On February 18, only two weeks to go to the Algarve Cup 2013, the 23 members of Japan's national team were announced.

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Permalink Reply by Asa on February 18, 2013 at 8:48

Thank you @Hiroshi

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Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on February 18, 2013 at 9:15

Everyone may be surprised to see the most familiar names – Sawa, Miyama, Ohno, Fukumoto, Ando – are all missing. The reason should be obvious. Japan has initiated the process to switch to younger generation with 2015 Canada and 2016 Rio de Janeiro in sight. The eldest among the squad is Kawasumi, 27, and the team’s average age is 23.0, against the 26.5 which the number should have been had the same players in London been selected. And, again, Sasaki reveals his strong penchant for sized players by picking Yamane (1.87, 6’2”) and Otaki (1.72, 5’8”) over others with higher performance record (or even prospect.)

In my personal view, the biggest puzzle here is the absence of Hanae Shibata (Urawa). If Sasaki’s strategy is to build the new team with young players, why not include this AFC’s 2012 Best Youth Player? Because she is only 1.53 (5’0”)? Or, maybe, Sasaki is “punishing” Urawa for letting all senior players go? I was already pointing suspicious eyes to the process of national team forming because of Bev’s absence in the USWNT. Now Japan follows suit. Fortunately, or unfortunately, this national team includes no player from Urawa. Why not play a training match against Urawa before flying to Portugal? Then everyone will see what the team is missing thanks to the Sasaki’s decision.

With all these words being said, let us see it with a more positive speculation. See the ages of selected players, and the major international tournament each participated in 2012.

Kawasumi, 27, Olympic

Iwashimizu, 26, Olympic

Kaihori, 26, Olympic

Ogimi, 25, Olympic

Sameshima, 25, Olympic

Ariyoshi, 25

A.Tanaka, 24, Olympic

Utsugi, 24

Nagasato, 24

Ogawa, 24

Kawamura, 23

Osafune, 23

Otaki, 23

Kuno, 23

Yamane, 22

Kumagai, 22, Olympic

Kado, 22

Yamazaki, 22

Takase, 22, Olympic

Nakajima, 22

Y.Tanaka, 19, U20 WWC

Kyokawa, 19

M.Tanaka, 18, U20 WWC

Perhaps, you can see the “new faces” not seen in either Olympic or U20WWC are largely “in-between” ages, younger than the Olympians but elder than U20’s. Sasaki might have guessed/hoped new talent could be scooped out of this “forgotten” generation. In other words, who played at U20WWC already experienced a major international competition, and we know how they perform in such condition. So, it’s the turn of the ones who missed such opportunities so far?

Permalink Reply by Asa on February 18, 2013 at 9:27

Thank you @Ken,interesting times ahead for the new look team

Permalink Reply by Dernhelm Lee on February 18, 2013 at 11:06

wow even Miyama? i find that unacceptable...

hopefully this is just some kind of "experiment" for the more important matches/tournaments later...

Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on February 18, 2013 at 11:57

Experiment, yes. To put it differently, we could not try such experiment in the last 2 years because of world cup and Olympic. And, in 2014 we will compete to qualify for 2015 Canada. Conclusion: 2013 is the “Year of Experiment.”

Still, it is wrong to exclude Shibata.

Dernhelm Lee said:

wow even Miyama? i find that unacceptable...

hopefully this is just some kind of "experiment" for the more important matches/tournaments later...

Permalink Reply by Hiroshi Umezu on February 18, 2013 at 12:35

@Asa

Please don't mention it. :-)

Permalink Reply by jonathan gardner on February 19, 2013 at 12:20

Hello Ken,

Thank you for the detailed analysis.  I think you are missing one thing with Bev Goebel missing USWNT camp, that really takes it out of the suspicious category. Bev is playing forward for INAC. Forward is a position of strength for the USWNT. Christen Press is far more accomplished at forward than Bev at this point in her career, and just now finally got a couple of caps. Bev definitely needs and deserves to get called into USWNT as Midfield, and I hope she gets there this year, probably after Algarve. However her playing a different position at this time, probably draws attention away from the value she could provide in MF as proven previously in WPS.

Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on February 19, 2013 at 16:14

Hi Jonathan,

Thank you for your comment, and forgive me for using such a strong word as “suspicious.” I have nothing negative in mind against the coach of your national team.

Still, let me raise a few points.

The first to consider is Bev’s merit as a forward. INAC Kobe in 2012 had its own prolific goal-winners – Kawasumi, Ohno, Takase – and still converted Bev to a forward because they saw a high prospect there. In 2012, Beverly scored 14 goals in 19 games for Kobe while Christen Press scored 15 goals in 17 games for Kopparbergs/Göteborg. Isn’t it too much to say Press is “far more accomplished” than Bev based on this stats? If you can say there is a larger gap between them than showing in statistics, there is only one possible reason – the level of Nadeshiko League is distinctly lower than Damallsvenskan. Perhaps, Bev is doing easier job in easier environment? ….. But, is that the case?

