2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 37 match Avispa Fukuoka Post-match comments

"I think we started the match today very well. We were able to keep the ball in the opponent's half for a long time, and our build-up was very good. However, in the first 20 to 25 minutes, we didn't make enough moves to get behind the defense, so we didn't have many chances. Then we lost the ball during build-up in our own half, which led to Konno (Kazuya) scoring a great goal. We played to try to turn the game around, but I think we lacked decisiveness, including in our crosses, once we got into the final third.

In the second half, we tried to play aggressively in the same way. I instructed Naoki Maeda and Genki Haraguchi to increase the number of diagonal runs to the inside. However, the timing between the kicker and the runner did not match up very well today.

I think the team tried to score. The players who came off the bench also did their best. For example, there was a great pass from Genki to Rio (Nita). There was also a chance from Shion (Homma) just before the end of the game. However, we were unable to convert those chances into goals today. We created those chances in front of our fans and supporters who had traveled long distances to support us, but we were unable to give them joy at the end of the season.

We have one more chance to get three points. We want to aim for a win in our final match at home and play as well as we can.”

[Question and Answer Session]
(You said that you didn't make many runs behind the defense in the first half, but why do you think you were so focused on passing the ball?)
"Our build-up was limited to short plays. We didn't have a good supply of ball to the back."

(There were many instances when the defensive midfielder, Yoshio Koizumi dropped right in front of the center backs wanting the ball. As a result, they were able to make passes but it seemed like they weren't progressing forward.)
"One of the aims was for (Koizumi) Kaho to rotate with (Watanabe) Ryoma and move into the defensive midfielder position. Ryoma's aim at that time was to get behind the defense. He got quite close, but there was no way to deliver the pass at the right time.

The defensive midfielder getting behind the opponent's defensive line is something I want to continue to do in the future. I think Ryoma and Samuel (Gustafsson) can do that. I'd like to try that in the next match as well."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]