On the 4th, manager Maciej Skorza held an online press conference, where he spoke about his enthusiasm for the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 9 match against Avispa Fukuoka, which will be held at Best Denki Stadium on Sunday, April 6th.

(I think you've had good results at home with 2 wins and 1 loss, but you haven't won a single Trial in the 5 away Trial you've played. How do you feel about the difference between home and away games?)
"We have yet to win an away game. We have played Trial, and each Trial was different. We were very close to winning Trial against (Vissel) Kobe and Kashima (Antlers). However, we were lucky to draw against (Kyoto) (Sanga Trial) and Cerezo (Osaka).

I think this is a key aspect of away games, but I think we started well in the Kobe and Kashima games. In order to start a game well, I think it's important to prepare tactics that the players can execute well and play with high motivation. Simply put, we need to avoid starting like we did against Cerezo."

(I think that Coach Maciej is also aware that Saitama Stadium is a special stadium, with the passion of the Reds fans and supporters. On the other hand, when we go away, the opponents will do what they want. I think that we sometimes find ourselves on the defensive in the early stages of games. Is there anything that you are emphasizing to the team about the early stages of games?)
"First of all, from a physical perspective, high intensity is necessary. For example, the intensity of Danilo Boza 's contact with (Yuya) Osako early in the match against Kobe. That kind of physical toughness is necessary, and when you have the ball, you need to be able to move it quickly with one or two touches. Also, it's important for the people around you to be proactive and make an appearance, and to keep creating options at all times."

(Getting through with a draw is better than losing, but whether we can gain more points depends largely on whether we end up with a draw or win. In that sense, what do you think about the extra points needed, especially in away games, to turn one point into three?)
"That's a very difficult question. Each Trial has its own characteristics, and when comparing these five away Trial, there were different things that were lacking in each one. For example, in the Kashima match we lacked game management at the end of Trial. In the Cerezo match we lacked concentration at the start of Trial. We are training to make up for these shortcomings, and I believe that over time we will see results."

(In the previous match against Shimizu S-Pulse, we started the game very well, but in the second half, it seemed like we could have been caught up. What do you think about players who can be the mental pillars on the pitch in terms of game control?)
“We have several players like that. First of all, our captain Taka (Takahiro Sekine), Marius (Hubraten) and Genki (Haraguchi) are all like that, and I’m also glad that Ryoma (Watanabe), who is a very important presence in that respect, is back. So we have players who can manage in any situation.

In the last Trial, we got a little nervous in the last 15 minutes, and we weren't able to do what we wanted. I think we made too many mistakes. And a big mistake led to a corner kick, which led to us conceding a goal. I think there were a lot of individual mistakes in the last 15 minutes. But there's one thing I want to say. I think the team's reaction after conceding the goal was good. Sekine called the players together, we formed a circle, we raised our motivation again, and we were able to fight after that. By taking that kind of action in that situation, we were able to have a sense of unity and manage the game well, so I think it was a very good thing that happened."

(What is your impression of Fukuoka and what are the key points to victory?)
"Fukuoka is in very good form right now. They have won four and drawn one of their last five Trial. They are a well-organised team with high individual quality. Tactically they are also a flexible team, using either a five-back or a four-back formation depending on the area of the pitch. And if I think back to past games against Avispa, I remember them always giving us trouble against Konno (Kazuya). He is a very good player, but I hope we can contain him."

(There was a mistake in the last 15 minutes of the Shimizu match, but when we gave away a corner kick that led to a goal, Hirokazu Ishihara, I think it was Takuya Ogiwara, was really vocal about not getting into position quickly. What exactly was the mistake that Coach Maciej was talking about during that time period?)
"First of all, we conceded 14 corner kicks in this Trial. I think we handled most of them well. After we made four substitutions, we started to have problems. One reason might be that we had to change our corner kick defense a little bit. I don't want to say who made what mistakes, but I think we made some mistakes as a team around the near post."

(The fact that you are giving away so many corner kicks means that the Reds' center of gravity is a little too low, and I think it's also related to the fact that you are forcing the opponent to play in your own half too often, but what do you think are the areas you need to improve?)
"I think we took too many corner kicks. Even after we scored a goal, I think the team was positioned a little low. For example, in the scene that led to the goal, (Matheus) Savio stole the ball in the opponent's half, which led to the goal. We wanted to defend at that height, but I think we retreated a little many times. We often dropped back to around zone 1, so I think the opponent played more long balls. I spoke with the players, and we need to be better at finding the timing to push our line up. The opponent's right flank was very aggressive, so we changed the way we pressed once in the first half. In particular, we positioned (Matsuo) Yusuke a little lower to contain (Kengo) Kitazume.
However, there were times when things didn't go as we hoped. For example, Thiago (Santana) was positioned too low, and the opponent's right center back was not pressed and kicked a long ball. Among those times, I think the defense of zone 1 when we were pushed back was very good. For example, there were times in the first half when we were pushed back, but that didn't lead to any chances for the opponent. I want to play further away from the penalty area, especially in home games."

