On the 3rd, after the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 11 match against Kawasaki Frontale, Ryoma Watanabe reflected on the day's match and spoke about the challenges he and his team face.

"Simply put, it was a game we had to win. We conceded an opening goal in the first half, but it didn't feel like we were going to lose. However, one thing we need to reflect on is that we weren't able to score additional goals when we were dominating in the first half. We didn't start off well in the second half either, and we conceded a goal and let that drag on, which I think is why we lost. It's a basic thing, but we need to reconcentrate in the first 15 minutes and the last 5 or 10 minutes of the game. We did have chances, so it was just a basic thing like that, and there were times when we couldn't hold on during periods when we made more mistakes. We also went too far in our pressing and were taken away, so I think it was small things like that."

(I think the precariousness that was there at the beginning of the season is disappearing, but are they being exploited in a small way?)
"I haven't seen the video yet, so I don't know how we conceded goals, but it was often due to our own mistakes, or when we could have countered, we would lose the ball again and be countered again. I think there are many things that can be solved by individuals, such as who is going for the ball and how we defend."

(Are you feeling tired?)
"I don't feel anything in particular, and I don't feel the team is tired either. When you're on the field you have to perform, so the excuse that 'we lost because we were tired' doesn't hold water. I think we need to perform more."

(You may feel like you have good ball contacts, but they don't lead to shots or points. What do you feel is lacking?)
"I think that passing the ball without rushing is important in the type of soccer we play, but I personally think that as a team, everyone needs to be unified in their intentions regarding when a cross will come in and when to break forward, no matter which player is on the field. The players at the back might want to pass the ball around a bit more, but the players up front might want to 'get the ball forward quickly,' and I personally feel that in those kinds of areas too, the team needs to see the same picture."

(You yourself had some close calls in your play, didn't you?)
"In the first half, when I took a shot inside the penalty area, I absolutely had to score. Because of my position, I didn't have many chances, so I had to become a player who can score in those situations. Now that I'm a more defensive player, I think that's part of my job, so it was a big thing for me to reflect on."

(What was missing?)
"In today's scene, I thought I was hitting the ball where I was aiming, but it ended up going in further inside than I thought. I wasn't able to properly check the position of the goal."

(I think the imagination going in was amazing.)
"Kaito (Yasui) made a really good pass, and it's not so important who gets there, it's important that someone is in that position. I hope we can do more attacks like that."

(The mid-range shot on the rebound from a corner kick might have gone in if we had been a little luckier.)
"I'll decide next time."

(Towards the end of the match, there seemed to be a bit of a disconnect between the teams.)
"If we had lost, the game would have become more open, so I think it's important to play well even in those conditions."

(The manager wanted the full-backs to carry the ball themselves?)
"I think I wasn't determined enough there. It wasn't because I was tired or anything like that, but I wondered if we should try again as a team. To put it in a positive way, it was for the sake of team play, but to put it in a negative way, we were too passive. In the next game, we need to be more aggressive, with the attitude of 'I'll send in a cross, so come and meet it.' Today, we were facing an opponent that gave us chances with crosses, so I think we could have sent in more."

(We've had wins and losses, but if we get results, will we be able to ride the wave? Or will we be able to do better if we just improve our performance?)
"I have never once had any doubts about the kind of football we are playing now, and I am also growing as a person. I believe that when all the members work together in harmony, we will see more and more results. In order to achieve that, I think it is important now for the team to work together in solidarity."

(Wasn't it good that they managed to stay strong and finish the first half despite being scored on first?)
"I 100 percent thought we could score, so it would have been better if we had taken the lead in the first half. We didn't start the second half well."

(I think there are so many goals conceded despite having players on the field, but is this a structural problem or is there something else going on?)
"It's very difficult. It was the same in the games against Gamba Osaka and Kashiwa Reysol, but we were scored on by the opponents taking shots in front of the defense. It's very difficult to know what to do as a team in that sort of situation, but in today's case, when Sasaki Akira was dribbling, Hironori turned his body towards Marcinho and dropped back. I asked him if it was the right thing to do to attack the ball, or if he should have stayed back. I personally thought that even if he had attacked the ball and come to me, he could have stopped it from there, considering the angle of the goal, with a two-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, so I asked him that. I've had similar experiences, but I feel that it's all about the small details."

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