Could it be!?

Two victories in one week; could it be too early to get excited? Surely the way things have been travelling in 2011 it couldn't be too early. In the Nabisco Cup we have advance into the second round and in the J-1 we've "climbed" back to 10th on the table, we have won as many games as we've lost and it's just the draws that have killed us this year; which is hopefully behind us now. If it wasn't for the last second penalty against Iwata, we would be on a 4 game winning streak in the J-1; we're undefeated in 8 J-1 matches.

One player who can be attributed to the "turn around" as such would be Kashiwagi. Until a few weeks ago Kashiwagi's play has been average at best and that would still be generous. It got up to the point where Petrovic benched him and played him in a training match. I think from that point on Kashiwagi's form has been on the up; scoring goals as well as setting up goals. I know I have mentioned this previously, but I'll mention it again, Kashiwagi's combination with Genki on the left has been the x-factor for the Reds. Insert a healthy Naoki in there, an improved Richardes, Ranko up front we still have Mazola and Sergio coming off the bench, it should be a potent attack.

This weeks two also proves that the Reds can win by one goal. The 2-1 result in the Nabisco Cup match against Yamagata and especially the 1-0 victory over Kawasaki in the JLeague shows that we can hang on to the victory and not come away with a draw; which has been the story of 2011.

One player who kept the victory alive against Kawasaki would be Kato; he has been impressive since taking over from Yamagishi. I can eat my own words when I said that we had no other J-1 ready keeper behind Yamagishi. Kato is J-1 ready.

The one negative I want to bring up in the Kawasaki game is our inability to score a goal. Kawasaki aren't known for their defense, with the only goal coming from an own goal, our offense is still a work in progress. There has been improvements though, but I'd say give it a few more matches. Our defense though has been solid and keeping an "offensive" team like Kawasaki scoreless is a good sign (even with Nobu Yamada on the field for the last 15min). At the end of the day I'm just happy we came away with the three points; and 6 points for the year, against Kawasaki.

This is how we lined up against Kawasaki

GK: Kato

DF: Takasaki; Spiranovic; Nagata; Hirakawa

MF: Keita; Naoki; Kashiwagi

FW: Richardes; Haraguchi; Ranko

Subs

65min Naoki > Tanaka

75min Keita > No Yamada

89min Haraguchi > Sergio

I'll mention this here at the end; Urawa were defeated 1-6 against Omiya in a training match. Up next we have Kobe on Saturday, were we hopefully can avenge our opening round lost to them.

Things could be changing

In all honesty, with the way 2011 is going, who expected a draw against Kofu? Then after Kato was given a red card in the 12min, I thought that it was going to be a very long night for the Reds. A victory with one man down is never easy; so coming away with a 2-0 victory over Kofu is a good result for the Reds.

After Hirakawa opened the scoring in the 53min, I was bracing myself for another disappointment, but after the second goal from Kashiwagi in the 73min, it felt alot more secure. Looking at all of our victories in 2011 (yes all four of them), when we win the margin is always greater then two goals. When the we have been ahead one-nil in 2011, there's always at least one more goal to come. Seeing a Kofu goal tonight would have been to painful after what happened last week at Iwata.

In the first half we did well to hang-on and not conceed a goal. Kato's red card was harsh in my eyes, though yes he did put himself in that position and that's all I will say on that. Yamagishi was solid in Kato's place, but I don't know if Yamagishi has done enough yet against Kofu to be the number one again. Sergio was the unlucky one to be subbed off, but I'm sure he'd get another chance.

On other personal front; Ranko made his first start for the Reds and found the back of the net in the early going; it would have been a good goal too if he wasn't offside. I do like what I've seen so far with Ranko; he isn't a 'lazy' forward and has a good engine. He just needs a few more games to gel with the rest of the team. Two players who are beginning to play well together is Genki and Kashiwagi. They are forming a potent partnership on the left side of the field; both of the goals tonight came from the left and both Genki and Kashiwagi played a part in the goals.

