19 Nov 2009(Thu)

November 17, 2009: One thing that has always worried me about Japan under Takeshi Okada is the lack of protection for the back four.

But the coach began to address this problem against South Africa by playing Junichi Inamoto in front of the defence, as a midfield sweeper.

Not only did this give Japan a second line of defence in front of the back four, it also gave Hasebe and Endo more freedom to push forward and dictate the tempo of the game, which they did for long periods.

In the past I've thought Japan lacked defensive steel throughout the team. Against Asian opposition – with the exception of Australia, who are more like European opposition – Japan could get away with this approach, but against bigger, tougher teams like they will face in South Africa next summer it is asking for trouble.

Hasebe and Endo are both fine technical footballers, but they are naturally attacking players and offer little protection on the defensive side when they play together in central midfield.

In front of them in Okada's normal line-up, be it 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2, Shunsuke Nakamura on the right and whoever else fills the other positions – Kengo Nakamura, Okubo, Matsui, Honda, Okazaki – is simply too lightweight for the overall defensive structure of the team.

Who can protect the two full backs out wide when Japan are under pressure? Shunsuke? Okubo? Matsui? I don't think so.

And who can tough it out in the middle of the park when the opposition comes forward through the centre of midfield? Endo? Hasebe? Not really; it is just not their game.

This is why I liked the idea of Inamoto in there against South Africa; a tackler, a ball-winner, someone to break up the opposition attack and give Japan that extra layer of defence.

Other players besides Inamoto could fill this midfield sweeper role, such as Abe or Konno, or even Myojin, the forgotten man, for that matter.

So I will take this positive from the 0-0 draw with South Africa, and hope that Japan will continue to have more midfield muscle from now on alongside the ball-playing artists.

ends