Up, Down, Annoyance......and Time to Hang Up the Cape Superman? Yokohama 2 -1 Verdy

King Kazu Spotted At Yokohama Bus Sation.

Up....it`s the weekend, work is finished, I`ve got beers in the fridge and the first barbecue of the season tomorrow. Down...the absolute shitter of a football game I`ve just watched. One of those when you know the points are in the bag, the other team are absolute garbage but somehow the points don`t end up in the pocket at the final whistle. In simple terms how the hell did Verdy not win today?
Verdy went in at halftime 1-0  and a man up with Yokohama`s best offering a Kazu special from distance that probably got called as a home run for the Baystars and another "King" header that to be fair was a bit closer. The answer? Tokyo Verdy are Tokyo Verdy.  Can`t deny it, can`t blame poor refereeing, we were cruising more than the ever so not gay Tom Cruise at half time but still managed to shoot ourselves in the foot, ankle, knee, inner thigh, ballbag and bellend by the final whistle.
First half was pretty dull; on the stats three "shots" each though ours were a goal from Fukatsu for his first of the season, a Kikuoka free kick up and over the wall that came back off the joint from just outside the box and another snapshot from Kikuoka unfortunately straight at Seki in the Yokohama goal.
Verdy opened the scoring through Fukatsu after good work and a cross from Iio on the left, Ideguchi making his Yokohama debut looked to be favourite to clear the ball until he missed it completely and Fukatsu was on hand for an easy "whack" in as centre halves don`t deal in taps they generally whack it in to make sure even from two yards.
Following this, the game was to swing massively in Verdy`s favour (you would have thought) after Hakkaku picked up his second yellow of the game on a poor decision from the referee and ABSOLUTE SHIT play acting from Verdy left back Shohei Takahashi.......again.  Last year Verdy took 3 points from a late penalty on an embarrassingly blatant dive from Takahashi and today Takahashi did his utmost to get Hakkaku sent off. I`m red faced thinking about it and if I was his manager I`d slap him from here to the Chofu District Pub League for such nonsense. The ball was laid back to Takahashi who cleared and to be fair Hakkaku did catch Takahashi`s clearing leg late. However, Takahashi proceeded to half get up after the challenge, saw the ball had THEN gone out of play and the referee had his whistle to his mouth.....cue re-flop to the deck, writhing and much agony. Wanker.
So half time and I was thinking 3 points in the bag and probably a couple more goals in the second half and I was absolutely bang on the money except the goals going in the wrong damn end. Five minutes (actually three minutes) and that was it.
Yokohama made a double substitution at half time with veterans Takachi and Terada coming on for the ineffectual Fujita and Kazu. And what a difference that made. Takachi put the game to bed single handedly scoring twice within  minutes of the re-start to once again throw the man "advantage" out the window. First time he was played through but Tsuchiya  looked to have done enough to clear the ball until a last flick from Takachi slipped the ball past a shaky Shibasaki from six yards just inside the post. A shell shocked Verdy were then slapped with another this time Takachi beating Shibasaki to a through ball and finishing nicely with the outside of his left boot. The confidence then visibly drained from Verdy with the boys struggling to create much in the remainder. Yokohama themselves so utterly punchless in the first half were now first to every 50/50 ball and with the bit between their teeth started to impose themselves on the game and played out the remainder with an assurance that has only been seen in fits and starts this year.

Annoying

So, to the Kazu conundrum. What do you do when a super hero loses his powers? Kazu Miura has been a revelation since the earthquake. He has provided inspiration and done a superb job inadvertantly (some say...) becoming the face of the J-League`s effort to raise funds for the earthquake victims. However, in sports there comes a time when even the most venerable players who have wowed audiences in their prime have to realise their time is up. No doubt about it, Kazu talks a good game and does a lot of shouting and pointing when he plays urging team mates on and telling them where they should be. However, when the shouter and pointer is unable to be in those places himself at the right times it`s time to go. Basically, if Kazu were a racehorse, he would be grazing happily in a sun filled meadow munching happily on the sweetest green grass before the grand finale of inspiring the kids of the nation from their gluepots.
Finally, what are Verdy going to do this season? Comfortably stay in J2 on yesterdays evidence. 1-0 up in absolute control playing against 10 men currently routed to the bottom of the league. To finish up losing 2-1 is an absolute sickener but that`s what Verdy do isn`t it? Get in a good position and balls it up royal style.  Anyway, I refuse to be downhearted. I am going to the supermarket in a minute to drown myself in sausages and steak and my chicken legs have been marinating over night. The sun is peeping through the clouds and there is always next week. I`m a football lover even when it`s the most annoying game in the world. Onwards and Sausagewards The Boys BBQ On!!