Things aren't looking good

So we had a lost and a draw over the past two games (one pre-season match and one training match); I guess you can say that it's alright because it's still the pre-season? Well when the two teams we played are going to be in the J-2 this season, then no it's not alright. The lost was against Sagan Tosu; with the final scoreline being 2-1, and the draw was a 1-all draw against recently relegated Kyoto Sanga F.C

This could be a long season for the Reds if things don't improve immediately. If there was going to be an excuse for the lost against Sagan Tosu is that the Asian Cup players (Nagata, Kashiwagi and Spiranovic) were still being rested; but it doesn't give much confidence that we can only manage a draw with the trio playing. Which also poses the questions; what happens if both Nagata and Spiranovic are injured and we need to turn to the awesome duo of Tsuboi and Nagata? Lets just hope it doesn't come to that.

Well if there is a good time when we aren't clicking; I guess it would have to be now, when the matches counts for nothing at the end of the day. It's still disheartening though losing to J-2 opposition because at the end of the day these games we should be able to win. To make things even better, our goal came from a penalty converted by Edmilson.

The last thing I'd like to say about the Sagan Tosu match is I'm a fan of Sagan Tosu's 2011 jersey.

This is how we lined up against Sagan Tosu

GK: Yamagishi
DF: Hirakawa; Tsuboi; Yamada No; Ugajin
MF: Keita; Aoyama; Haraguchi; Tatsuya; Richardes
FW: Edmilson

Subs
70min Tatsuya > Sergio
70min Aoyama > Hara
71min Yamada No > Spiranovic

The main purpose of the Kyoto match, my opinion at least, is to give the fringe players a run as well as giving match time to Asian Cup trio. Seems like that Petrovic is also experimenting in this match; like playing the 4-3-3 formation as well as playing Sergio in the midfield for the first half and further forward in the second half. One more interesting point from the Kyoto match; it appears that Tsutsumi is wearing the captain's armband for the match, could that be a sign of things to come?

This is how we lined up against Kyoto Sanga

First Half
GK: Kato
DF: Tsutsumi; Nagata; Spiranovic; Noda
MF: Kojima; Naoki (38min > Kashiwagi) Sergio
FW: Umesaki; Hara; Mazola

Second Half
GK: Kato (7min > Otani)
DF: Tsutsumi; Spiranovic; Nagata; Noda
MF: Kojima (23min > Horinouchi); Kashiwagi; Hara
FW: Sergio; Takasaki; Mazola