On the 4th, manager Maciej Skorza held an online press conference, where he spoke about his enthusiasm for the upcoming Meiji Yasuda J1 League Matchday 38 game against Kawasaki Frontale [MATCH PARTNER Mitsubishi Motors] to be held at Saitama Stadium on the 6th (Sat).

(Regarding the theme of how close the current state of the team is to what was envisioned during the January and February training camps, or whether it fell short, how does Coach Maciej feel about the current state of the team?)
"Throughout the season, there were some areas where we struggled and didn't reach the level we expected. This was especially true offensively. At the start of the season, we used Thiago (Santana) as a striker, and he was performing well, scoring four goals until around the end of March, but then he got injured. From then on, we decided to use Matsuo (Yusuke) as a false striker. Until Thiago recovered, including in the (FIFA) Club World Cup, Matsuo played in the striker position, and the four players in the front line rotated, which I think was the best period of the season."

I think this season can be broadly divided into two periods. First, there was the period leading up to the Club World Cup, during which I felt our play improved significantly. However, after the Club World Cup, we lacked consistency, and our performance varied considerably from Trial to match. We also had problems with our finishing ability inside the penalty area. Our attacks in Zone 2 and Zone 3 were not as effective as we had hoped. In the latter half of August and September, we failed to achieve the results we wanted, and we were eliminated from various competitions. Overall, in the second half of the season, we were unable to maintain the players' best form, and we lacked consistency.

(One of the styles of football that manager Maciej has been trying is to position players as high up the pitch as possible, have them push forward to win the ball in the opponent's half and launch quick attacks. I think this has been particularly true from the start of this season. Looking at the actual data, the Reds had the second fewest high-position recoveries—winning the ball beyond the center circle—out of 20 teams, so I think they weren't able to execute what they were aiming for successfully. In that sense, how do you view the elements that you tried to work on this season but didn't quite succeed?)
"I think one aspect of this is that when we apply high pressure, the opponent kicks long balls, and as a result, we recover the ball in a lower position. For example, in Trial where our high press worked well, such as away games against Shimizu (S-Pulse) and away Trial against Tokyo Verdy, we applied good pressure, but the statistics don't show that we recovered the ball in high positions. However, that's because the opponent was kicking long balls precisely because of the high press, so it's not reflected in the data. And that was something we were aiming for."

(Before the FIFA Club World Cup, manager Maciej often used the phrase "with the Club World Cup in mind." For example, he used Ryoma Watanabe on the wing. He said that the league requires scoring more goals and accumulating more points, and the Club World Cup is a different matter. I understand that, but he continued to use a defensive-minded formation in the second half of the league season with the Club World Cup in mind. What was the conclusion he reached with that approach?)
"Since the Club World Cup, we haven't intentionally chosen a defensive formation or lineup, but there have been Trial where we were pushed back by the opponent's play and ended up spending more time defending. For example, if we consider away games against Kashiwa (Reysol) and Gamba (Osaka), if we prioritized defense, I don't think we would have used players like Shoya Nakajima."

(Are you viewing the Kawasaki match as the culmination of this season, or are you using it as a stepping stone to next season?)
"I think it will be a mix of those two aspects. At the same time, I want to give players who are leaving the team, such as Thiago and Marius (Høibraten), opportunities to play. However, the top priority is to create more chances and win Okayama match, so that the people who came to watch can go home satisfied."

(Kawasaki gave us a bad experience in the YBC Levain Cup, but what do you think will be the key factors?)
"I reviewed the Levain Cup Trial yesterday, and I think we created more chances than our opponents, especially in the home Trial, and it was Trial we should have won. In the away Trial, we didn't play the way we wanted, and we made some simple mistakes in Zone 1. I want the players to play with more responsibility to avoid making those kinds of mistakes. Also, Kawasaki is one of the teams that creates the most chances and has the most goals, so I think this will be Trial our defense will be put to the test."

(I interviewed several players during training this week, and they all spoke along the lines of trying to bring the high level of play and intensity they experienced at the Club World Cup back to the team immediately after the tournament, but gradually reverting back to their old ways. What do you think are the reasons why the team wasn't able to continue expressing what they learned on the world stage?)
"We tried to leverage our experience from the Club World Cup in the J.League and use it as an advantage. There were Trial where that worked well, but in the long run, we couldn't maintain it. As I mentioned earlier, we lacked consistency after the Club World Cup. This was because we had problems maintaining our physical condition and losing concentration. Players are human, so these things happen, and I don't know if it was due to the summer training, but we couldn't maintain the high intensity we learned to play at in the Club World Cup."

