Iwashita on for Yamamoto (HT) Sugiyama on for Ono (57) Nagai on for Takagi (70)
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Sake.
This cheered me up a little :)
With the rain pouring in Shiz, I wasn't going to sit on the grass watching fireworks, so I ventured out into the boonies of Iwata instead. Watching jubilo crumble to defeat is always highly entertaining, but it couldn't take my mind off the fact we conceded four goals without reply for the second game in a row. Lessons need to be learnt and learnt fast.
Videos
Hiroshima's goals. The quality isn't great, but why would you want it to be?
Takagi on for Bosanr (59) Takahara on for Ono (67) Okane on for Nagai (91)
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We turned around the 1-0 defeat earlier in June to progress to the next round of the league cup. Takagi bagged his first goal in an S-Pulse shirt, and it was great to see him bounding away behind the goal, arms aloft, with Ono after him.
Job's a good 'un!
Tonight was a very good recovery after Saturday's mauling at the hands of Cerezo, and a professional performance we can take some pride in. Kofu came with the advantage, but we kept to our plan and got the job done.
In the next round we face Niigata. The game is another two legged affair and will be played on September 14th and 28th.
Edamura on for Kobayashi (HT) Takagi on for Ono (62) Nagai on for Muramatsu (75)
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Deary me. We were poor from start to finish and got beaten by the better team. We looked tired and bereft of ideas. Our goal difference took another blow, but we remain in 7th and... aaah, bollocks. When Cerezo scored their third I swore a bit, ordered a pizza, and checked the TV listings.
"I don't know where to start. It's been a difficult night. Especially the second half. It was a good first ten minutes, but after not being to convert our chances, it became a difficult game.
Our response to going two down was good. We pressed and created chances and when we put the second striker in we were getting back into it. But the we got hit on the counter an it was 4-0.
I want to say well done to Cerezo, but as for us we need to pick ourselves up from this and look towards the Nabisco Cup game with Kofu."
S-Pulse 2-1 Niigata Ono 57---------------------- Ishikawa 5 Takahara 90 -------------- Suzuki sent off (55)
Att. 13599
Line Up
GK Usui
DF Muramtsu DF Hiraoka DF Bosnar DF Ota
MF Yamamoto MF Edamura MF Ono
FW Kobayashi FW Takahara FW Brosque
Subs Used
Omae on for Koboyashi (HT) Nagai on for Ono (78) Takagi on for Edamura (78)
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I'm bloody knackered, so I'm going to write this either Sunday or Monday. In a nutshell, Niigata were the most one dimensional team to come to Nihondaira this year, and despite taking an early lead, we always controlled the game. After the red card, Niigata's game plan was to keep nine men behind the ball with the Brazilian striker waiting upfield for long balls to hit us on the counter.
An S-Pulse moon was out
Tuesday update
Well, it's a bit later than I hoped, but I've had a busy weekend celebrating a UKU wedding (not mine!) and have finally just been able to sit down and write a bit more. As I mentioned, Niigata were not so good, but their goal was very well taken and they almost had two after we made a mess of a back pass.
With the man advantage we were always in control, save for a couple of the counter attack breaks. We just didn't seem able to create the killer chance. That was until a Takagi shot forced a corner, and another piece of perfect predatory positioning penetrated the Niigata defence. The goal, right on the stroke of the 90th minute sent us all barmy and Takahara was visibly loving it. If he keeps this up (and I think he just might) I might just forget he ever used to play for iwata.
We're up to sixth and face Cerezo on Saturday for a chance to climb into the top three. Ole!
Full time
By the way, out of our starting 11, EIGHT were natives of Shizuoka prefecture. Ota was the only non Shizuokan Japanese, and that is pretty impressive if you ask me.
Takahara on for Ono (53) Kobayashi on for Brosque (69) Nagai on for Omae (77)
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A frustrating game to watch, especially as Bosnar nearly won it in the 85th minute, but hey ho. Noone has beaten Sendai at the Yurtec this season, so there's always that. But, oooooh, it felt like a game we could have won and for that I'm RUING our missed opportunities. With so many games coming thick and fast, our team was inevitably changed considerably from Saturday.
Perhaps the most noticeable was Muramatsu falling to the back four, and Takahara being rested. But in addition Yamamoto, Edamura, Hiraoka and Takagi all started. Such an altered team was always going to lack a certain level of cohesion and so it proved. There was maybe a handful of the sweeping moves we're best at, but aside from Bosanr's chance, we just never managed the end product. Eddy got away from his marker from a long freekick and met the ball behind the main mass of players in the penalty area. He headed down into the ground and it bounced up and over. The keeper was beaten so had it been on target it was in.
