4 Sep 2008(Thu)

September 3, 2008: Japan have the right players to beat Bahrain away on Saturday.

Whether they have the right attitude remains to be seen.

Will they be aggressive and take the game to the home team, or will they sit back and try to score on the counter?

I really hope they go into the match with a positive mindset, because this was the biggest problem when they lost 1-0 in Bahrain in March.

On that occasion they were not sharp, not hungry, and paid the price when Kawaguchi's mistake enabled Bahrain to take the lead and hold on to it.

This time, however, I think Japan will approach the match with more urgency and more professionalism, and try hard to win it from the outset.

Of course they need to adopt a killer instinct in front of goal, and shoot when the opportunity arises; this problem has been well documented in the past.
But another area in which Japan can improve is when they have possession out wide.

They can string together some nice moves to get the ball into a wide area, but then decline the chance to cross the ball into the box; instead they will knock it back and start again, leaving the opposition defence untested.

What I hope to see in Manama on Saturday night is Japan getting the ball into the box and putting the goalkeeper and defenders under pressure.
It may not be subtle or involve lots of patient passing on the ground, but it will produce mistakes from Bahrain and chances for Japan.

This is why I would select Maki up front, as he is a good target man and an outlet for any player in possession: Launch it into the box and Maki will be there, causing problems.

I have written before about his main strength, which is to win headers at the back post and knock the ball down into the danger area, where someone like Tamada should be waiting to pounce.

This is not rocket science; it is a simple, effective strategy. It is also a positive strategy, but not the only one; just an option.

Without a target man up front, the player in possession is short of options on the ball, and this leads to moves breaking down or going nowhere.

Japan must start the game by playing with authority and confidence, and must try and set the pace and the rhythm, even though they are the away team.

They have good players from a technical point of view -- but the attitude and spirit will be just as important at this stage of qualifying.

I think they will have learned from their last game in Manama, and can win this one. I'll go for 1-0 Japan.

ends