【Player Interview】
＜Kei KOIZUMI＞
Q, This season was the first real match with a J-League team. How do you feel individually and about the cooperation with your teammates?
A, The camp has progressed quite a bit and we have been practicing repeatedly, so I think there is no problem with the teamwork aspect. Personally, what I am focusing on is the intensity. I believe that if we can win in terms of intensity, there is no doubt about it, and since my position requires intensity, I feel that if I lose there, it means I have no reason to be on the field. Therefore, I tried to be conscious of that. This is not just for today, but something I am aware of in every match.
Q, as a characteristic, is it a play that aggressively goes to steal from the front?
A, Today the opponent was a good team, with each player skilled and good at connecting passes, so not everything went perfectly. However, that is something we need to handle cleverly, and rather than just fitting into Tokyo's style of play, I think it would be better to increase the instances of personally winning the ball a bit more.
Q, In terms of the team, I think that this season, with the base from last year, ideas, patterns, and accuracy will be required in the attacking third. From the perspective of player Koizumi, how was that aspect?
A, In the case of Adailton and Teruhito NAKAGAWA, I think if we get too close, it becomes difficult for them to make their moves, so I believe we need to be mindful of that and support them while considering their individuality. Also, if we can play with good spacing, I think the opponents will find it unpleasant, and we ourselves can carry the ball smoothly. When we push forward, rather than breaking down the defense too neatly, I feel that we could have aimed more boldly for middle-range shots or tried something more daring. This is something I realized after the fact.
Q, Do you have a sense that the soccer you learned there is alive, while understanding that it is completely different, and that Tosu was also aware of its position?
A, It’s quite significant. There are many things in Tokyo that are similar to what I did at Tosu. In particular, I played several matches with the same formation at Tosu, and I also played in the same position there. The defense and attack that Tokyo is trying to implement match what was said and attempted at Tosu, and we even do the same training menus. So, the year and a half I spent at Tosu is very important to me.
Q, Where are the similar points?
A, First of all, the defense is a high press, which is the same. The emphasis on valuing the ball is also similar, and although there are slight differences in the way we connect passes, the sense of distance in play and what was expected at Tosu and what we are trying to do are alike. Being able to play smoothly myself is a big advantage.
Q, I think you have experienced various types of soccer in both Niigata and Kashima, haven't you? It seems like your range has expanded.
A, I have experienced various teams, and among them, there are teams like Tosu that seek good-quality soccer, and teams like Kashima where you are not valued unless you win titles. Ultimately, I learned at Kashima that it’s meaningless if you don’t win in today’s practice match or in future practice matches. Even in these practice matches, focusing only on results, and ideally winning with good content once the official matches start, it would be great if we can become a team that can win even when the content is not good. There are many good players, and I hope we can continue to grow.
Q, There was a scene where you took the ball in the early stages of today's game and shot it. Do you have the impression that you want to do more plays involving the finish?
A, That position is one where you have to be involved in scoring, so whether you finish the chance or not will ultimately affect the result in official matches. I don’t consider that a good play because the shot didn’t go in, so I want to focus on those finer details.
Q, is it because you have had success in Tosu that you have the foundation to be able to play like that?
A, I personally need to increase the number of times I win the ball in that area, and ultimately, I believe it comes down to whether I can get involved in goals or assists individually, or whether I can win the ball on my own. I hope I can show more of that aspect.
Q, I think we need to reposition ourselves based on our positioning with our teammates, but in that sense, I think our teammates are taking good positions and that's why we're able to do it.
A, Keigo HIGASHI told me before the match that I could play in a way that would make it easier for me in both defense and attack, so I listen to the voices from behind. Since HIGASHI is the closest to me at the back, having him there allows me to play with confidence. That kind of support creates an environment where I can play comfortably, so I am truly grateful and thankful for that.
