In order to avoid meeting the Japanese team that fell to the second place in the group in the knockout round, the South Korean team did not hesitate to be scored three goals in a single game by Malaysia, and even fought two consecutive overtime games with Saudi Arabia and Australia before breaking into the semi-finals in a bloody way.
As a result, the Iranian team eliminated the Japanese team in 90 minutes, and even said that the scene was one-sided at one point, and the score of 2-1 was not enough to reflect the advantage of the Iranian team. How did Mori Boichi's Blue Samurai become a paper tiger?
a.The problems exposed in the group stage: they have not been solved
This Japanese team is very good from the point of view of the cards, and even the three lines have a certain ability to "scare people". The problem is that from the selection of materials to the first arrangement, Mori Baoyi pays too much attention to technology and awareness, but lacks complementary collocation.
When facing the Vietnamese team in the group stage, not only was the opponent scored 2 goals, but the score was behind for a while, and the number of successful one-on-one duels in the whole game was 45 to 42, and the Japanese team had a small advantage.
The opponent's two goals, one from a corner kick and one from a high ball scramble in the center circle, won a free kick, and then won the first point of the header, causing a mistake by Saiyan Suzuki to bring the goal.
The key problem was that although Vietnam only won four headers one-on-one, there were a couple of crucial golf rounds in which Japan lost headers.
In the match against Iraq, Japan played a messy first half. After the break, Tomiyasu came on to replenish the backcourt confrontation and the team's defense gradually stabilized.
originally thought that he and Kaoru Mikasa had recovered from injury and would make the Japanese team go up a level in the front and back, but the problem was that the Japanese team still had too many problems when they encountered the opponent rushing up.
Kenhiro Tomiyasu and Hiroshi Endo are the best players in the Japanese team, and both play for Premier League teams.
The problem is that in this Asian Cup, the Japanese team has too many positions that are easy to be easily overwhelmed by their opponents. Hussein's brace against the Japanese team also has something to do with the deflated full-backs of the Blue Samurai.
b.Under the pressure of the Iranian team: Japan's pass "weakened".
As can be seen from the statistics, the Japanese team had a pass success rate of only 82% in the top 8 of the Asian Cup. Although 10 percentage points higher than Iran, Japan attempted 55 long passes, accounting for 12 of the total passes4%。
Obviously, the Iranian team's strong confrontation and pressing disrupted the passing rhythm and advancing mode that the Japanese team is good at. At the same time, the two teams tried a total of 39 headers to go head-to-head, almost every 2It takes 3 minutes to face a high ball, which shows that the Iranian team has found the weakness of the opponent.
In particular, the Japanese team does not have Junya Ito's off-ball speed point, and the quality of counterattacks will also decline, while the Iranian team is more daring to press forward and press high and strengthen the confrontation.
This time, Hideya Morita was surrounded by a group of Iranian players and was unable to send the ball out, resulting in the opponent getting a chance to counterattack on the spot.
Originally, the Japanese team cleared the siege and wanted to counterattack, but under the team of Iranian players, the ball was still snatched back.
Although the quality of this long-range shot was average, it was a problem for the Japanese team to be contained in attack.
Including the equalizing goal, the same Iranian team's high pressing came directly to goalkeeper Suzuki Caiyan.
The Japanese goalkeeper rushed the ball out and the Iranians won the ball in the center circle. The counterattack came sharply, except for the shot, the Roma striker Azmoun, who was extremely outstanding in other aspects, sent a wonderful pass to Mohebi.
The latter stepped forward and hit Akira Itakura's defensive zone and successfully equalized the score.
a.Without Junya Ito: Mori's offense lacks variety
After the Japanese team was out, Japan** and netizens asked Mori to take a class. In fact, at the World Cup, Moriyasu was at risk of being left before he left, but a win over Germany boosted his support in Yahoo's Japanese sports sector to 94%, but after losing to Costa Rica, his approval rating was less than 50%.
The coach was overconfident in the use of personnel, lacked change, and made on-the-spot substitutions and adjustments, and paid the price in this Asian Cup.
The loss of Junya Ito on the wing is equivalent to one less winger who has impact, is good off the ball, and at the same time contributes on the defensive end, and the second forward swingman.