My second point is that Beverly is a type of forward you don’t see in the current national team. Wambach has height and physicality. Morgan has speed. Bev, on the other hand, is characterized most by adroit manipulation of ball. Her goal often comes as a surprise because it is produced in a form expected by few. See, for example, her goal against NTV Beleza. As you see, Bev runs to the ball, reaches it by sliding fraction of second earlier than the goalie, then kicks it over toward the net from a sharp angle. Or, see her goal against Canberra United. Kawasumi sends a cross-in which Bev heads toward the goal. But her head is turned away from the goal, so she used the side of her head, without actually seeing the target.

Third point. A “forward” in Japan-style soccer is defined differently than in US and Europe. It is actually a mixture of forward and midfielder, which means the player is expected not only to score but also to run back to join defense. And no team follows this strategy as Kobe. That’s why the players like Ohno, Kawasumi, Takase can serve either as forward or midfielder just as necessity arises. Ohno, for example, was a midfielder for Kobe and a forward for the national team in 2012, and successful as both. And this is something Bev has learned by playing in Japan. (Otherwise, Kobe never uses her in the first place.) So, if the USWNT wants her as MF, so be it.

Anyway, I think Tom Sermanni must at least call Bev to the training camp and evaluates her with his own eyes. If, then, he finds her unfit for his team, that’s his decision.

jonathan gardner said:

Hello Ken,

Thank you for the detailed analysis.  I think you are missing one thing with Bev Goebel missing USWNT camp, that really takes it out of the suspicious category. Bev is playing forward for INAC. Forward is a position of strength for the USWNT. Christen Press is far more accomplished at forward than Bev at this point in her career, and just now finally got a couple of caps. Bev definitely needs and deserves to get called into USWNT as Midfield, and I hope she gets there this year, probably after Algarve. However her playing a different position at this time, probably draws attention away from the value she could provide in MF as proven previously in WPS.

Permalink Reply by Asa on February 19, 2013 at 17:05

@Ken,thank you for the insight into Bev's stats

Permalink Reply by jonathan gardner on February 20, 2013 at 6:15

Ken, actually yes it is completely appropriate to say Christen Press is far more accomplished as a forward than Bev is.  Press played as a forward in college and was the Mac Herman award winner in 2010. She played as a forward in 2011 in WPS and was 5th in scoring behind Marta/Sinclair who tied for first/second, and Wambach /Tasha Kai who tied for third/fourth.

Without weighing the overall strength of the Swedish versus Japanese leagues. Yes the fact that she was second in scoring in the Damallsvenskan playing for Goteborg, which was not considered a strong team was actually much more difficult than what Bev achieved for INAC. INAC is the all-star team of Japan. Press scored against the All-Star team of Sweden Tyreso to win the Swedish Cup. Tyreso containing Marta, Vero, Seger, etc. Press was ahead of all of those players in scoring in the league.  It isn't just one years stats, Press has a full career as a forward to compare to the limited time for Bev.

None of that is meant to say that Bev doesn't deserve a shot, or isn't a great player. It is merely an explanation why the move to forward could actually hurt her chances. I hope Sermanni understands her value as a playmaking, attacking mid who can score and gets her into camp.

BTW - Wambach has made quite a few looking away from goal side or back of the head header goals in her career.

Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on February 20, 2013 at 9:12

@Jonathan

OK, let us agree on one thing between us. The national team must call Beverly to the camp for evaluation, rather than ignoring her from the start. As you said, Kobe is the all-star team, which means staying in its starting eleven is itself an achievement. It is unimaginable that Japan's national team doesn't call Bev to the camp if she was a Japanese national.

Looking forward to seeing play of Christen Press at Algarve Cup, I hope Japan plays USA. (Only Japan's games will be aired here.)

jonathan gardner said:

Ken, actually yes it is completely appropriate to say Christen Press is far more accomplished as a forward than Bev is.  Press played as a forward in college and was the Mac Herman award winner in 2010. She played as a forward in 2011 in WPS and was 5th in scoring behind Marta/Sinclair who tied for first/second, and Wambach /Tasha Kai who tied for third/fourth.

Without weighing the overall strength of the Swedish versus Japanese leagues. Yes the fact that she was second in scoring in the Damallsvenskan playing for Goteborg, which was not considered a strong team was actually much more difficult than what Bev achieved for INAC. INAC is the all-star team of Japan. Press scored against the All-Star team of Sweden Tyreso to win the Swedish Cup. Tyreso containing Marta, Vero, Seger, etc. Press was ahead of all of those players in scoring in the league.  It isn't just one years stats, Press has a full career as a forward to compare to the limited time for Bev.

None of that is meant to say that Bev doesn't deserve a shot, or isn't a great player. It is merely an explanation why the move to forward could actually hurt her chances. I hope Sermanni understands her value as a playmaking, attacking mid who can score and gets her into camp.

BTW - Wambach has made quite a few looking away from goal side or back of the head header goals in her career.

Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on February 20, 2013 at 9:19

FIFA news to report Japan's switch to young generation -- and my comment to question the squad selection. ;-)

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