Troyes: Letellier, Samassa - Cordoval, Giraudon, Kouyatté, Obiang, Poaty, Salmier, Tavares - Gonçalves, Martins Pereira, Nivet, Pelé, Raveloson - Fortuné, Mbeumo, Tinhan, Touzghar.

 

 

 

 

 

My preview of Marinos game from last Friday are reproduced below the "good luck" sign off.  That was a second disappointing showing from them and ended in a 0-0 draw, I have read a couple of reports with writers feeling that teams have "learned how to play Yokohama", I think that is a bit simplistic after 3-5 games and that Marinos are more than a one trick pony. I don't think the goals are going to completely dry up after coming up short in two games versus a pair of very deep lying teams who were happy to concede 70% of the ball. Marinos will have to find a way to combat that, it is usally with a goal, they hit the woodwork twice last week, Sagan had just two attempts from inside the box, one on target and if Yokohama had broken through, the visitors attacking intentions would have had to change and I suspect it would have resulted in an easy Marinos win. Anyway, that is for another day, Urawa are "not allowed" to sit back, doubly so as hosts and their supportes will, as always, urge them forward and YFM will get far more space today.

 

This is a fixture the visitors like, Saitama is a short trip for them, supporters will travel in numbers and they have lost just twice in ten visits, also, Marinos are already on that Friday late kick off schedule from last week which is always an advantage of sorts. Urawa have an important Tuesday Champions League game to also distract them and have been struggling for goals as host in JL1, just one in 180 minutes and this is starting to look a little like a repeat of last year (4 goals in first 7 home starts), I do not doubt that CL is early season priority for them. Marinos off level ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frontale also play Champions League next midweek, but not until Wednesday and despite that being on the road, the plane trip to Ulsan in South Korea is very short and I suspect the defending JL1 champions will want to make a good fist of their defence and build on a first win of the campaign last week. Cerezo also collected 3 points last weekend, beating a very poor Vegalta Sendai team when my notes included ..........

 

Cerezo Osaka are also toiling and have done so since Yoon Jong-Hwan announced he was leaving as head coach last year in mid season, I never like those announcements, it caused Cerezo to lose their way and they look a pale imitation of the team who thrilled in 2017 with some attacking football , winning two cups and finishing 3rd in their first season back in the top flight. The hangover appears to continue and new head coach Miguel Angel Lotina has not endeared himself to players yet with his too negative set up and they have begged him to go more offensively and I do understand he has listened that has been how they have set up in training over the break. Both are struggling and look weak defensively, there should be chances at both ends .

 

Lotina appeared to have listened and Cerezo were much the better team, but the opposition were limited, however, surely he will again allow the shackles to be loosened today as they are now free rolling here and any points collected a bonus. The two teams are level on six points, but I see a big gulf in class between the two teams this season, with Cerezo very much in an early transition stage. But this should be open and is one of those fixtures which almost always produces goals, last six meetings here have produced 32 (!) goals (5.33 average) and Cerezo enjoy the surroundings, having won on 6/9 visits, that and the CL game is enough to make me swerve the home win, but not the "over".

 

 

 

 

Good Luck.

 

 

 

 

Yokohama made my notes ahead of their home opener, when they edged past Vegalta Sendai ...............

 

 

 

Yokohama were 12th, reached the League Cup final and were top scorers in the league. First season head coach Ange Postecoglou had a rollercoaster year, but there was much to like and the Aussie has the full backing of the board, who, it has to be admitted, took a while to be won over. He impressed with a squad he inherited and has been allowed to overhaul it this off season, getting rid of a LOT of deadwood, promoting some youth and whilst on paper the squad might look weaker, the head coach now has the players to implement his system. Gamba might have got a draw last week, they did hit the woodwork, but Marinos numbers were off the chart !  25 attempts, 10 on target, 15 inside the box, missed 3 big chances and again outpassed Gamba, restricting them to circa 400 , Yokohama were also not caught offside once, which, with all new players (only 3 of 10 outfield players from the first meeting with Gamba, played last week and there were only four interim starts between the two game !) , I find incredible. Coaches in JL1 can be ultra conservative , no one will ever accuse AP of that and he is like a breath of fresh air and it would be good for Japanese football for him and Marinos to succeed.

 

Marinos won their first two starts, then drew with defending champions Kawasaki Frontale (2-2) but lost immediately before the break, 2-0 away to Oita Trinita, I will discuss the victors tomorrow, suffice to say that Yokohama played well box to box, underperformed in both penalty areas , but did create enough to have won most games. Anyway,  I am expecting them to get back to winning ways today ahead of a tough trip to Saitama to play Urawa Reds next week and, versus a limited Sagan Tosu team who have lost 3/4 starts, scoring just a single goal. I opposed them in their first away start (Vissel Kobe ) where my notes included ...........