World Cup 2010 - Japan Thread

Hell yeah awesome match awesome goals, c'mon Japan, next game is against Paraguay, and I like both teams so... may the best team win!
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Great performance!!
Congratulations Japan! :WORSHIP:

2 teams from Asia in last 16. :BOP: Only 1 from African hosts.

wolfsburg is interested, though. Their main arguments would be VW-money and Hasebe. ;)

Hasebe would be a reason for him to go there but I think he's already getting lots of $$$ from CSKA and only moved there recently so I don't see them selling him anyway.

Weird how he's playing as striker and lone one at that, don't understand the logic behind it or much of what Japan coach does to be honest, but hey it's working out not just for him but also the team so far. Let's see how they fare against Paraguayans now while Korea take on Uruguayans. Battle of South America vs. Asia
 
Honda has been absolutely amazing! He's a complete striker and against Denmark he was very dominant. I still remember getting impressed with a couple of goals he scored for CSKA Moscow and now he's further proving himself in the WC.
 
Yeah fantastic performance from him! Except of course he's not a striker at all let alone a complete one.

This would be like Brazil playing with a lone striker and that striker being Kaka!
 
I still find it odd how Honda is coping with an entirely new role so well... Usually that role is for Okazaki who scored so many goals in the qualifying rounds...but I guess Okada wanted to be more defensive and have 5 midfielders with the creative and skillful Honda to hold the ball up on the counter instead....and hey, so far it has worked quite nicely!!

Comment on Tulio as well as he has been quite solid at the back with Nakazawa these two games. I just love seeing the passion in these guys as they play and pass so beautifully as well!!

I just hope for a great game against strong Paraguayans, and hopefully sneak through with a win!!

on a side note, there was a rumour that Real Madrid sent a scout to this match to watch Honda play...but not sure if he'd want to go there so soon and be a bench warmer where as he can be a starter and gain more experience at CSKA.
 
Great performance, 3 beauties of goals.
Honda was great, but so was Matsui...
The suprise package of the tournament.
 
Yeah he just went there so I don't see him moving this early. But give it at least 12 more months and he could be on his way out of Russia but CSKA will have made nice money on him as I think they only picked him up for around $5M or so.

Anyhow I totally know what you mean! I find it weird that Okada has gone for this, and yeah so far so good. Honda is just an amazing player though, great players can do that I suppose. Like Cahill playing as striker, Gerrard turning into 2nd forward from midfield, and now Honda is doing a job as lone-striker! Lol

I see your point about Tanaka and Nakazawa as well. They played their HEART out today! In fact almost ALL of Japan did and had great performance. They won SO much in the air those two especially Tulio and you'd think against the likes of Soren Larsen and Bendtner, they'd be a little outsized and outmusculed and outjumped but no!

Really enjoyed Japan's performance today. Well done.

@Gerd, Matsui worked so hard! Unfortunately you can see he's lost a bit of pace now and is past his peak but he's still a useful player.
 
Japan completely outplayed Denmark. Thoroughly deserved.

Okuno, Matsui and Honda link up very well. With an ease on the ball that put's to shame many European sides.

Denmark what a plunge from 1986 in terms of playing ability.

The way football is coached is certainly stifling the creativity and production of flair players in many countries.

Street football has died a death.
 
Yeah fantastic performance from him! Except of course he's not a striker at all let alone a complete one.

This would be like Brazil playing with a lone striker and that striker being Kaka!

Exactly.... Honda is a midfielder, like Tim Cahill he is beeing used upfront since Japan didnt have a good alternative.
 
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Well Okazaki just had a year that no other Int'l striker did! Scoring 16 goals! Top scorer of world over last year.

And Morimoto is one of my personal favourites. The guy reminds me of an Asian Ronaldo (Brazilian phenom Ronaldo). So for me it's not like Japan doesn't have good alternatives, but hey Tamada who is the man in charge seems to prefer playing Honda out of position and having those 2 on bench and like I said while I don't agree with it, it's working out pretty well so far isn't it. So man deserves credit.

Yeah exactly like Cahill situation.
 
Yeh i agree about the 2 u mentioned, theyre good players indeed, sprecially Morimoto(Still remmeber playing WE-JL with him at Verdy with only 16 years old!)... i wasnt clear enough in my post but what i meant was that the coach didnt think they had good alternatives...
;)
 
Well Okazaki just had a year that no other Int'l striker did! Scoring 16 goals! Top scorer of world over last year.

And Morimoto is one of my personal favourites. The guy reminds me of an Asian Ronaldo (Brazilian phenom Ronaldo). So for me it's not like Japan doesn't have good alternatives, but hey Tamada who is the man in charge seems to prefer playing Honda out of position and having those 2 on bench and like I said while I don't agree with it, it's working out pretty well so far isn't it. So man deserves credit.

Yeah exactly like Cahill situation.

I think Okazaki did play in the friendlies and didn't look threatening playing as the lone striker. Honda on the other hand has the ability to hold up play. Morimoto IMO shouldn't be the focal point of their attack at the moment. Okada can play with two strikers though, although that would mean dropping one of his five midfielders.
 
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