Attack of The Gimp!! Verdy 2 - 0 FC Gifu

Somebody had a good time.......

2-0, TWO goals from Takuma Abe, a taxi from TWO stations away from home due to TOO many drinks  a missed connection for the last train home but still TWO thumbs up from The Biggest Gimp in the Stadium!!,. First up the 2-0 win keeps Verdy in contention for the third promotion spot though with JEF also winning we are back where we started before kick off; 6 points behind and waiting for them to slip up. The game itself was relatively entertaining (if you are a Verdy supporter) with a good number of chances falling to the home side. Hiramoto went close, Iio was busy and it seemed just a matter of time until Verdy would open the scoring. The back line were back to their best with Takahashi (after his goal last week) coming in for the unlucky Yoshida. Another clean sheet and Gifu rarely threatening Doi between the sticks. For the second week running it would be Kawakatsu`s substitute who would do the business. After Takahasi and debutant Shuto Minami had provided the goals last week, Takuma Abe came on for Yoshiaki Takagi with 25 minutes remaining and was on hand to score both Verdy goals after concerted Verdy pressure. The first was a strike from distance that the keeper will feel he should have at least pushed round the post, the second a toe poke finish from the six yard box after a scramble from a corner. In the right place at the the right time and willing to have a crack. Nice one Takumi!!So, after weeks and weeks of not being able to score than a single goal, Verdy have 6 in 3 games. Nishigaoka is simply a great place to watch a poorly supported team. With only 3,900 in attendance the noise generated in such a small space generated a great atmosphere. No need for microphones, no running track, right on top of the action. Superb. Beers aplenty, possibly the greasiest sliced chicken ever produced, 2 goals, 3 points, balmy summer weather, seriously what more could a football fan ask for?? Emperors Cup next week again at Nishigaoka and it`s lower league opposition so we are probably knackered........Machida Zelvia currently JFL but promotion hopefuls. Will Verdy succumb as usual or will The Boys send them back to their basket, slapped arse and tearful?? Will The Gimp re-appear this season!!??

Yoshinari`s Pink Monstrosity Back From The Dead!!! It`s Alive!!!!

My Feckin` Lord!!!Premium Seating in The Tomisawa Section anyone?? King of Thailand, Elton John and probably Graeme Le Saux (if rumours were to be belived despite him being married with kids) would be game on obviously but anyone else?? Gimpy smile, pink t shirt....Gifu strikers must be feeling confident tonight!!

Crack!! Ouch!! Crack!! Twat!!! Crack!! MOFO!! Crack!! Gimme that whip cos I`m gonna $%&# you up!!

Where d` whitey boys at??!!

Is the sound of the work whip being cracked on the back of Tokyo Nerdy 1969 this week readers, hence the ridiculously late update on last weeks trip down to the soon to be Atlantis island of Kyushu (why do they get so knackered by rain EVERY year??) for a trot about with the Horsefanciers from Kumamoto. Although Kumamoto were able to complete the double over The Boys this week with a 3-2 scoreline, Verdy have come a long way since the opening game defeat. On that first day, Hiramoto was at left back, Doi was on the bench and we looked anything but the team that is currently (thanks to JEF`s defeat by this weeks opponents Gifu) still only 6 points from a promotion spot.  It took a good while for Kawakatsu to get the team into a cohesive unit and even with the first victory against Gifu we were still terrible only winning with a grass cutter from Iio in the 89th minute after an absolute borefest. However, since then due to the limited attacking options (though we have 4 goals in the last 2 games...) Kawakatsu has concentrated on making us difficult to beat. Stoke City had their Iron Curtain under Freddie Steele in the 50`s well Verdy have had a bit of a Chicken Wire Net Blind with Kawakatsu guarding the drawstring this term. The words "Tokyo Verdy" and "Solid back line" have never been uttered in the same sentence in the tenure of us at Tokyo Nerdy.
Verdy have (until the departure of Hulk) always gone for "a let`s try and score as many as we can and hopefully they will score one less" approach. Though not this year as we haven`t got the attacking prowess of players in years gone by. Who knows what will happen in the end of season shake up, we might be involved but more than likely will be looking on in envy but, I for one am enjoying even being in with a shout. It`s exciting, JEF look ropey and we have a chance. Starting with this weeks last home league game at Nishigaoka. Gotta love Nishigaoka. Right next to the pitch, (which is lucky for Kawakatsu as he got sent off after the game and is banned from the touchline this week) and even with 3,000 there is an atmos. Tokyo Nerdy are off to Nishigaoka tomorrow night and after 2 weeks of solid non stop work, we goddamn deserve it. Win, lose or draw, it`s summer, it`s live J-League, they have beer and that`s enough for me!! C`mon The Boys!!! It`s good to be alive!!

