GW389 - J1 League Report for Sorare (Patreon)

Intro

We have a full schedule of games this GW in the J1 league!

The fixtures including which will be streamed are below.

Most teams played in the Emperors Cup on Wednesday meaning limited info is available especially for Sundays games.

Predicted Lineups

These can also be found on Playsharper website here . Also note that all the betting odds and lineup pics are taken direct from them!

Important to note the %s used here and where they are not above 75% it is because I feel there is some risk involved. My main aim with these is to show where risk/potential DNPs are lurking.

I base these %s on info I read from various sources including comments from the manager and reading a lot of local Japanese news coverage/message boards.

These are my own opinion of the situation at each team. I try to be as neutral as possible but we all have biases :) So always do your own research when making picks!

Suspensions

• Tatsuta (Kashiwa) 
• Nagai (Nagoya) 
• Ben Khalifa(Hiroshima) 
• Nara (Fukuoka) 
• Lukian (Fukuoka) 
• Horigome (Sagan)

Risks

Below are the main new risks or confirmed injuries of starters

Sapporo vs Niigata

Notes - General

• Lost 2-1 against Fukuoka last week. Have now only won 1 league game in 5.
• Kaneko linked to a transfer out

Notes - This game

• Ogashiwa remains sidelined. His absence has had a significant impact on the team, they havent won since his injury.
• Haven't kept a clean sheet in 15 league games. Trying new defenders at LCB to little success in defence.
• Kaneko is close to a transfer to Zagreb. He has said he is focused on this game.
• Team have scored in each of their last 12 games in a row and average 2.1 goals per game this season.

Notes - Key Players

• Kaneko
• Tanaka
• Asano

Notes - General

• In inconsistent form and struggling to score. 

Notes - This Game

• Played well and unfortunate to lose against high flying Kobe. 
• Dominated possession but were guilty of not being ruthless with there chances. 
• Gomes and Suzuki are doubts with injuries/unclear info
• Have won just 1 game in 5 and are 14th.

Notes - Key Players

• Kojima
• Mito
• Deng

YFM vs Kawasaki Frontale

Notes - General

• Top of the table and in great form domestically.

Notes - This game

• Drew 2-2 in an entertaining game vs title rivals Nagoya. Now unbeaten in 7 games with 6 wins.
• Kida played midweek and if no setback, should start. Hard to know till training notes.
• Nishimura is out injured so MJ likely starts.
• Kamijima remains slight fav over Hatanaka - competitive battle
• Are unbeaten at home and average 2.7 goals per home game

Notes - Key Players

• Lopes
• Elber
• Eduardo

Notes - General

• Last game saw changes including in nets. 
• Likely remains the same lineup after such a dominant win.

Notes - This game

• Won comprehensively 3-0 to Yokohama FC. 
• Keeper changed to veteran JSR. Also young striker Yamada started upfront and scored. 
• No known fresh injury concerns
• This is a local derby

Notes - Key Players

• Ienaga
• Wakizaka
• Yamane

Hiroshima vs Yokohama FC

Notes - General

• Sickness effecting lots of the squad last wk. 
• In poor form and just 1 win in 5. Uncertain lineup/formation. 
• Ben Khalifa suspended.

Notes - This Game

• Team was forced to field a makeshift team after illness kept a few key players and the manager out of the squad last minute.
• Sasaki and Araki both played mins in the midweek cup game and likely start here imo
• Manager is trying different formations/players - unstable.
• Team also lost midweek in the Emperors Cup to J2 opponents. Fan unrest after the game.

Notes - Key Players

• Sasaki
• Osako
• Araki

Notes - General

• Second bottom. 
• Struggling to score and main striker has transferred.

Notes - This game

• Main striker Ogawa has officially transferred to the Dutch league. Ryan has replaced him upfront though v inexperienced.
• The team have scored the least goals of any team in the league averaging just 0.7 per game. 
• Hasegawa is out injured
• Also have the worst away record with just 1 win so far this season.

Notes - Key Players

• Brodersen
• Iwatake
• Yoshino

FC Tokyo vs Kashima Antlers

Notes - General

• New manager is undefeated in first 3 games. 
• Injuries piling up including Nakagawa. Abe close to leaving.

Notes - This game

• Morishige missed the last game with an undisclosed injury and remains a doubt. Kimoto the likely replacement.
• Trevisan also seen limping midweek - unclear and also a risk
• Abe set to leave for Jupiler. He has said he will play this game, again this is not 100% guaranteed as still needs to pass medical
• Striker Tagawa has returned from though unavailable for this game.
• Are yet to concede in the league under this manager

Notes - Key Players

• Hosoya
• Savio
• Koga

Notes - General

• Struggling to create chances. 
• Tsunemoto has transferred out to the Swiss league

Notes - This game

• Kashima have only scored 4 goals in the last 5 games with Suzuki drawing blanks in each
• Tsunemoto has transferred out to the Swiss league which cerments Hirose spot in the lineup
• Chinen condition is unclear and remains unlikely to feature in this game.
• Have kept the most clean sheets in the competition (10)

Notes - Key Players

• Suzuki
• Higuchi
• Ueda

Shonan vs Fukuoka

Notes - General

• Bottom of the table. Winless in 13 league games

Notes - This Game

• Ishihara returns from suspension
• Very hard to predict the lineup with confidence. Manager is trying new setups esp in defense
• Okamoto returned to action midweek. Another option to start.
• Newly signed players are only available after this game
• Haven't kept a clean sheet in the league all season.