＜Hotaka NAKAMURA＞
Q, From watching today's game, the attacking aspect seemed to stand out more than the defensive aspect, but as you enter your second season under the guidance of coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, are there any things you are keeping in mind, consciously focusing on, or changing?
A, what I am conscious of is posing a threat in the attacking aspect. The coach has also told us that fullbacks should be more aggressive and get involved in assists and goals. This season, while being aware of becoming a personal threat in attack, the practice matches so far have been against university students, and this was the third match, but I am boldly trying things out while gathering various information in a trial-and-error manner.
Q, I think it's the end of the first half, but the scene where you made a vertical attack with your left foot, which was not often seen before, is the part where you are challenging, right?
A, yes. As a team, we are working on targeting pockets as part of our team style of playing soccer. I want to be involved in that first, and when that guy goes to the side, a cross will definitely come in. I want to earn the trust of my teammates that I can break through vertically and reach deep areas. So, whenever I have the chance to take on opponents, I want to do it more and more. If I don't increase those attempts, the number of crosses and goals won't increase, so even if I make mistakes, I keep challenging myself actively.
Q, did you consciously work as a team to use combinations and go for pockets while coordinating with players in the half space by keeping it outside?
A, Last year, we expanded to the opposite side and could circulate the ball in a U shape, but there was a part where it lacked threat at the final stage and became stagnant. After talking with Nakagawa, I realized that instead of someone fixedly occupying the pocket, there should always be someone in that position in a coordinated movement, which opens up other spaces, shifts the opponent’s focus, and leads to chances. Last season, there were no ideas or certainty about someone always being there, so this season, while taking on both roles of entering that position myself and acting as the passer to deliver the final ball, the pattern is not fixed. I aim to improve quality by increasing the number of times I run and pass to grasp the feel. Since it is already the time to finalize things, playing against a high-level Ryukyu today gave us new information, and I hope we can internalize and apply that ourselves.
Q, do you feel like it was a new approach to aim for the opponent's shallow line by flying out with the wing player during the game?
A, there are players with various characteristics on the wing, each player has their own traits, and I have my own as well. I believe that continuously creating situations where we can bring out each other's strengths is a threat to the opponent. In that sense, since it was our first match against professionals, there were definitely parts where we were feeling our way through, but as we are progressing in understanding each other's characteristics, first and foremost, I hope we can bring out each other's strengths without diminishing them.
Q, What was your state of mind when a long ball came from the player on the opposite side?
A, when we can create on the side, the wide outside always opens up, so I think someone has to make a run into that space. Today, I was constantly aiming for passes from me to the player on the opposite side because it’s difficult for the opponent to defend there, and it creates chances. However, making those runs also carries the risk of counterattacks, so I want to keep aiming for it while carefully judging the situation.
Q, what about the build-up aspect until we get to the final target of the pocket?
A, regarding carrying the ball into the attacking third, I may not have been able to do it with full confidence, but I am thinking of building on the foundation from last year and aiming to go further this year. Right now, it is still a period where we need to get to know the new players, so it’s a situation of feeling things out.
Q, Is there any effect of Nakagawa joining the team?
A, Yes, there is. Since there is a high possibility that we will play together position-wise, I went to communicate with him during the first practice, had various conversations, and gained significant insights right from the start. He also came from the championship-winning Marinos, so I felt confident. It’s nothing but stimulation. Just knowing that Nakagawa is on the wing is psychologically reassuring, and I believe he will be a weapon for the team as well.
<Masato MORISHIGE>
Q, although it was offside, there was a wonderful through pass with the left foot.
A, I want to increase the number of plays where we actively aim to get behind the defense even more. I believe that creating the timing to play the ball behind from the midfield will be important this season. Since we can always pass from our defensive line, it’s not just about that; if the midfield players increase the time they face forward and lift their heads, I think that’s what the opponents dislike the most, so I want to increase that even more.
Q, As a team, did you focus on your positioning to control the ball last season? Is the final scene the theme for this season?
