Kobe at Tohoku Den Stadium – Oct.6, Matchday 28

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Team News
Albirex Niigata – DF Ishikawa, MFs Nakamura and Uchida, FW Suzuki all reported out injured.
Vissel Kobe – FW Tashiro is still doubtful, DF Hayashi out for the season.

Head to Head – In 18 meetings since 2004 Vissel have won just 3, with 11 wins for Albirex and 4 draws. Vissel won their home tie this season, 1-0.

Match Preview – Albirex Niigata pulled off a 5-0 win over Nagoya Grampus last weekend, after scoring only 17 goals in their previous 26 games! It was a vital win that kept them in touch with Gamba Osaka and Omiya Ardija and a win here would take them to within a point of their opponents and really out Vissel Kobe in trouble. History favours the home side and Vissel must halt their slide of four defeats in-a-row or they will find themselves heading to J2. The fight for 40 points – the probably total for safety this season? – is well and truly underway and it is VITAL for Vissel KObe that they do not lose this. A win would be even better, but it’s tough for a team who are playing reasonably well but losing to get over that losing feeling. perhaps the best that they can hope for is a point? EXPECT a DRAW!

An oldie but goodie as Emerson says goodbye to Vissel fans!

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 Aug.25th – 18:30 Kashima Antlers vs Albirex Niigata at Kashima

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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!

Previews

J1 Preview Aug.18th – 19:00 Albirex Niigata vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Tohoku Den

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Albirex Niigata – DF Suzuki returns from the Olympics. DF Uchida out for the season. FW Musashi Suzuki out for three months.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima – MF Hwang is back from Korea’s Olympic outing.

10 wins for Sanfrecce, 5 for Albirex, and 7 draws since 2003, that season being in J2 before both teams entered J1.

Sanfrecce are top of J1, and well-deserving of the position. But the last time they made the summit they lost their next game. if they are to win J1 they need to kill off opponents and beat the pressure that they feel. Albirex Niigata are slowly sliding into J2, even though they have won 2 of their last 5 games. FC Tokyo and Consadole Sapporo were their victims, but I can’t see them adding Sanfrecce’s scalp to that list. The likes of Bruno Lopes, HIrai and Yano are just not scoring goals, or looking confident in front of goal – just 15 goals in 21 games says it all. That’s level with Sapporo’s goalscoring record. Having noted their forwards’ lack of goals, the Albirex defence should be commended for only conceding 25 goals – almost comparable to teams like Vegalta (20) or Sanfrecce themselves (23), but those teams score goals also.

This may be low-scoring but EXPECT a WIN for SANFECCE HIROSHIMA!