Just as we thought we're heading in the right direction, this happens. Is it such a surprise? Kobe has been our bogey side; a team we can't figure out how to defeat so it seems. Actually this time we couldn't even hold on for the draw, which has been something we excelled in this year.
We came back in the second half, from 2-0 down to be level 2-2; only to be defeated in the 4min of injury time, the last kick of the game. What could have been? If only... Those are the kind of words that swirls in my head right now. So many time this year we've been on the wrong end of a decisive last kick recently; we could have won the Iwata game a few weeks back if it wasn't for the last kick penalty.
The team as a whole for the Kobe game could have played better, there was just something missing at the important times, that winning mentality and in the end we were left with wanting more again.
This is how we lined up.
GK: Kato
DF: Takahashi; Spiranovic; Nagata; Hirakawa
MF: Keita; Kashiwagi; Richardes
FW: Naoki; Haraguchi; Ranko
Subs
HT Naoki > Mazola
HT Keita > Tatsuya
86min Ranko > Takasaki
Overall I think I know now the 2011 J-1 season is basically over for Urawa. There isn't anything to play for; a top 3 position is well beyond our reach. Yes I know it's hard to accept and I do hope that I'm proven wrong, but now I think there should be two focus for the remainder of 2011. Firstly is not to get relegated; it's scary that we're closer to the bottom three then the top three, but I don't think this should be too hard. A top 10 finish is what I would expect as a minimum.
The second thing I believe we need to focus on is building for the future. It seems to be something we should have been doing for a while, but just haven't done so. Lets hope it starts in 2011; because we have a lot of solid youngsters who deserves a run and a few of the old heads who are past their time.
No comments:
Post a Comment