Although it was only an international friendly, the chasm between Japan and Scotland was eye-opening.
Individually, Scotland possess some of the best players in teams like Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bologna and Napoli. But they ran into a team in their eighth year under Hajime Moriyasu.
Moriyasu’s fingerprints are all over this Japanese team. Even though the players have changed over the past eight years. Their pressing, intensity and ability to find spaces were something of a lesson for a tired-looking Scotland.
Japan had seven shots on target to Scotland’s three. It paints a picture of the match with Scotland running low on ideas in-possession.
Samurai Blue eventually ran out 1-0 winners thanks to Junya Ito’s late goal.
In this article we’ll cover:
Japan’s intense pressing and dropping forwards
Now, there is an asterisk based on this being a friendly. But it is one of the last chances we have to figure our how good teams will be ahead of the World Cup this summer.
Japan’s back five saw Joel Chima Fujita and Ao Tanaka constantly dropping in from the midfield two whenever Scotland’s attack pressed in a four. No one in a Scotland shirt bothered to pick either up, so they were able to receive the ball on the half-turn and drive up the pitch. And their gap in midfield was filled by one of Japan’s three strikers — particularly Kaishu Sano.
Scotland certainly treated this game as a friendly. And they will likely be more compact at the World Cup. But it was still impressive to see how much room Japan found in the half-spaces.
Samurai Blue knew exactly how they wanted to attack, and Steve Clarke did not counteract it. Instead of instructing his defence to come out of the back four to mark Japan’s dropping strikers, he took the chance of giving them the ball.
Japan also found so much space in the middle due to their width of their wing-backs, and how high up the pitch they were.
Fresh legs played a part too. Japan looked much more energised as the game went on, with every player bar the striker and goalkeeper substituted. Japan’s pressive was impressive, with Keisuke Gato and Fujita dropping slightly o cover Scotland’s midfield. A full-back was then pushed up to limit Scotland’s chance creation.
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Scotland’s lack of ideas
Scotland lack a big man up front. A focal point. A Victor Osimhen type of striker.
Clarke did make some changes later in the game, but it felt too little, too late. Not to mention the fact that their out-of-possession game was far too easy to play around.
The midfield joined the attack to press but the defence wouldn’t follow it up. It left an ocean of space in behind for Japan’s midfielders.
Scotland could not deal with Japan’s press, with Daizen Maeda on the left and Yukinari Sugawara on the right pushed up. As a result, Scotland had to send long ball after long ball up the pitch.
With a midfield like John McGinn, Lewis Ferguson and Scott McTominay, Scotland’s strength should at the very least be to get the ball from defence into attack. But as long as Clarke has been in charge, they have struggled to create many opportunities.
It would be different if Clarke instructed one to come extremely deep as a ‘floater’. McGinn would be good in this role, as he fills a similar job for Aston Villa, coming in from wide. Scotland can then rely on McTominary as the target man up front.
If Scotland want to do more than just participate at the World Cup, Clarke needs to take off the shackles and use some of his best assets. What does he have to lose?