Moriyasu defends decision-making after Japan's loss to Costa Rica showing

Its only fair that everyone gets a go. thats whats most important.

You only change half the team when it is a dead rubber - especially when you are coming off a big win. I cannot fathom what Moriyasu did, unless he really thought Costa Rica would be a pushover.

A win against a full-strength Spain team is not impossible, but Samurai-Blue will need to play the best game in their history.

After the Spain- Germany game Spain probably need to draw or win but even a draw will not be enough for Japan if Germany beat Costa Rica by several goals or Costa Rica win.

I think we can now see that the win against Germany was a fluke, and Japan are back to their normal level of football.

When I was writing it was a globally poor display against Germany, I was downvoted. But today, the team, though voluntary to go forward, lacked precision and a superstar player to change the issue. It did not raise its level, and maybe can not. Japan must play by counter attacking. Costa Rica is not a strong team and I was expecting an easy win. Mottainai

@Fighto!

In only two days, you have gone from calling Moriyasu an "absolutely brilliant manager" and criticizing the Moriyasu attackers to becoming one of the critics and calling for Moriyasu to be sacked. In only two days!

Nov. 25  

Absolutely brilliant manager- up there with the very best IMO. It puzzled me as to why he copped criticism for his squad selection and leaving certain players out. Those critics have well and truly gone quiet!

Nov. 26  

There is no way Moriyasu will be complacent against these minnows, Costa Rica.

Nov. 27  

Japan were an embarrassment it pains me to say. Moriyasu should publicly apologize to those thousands of fans who turned up and never stopped singing. Why on earth did he make 5 changes? If it turns out he was resting/rotating players because Costa Rica was a "sure victory", he needs to be sacked.

Nov. 28  

You only change half the team when it is a dead rubber - especially when you are coming off a big win. I cannot fathom what Moriyasu did, unless he really thought Costa Rica would be a pushover.

The "experts" here said Japan didn't deserve to win because Germany controlled the ball most of that game. Yesterday Japan controlled the ball but they are saying Japan "underestimated Costa Rica." What is the end game for people living in Japan but wants Japan to somehow lose?

They had the perfect opportunity to advance and all they wanted to do was play for a scoreless draw until it backfired. Even after Costa Rica scored, they played with little to no urgency. Their game last night reminds me of games with Honda, Kagawa, Endo, Hasebe days. Nobody attacking or creating opportunities specially against a team ripe for the taking.

Spain will embarrass this Japan team if this is the best they can do.

I think we can now see that the win against Germany was a fluke, and Japan are back to their normal level of football.

Agree David. And it wasn't the only Fluke. Morocco beat Belgium as well. That was another major upset.

I'm betting the Spain match will see the Samurai slaughtered.

It was a poor performance. And the result between Spain and Germany today means that Spain wants a win and Germany needs a win. Japan was in position to play so passively - they will now likely exit the world cup.

BIG MISTAKE. The manager will be sacked for too much tinkering by leaving out his best players.

I doubt they will get even a point against Spain when they can't even have a single shot at goal versus Costa Rica. They just got a couple of lucky breaks versus Germany,

/// Its only fair that everyone gets a go. thats whats most important.

No. that's not part of any winning mentality unfortunate if you want to win the WC

Today  07:59 am JST

What is the end game for people living in Japan but wants Japan to somehow lose?

“ I think if Japan were more humble and modest about its achievements then people who are not Japanese in Japan might be more keen to cheer Japan. But the media go overboard in trying to link any success to unique national characteristics and it becomes tiresome, especially the longer you have been around. “

Yep, that pretty much sums it up; Anyway, I’m having a bad feeling about the game against Spain; considering that Spain is in great shape, fully confident and going through one of their best phases since two thousand and twelve, Dec 1, 2022 could be one of the darkest days in the history of Japanese football.

Of course, the Spain game will be tough, but I believe there is a good chance to win.

No chance.

Wow 5 changes! To me it was a bit if a gamble that didn't pay off. Ideally the manager wants the team to play consistently rather than a great game followed by a shocker!

could be one of the darkest days in the history of Japanese football.

in other words, it’s possible that we’re going to witness one of the biggest massacres in the history of world cups. I hope I’m wrong.

""In the first half...we couldn't really make opportunities and chances, however, we were contesting and trying to pass forward," Moriyasu said.""

Regardless of the outcome, Congrats Japan, Passing forward is the only choice, Good Luck.

Japan is in with a win against Spain. If they draw against Spain, they need Costa Rica to also draw. If Japan draws and Germany wins by one goal it is decided by the group goals scored. A Japan draw and Germany win by more than 1 goal, Germany is 2nd and Japan finishes 3rd. Japan is out with a loss.