A, I think so. When we have a lot of time pressing forward like today, we need to thoroughly pursue how to finish and how to distribute the ball to the areas that the opponent dislikes the most in order to aim for the goal. Creating time to press forward is important, but we need to do more to increase the number of chances and the ability to finish. Even if we can maintain possession, if we can't win, we have to do more. It's a difficult part, but also an enjoyable one, so I want to steadily improve our accuracy.
Q, Newcomer Nakagawa has experience winning the league, and Koizumi has also played for Kashima and said that we have to win these practice matches. Do you have any expectations as captain for these players joining?
A, of course, I want them to bring their experience back to the team. We can't just rely on them; we also need to think about how to support them and bring out their strengths. We must absorb, understand, and express what they are thinking, otherwise, it will always remain just the Tokyo style. Since we are bringing in new blood, we need to make the most of that and firmly create a new Tokyo style.
Q, Did you have any stimulation or realizations at this stage, as a result of the player who was watching Tokyo from the outside coming in and becoming new blood?
A, We are still at the stage of adjusting our condition. I believe we will be able to coordinate during the matches, so we want to work on it thoroughly in each game. At this stage, I don't think there is anything special to report.
Q, Was there any suggestion from the transferred players to improve the team?
A, Not yet. Also, expecting too much from them would just put pressure on them, so I hope we can bring it out gradually throughout the season.
Q, in order to dominate the game, it is necessary to control the ball, but it was mentioned that it is okay to score even if it is dirty, what do you think?
A, We need to increase the number of chances, so when distributing the ball to dangerous areas for the opponent, quality is required. Although it takes time, I believe this is an important aspect of modern football, so I hope we can constantly increase the number of actions that are threatening to the opponent. Also, I think it is important to synchronize the players' timing and to know the players' characteristics well.
Q, Although we conceded a goal in the early stages of the match, our defense was very stable afterwards. What do you think was the reason for this?
A, If the time controlling the ball increases, the time spent defending will naturally decrease, so I think the time holding the ball is the same as the time defending. Therefore, it is important to improve the accuracy when holding the ball and increase the time in possession. Also, how well players can perform basic things like immediately recovering the ball after losing it at a high level is important.
Q, will we now enter a stage where we improve the quality?
A, the framework is already in place, so I want to improve the variety and the accuracy of the final pass. Whether the shot goes in or not greatly changes the flow of the game, so I want to enhance that quality.
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q, how was the game looking back?
A, I tried to go forward from the start of the game, but I couldn't get into a very good rhythm. In terms of the result, it was good because we ended up winning, but I think we need to thoroughly work on the content.
Q, How do you feel about playing with confidence on the left side of Kashif player, based on the accumulation since last season?
A, I feel that I have confidence and can aggressively push forward, but it is true that I have not yet been able to deliver results. So this season, I want to focus more on achieving results in my play.
Q, speaking of results, is it about crosses and shots?
A, yes. Those are clear numbers like assists and goals.
Q, the basic positioning has become higher, hasn't it?
A, Yes, the position I take depends on the forward players I team up with, but I think there were fewer attacking contributions from the fullbacks last season. If we can increase that this season, I believe the team's overall goals will also increase. We regularly discuss this among the fullback players, so I am conscious of it even during practice.
Q, do you feel like the calling movement is starting to come out?
A, I strongly feel that my movements have become clearer. Depending on the forward players I team up with, the places where I start moving differ, but by clearly initiating my movement, even if the ball doesn't come to me, space opens up, and if I run into good positions, it creates chances. So, I believe I am able to make my movements clear.
Q, Do you want to take a shot if you have a chance?
A, I have had many chances to cut inside, and there were plays where I could carry the ball with my right foot and drive forward, but it didn’t go very well. If I can increase those kinds of plays and improve their quality, I think it will be harder for the opponents to defend, and it will also expand the team’s options, so I want to work on that.
Q, I felt that the speed of returning was fast even when taking a high position.