"Goal Machine" with Number 7!! I remember when there used to be people in those seats..... 

Kikuoka and Takagi doing their bit for the Dwarf Fight...Power to the Little People!!!

Call The Cops?? Verdy 2 - 1 Sapporo

After last weeks superb victory over Reysol, Verdy followed up with a complete domination of Sapporo. The score line doesn`t reflect the game in that The Boys should have run up a cricket score. It was actually Sapporo who were to take the lead early on with a nice sliced pass to open up Tsuchiya and Tomisawa, the striker lifting the ball over Doi nicely. However, the lead was to last only 3 minutes as Kikuoka got his second of the season, slotting home a rebound from Yoshiaki Takagi`s effort which the keeper had blocked. Following this it was Tokyo Verdy pressure for the rest of the game. Chance, after chance, came and went, Iio recalled to the line up was busy, an overhead went the wrong side of the post he dragged a shot wide, Tomisawa hit the bar from a header, Yoshiaki Takagi had the miss of the game when free in the box he got his bearings wrong and fired wide, Hiramoto had a headed miss when clear though it was to be Hiramoto who would finally get the winner in the 83rd minute. The ball came over from the left he was free in the six yard box and slotted home comfortably to make up for his earlier mishap.
So where do we go from here?? Well JEF won so we are still 6 points behind the final promotion spot but the way the possibilities have opened up is quite incredible. The team has grown massively this season after the dirge of the first few games. We have no goalscorers, no "stars" yet here we are talking about the possibility of snaeaking into the end of season reckoning. At the moment it remains only that; a small possibility but to be even in with a chance is fantastic. The team are playing out of their skins to their absolute maximum and I for one (for once.......) am proud to Green. This might be the last hurrah who knows?? At least if they are going to go out it`s gonna be with a bang rather than a whimper!!

Kawano banned for two games...Grrrrr!!!

"BOLLOCKS!!"
Annoyingly ,Hiroki Kawano has been banned for the next TWO games for yellow card accumulation as it`s his second batch of yellows..........the other 8 were probably deserved but the clincher was a complete joke.  Hang your heads in shame Muppet Linesman and the J League for not admonishing said linesman. (and also Kawano for picking up so many booking mainly for crap fouls, moaning or backchatting the ref).
NUMPTIES THE LOT OF `EM!!!!!!

Update on Kawano`s Yellow Card and Blown Gasket....

Tomisawa`s banged up chest after his run in with Kawano....Ouch!!

According to reports, Kawano`s yellow card was indeed for time wasting but the reasons for his spaz attack have seemingly just come to light. Apparently, he put the ball down for the corner and was taking his time to deliver the ball. He was ready to go and then the linesman told him to put the ball fully inside the triangle. He then went back to the ball to replace it at which point the referee got his yellow out. Kawano then asked the linesman to explain to the ref that HE had asked him to replace the ball to which the linesman claimed not to have said anything. Then BOOM!! Off went Hiroki.....if this report is true then we had possibly  the biggest muppet in the league running  the line last week. A poor booking indeed and if the ref had given a further yellow for his outburst (which he could easily have done) then it would have been an absolute scandal. However, luckily the only thing to show for it is probably some nipple twist marks on Seitaro Tomisawa`s boobs.....

No Luck Required!! Verdy 1 - 0 Kashiwa Reysol

Cloudy today folks....

Top of the league, unbeaten at home or away and the meanest defence in J2..... Kashiwa Reysol away is always a tough trip for Verdy and The Boys have recieved some shoeings there over the years. Not last night though!! Verdy turned out their performance of the season and got the better of a team with one foot in J1 already. From back to front, top to bottom the 11 starters rolled up their sleeves and took the game to Reysol. No sitting back, The Boys got into Reysol and upset their passing game and were able to impose themselves to such an effect the Reysol were forced to change formations and make a change after only 20 minutes. Kawano who has been indifferent of late, turned up big time with some top quality passing and the same goes for Kikuoka. The defence was watertight and though Reysol got through a couple of times Doi was on hand to snuff out any danger.

Tomisawa with a salmon-esque leap!! Thump!! 1-0 Verdy!!

