Japan missed out on a huge chance to book their place in the last 16 of the World Cup due to a misplaced sense of loyalty from Hajime Moriyasu. But the problem is not simply down to the head coach — this is something that has afflicted Japanese football for many years.
A lot of people understandably called the 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica a shock, with the Samurai Blue crashing back down to earth after the sensational 2-1 win over Germany. But before the game, I thought it wouldn’t be a surprise if Japan lost. The team selection was baffling after the positive impact the substitutes had made against Germany, but it’s also a deeper-rooted matter of mentality.
I’ve seen this time and time again when I was in Japan. The national team would put in a really good performance against someone like Argentina or Brazil and then play against Thailand and it’s a tough game.
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Japan beat and outplayed one of the best teams in the world in Germany. They were the better team in the first 20 minutes and then in the second half, Japan were amazing — pressing, getting in behind. That was due to the subs Moriyasu made.
Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kaoru Mitoma, Takumi Minamino and the match-winner Takuma Asano changed the game. The game was a bit bloodless and when they came on it was cutting edge.
Even when Mitoma came on against Costa Rica, he was coming inside and dribbling into the box. That’s the kind of player you want to play. But Takefusa Kubo was on the bench. Why?
There are certain players in that team who could be playing their last World Cup. It seems like they want to give them the minutes because it’s their last tournament. It seems like too much loyalty to me. In those situations, you can’t be like that. You’ve got to pick the players in form.
I gave Moriyasu so much praise after the Germany victory. This time, he got it completely wrong. He should have started with the players who finished the previous game. Mitoma has been on fire for Brighton in the Premier League, the best league in the world. Why is he not playing against Costa Rica, one of the worst teams in the competition?
Against a nation like Costa Rica, who are inferior player-for-player, you can dominate with the likes of Mitoma, Kubo, Asano and Daichi Kamada. Daizen Maeda works tirelessly, he’ll run all day long, but he lacks technical ability and football intelligence compared to those other guys.
Bringing in Tomiyasu, if he is back to full fitness, would be my only change to the defence against Spain. I’m happy with Yuto Nagatomo and Maya Yoshida. I’d play Asano as a striker, with Kamada in a No. 10 role, Kubo cutting in off the right and Mitoma, who 100% has to play, on the left. Those four attackers have to go and play, go and be themselves and express themselves. As I’ll explain, that advice comes from one of the best.
Spain have been wonderful to watch in this tournament. How often do you see a midfield like that? Pedri and Gavi, 20 and 18 in the World Cup and dominating teams. Pedri can be another Andres Iniesta. He’s that good.
Dani Olmo looks amazing cutting inside from the left wing, he’s really tidy on the ball. Ferran Torres looks like a threat all the time and then you have Alvaro Morata, who has found form and is more of a raw attacking player. You think their defence might be a problem, but they keep the ball so well that teams aren’t getting chances.
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Despite the nightmare against Costa Rica, Japan are still capable of doing it. I’ve got nothing but praise for the ability and work ethic of these players. I’ve played against a lot of these players in the J.League, and I know what they're capable of. However, they don’t play with arrogance on the pitch. Teams like Spain, once they’re in the driving seat, have arrogance and belief.
It seems to me that the coach maybe gives them too much information. About a month ago, I was talking to Pep Guardiola and I asked him what he says to his attacking players. He tells them to be in their positional zone but then they’ve got to go and express themselves, pass and move as much as they can with a lot of rotation.
Japan’s best players are very capable of that. That’s what upsets me about the big missed opportunity against Costa Rica. You saw none of that. It might be strange to bring up Guardiola before this game because he helped to inspire the modern Spanish style, but if Moriyasu allows his players to follow Pep’s template then the Samurai Blue’s World Cup adventure might not be over just yet.
