Football Leagues » J-League » Japan Unrepentant Over Conservative Tactics
Japan Unrepentant Over Conservative Tactics
Mike Tuckerman
Forget the Great Wall of China: Japan's tactics against the Netherlands had more in common with the carpark outside Saitama Stadium, as coach Takeshi Okada instructed his team to park the bus and defend from the front against a skillful Dutch side.
Unfortunately for Okada the strategy backfired, as a thumping Wesley Sneijder strike and a questionable piece of goalkeeping from Eiji Kawashima combined to allow the Netherlands to sneak a deserved 1-0 win over their outmatched opponents.
More concerned with containing the Dutch than taking the game to them, the question now is whether Okada will adopt similar tactics in Japan's final group stage game against Denmark in Rustenburg on June 24.
Japan strung out a wall of blue-shirted defenders against the Netherlands, with CSKA Moscow attacker Keisuke Honda leading from the front as the Samurai Blue tried desperately to stop the Dutch from pouring forward.
The tactic enjoyed only marginal success, and when Inter midfielder Sneijder thumped in a rasping drive from the edge of the penalty area early in the second half, Kawasaki Frontale shot-stopper Kawashima appeared to have it covered - only for the controversial Jabulani ball to veer and fly into the back of the net via the hapless goalkeeper's gloves.
Any thoughts that the goal might persuade Okada to encourage his men to venture forward were dashed when he replaced the effective Daisuke Matsui with the desperately out-of-form Shunsuke Nakamura on 64 minutes, and it wasn't until thirteen minutes from time that the dour tactician finally employed two recognised strikers in the form of substitutes Shinji Okazaki and Keiji Tamada.
Despite the loss, Japan now need just a draw to book their place in the Round of 16, however questions remain over what sort of tactics Okada will employ in the crucial Group E decider against Denmark.
The Danes recorded a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Cameroon last time out, however the Scandinavians have looked somewhat patchy in attack, and Okada may be tempted to once again set his team out in a defensive-minded formation.
It's a far cry from the fluid attacking football the Samurai Blue were once renowned for, but with Okada coming under intense pressure after his pre-tournament claims that his side would reach the semi-finals, it looks like conservatism is the tactic of choice for the Japan national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Copyright: Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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