Basically, win and in, draw and you need help. Lose and out.

This is just the info from FIFA on knockout stage qualifying.

Spain isn’t Germany; the way they play is different; they’re faster and more creative; Japan’s gameplay is slow, very slow; what a terrible combination; like I said, we could be witnesses to one of the biggest massacres in the history of world cups. Be careful, Samurai Blue (!)

Ayase Ueda 

The striker in Moriyasu's formation and the most puzzling of the selections. Ueda has never scored for the national team. The first game started with Maeda up front, who is a left winger and has only scored once. The striker who came on and scored the winner against Germany, Asano, remained on the bench.

Minamino has scored 17 times for the country. There is no reason to pick a non goalscoring forward (at the World Cup Finals!!) ahead of him. My impression is Moriyasu doesn't like Minamino or Mitoma and is only reluctantly giving them a few minutes.

Its only fair that everyone gets a go. thats whats most important.

WIth school club activities, it's common for kohai to travel to tournaments and then not get a game, even in meaningless matches. While a noble thing to do, giving everyone a go doesn't even happen in kids' sports in Japan.

Mottanai

That's the way it's heading. Costa Rica may have beaten Japan's best team, but we wouldn't be sitting here saying "what ifs".

In only two days, you have gone from calling Moriyasu an "absolutely brilliant manager" and criticizing the Moriyasu attackers to becoming one of the critics and calling for Moriyasu to be sacked. In only two days!

@ AsianMan7 - you have to call things as you see them. I'd be dishonest if I didn't admit to being shocked and dismayed at Moriyasu resting/rotating out 5 players from a team that brilliantly beat Germany. I don't get it.

In my mind the selections were wrong.

Japan has no option now than all-out attack. Play three front men - Asano, Daizen and Ueda. They will concede a few goals, but it is the only hope now.

At the game's end, the manager carries the glory and the failures. Would have liked to see Minamino and a couple of other players on the pitch from the kick-off.

Probably Japan can only go forward with a large dose of luck.

Oh how quickly they turn from making the guy out to be a god into being the devil. Just goes to show how fickle the "fans" here are. Had he not shaking up the line-up and Japan lost, they'd be blaming him for that, too. Japan had very little expectation going into this and then played well, now they expect the world. Just let the loss go and focus on doing the best against Spain.

“ I think if Japan were more humble and modest about its achievements then people who are not Japanese in Japan might be more keen to cheer Japan. But the media go overboard in trying to link any success to unique national characteristics and it becomes tiresome, especially the longer you have been around. “

I fully agree

/// Oh how quickly they turn from making the guy out to be a god into being the devil. Just goes to show how fickle the "fans" here are.

nah - the fans have a right to be livid because if you beat the one of the weakest team in the WC after Qatar - you are into the Quarters BUT then you decided to rest all your better players. I could only think of 1 thing: the manager assume even his second stringers can easily beat Costa Rica.

Not trusting your first XI - now that's Fickle. The manager is fickle

Although I am a relative novice to this game of soccer, I have a few pointers for the Japanese team going forward.

They needed to shoot the ball more and they need more muscle up front. The Costa Rican players were not intimidated at all and it showed.

This isn't hard, people.

its sport and better/or in case of this game-more lucky one/wins.

lets concentrate on next game Spain may be tough to crack.

Its only fair that everyone gets a go. thats whats most important.

in an under 10’s kiddies league - yes.

in the World Cup - no

Win or Lose, Japan is proud of our team. Go Japan!

I found the first half to be quite boring to watch. Seemed to be just a lot of passing side to side in mid-field. Then when a pass was made forward and pressure was put on Japan, they would just pass it back and continue the same mind-numbing side to side passing. There was also very little movement from the forwards up front.

I want to see Japan pushing forward more. At a much faster pace. Put more crosses in from the side. Push the penalty area more. I believe they can do better against Spain.

I think if Japan were more humble and modest about its achievements then people who are not Japanese in Japan might be more keen to cheer Japan. But the media go overboard in trying to link any success to unique national characteristics and it becomes tiresome, especially the longer you have been around. *

I think a more basic and unavoidable problem are match broadcasts themselves. It is tiresome to hear shouts of "Foul!" when someone tackles a Japanese player. If an opponent clears a Japanese cross, it might be nice to hear his name, not just "chance!", "clear!" or "dame!". At the end when Japan needed to score, one commentator didn't even bother telling us which Japanese midfielder was on the ball and just kept screaming "Knock it wide!" He didn't bother telling us which wide man was free, and it didn't look like any of them were.