Positives? Hmmm - well we've now only lost one in ten, winning five of those. That is pretty good form, and plenty reason enough to have confidence going into the second half of the season. Kobayashi is looking better and better, and Usui kept another clean sheet with a couple of crucial saves.
Niigata at home in three days and I'm guessing Taka will be back in the starting XI. With so many games in such a short period it's a test of squad depth, wallet contents and girlfriend patience, but I bloody love it, and I know you do too. So see you up Nihondaira on Saturday. :) Ghotbi Says
Was able to grab this off the TV, so it's 99% the man himself's words.
"We are very much happy to be able to support and help the people in Sendai. I believe Sendai people are the real champions of the J. League regardless of results or where they finish in the league, they are the champions of all the people in the world. We want to support and help them all the way until they recover from the disaster they experienced.
It's difficult to play so many games in a short time, especially players nursing injuries or who are older ages. Then you add the complication of the the temperature and the humidity, so I have to manage the selection.
I think defensively we were very organised but after about 15 minutes we lost control. Sendai are so powerful and are so hard working as a team. It's hard for any team to play against that. I thought overall we did a very good job especially in the 2nd half.
I always try to play for three points and I tried to win the game in the last 30 minutes and the changes were for that, but unfortunately we couldn't covert the chances we made.
One of the things the fans really like is passion. That's the foundation of all the teams who are successful; they play with passion. I'm hopeful that we can keep improving and I think the results are showing that. With a little more time I think we can make a team that the whole of Japan can be proud of."
Hiraoka on for Iwashita (HT) Sugiyama on for Ono (60) Edamura on for Tsujio (73)
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I'm not going to lie - we were fortunate to come away with all three points today. But for two or three heart-stopping, nay STUNNING saves, from Usui, we'd have drawn this. But, you know, it works both ways. If you can't beat a keeper one on one not once but twice, then you don't deserve to equalise.
We got battered for the final 35 minutes having started the second half so well, but could thwart Kofu's attempts for the most part. The couple of times they broke through Usui played a bloody blinder to stop at point blank range certain equalisers.
The first half was better, and Kofu's constant standing off of Bosnar allowed us to push further and further into their half which gave us several good chances. After Ono's stunning strike to open the scoring it was his own sliding tackle on the halfway line (even geniuses make mistakes) which bounced through our back line and let Paulinho in in the 42nd minute. He rounded Usui and stroked it home. Bollocks. But playing right up to the whistle, Genki was on hand, totally unmarked, to volley in a Tsujio cross.
Taking over the Chugin Stadium
Despite the one sided second half, we held on for the the win riding our luck, but that's football, and the boys bag another three points. jubilo lost again meaning we climb above the sky blue scum bags. It's been a while coming, but is the natural order of the J. League, so we can all rest easy tonight knowing things are as they're meant to be.
Wednesday we head to Sendai to play a Vegalta team who just lost in the 94th minute to Kashiwa. Three more points and we could reach the heady heights of 5th. Blimey.
"I think it was a really exciting game for the supporters. There was lots of goal mouth action and we scored to great goals. Ono often scores goals like that in practice, so we've been waiting for him to do it in a game!
Kofu fought with all their power, especially in the second half. They've got some good players and are a dangerous team. Usui made some great saves and our centre backs defended well.
I was really happy to see Sugiyama back after a long injury lay off. I want to congratulate the club doctor and medical staff for working with him for such a long time. I know how good he is, and make no mistake, his return is going to help us as a team."
Takagi on for Ono (57) Edamura on for Hiraoka (64) Kobayashi on for Omae (78)
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A draw makes only one defeat from our last eight, and you know what? That's pretty good when you look at the opening six games' results. A point yesterday was probably fair, although Kashima always looked the more likely to score. We never really troubled Sogahata in the Kashima goal, but down the other end, Usui played a great game again keeping out the visitors on the two or three times they breached our defences.
Kashima won't be in the bottom half of the table for much longer. They were probably the best team to come to Nihondaira this year and play with a confidence and accomplishment you'd expect from the seven times champions, but I don't think they'll be adding to their title haul for a season or two to come. Regardless, they are a good team and one of the league's better ones and caused us several problems yesterday.