This is how we lined up against Kofu

GK: Kato

DF: Takahashi; Spiranovic; Nagata; Hirakawa

MF: Keita; Kashiwagi; Sergio

FW: Richardes; Haraguchi; Ranko

Subs

13min Sergio > Yamagishi

66min Ranko > Takasaki

83min Richardes > Naoki

Overall Urawa has played well over the summer, and hopefully with a few results going our way, things could be looking better for the second half of the year. Up next we got Kawasaki next weekend, a team we defeated 2-0 just three weeks ago.

Is it a surprise; another draw

Is it any surprise that it ended in a draw? Was it to much to hang on for one more minute? I really wanted to write about a winning streak of two in a row, but unfortunately it's going to be the same theme for 2011. Another one that got away. This game against Iwata was a game we should have won and the culprit for the lost isn't the usual suspect of Nobuhisa Yamada. It was Spiranovic giving away a penalty in the 3min of injury time. 

I have to admit, I am biased towards Spiranovic. Even if it was the right call I would validate why it wasn't, so I'm not going to go down that path. I just hope Petrovic doesn't do anything crazy like starting Tsuboi or Nobuhisa alongside Nagata because Spira gave away the penalty. The back two of Spiranovic and Nagata has been solid for us and have kept us in a lot of games this year. 

What put a smile on my face during this match was seeing Kashiwagi opening the scoring in the 29min. Kashiwagi's 2011 form hasn't been all that great, even being dropped from the starting XI for several games, but the past few weeks we've seen glimpse's of what we'd expect and hopefully this goal would be a boost for his confidence. 

Ranko made his Reds début tonight, coming on in the 65min. He played a solid game, came close to a goal late in the game, only to have the post deny him. I can't say yet whether or not he is our answer upfront, but for 2011 he would have to be. 

This is how we lined up

GK: Kato

DF: Takahashi; Spiranoivc; Nagata; Hirakawa
MF: Keita; Kashiwagi; Richardes
FW: Sergio; Haraguchi; Takasaki

Subs
65min Takasaki > Ranko
68min Haraguchi > Tatsuya
83min Sergio > No. Yamada

So half way through the season (17 games) we are sitting on 18 points, which basically means we have drawn all our matches. Up next we play Kofu on Saturday, a game we'd expect to win, but another stalemate is always a possibility for us in 2011. 

False hope or truly something good?

Winning a game feels oh so good; for me it gives me that buzz and excitement. Unfortunately this year the empty feeling of a draw has come to often but it could be worst right? So what does this win really mean this time? So far this season we haven't won any games in a row. Our first win was followed by a three game losing streak, our second win was followed by three draws and now can you see a pattern? Could it be? Am I building up this hope of the start of something special or is it just false hope? 

The question could be are our next 3 games winnable? Iwata, Kofu and Kawasaki again; I think so but then again what would I know right? Either way I think the focus has to be one game at a time and for the moment we need to enjoy this victory. For me what makes this victory that little bit more sweeter; my fiancé is a Kawasaki fan (technically my bragging right could only be for a month). 

Our performance against Kawasaki was again a tale of two halves, basically like it has been most of the year. The first half we were blunt and not really doing much in terms of potentially scoring goals.The main culprit, Takasaki who plays well off the bench, but to me isn't consistant enough to make a lasting impact. I'm both excited and nervous for Ranko to have his first run with the Reds. 

The second half though was when it all clicked together; it started with the injection of Naoki off the bench and Genki's brilliance got us on the board and in the lead in the 57min. For what ever reason it just clicked in the second half. Nobuhisa not moving from the bench could be a start.

This is how we lined up against Kawasaki

GK: Kato

DF: Takahashi; Spiranovic; Nagata; Hirakawa
MF: Keita; Kashiwagi; Richardes
FW: Haraguchi; Takasaki; Tatsuya

Subs:
55min Richardes > Naoki
71min Tanaka > Sergio
78min Takasaki > Mazola

We play away at Iwata this Sunday and only a win will do. Now is that false hope or faith?

We need that double you!

I just don't know how or or when, but I do know it needs to come soon. This current habit needs to end, it can't continue or else it would become a disaster. I don't think it matters which team we play, or where they are on the ladder, the result seems to be the same. Draw after draw after draw; the cycle just seems to continue. Then comes a lost, then the win, then the draw cycle starts again and continues.