All of this is extremely offputting if your interest in football extends beyond an emotional investment in watching Japan win. Its fine for commenataries to have bias, it's what you get on UK local radio or "Raiders Radio" etc. for US sports. Japanese ones go way beyond commentary and sound like they are trying to be the loudest guy standing by the screen in the sports bar.

Outside of matches, I don't have such a problem with "Talento says Ganbare Nippon!" type programming, because there is no need to watch them.

Great photo! The Japanese players appear to not even be listening to the kantoku.

That strategy doesn't make sense to me. Why not play your absolute best lineup against what is likely the weakest team in the group? Get all three points and you're going through. Get one and you've got a great chance. Now you need a result against one of the best teams in the tournament.

Outside of matches, I don't have such a problem with "Talento says Ganbare Nippon!" type programming, because there is no need to watch them.

I am surprised we don't have talento saying "sugoi" a million times in a wipe screen while these matches are live.

It may be tempting for Spain and Moriyasu-Japan to negotiate a 'gentlemen's agreement' to play for a draw - virtually assuring they both progress. Germany has done this before in the WC.

However this strategy comes with a risk : if the Germans beat Costa Rica by 2 goals, Germany will go through.

The best strategy is just to ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK for the whole 90 minutes.

"For the Germany game and today, we had high intensity...and for the next match against Spain it will be (the same). So we just need to increase the odds for Japan and that is how I decided the tactics."

eh?… duh. This guy is not up to the job. Stands there writing in his little 100 yen book god know what drivel. He is 100% at fault here. Not the players, who can be proud of the result against Germany.

Get your 2 wins in the bag. Then rest up players.

Spain never had to have been a key game. It is now… and Japan are out!

stick that in your book.

The only realistically feasible way for Japan to get to the next round is for Germany and Costa Rica to draw, then for Japan to at least tie against Spain. Then Japan will advance ahead of Costa Rica on goal difference

Some thoughts

Japan ALWAYS lose for a rookie mistake. They kept the Game OK, till defender decided to not push the ball out of danger area...bad pass, goal...

Moriyasu got the "messiah syndrome", what a good coach I am. In Japan they are talking beauty about me. I have a Notebook where I write my stuff about tactics, im going show them.

Soma passing skills Is like playing winning eleven for a while and changing to FIFA...Oh no! the square IS to shoot no make a long pass. Endo couldnt see a nice pass out NEVER. You got a super difficult Game in the middlefield, cannot make that last pass, and you get KUBO in the bench all Game....

//Since German and Spain drawed Japan now need at least a draw against Spain. Tough, but hopefully the counterattack style they played against Germany can be effective again.//

DRAW is not enough. Germany will win big against Costa Rica.

Unfortunately a win against a form team like Spain is big ask. Spain don't want to draw or lose.

Japan beat Germany. You should be proud. So they lost against Costa Rica. A rebound loss is not atypical.

Instead of inane criticisms look forward to the match against Spain. In the end it's just a game. Enjoy it and hope for the best.

There will be other competitions where you can gripe about your nationalism in the future.

RustomToday  09:51 am JST

“ I think if Japan were more humble and modest about its achievements then people who are not Japanese in Japan might be more keen to cheer Japan. But the media go overboard in trying to link any success to unique national characteristics and it becomes tiresome, especially the longer you have been around. “

I fully agree

A very good point here and frankly it was pretty tiring,it seemed that they already won the world cup due to their uniqueness.

And I’ll add this,then what should Brazil 5 times world champion Germany and Italy 4 times world champions say,that they won all these trophies due to their uniqueness?

Sorry but this is not how it works.

Do find it interesting that people in here were nowhere to be found after Japan beat Germany. Now they have a reason to come in here to trash Japan though their teams are also laughable this World Cup.

BIG MISTAKE. The manager will be sacked for too much tinkering by leaving out his best players.

No manager has ever coached 2 consecutive World Cups.

I doubt they will get even a point against Spain when they can't even have a single shot at goal versus Costa Rica. They just got a couple of lucky breaks versus Germany,

Did you even watch the game yesterday? Japan had 3 shots on goal. Costa Rica had 1 which went in. Why would Japan's goals against be lucky and Costa Rica's not?

No manager has ever coached 2 consecutive World Cups.

in Japan that is

The comments here are spot on and the mistakes by Japanese coach are unacceptable. You go with the best to the 2nd game and if it is 2-0, 3-0 you start changing. Then third came is meaningless and you can rest whoever you want.

