Manager Maciej Skorza held an online press conference, where he spoke about his enthusiasm for the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 36 match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima [MATCH PARTNER BizReach], which will be held at Saitama Stadium on Sunday, November 10th.

(The 10-day break is a rare schedule for soccer, but what adjustments have you made under that time frame, and what have you emphasized for the Hiroshima match?)
"Hiroshima plays a completely different system to the team we faced last time (Yokohama F･Marinos), so we did a lot of training on the 3-4-3 system. They also play a very tough, hard-to-break defense, so we worked on how to break that down."

(Hiroshima's defense is close to man-to-man and I think it is characterized by its aggressive play. Even when Coach Maciej was in charge of the Reds last season, I think there were few good games against man-to-man teams. What are the key points to defeating such teams?)
"For any manager, playing man-to-man matches is a big challenge. You will need to tack on different strategies than you would against a team that plays zone defense. For example, last season when we played against Hiroshima at home, we were unable to get our act together, especially in the first half. We conceded the first goal in the second half, but we were able to keep up high-intensity play until the end, and Atsuki Ito scored the winning goal at the very end. I expect it to be a tough match like that. I think it will be the toughest match since I took over. Both teams need to win for different reasons. I think both teams will be trying to get the points."

(Hiroshima is realistic about winning the championship, so I think they have a natural motivation to go to the top if they win. The Reds are more likely to be chased from below, so the pressure is a little lighter and they need to release their energy from within. What kind of difference do you think that psychological difference is likely to make?)
"I think the match against Hiroshima is a chance for the Reds to add a little sugar to what has been a bitter season. Last season, Hiroshima came in third in the final round, and we were unable to finish in the top three. With so many supporters coming to watch us at home, we will play against a team that is a championship favorite, and we will play with high motivation and a good attitude, and deliver both good content and results to our fans and supporters. I hope we can provide something special like that."

(Hiroshima's defense is that the front three press the ball side to limit the routes, and from the midfield onwards they play man-to-man to steal the ball. I think there are two patterns: kicking long balls to aim for the opponent's back to get the second ball and take the initiative, and taking the initiative while keeping possession of the ball. What is necessary to keep possession of the ball?)
"I think there will be various periods in this game. There will be periods when we will send long balls into the space behind the opponent's last line, and periods when we will hold onto the ball with short passes. When trying to keep the ball, it is important that each player does not stay in one place. We have to keep moving, keep changing positions, and run to shake off the opponent's mark. As you said, I think long balls are effective against an opponent like Hiroshima, and I also think it is important to keep the ball with short passes, but rather than limiting ourselves to one or the other, I think it is important to make decisions based on the situation."

(What is the key to beating Hiroshima?)
"We talked about motivation earlier, but we have to be aware that we are playing against an opponent who is extremely motivated. In the last two games, we ran a total of 120 kilometers, but we have to go into this match expecting the same physical demands. Also, our chances may come in the final 20 minutes, so we want to play without getting too impatient."

(Do you know which Reds player has scored the most goals against Hiroshima?)
"If we think only about last season, players who are not currently playing scored goals, but if we think about the history of the team, would it be Shinzo (Koroki)?"

(Koroki Shinzo Koroki is by far the player who is scoring the most goals. When I spoke to him the other day, he said that he would have a chance to play at some point, but with only four games left in the final season, I think it's about time. If the game is decided in the last 20 minutes, I think Koroki will be able to play well. The manager decides who will play, but I thought I'd let you know if you didn't know that Koroki is the player who has scored the most goals against Hiroshima.)
"Thank you. Shinzo is a player who is a big threat especially when the opponent is tired, so I completely agree that he can be that kind of presence in the last 20 minutes. However, I cannot answer at this point whether he will do that in this game or in a game further down the line. If we look at Kawasaki Frontale games, Shinzo may be the one who has scored the most goals in the Kawasaki games.

Thank you for asking the question. Shinzo is a very important player and I respect him very much. And I want to keep my promise that he will definitely be on the pitch this season."

(What is your impression of Hiroshima manager Michael Skibbe's use of players, tactics and team building? Since he has managed teams in Europe, the Middle East and Japan, I imagine there are some things in common with Maciej, but what is your impression?)
"I think Coach Skibbe is doing a great job with Hiroshima. They are in the top three every year in the J.League and have won trophies. Looking at the team, I think they are the team with the best balance between offense and defense in the J.League. They have only lost six times this season. They are also the team with the most goals scored. It is also noteworthy that they are the team with the highest expected number of goals in the J.League. However, they also have weaknesses, and are on a losing streak in the league. They changed members in the ACL and won, but while I respect Coach Skibbe, I would like to win at Saitama Stadium, which will be packed with fans and supporters."

(What was your impression when Coach Skibbe was in charge in Germany? Is there any difference between then and now?)
"It's been a long time since Skibbe worked at Frankfurt and Leverkusen, and I was in charge of Legia Warsaw when I was in Turkey and we played against each other in training matches, but it's been more than 10 years since then, so it's quite difficult to compare him then with him now."

(You're aiming for the first three consecutive clean sheets this season. What will be important to achieve that?)
"I think the way we react when we lose the ball will be important. I think switching is one of Hiroshima's strengths. Also, Hiroshima is a team that makes heavy use of crosses, so we need to keep players like (Gonzalo) Paciencia, (Torgai) Arslan, and (Riku) Kato firmly under control in the penalty area. They have such dangerous attacking players, so I think we need to be careful about how we respond to crosses."

(Yoichi Naganuma who has experience playing for Hiroshima, continues to be included in the team. What are your expectations of him?)
"If Yoichi is included in the squad, I expect him to perform similarly to what he did in the match against Kashiwa (Reysol). He came on to the pitch in added time in the second half, and was the starting point for the moment that led to the penalty kick. I think he is a player who can show stable play whether he comes on towards the end of the match or starts the match, so I expect that."

(What is the status of Tomoaki Okubo, Shion Homma, and Ayumu Ohata?)
"It is true that these three players have some sort of medical issue. However, they have been taking part in training, so we will make a final decision after tomorrow's training session."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]