Last Orders....Verdy 0 - 1 Thespa

So  JEF stumbled out of 3rd, to be overtaken by Avispa, who have now lost two in a row.....the last spot is definately up for grabs and whoever can keep their nerve and put a run together will be in J1 next season or the dole office with their heads held high in the case of Verdy!! Still no word on a new buyer or hint of anything in the pipeline....
So that leaves 8 games for The Boys to do the most damage they can and finish the season being the first team in Japan to get promoted and go out of business at the same time. It would be fantastic to repeat the Yokohama Flugels triumph of winning the Emperors Cup before biting the dust.  And what a time to do it!! Verdy currently have FIVE Under-19 National Teamers on board, the best young crop of homegrown talent the team has probably ever produced. The future of the club is right there playing week in week out putting the club within shouting distance of promotion. OK, so chances are that Verdy won`t finish 3rd, Avispa are still 6 points ahead with a game in hand. But if Verdy were given the chance to have another go next year, the current young guns the Takagi brothers, Hiroki Kawano (when he`s not suspended...), Shohei Takahashi, Shuto Minami, Takuma Abe have ALL contributed when called upon this term and could do even more with another years experience.  Yuki Kobayashi is another waiting in the wings, with many expecting great things.Another recent call up to the Under 19 squad.

This season has been remarkable if only for the number of young players that have been blooded. Kawakatsu has had his hand forced by some woeful performances earlier on in the season but also the quality of these youngsters has shone through in their initial cameo appearances through to them taking their places in Kawakatsu`s first choice line up. I absolutely tip my hat to Verdy`s manger this season, he has gone about his business in a quiet, unruffled manner when those around him have been constantly harbouring visions of doom and gloom all season.
On to the game, we lost at Kusatsu and this time it was the oppositions turn to hammer a free kick from miles out that the goalie should have saved. Matsushita, the baldy Kusatsu dwarf hoofed it goalward the flight of the ball seemed to confuse Doi and somehow it managed to squeeze in between his arms and the crossbar. The Boys up top, struggled to get anything going first half, Kawano was introduced to try to speed things up which he managed to a degree. Iio flashed an effrot against the bar, Yoshiaki Takagi had a turn and shot well saved before being taken out. Abe had the chance of the game with only 3 minutes left on the clock, slicing his shot agonisingly past the post from the edge of the 6 yard box. After scoring for fun in the last few games, it was tough watch this one. Verdy looked tired and though they pressured Thespa for the whole of the second half, you can`t say that Verdy did enough to take 3 points.
 However, given what is probably coming at the end of the season we at Tokyo Nerdy 1969 are going to sit back and thoroughly enjoy the remainder of the 2010 season whatever results come our way. If Verdy are to be finishing this winter, then that`s that but I for one will remember an absolute roller coaster ride supporting one of the most fabled teams in all of Japan. Up! Down! Up! Down! Down! Down! and maybe finally out....fear not though readers, one fact that we can all take comfort from is that always and forever Even in death Tokyo Verdy piss on FC Tokyo`s chips:)!!