Same old Japan. They have nobody that can shoot from outside the box or put a decent cross in, so they will always have trouble against a packed defense. Kubo might have been the best player for this type of match, but was left rotting on the bench. Feels like the coach was definitely looking ahead, saving him for Spain simply because he plays there.

Also that's 2 big mistakes from Gonda so far, after mistakes in pre-world cup matches as well. When will Daniel Schmidt get a chance in goal?

Disappointing, but there's no time to sulk. It's win or go home. Go Samurai Blue!

///Did you even watch the game yesterday? Japan had 3 shots on goal. Costa Rica had 1 which went in. Why would Japan's goals against be lucky and Costa Rica's not?

Japan has zero shots in the first half or for at least 60 minutes. All 3 shots came after the 70-th min.

Negative mentality dont win games.

Why not even give your best players like Ito /Mitoma / Minamino a full game? makes no sense.

It's like France resting Mbappe until the 3rd game or Brasil resting Neymar & crew.

I think a more basic and unavoidable problem are match broadcasts themselves. It is tiresome to hear shouts of "Foul!" when someone tackles a Japanese player. If an opponent clears a Japanese cross, it might be nice to hear his name, not just "chance!", "clear!" or "dame!". At the end when Japan needed to score, one commentator didn't even bother telling us which Japanese midfielder was on the ball and just kept screaming "Knock it wide!" He didn't bother telling us which wide man was free, and it didn't look like any of them were.

Not a big fan of Japanese commentary. I wish they would settle down. Every second of the game they are shouting away. How about shout when the time is right. Unnatural commentary.

I cannot bear to listen to Japanese commentary. The level of understanding of the game and commentary is woeful when compared to something like the BBC. I usually listen to the live coverage on Radio 5 while watching with the TV sound muted.

David Brent

I cannot bear to listen to Japanese commentary. The level of understanding of the game and commentary is woeful when compared to something like the BBC. I usually listen to the live coverage on Radio 5 while watching with the TV sound muted.

Radio 5? Including sports?

Radio 5? Including sports?

Yep. I use the BBC Sounds app.

I thought the play was too defensive and needed to attack more however the spirit was there in moments.

Unlucky to get a goal on the counter although was well played by Costa Rica then.

Hopefully Japan put it all on the pitch against Spain.

Friday is going to be a long day

What a surprise - meddling, middle-aged shacho interferes with a winning strategy, throws it away, reaps humiliation and then refuses to accept any responsibility.

Japan is now out of the Cup, unless there's a real miracle in the Spain game (which there won't be) and then we can all stop pretending to care about this disgrace.

David Brent

BBC Sound app needs signing in. That works for Japan?

BBC Sound app needs signing in. That works for Japan?

Yep, works fine.

The result was a shame but it does not mean what we have done was wrong,

Oh yes, it was and oh no, it does mean exactly that.

The match against germany was a fluke. Anyone with any sense would recognize this.

Additionally I told people to watch out for costa rica because they are better than advertised.

The result doesn't surprise me in the least.

Classic japan. Get way over confident over a big win only to choke against a 'lesser' opponent. Saw this coming a mile away.

Good luck with spain. You'll need a lot of it.

Aly RustomToday  09:51 am JST

“ I think if Japan were more humble and modest about its achievements then people who are not Japanese in Japan might be more keen to cheer Japan. But the media go overboard in trying to link any success to unique national characteristics and it becomes tiresome, especially the longer you have been around. “

I fully agree

Oh, so true. Oh, so true.

David BrentToday  03:03 pm JST

I cannot bear to listen to Japanese commentary. The level of understanding of the game and commentary is woeful when compared to something like the BBC. I usually listen to the live coverage on Radio 5 while watching with the TV sound muted

I just mute everything altogether. Make my own observations.

Without sound, a football match is just not the same.

We all knew it was coming! Japan do much better when the pressure is off and they can counter attack. I’m sure they will put in a much better show against Spain, a point could be doable..

I am Spanish and I can say one thing quite clearly.

Do not assume beforehand that Spain will beat Japan. Spain is a very erratic team, they can score a goal one day and the next game lose in a humiliating way. This is not the 2012 team.

Japan can still beat Spain.

Tried to be too clever of a fluke win over Germany. Fool.

Wow everyone celebrated to early, now sit back and trust the coaching and let the players do their jobs if the team doesn't have the support of their fans and lose. It is what it is the best team won that day. Yes they beat Germany and they were the best team that day perhaps they over looked CR now they have to get ready for another opponent. These are professionals on any given day any team can be beaten. Should Japan prevail people will celebrate again, if they lose, oh well there is the next World Cup to cheer for!!