On the 20th, manager Maciej Skorza held an online press conference, where he spoke about his enthusiasm for the upcoming match against FC Machida Zelvia on Sunday the 22nd at Saitama Stadium, which will be the 8th round MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE. [MATCH PARTNER Kamukamu Lemon]

(After the last Trial against Kashiwa Reysol, he mentioned that their high press was working at first, but then they seemed to run out of steam and were pushed back for a while. It's true that high pressing requires a lot of stamina, and there's a limit to how much energy one can sustain. Using substitutions is one option, but I think scoring multiple goals is the easiest solution, yet also the most difficult. How will manager Maciej deal with this?)
"We have to consider all the factors. Scoring goals is one important thing, but it's also important how we conserve energy while applying high pressure in the first half, and how we manage our energy in the second half as we get tired. The timing of substitutions is also important. In the last Trial, our substitutions were a few minutes too late, and we conceded a goal."

(After 7 Trial, the gap between us and league leaders Kashima Antlers has widened to 8 points. How do you view this point difference?)
"The next Trial will be the eighth, so it's become even more difficult for teams other than Kashima to catch up. However, we don't think it's over, and we must believe that we can close the gap by getting three points in our home games."

(There was talk of saving power, but I'm watching with the thought that perhaps playing a calmer game for the Reds might mean trying something new rather than just focusing on high pressing. Players like Takuro Kaneko and Matheus Savio are players who like to attack, and the stadium gets excited when that happens, but where on the pitch should they control the situation effectively? When they enter the opponent's half, they want to attack and go towards the goal, so should they create more time at the back? Or should they tell the players in front to be more patient?)
"Ideally, we'd like to maintain possession while pressing forward, but that's not easy. As you said, we have attacking players, but they also have intelligence and skill. Immediately after Trial, I spoke with the players about the need for more time to settle down, and in the feedback I gave them today, I showed them footage from around the 15th minute of the second half and said, 'When we won the ball back from the opponent, we were tired, so maybe we should have held on a little longer.' We tried to execute a slightly difficult combination, lost possession, and everyone had to run a long distance back. We won the ball back again after that, but the footage showed that instead of holding on, we went forward again."

(You've played against opponents with a three-man defense in the last two Trial, and I think you spent a week preparing against a three-man defense before Tokyo Verdy match. Considering that, how would you summarize what you feel you did well and what you feel you still need to improve?)
"Of course there are many areas where we are lacking, but for example, if we compare the Kashiwa match and the Verdy match, I think our build-up play has improved considerably. Defensively, I think we were able to apply a more effective high press than in the Verdy match. We have limited time to prepare something before the Machida match, but today we trained on set pieces, and tomorrow we would like to train on tactical aspects. Onaiwu Ado made his first start, and I think his combination with Watanabe Ryoma was quite good, but I think we need a little more time to automate that coordination."

(After the Machida match, there will be a break due to national team activities, so I think there will be time to focus on training. However, with the 20 players on the bench being somewhat fixed, is there anything you'd like to talk to the players about during this period, or any young players you're hoping will emerge?
"We will be playing training matches against J1 clubs on weekends over the next two weeks. I think it will be an opportunity for the younger players to showcase their abilities. And as you mentioned, the 20-man squad list hasn't changed much, so it also serves to get those players used to the three-man defense as quickly as possible. What I want to ask of the players in next weekend's training matches is to show the kind of play that will make me want to be included in the squad list. Players like Teruuchi (Toshikazu), (Hayakawa) Junpei, and (Nita) Rio have already shown that they have something to bring to the team in games, but while we are waiting for Samuel (Gustafsson), I would also like to see players like (Ueki) Hayate. We are short on players in the defensive midfield position, so I would like them to show what they can do in the training matches."

(I'd like to ask about your impressions of Machida and what the team needs to be careful about. Machida uses long kicks to evade the press, so I think we'll be forced to deal with that, but they're also a team that can score goals with long throws. What do you think will be important?)
"I think they are exactly the kind of team you described. They can apply high pressure, but they can also sit back a bit, as they did in the Kashiwa match. Soma (Yuki), (Tete) Yengui, and Erik are dangerous players in the penalty area, but they are also a threat on the counter. We need to be effective in defending inside the penalty area. We also need to maintain a high level of risk management when we are attacking."

(There was talk about a shortage of defensive midfielders, but considering that this is a team that has been continued since last year, there have been times since last summer when one or two defensive midfielders were substituted in the starting lineup, and in some Trial, two defensive midfielders were substituted in order to compensate for a lack of energy towards the end of the game. In those matches, both defensive midfielders were substituted in the games against Yokohama F. Marinos and Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and the team suffered heavy defeats, but it is also true that there were Trial where the team was able to maintain its energy without Trial falling apart. What are your thoughts on that?)
"It depends on the flow of Trial, but right now we're applying a high-intensity high press, so I think we'll have to change our defensive midfielders in every Trial. For example, Kashiwa often uses the pockets on the sidelines when they switch sides, and it was the defensive midfielders who dealt with that. As a result, Kaito Yasui's stamina was quite depleted after 60 minutes. Also, ideally, we'd have one defensive midfielder on the bench to keep things going and another to change the flow of the game. For example, it would depend on whether we're trying to maintain the score or if we need to go for a goal."

(Was it a miscalculation for manager Maciej that Gustafsson and Ueki were unavailable at the start of this season?)
"Unfortunately, both of them suffered injuries during the preseason. Hayate's condition is steadily improving, so I think he will get his chance in the near future."

(Ryoma Watanabe took over the defensive midfield position midway through Trial, but was this merely a temporary measure and not something that had been planned from the beginning?)
"Ryoma has great scoring ability and was the team's top scorer last season, so I'd like to use him as an attacking midfielder if possible. He plays very well as a defensive midfielder, but I want to use him as an attacking midfielder whenever I can."

(To continue doing that, have you ever considered, for example, using either Yuta Miyamoto or Danilo Boza as a defensive midfielder so that Watanabe can continue to play further up the field?)
"I think it's a very interesting approach. We're trying it out in training. We have other players training as defensive midfielders, but it's not ideal to have to change positions just to play defensive midfielder."

(I think the hidden theme of the 100-Year Vision League is that it's a tournament of challenge. Because there's no relegation, I think many fans and supporters feel that it's that kind of tournament. In other words, it gives many opportunities to young players. Only the winning team gets a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite, but the remaining 19 teams don't have that chance. In that case, I'd like to see Reds or manager Maciej himself take on a challenge other than high pressing. I think it's natural for fans to want to see different formations, surprising player selections, or position changes, but will we be able to see that in the remaining games?)
"I think the number of players participating in Trial will increase going forward. Also, having Nemoto (Kenta) and (Hidano) Renji start from the beginning is a good experience for us. Compared to last season, we have two fresh players in the starting lineup. As I mentioned earlier, Terauchi, Junpei, and Rio are also contributing to the team with goals and assists, and I think there will be even more opportunities for young players going forward. I want to be open to that."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]