Happy New Year!! Tochigi 0-0 Verdy

Down and Out In Tikrit Hills

A Happy New Year to All readers of Tokyo Nerdy 1969, may 2012 bring you all that you wish for!! 2011 is all but mathematically done for Tokyo Verdy so let`s look forward to next year. Barring a miracle the likes of which hasn`t been seen since Mary got away with blaming her pregnancy on a supernatural, omnipresent all seeing, all hearing figment of her imagination; we will be spending another year in J2 with all the excitement, razamatazz and glamour that comes with it.
Once again the Verdy faithful can look forward to a stadium packed to the rafters in one tiny section of the area behind one goal. Another season of "Do you remember when we were half decent.....?" Another season of starting with high hopes only to fall flat and in the end not quite make it. There have been some absolute plus points this season with the goals flowing like turps in a tramp`s beard against the lower ranked teams but when we`ve come up against the top teams, when it matters?? Just not good enough. Of the games against the top 6 teams we have taken just FOUR points from a possible TWENTY ONE. The draws against JEF, FC Tokyo, Tokushima and this week SC Tochigi a pitiful return for a team who started the season as an outside bet for third.
There have been some wonderful moments this season and some real spankings but that doesn`t cover the failings of the season overall. Pre-season Verdy were looking good for a run at promotion with the scoring problems of last season seemingly addressed with Maranhao, Ishikawa and Hirashige all brought to add to the weak looking line up of Hiramoto, Inoue and Iio.
The goals have indeed flowed but last seasons rock solid defence has fallen apart. New signing Kota Fukatsu just wasn`t up to the job after Tomisawa got injured. Shibasaki doesn`t inspire confidence either and as a keeper it`s essential that your back four has faith in your ability.  I can`t blame the whole season on one incident but can`t help feeling the injury to Yoichi Doi in the FC Tokyo game has contributed hugely to the leaky defence. It`s not only that he is a better keeper than Shibasaki in terms of his own game, he is also far more vocal in organising his back line and delivers a damn good rollicking when required.
On the plus side the midfield play at times this season has been breathtaking. One touch passing and play around the box has been superb. Kawano has been superb this year after having an up and down 2010, Kikuoka has emerged from the shadows of Yoshiaki Takagi to take his position in the team and scoring some cracking goals on the way. Yuki Kobayashi will definitely be moving on to brighter things in the future given his form this season. He plays the mopper upper role very well and it can only be a matter of time before he is cherry picked.
Probably the story of Verdy`s season has been the "come from nowhere" story of Takuma Abe. Stuck up front as an emergency striker due to injuries Abe has bumped, barged and blasted his way to the top of the scoring charts with some superb displays. As I said before he has the knack of being in the right place at exactly the right time and does the simple things well. He makes Hiramoto and Maki look positively ANCIENT in comparison with his speed of thought and inter play around the box. I look forward to seeing more of him next season for sure.

The Lady Above a Virgin or Tokyo Verdy in J1 in 2012?

So what about the rest of this year? Well just sit back enjoy the games and look forward to 2012 and try again. If at first, second and third you don`t succeed?? Fuck the whole thing off and support Nadeshiko Japan. Onwards and Nowhere The Boys March On The Spot!!