(Even now, there are many issues to be addressed, but I think the result of four games without a loss is a good one. Two seasons ago, under Coach Maciej, the team started with a losing streak, but after winning the third game, they went on to win the AFC Champions League without losing 13 official games. I feel that the team is now playing football in the style of Coach Maciej. What do you think?)
"We can make comparisons with two years ago, but I think it's a completely different league now. I think the teams have changed in many ways. I think we still need to improve in many aspects, but I think it's especially important to stabilize the team.

I want to find positive aspects in the flow so far and move forward, but as you said, one positive is that we haven't lost in the last four Trial. And I think this match against Avispa is a special opportunity. If we win here, it will be our first consecutive win, and I think we can make it a turning point. It will also be our first away win. When I spoke to the team, I emphasized that, and said that this Trial could be the most important Trial of the season. The points gap with the top team is not that wide yet, and there is still a chance, so I would like to fight hard to win Trial Trial

After eight rounds, I can say that the J-League this season is more competitive than it was two years ago.

(Was Takuro Kaneko not in the squad for the previous match against Shimizu due to a condition issue?)
"It was the result of an injury."

(Watching Trial, I think the content is gradually improving, and I think the players understand the big picture, but sometimes I feel like they still don't have the same perspective in each situation, or that each player wants to do different things. How do you view the progress in aligning the perspectives on the pitch?)
"I don't think we've yet reached a point where we've automated our play. But with each game we play, I think the players are working better together, especially in attack. What we need to improve from here is what we do when the ball goes to the side. For example, we're currently seeing things like two players entering one half-space, and we need to avoid that."

(Even in Europe, there has been an increase in attempts to block opponents during set pieces, and I think that you are struggling with attempts to obstruct the goalkeeper in particular. What are your plans to deal with this?)
"We have a way of defending set pieces that corresponds to that. We basically defend with two lines, but we try to get around that with someone attacking the ball and someone blocking the opponent. In some cases, we may have a player marking."

(It would be better if there was no set-piece defense in the next Trial)
"That's true. I think we were able to avoid three or four corner kicks in the last Trial."

(Firstly, in the match against Shimizu, they replaced Takahiro Sekine Sekine, who had scored goals in the previous five Trial and was involved in four goals, including indirectly, with Hirokazu Ishihara. I think this was a very bold move.)
"Taka ran over 12 kilometers in the previous match against Cerezo, making him the player who ran the most on the team. With such a busy schedule, we decided to give Taka (Takahiro Sekine) a break and use Hiro (Hirokazu Ishihara)."

(I think Ishihara was making the same movements as Sekine for about 15 minutes, but Shimizu was making long diagonal passes to the left and right. After that, he seemed to take up fewer high positions on the inside. Did Coach Maciej say anything to Ishihara?)
"I didn't give any specific instructions during Trial. Taking a position inside is one way of building up. There are several models for building up, and one of them is for the full-backs to move inside. I leave that decision up to the players, and I think Hiro did it several times in the first half. However, the opponent had three fresh players up front, so I think it was his decision to play closer to his own original zone. And I can understand that."

(Watanabe spoke to Ishihara about positions, and if the players are able to make such decisions, I imagine the Reds will be a very strong team.)
"Exactly."

(In the first half, Watanabe and Taishi Matsumoto ran an astonishing distance of nearly 7 kilometers.)
"We received that information just before the end of the first half, and we wondered if we should change our system to see if we could maintain that in the second half. Ryoma has just returned from injury, so it may take some time for him to fully regain his condition, but he, Yasushi, and Kaito (Yasui) are all players who can run more than 13 kilometers in one Trial, so I think that will be an advantage."

(Considering that, some may wonder why they replaced key players, but considering the consecutive games that were to come, I can understand that they were replaced because of fatigue. Isn't that wrong?)
"In the Shimizu match, we may have had Ryoma on the pitch for too long. The primary reason for substituting Ryoma was fatigue. That was the reason this time, but of course there are times when my decisions to make substitutions do not help the team. I am human, so that happens."

(I think the J-League is a great place to watch the way the coaches play. What is your impression of Fukuoka's coach, Kim Myung-hee?)
"He is a manager who is on friendly terms with Coach/Analyst Hayashi (Maiki), and I have heard many good things about Manager Kim. He is said to be a very tactical manager. When you look at the teams he coaches, they are teams with great tactical flexibility, so I think he has great management skills."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]