The point takes us up to eighth (before Sunday's games) but only five points off second place so with only a third of the season gone, we have it all to play for and I don't doubt we'll continue to get better. Next up, away in Sendai on Wednesday. The scene of a truly memorable weekend away last November, and a while before that, very nearly sending jubilo to J2, I've been a fan of the club for a while. Sport is sport, so we'll be going to win, but respect to everyone up there for coping and dealing with what has been absolutely unimaginable trauma and hardship.
Miyagi prefecture - Shizuoka salutes you.
(Whoops - the Sendai game is not for ten days yet. Before that it's away in Kofu next Sat.)
Courtesy of UKU Yujiro a couple of pictures. Thanks to receiving a much coveted Photo Pulse invite from a friend I got the chance to tread the hallowed turf of Nihondaira before the game. The pitch is a carpet, the view from it at a packed Kop breathtaking, and I was as happy as a 10 year old (which is pretty much where my brain stopping developing when it comes to football).
Having a quick chat with Bosnar :)
Ghotbi was right behind me! He said hi and it made my day :))
Ghotbi Says
To come tonight. It's Sunday afternoon and I'm off to a cat cafe with the other half. Yes, you heard me. a CAT CAFE. :-D
OK, I'm back from the cats. Here's some Ghotbi comments translated back to English from the Japanese.
"Firstly I want to apologise to our supporters for not being able to to show them the attacking football which we aim to. The first half was the worst we've played all season. We were beaten physically all over the pitch. The referee didn't protect us.
We improved in the second half, especially the last twenty minutes when we created chances to win it. Two points I'm satisfied with are 1, we kept a clean sheet for a second game running, and 2, we shut out the best team in the country. That's a great defensive achievement. Especially our young keeper Usui had a great game."
フットボールの母国出身ですが、２００３年から仕事のため静岡に住んでました。もちろん、故郷のBrighton and Hove Albionサポですけど、静岡に来た時から大エスパルスファンに成ったぞ！日本にいるなら、熱い熱いエスパルス応援をする。イギリスに帰国しても、地元のチームのスタジアムに戻っても、死ぬまでエスパサポです。もちろん。 エスパルスの事を世界にちゃんとに紹介したいのでこのホームページ作った。このブログは全部英語なので、英語が分からない方にはちょっと大変かもしれませんが、英語に興味ある方もエスパ好きな方も、歓迎です！！みんな頑張ってください！＾＾ｙ よろしくお願いします！ Barry より
That's four years of meaning to get round to it. Having followed the Mighty 'Pulse since 2004 and experienced enough highs, lows and last minute penalty misses to last a lifetime, it's high time we started documenting our adventures. Join us as we travel the length and breadth of Japan, seeing the sights, drinking the ales, befriending the locals, and occasionally even taking in 90 minutes here and there.
Originally consisting of one loan member sitting through a home defeat in a typhoon (without the luxury of a roof), the UK Ultras are now a fluid group of 20+ S-Pulse fans from around the world - including several Japanese! The only continent not yet represented is Africa.
Above and beyond acting as a scrapbook for our own varied misadventures, this fanzine's goal is to provide news and information to the English speaking world about a truly unique football club, and to help build and broaden S-Pulse's profile on the world stage. With thousands of visits here from all four corners of the planet, the world is clearly hungry to learn about S-Pulse, and we're happy to help spread the word.
Being a football fan has never just been about what happens on the pitch, and this fanzine is here to document all the fun and games that go along with following S-Pulse. We'll sometimes report on news other than S-Pulse which rattles our cage, but we're experts on nothing other than our own opinion, so don't take anything we say too seriously. Match reports being a good example. Wildly biased and put together on memory (it's not easy taking notes while dancing the samba), they may occasionally be lacking in analytical depth.
Other than that, just enjoy one of the wildest rides in the J. League - Shimizu S-Pulse!
Having set up this fanzine back in April 2008 it's since taken on a life and a momentum of it's own. It's not easy to always find the time to keep the site updated, but seeing how many hits we get from around the world, the effort is worth it.
When not bouncing around behind the goal at Nihondaira, he expends his remaining football energy on the glorious Brighton and Hove Albion.
Fuz: Fuz has settled into true Shimizu life, married a local and is working on producing enough children to form a football team of her own (or at least one to play for S-Pulse in the future).
She has been attending S-Pulse games since 2007 when she returned to Shimizu after a brief spell in her home country, and plans to attend for many many years to come. She admits to being a little bit in love with Okazaki and is happiest when Kaito is in goal.
When she's not rooting for the 'Pulse, Fuz spends her footie time following the mightyGlasgow Rangers.
Barry writes:
This cheered me up a little :)