Notes - Key Players

• Sugioka
• Ohashi
• Barada

Notes - General

• Have won back to back. 
• Two starters (Lukian and Nara) are suspended.

Notes - This Game

• Striker Lukian is suspended. Sato likely starts up front esp if Konno is fit (no news here yet so hes a risk). Wellington is another option if Konno unable to play.
• Nara is also suspended and a big miss. Miya or Inoue will replace depending on their respective fitness. Could see change of formation to 3 at the back.
• Have only 1 away win all season scoring just on average 0.88 goals per away game.

Notes - Key Players

• Grolli
• Mae
• Yamagishi

Kyoto vs Nagoya

Notes - General

• Remain in inconsistent form with 2 wins in 10

Notes - This Game

• RB Shirai has transferred to FC Tokyo. Youngster Fukuda likely remains in the side
• Manager is known to tinker with lineup/tactics each game which means the midfield and forwards especially are unstable
• Keeper Wakahara remains out and Ota has done well 

Notes - Key Players

• Sota Kawasaki
• Rikito Inoue
• Yuta Tokoyawa

Notes - General

• Having a great season and are third
• Key forward Nagai is suspended.

Notes - This Game

• Nagai is suspended. The experienced forward, has been a key contributor with 9 goals and assists this season
• Theres a few options to replace him, Sakai/Thales or perphas Izumi and a diff wingback.
• Yonemoto is a doubt with Uchida the likely replacement if needed.

Notes - Key Players

• Mateus
• Junker
• Inagaki

Gamba vs Kashiwa

Notes - General

• In great form and unbeaten in 6 with 5 wins.
• Moving up the table steadily

Notes - This Game

• Fukuoka returns from suspension. Unclear if he of Kwon will start at CB. Both are of similar quality with Kwon the much more experienced.
• Kurata remains a doubt for them.
• Rest of team relative stable with Yuki Yamamoto and Lavi playing great.
• Higashiguchi has kept back to back clean sheets.

Notes - Key Players

• Alano
• Lavi
• Yamamoto

Notes - General

• In poor form, winless in 9 games. 
• Defender Tatsuta is suspended.

Notes - This game

• Tanaka and Tsuchiya favourites to play CB. 
• Diego is another option after starting at LB last game.
• Takamine returns from suspension
• Team in bad form making lineup/formation change is a risk.
• Have only 1 away win this season

Notes - Key Players

• Hosoya
• Savio
• Koga

Cerezo Osaka vs Urawa

Notes - General

• Injury problems with key players out including in midfield and in nets.
• Have lost back to back league games.

Notes - This Game

• Midfielder Okuno is out long term with a knee injury. 
• KJH is also out, unclear when he returns. Hopefully after the summer break.
• Kiyotake return midweek, likely eased in after such a long break.
• Manager has a history of changing lineup after back to back defeats. Lineup has risk of rotation/changes

Notes - Key Players

• Kagawa
• Ceara
• Toriumi

Notes - General

• Unbeaten in 13 games and in solid form. 
• Both wingbacks are injured.

Notes - This game

• Sakai is a big doubt. With other wingback Akimoto struggling with injuries we likely see the 2nd string defenders Ogiwara and Ohata.
• Kante is slight favourite to start over Koroki imo
• Moberg is close to a transfer to Greece league and is unavailable
• Unbeaten in 12 away games

Notes - Key Players

• Scholz
• Ito
• Nishikawa

Kobe vs Sagan Tosu

Notes - General

• Returned to winning ways last week, up to second. 
• Facing mounting defensive injury problems

Notes - This Game

• Starting CB Thuler left the 0-1 win again Niigata meaning makeshift defenders were used. His situation remains unclear
• Honda returned midweek and should start. Osaki can play in def too
• Attacking wise, team are very stable with Osako and Muto in particular on fire this season. Between them they have 34 goals and assists.
• Haven't lost to Sagan Tosu in their last 10 meetings (8wins and 2 draws).

Notes - Key Players

• Osako
• Muto
• Sakai

Notes - General

• Having an excellent season given their lack of resources.
• Horigome is suspended 
• Only 1 loss in last 5 games.

Notes - This Game

• Impressed during their comeback win to Cerezo Osaka. 
• Team is close to full strength. Likely remains the same though Fujita and Fukuta are options.
•  Park Il-Kyu is ranked 1st in saves per match (4.4 per game)

Notes - Key Players

• Park Il-Kyu
• Kawahara
• Naganuma

Finish

I hope found this useful!

There are unfortunately issues with playsharper giving the usual odds.

Please see below the odds on FootyStats:

Though Hiroshima have a v favourable game. Their current form + illness in the team makes me think these odds are a little too favourable.

My fav stack teams for attack and defense are below:

Attack

• Sapporo
• Yokohama FM
• Nagoya

Defense

• Gamba
• Hiroshima
• Tokyo FC

The below are predictions/forecast by this site:

As always these are just my own views on the situation based on research for each team.

If any info comes out before the deadline, I will post it on Discord

If you have any feedback or queries, just give me a shout.

Good luck and enjoy the games :)