A, I believe this is one of my strengths, and since I am fundamentally a defensive player, I absolutely must not be beaten there. I play with the mindset that if I take a high position, I should be able to return properly under good conditions. If I can’t do that, then I shouldn’t take a high position, so I am conscious of this while playing.
Q, are you able to play in coordination with other players as expected?
A, Yes. There are many challenges, but in terms of expanding the width, I think I have been able to take on various challenges with the surrounding players.
Q, Do you have a sense of including the full-backs as part of the combination while thinking about positioning and entering and exiting?
A, I think it is important for the full-backs to take the lead in breaking down the defense and combining with the surrounding players. Last season, I often had the forward players move me up the field, but I believe it is probably easier to break down the defense if the full-backs move proactively and the surrounding players adjust their movements accordingly to create combinations. Since we currently have good combinations, I think it is important for the full-backs to initiate the movement.
Q, I feel like the starting lineup is going to be okay.
A, Personally, I am not yet satisfied with the combinations, and even in practice, there are more scenes where players like Nagatomo and Tokumoto show stronger defensive resilience than I do, so I feel I cannot lose there. I also think it will be important to see how much result I can achieve in practice matches. First of all, I want to focus on the results and play without losing to the player in front of me.
<Kota TAWARATSUMIDA>
I think we were able to make good moves against the Q and J League teams.
A, I can dribble itself, but I think what’s lacking is increasing the number of times I do it. I believe I need to do it 10 or 20 times.
Q, is that situation your position, or is it the combination part?
A, that is part of it, but I am confident when it comes to one-on-one situations, so it’s about improving my positioning to create more of those opportunities.
Q, The cut-in and subsequent shot were also fantastic.
A, Even after cutting inside, I was only focused on the goal and believed I could score, so I took the shot without hesitation.
Q, Did playing in the youth league and having those experiences broaden your playing abilities?
A, that's right. When you play as an inside half, opponents come at you from 360 degrees. On the side, it's only 180 degrees, so I think that kind of experience has been helpful.
Q, in that sense, it's thanks to the youth team's coach Okuhara and coaches.
A, When I was in the youth team, there were times I wondered why things were the way they were, but now I can only feel gratitude.
Q, I think you gained confidence with two consecutive goals.
A, I have gained confidence, but my performance is still not satisfactory, so I think I need to show better play and make a stronger impression.
Q, I think it's amazing to keep trying over and over again without giving up even if it's taken away by the opponent.
A, I believe that if I give up there, I am no good as a professional, and since I have pride, I want to keep going without breaking.
Q, in terms of dribbling, do you think you are good at taking advantage of your opponent's weaknesses? Is that your strong point?
A, I can also take advantage of the opponent's weaknesses, but honestly, I play based on my instincts.
Q, do you have the mindset of following through once you start something?
A, there are times when passing is the better option, but since this is camp and I am in my first year after high school, I feel that I need to show my own play.
Q, Is your experience in youth football significant?
A, the individual skills in youth football are amazing, and having been challenged in that environment, I believe that experience is significant.
Q, I thought he was a player who reminded me of Mito player a little, but did you also get influenced by the World Cup?
A, Mitoma was doing amazing dribbling even in the J.League, and while there are aspects I refer to, I wasn’t consciously trying to imitate him. I just watched him.
Q, do you have any dribblers you are referring to?
A, I don't have any specific ones, but when I was little, I watched videos of various dribblers like Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, and Hazard, so I think that has influenced me. Different players were mixed together, and I arrived at my own style of dribbling.
Q, I thought there were various variations of dribbling and good course selection.
A, it's all instinct.
Q, is it the feeling that comes from being ingrained?
A, I think my dribbling style changed from middle school. Back then, I lacked physical strength and was still thin now, but I also lacked body awareness, so I used kick feints to shake off opponents. However, after joining the youth team, my physicality caught up with everyone else's, and I became able to use my speed to deceive opponents by going the other way, so it just naturally happened.