(I suspect that the Japanese summer weather had an impact, and that Coach Maciej was careful about controlling the intensity of training. If you were in the same situation, what approach would you take?)
"The Club World Cup in the middle of the season was a first for all of us. If there's anything we can change, it might be the training we do after returning from America. Maybe we need to slightly reduce the intensity of our training in order to increase the intensity of Trial."

(In the previous match against Fagiano Okayama, you secured your third away win of the season. I think it was excellent that you selected players who could perform well, rather than just focusing on who to use. For the Kawasaki match, I don't think you'll be able to use players like Renji Hidano and Hayate Ueki because they have official university matches. What are your thoughts on that?)
"I believe Renji and Hayate represent the future of the Reds. Renji scored Pts, but he's still a young player, and I want him to remain humble, so I think it's best not to overestimate him. In training leading up to Okayama match, they also played in training matches, and the data showed that Renji and Hayate had high numbers. Both of them had very high player load metrics, so I selected them with the expectation that they will be able to maintain a high level of intensity even when playing in the J.League. Both of them have very interesting skills, which are also what the team needs tactically. I believe they are players who can be an asset to the team next season."

(Kawasaki will be without Tatsuya Ito, a player who was a threat to Urawa Reds, but what is your impression of Kawasaki as a whole, including Ito?)
"In the Levain Cup, Ito scored three goals against us, which was a major factor in our elimination. Including the goal he scored against Sanfrecce Hiroshima the other day, he is a central player in Kawasaki's attack. I expect Ienaga Akihiro to play in Ito's absence, but containing this experienced player will be crucial. Considering Kawasaki's overall performance, I expect their fullbacks to be attacking. Also, Ellison, who can hold onto the ball well and combines well with the midfielders, has already scored 13 goals, so I think he will be a very important player. Marcinho's speed is also a notable feature, but I think the most important thing in this team is the coordination between the three central players: Yamamoto (Yuki), Kawahara (So), and Wakisaka (Yasuto). They are the heart of Kawasaki. They are very intelligent players who can make decisions about whether to keep possession of the ball or speed up while playing."

(Looking at this season, I have the impression that manager Maciej 's defense is characterized by focused defense in specific situations. Rather than winning the ball individually, the team works together to regain possession before they even realize it. This requires many sprints, and the Reds have a very high number of sprints in each of Zones 1, 2, and 3, as well as a high average number of sprints. Matheus Savio and Kaito Yasui have a high total number of duel wins and loose ball recoveries, but they are not among the top in the league. I think there are details in manager Maciej 's defense that are not reflected in the data, but perhaps he valued how to win the ball rather than where to win it?)
"I think that's true. We don't use man-to-man high pressing. If we did, we could win the ball back more often in the zones we're pressing. Our defense basically involves closing down the center and forcing the opponent to play long balls or pass to the sides, preventing them from using the areas they're trying to play through. Sometimes we recover the ball in lower zones 2 and 1, but our transition from there hasn't been very successful. I think we could have committed more players to the attack at that time. Considering the number of players participating in the attack when transitioning from defense to offense, I don't think it was enough."

(This is an abstract question, but as a professional sports club, not just in soccer, it's rare for the exact same members and staff to compete in the next season. Given that, what should the final match of the season be like? What kind of lessons and experiences does the club believe it should gain?)
"I think we need to consider several factors. First and foremost, we want to deliver a good performance, a good game, and a victory that will bring joy to everyone. From a tactical standpoint, we want to look at the process we've gone through so far and see its development and continuity. Within that, I hope we can play by utilizing the space behind the midfielders, the space between the defensive line and our own line, or even the space behind the defensive line. Looking ahead to next season, for example, I want players like Kenta Nemoto, who will likely play an important role next season, to gain experience. Separately, we also have to consider the players who have contributed to the Reds up until now and will be leaving. We are currently thinking about how we can beat Kawasaki while considering all these various factors and finding a compromise."

(Is it correct to assume that Hidano will not be traveling with Urawa because he has a university official match on the 6th?)
"Neither Renji nor Hayate will be on the roster for the next Trial."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]