The use of Dairan Maeda had some effect, but he was replaced too early. Japan's wide attack has not improved, and most of the attacking threats have come from the forward insertion of Hidemasa Morida in the middle.
The problem is that if you want to threaten in the middle, you need to have the power fulcrum to play the ball. This time, Ueda did a good job and also brought a goal from the Japanese team.
Hidemasa Morita had a dangerous forward shot in each half and was Japan's best performer. This time it was a pass from Kiyo Ueda, and that chance in the second half was a wonderful pass from Dairan Maeda.
But it is really difficult to directly penetrate the opponent's defense in the middle, and it is not easy to complete it once, after all, the Iranian team's confrontation advantage is still obvious.
When the Japanese team is the most threatening point on the offensive end, it happens to be the biggest advantage of the Iranian team, in fact, it is the tactical problem of coach Mori Hoichi.
It can be said that Junya Ito's sudden departure from the team was an accident, and the problem is that Mori's subsequent adjustment was not successful, and it is difficult for him to shirk responsibility.
b.Kaoru Mikasa's appearance didn't help: Japan's defense was weaker
Kaoru Mikasa, under the command of Mori Hoichi, used his personal ability to complete the wing assault after coming off the bench in the second half.
From the World Cup to the Asian Cup, there has been almost no change, the opponent has long been prepared, and Mori Baoichi has once again "held the big".
As soon as Kaoru Mikasa came on the field, the opponent almost scored. Because Kaoru Mikasa is not very good on the defensive end, this time the opponent directly crossed to the back of the penalty area, and Kaoru Mikasa moved slowly.
The key point is that the Japanese team's defense line could not withstand the Iranian team's impact on their own penalty area, and their own counterattack could not be played.
If it weren't for the inefficient shooting of the Iranian striker, Japan could have suffered a big loss. Mohebi is really a bit undeserved this time.
a.Without Junya Ito: Mori's offense lacks variety
Although the Japanese national team once won 10 consecutive victories in the friendly match after the World Cup and before the Asian Cup, when it came to the main stage, when the opponent fought with real knives and guns, the Blue Samurai quickly lost the chic of the friendly match.
When the defender goes all out, the shortcomings of the Japanese team begin to be exposed (in the World Cup, in fact, the German team and the Spanish team are a bit careless, underestimated and subjectively not working hard enough).
Mori Baoyi is still complained about by many people, that is, he chooses people for his own use. Goalkeeper Ayaka Suzuki and centre-back Akira Itakura are clearly lacking in ability and have holes, but they have not made adjustments (either before or during this game).
From the first half, Iran's attacking threat came from the blow to Akira Itakura. This time, Gudos shot after opening Itakura, which was a knock on the mountain.
The equaliser in the second half was still Mohebi who stepped forward from Akira Itakura. A few minutes later, Azmoun also cut into the box next to Akira Itakura, casually smashed the ball past Akira Itakura and scored.
It's a pity that this ball was counted as offside, but at that time, Akira Itakura's embarrassment was beyond control, and Mori Hoichi sat firmly on the Diaoyutai and did not choose to make a substitution.
b.Hoichi Mori, who trusts Akira Itakura: Why shouldn't you get out of class?
It can also be seen from the statistics that the efficiency of the one-on-one confrontation in this field is low. The bigger problem is that he doesn't match the point at all many times, and the other party directly sends him over, and he doesn't need to fight.
Azmoun's chance this time was also to shoot into the penalty area after opening Itakura, but fortunately it was defused by Suzuki Ayakin (from the slow motion, it was also offside).
In the final moments of stoppage time, Itakura made another big mistake. He headed the ball overhead, interfered with teammate Kenhiro Tomiyasu's clearance, and finally fouled the tackle and gave Iran a penalty kick.
In this way, Akira Itakura finally sent 2 goals for the Iranian team, bringing a comeback.
Originally, there was only one goal before the game, that is, the Japanese team won the championship, but in this way, in the Asian Cup, they lost to Iraq and Iran in succession.
I wonder if Klinsmann will regret letting the team choose the most difficult knockout route when he sees this scene. After all, judging from the results, the Japanese team has become a paper tiger.
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