Verdy were to take a 36th minute lead through Captain Tomisawa who has been solid as a rock of late. Kikuoka supplied an inswinging cross from the left which Tomisawa came thundering in towards to leap and head powerfully home. Tomisawa has come in for some fully deserved criticism in the past but credit where it`s due, he has been superb since his early season malaise. Looks like Captain Birds Eye might be facing the sack......
The other two talking points of the game both involved Hiroki Kawano. It was he who broke through the Reysol back line only to be dragged back by Reysol`s Korean centre half Park Dong Hyuk. Park got a red card for his troubles and deservedly so. He was the last man, he dragged Kawano down and that was it. Kawano made a bit of a meal of going down but the foul was there. Verdy pressed as you would expect when facing 10 men and sure enough the goal came shortly after. Verdy were to continue to press for a further cushion but it was to be Reysol who would cause most of the danger in the second half. The game swung dramitacally into Reysols favour after a slighly bizzare turn of events. Hiroki Kawano was taking a corner and (probably rightly so) got booked for time wasting. He went ape shit at the linesman, squared up and started shoving  Tomisawa who (along with half of the team) was trying to calm him down. Goalkeeping coach Maeda got involved and promptly got himself sent off, presumably for something he said to the linesman. Anyway, following this the Verdy goal was under siege for the remainder, Doi also got booked for time wasting (this time undeserved I thought) and Verdy held on for the win. So Verdy have now beaten the top two teams away so what now??
Probably uninspiring defeats in the next couple of games...This is Tokyo Verdy people!!!!
Courtsey of our good friend  UltraVerdy, higlights of Verdy`s win of the season can be found here...http://ultra-verdy.blogspot.com/ watch and enjoy!!

You Lucky, Lucky Bastar..........Verdy 1 - 0 Ventforet !!

Apologies for the late posting readers but Tokyo Nerdy troops have been basking in the forests of Ibaraki, tents, (rental) BBQs, (because some spack forgot to put it in the van....ahem), beers and beautiful countryside aplenty. Ibaraki has two football teams in Kashima and Mito. One is good and one isn`t. Though what Mito lacks in football team, it certainly makes up for in countryside. Beautiful forests, mountains, rivers, onsens. Fantastic. Anyway, I digress....I watched the video upon return to Nerdy HQ and saw a ridiculous result following an absolute shoeing by the team in second place..........but you know what readers?? We`ll take the three points, love them and treat them like Jesus` very own pickled nutsack. Unbeliveably precious though a little embarassing to have in our possesion.
What can you say when The Boys have been battered into oblivion yet come out on top?? Jesus is in the line up?? Nope, too many non believers. Mohammed?? Nope too controversial and impossible to spot flying down the wing as no-one knows what he looks like. OK, The Dali Lama? Nope too old and being Tibetan he`s probably crap at football. The Divine Intervention theory is seemingly a non starter.
How about Verdy locked up shop, played possesion football and held out for the 0-0 and scored one on the break? Wrong again as to play posession football you have to actually have the ball in you posession to begin with.  That leaves pure, unbridled, jammy, lucky, lucky, lucky, bastards....."You had a corridor??" "I used to dream of a corridor!! you lucky, lucky bastards......"
Yup, that`s the answer!! Great!! After the nightmare beginning of the season, and the very future of the club still in massive doubt for next year, we`ll take it. Kazuki Hiramoto with his 6th of the season after yet another 1-0 win. Little bit of revenge for the earlier loss in the last minute at Ajinomoto earlier in the season, though this time clearly the WORST team won. Ventforet had the ball from the word go and pressured and pressured the Verdy goal and looked to have taken the lead at around the 15 minute mark, the ball was swung across the Verdy goal from the right and with Doi and all covering defenders beaten, the Kofu attacker inexplicably headed against the post when it would have been easier to score. Following this new "Tallest Player in the J League" (following ex Verdy Donkey Yuzo Funakoshi`s transfer to the Sagamihara Junior High School League) Mike Havenaar did his best impression of "The Donk" after being put clean through from a dreadful Verdy backpass. Lame effort easily snapped up by Doi. Havenaar had a general nightmare and was also at fault for the Verdy goal on the half an hour mark after being outmuscled by Verdy right back Kensuke Fukuda on the touch line, Fukuda went round the outside of the Flaming Great Gallah and swung over a cross which the oncoming Hiramoto was able to attack, and head comfortably into the back of the net. Absolutely against the run of play and worse was to come. Verdy were to have one more effort on goal in the entire match and the Verdy net was peppered, the defence had their pants pulled down at will by the Ventforet frontline but all to no avail. The result is all that matters. We won, they didn`t. Their forwards might have had the biggest off-day since time began but there you go. If the game were replayed ten times over Verdy would lose handsomly most games. But the game won`t be replayed. Verdy didn`t lose and The Boys can be happy in the knowledge that whatever else happens this season (and close season) Jesus` "bits" were safely put in their collective Green jars for future generations to admire and sniff when they think no-one is looking. Onwards and Upwards The Boys March On!!!!