The cycle also continues with my rants as to why we can't win. Nobuhisa Yamada. Why can't we score a goal when it counts; actually why can't we score a winning goal. We seem to be able to manage an equaliser, but when it comes to the winner, it just doesn't come. Nobuhisa Yamada. We just can't create in the midfield and at the front there's no one there to convert. Tatsuya and Hara just doesn't cut it. I'd rather have Takasaki up front along with Mazola up front. Then we also have Ranko, but to be honest it starts in the midfield. 

Removing Nobuhisa Yamada from the midfield is a start. We need more creativity in the middle and having Keita and Nobu just isn't enough. Naoki needs to be there, then we can have Kashiwagi, Kojima, Umesaki amongst others who should be there instead of Nobuhisa. I feel like I'm repeating myself over and over with the hope that Petrovic catches on with what I think every Red fans want. I just hope it happens sooner rather then later, before it's too late. 

This is how we lined up against Yamagata.

GK: Kato

DF: Takahashi; Spiranovic; Nagata; Hirakawa
MF: Keita; No Yamada; Haraguchi; Naoki
FW: Hara; Tatsuya

Subs
HT Hara > Takasaki
73min Tatsuya > Mazola
88min Naoki > Umesaki

By the way, the final result against Yamagata was a nil-all draw. Up next it doesn't come easier, with Kawasaki next Wednesday. Should be interesting in this household...

Introducing... A new striker in town & My jersey

There's a new striker in town (link); and his name is Ranko Despotovic. He comes from Girona FC, who plays in the Spanish Second Division, last season he scored 18 goals in 34 matches, has good size for a striker (185cm/75kg) and he's still in his prime at 28 years old. 

I'm glad that we didn't get a washed up player past his prime from Brazil that could have been. But do I think he's a good addition to the Reds? Well only time will tell. The more immediate question is can he ever replace Edmilson? If he can score goals more consistently then Edmilson has this year, which isn't to hard, then yeah. I'm just glad that they didn't issue him Urawa's number 9; that's something that needs to be earned. (He's been given jersey 31)

Finally; those who follow my on twitter (@urdblog) knows that my Urawa Reds 2011 jersey has arrived. It's slightly delayed, but it's not an easy task to source a J-League jersey outside of Japan, as many may already know. There's been a common question everyone is asking which I'll answer here, why Spiranovic? The answer is simple; I'm an Aussie, so it was the obvious choice. Enough yapping from me, here it is: 

Reds feeling blue?

So this year we're doing enough not to lose, but at the same time not doing enough to win. It feels all to familiar though; I remember this time last year I was ranting as to why the Reds shouldn't be playing Robson Ponte and this year my target is Nobuhisa Yamada. It's not as though we don't have any other options and better options at that.

So I don't know how he found his way onto the field on Saturday against Gamba Osaka. We already have Keita playing a defensive midfielder role, we don't need Nobuhisa there as well. We need a "playmaking midfielder" in his place. I know a few years ago Nobuhisa could have been the options, but for now we need to turn it over to someone else. For example; the other Yamada (Naoki) who has been playing well the past couple of weeks. Even though he has been struggling this year; there's Kashiwagi, plus the youngster Kojima. Come on Petrovic; seriously!

This is just my quick observation; you might notice that the opposition tends to score goals when Nobuhisa is on the field. As a defensive midfielder it just does not make sense does it? On the flip side, we score our goals when Nobuhia has been subbed off. Like the against Gamba, Haraguchi scored the equaliser in the 77min, Nobuhisa was subbed off in the 66min. Maybe it's coincidence?

I'll let you be the judge. This is how we lined up against Gamba.

GK: Kato

DF: Takahashi; Spiranovic; Nagata; Hirakawa
MF: Keita; No. Yamada; Haraguchi; Richardes
FW: Hara; Tatsuya

Subs
66min Nobuhisa > Naoki
76min Keita > Kashiwagi
76min Tatsuya > Mazola

Up next we travel to Yamagata. This match was suppose to be played match day 3 at Yamagata and I was excited with the possibility of a snow match. But it wasn't to be; now all I ask for is a win. WE ARE REDS!!!