What role do players like Yuma Suzuki, who inspires the team from the front, and Ikuma Sekigawa, Koki Anzai, and Keigo Tsunemoto, who anchor the backline, play for Kento Misao, considering they are all his contemporaries?
Misao discusses the changed perspective he gains from his position switch from defensive midfielder to center-back.
This season, Kento Misao has moved from defensive midfield to center-back, supporting the entire team from the back. With the return of Yuma Suzuki, a contemporary, vocal encouragement now also comes from the front. However, Misao states, "It's still not enough."
"With Yuma's return, the number of players with the same mindset has increased, and it's become a benchmark for others, which I feel is significant. But we need to do this as a whole team. During a match, there's a long distance from the back to the front, and often voices don't reach. If voices from the center and flanks articulate what we should do now or what we want to do now, I believe the team will become even stronger."
As a key player in the backline, how does Misao try to integrate each individual's unique qualities? He shared his insights into teammates' strengths and how to maximize them, particularly from his perspective playing as a center-back.
Talk about Yuma SUZUKI
Kento Misao talks about Yuma Suzuki
Yuma's words add momentum
But the team shouldn't rely on him too much
Since the 2018 season, he wasn't just scoring goals; he was also drawing the ball from teammates and creating breakthroughs by beating opponents himself. After gaining experience abroad and returning this season, I feel he has become a player who also participates in building up the game. Like Karim Benzema for Real Madrid or Harry Kane for Tottenham, he's involved in playmaking while also delivering assists and goals. His presence in attack seems to have grown even more than before.
Instead of just staying upfront, he drops back into midfield, which makes it difficult for opposing center-backs to decide how far to follow him. If a numerical advantage is created in midfield, it becomes impossible to win the ball. This season, since I'm playing as a center-back, I tend to view things from a center-back's perspective, and I think he's a very difficult and annoying forward for opponents to mark.
From a teammate's perspective, he's always looking for open spaces and moves the ball horizontally when we need to kill time. Especially when I'm free and able to kick the ball with my right foot, he makes a run behind the opposing defender, so it's easy to synchronize our timing and rhythm. Because of that, I can play with the image that he'll start moving even before I kick a long ball, which allows me to speed up my decision-making. Even when he has a defender on his back, if I pass the ball directly to him, he will definitely control it. As a passer, he makes things quite easy for me.
In addition, he's also showing leadership. He's always been a player who has achieved results at Antlers, and after playing abroad, his words carry even more説得力. Because Yuma, who has achieved results and has a strong presence, says it, it brings momentum to the team. He's been helping to convey what I've been trying to do alone for the past few years, so in that sense, he's been a great help.
To be specific, it's his fighting spirit. Running more than the opponent, winning individual duels. He embodies this himself by leading the way, so if there's a player who isn't in the flow, he'll tell them to "do it," and when the ball is lost in a crucial area, he can directly say, "That's not good." Considering that we as a team are communicating such things, I also feel that we've both accumulated more experience and grown older (laughs).
On the other hand, I also feel that the team shouldn't rely too much on Yuma. In the YBC Levain Cup playoff stage match against Fukuoka, with Kirari (Ueda) absent due to national team duty, when Yuma participated in the attacking build-up, it exposed the problem of having no target player in the penalty area. Personally, I want Yuma to challenge in the penalty area. I want him to be an even more intimidating presence for opponents and to score more goals. To achieve that, the players around him need to work more on building up play and beating opponents. A situation where opponents think they only need to contain him feels frustrating for the team.
If Yuma can concentrate on scoring and increase the number of challenges he makes in front of goal, the true "threat" of Yuma Suzuki should be unleashed.
Talk about Ikuma SEKIGAWA
Kento Misao talks about Ikuma Sekigawa
His aggressive play is dependable
Normally he's polite and endearing
Ikuma (Sekigawa) has high overall ability. He has excellent physical and athletic capabilities, and his technical skills, including passing, are also high. All that's left, as he himself says, is to eliminate the ups and downs. This season, by consistently playing in matches, I think those fluctuations have diminished considerably. But still, there are moments or periods where his concentration might lapse. I sometimes feel it when I'm next to him during a game, so I constantly try to encourage him with positive words to help him maintain his focus for 90 minutes.
His aggressive play and intimidating appearance, which can scare opponents, are his greatest strengths as a center-back. At that point, he already has a psychological edge over the opposing forward. He's strong in one-on-one situations, and even if he's beaten by an opponent, I believe we've built a relationship where we can cover for each other. When I go to win the ball and an opponent gets past me, I feel reassured when he covers for me from behind. It's because of that trust that I can aggressively go for the ball again.
As you can see from watching the games, Ikuma is particularly strong in aerial battles. He can clear balls coming directly at him, and even when challenging opponents, he can powerfully head the ball down and away. I truly envy his athleticism.
Despite his intimidating appearance, Ikuma is usually very polite and endearingly listens attentively to what I have to say. Even during matches, he always takes my suggestions into account. Perhaps he's the most honest person on the team (laughs). That's why, when he seems to be losing focus or feeling down, I praise him and try to help him regain his spirits.
As Antlers' center-backs, we aim to neutralize the opponent's ace and score from set pieces. These two things are traditions we want to uphold. Ultimately, it comes down to a one-on-one battle between the striker who scores and the defender who marks him. No matter how much the team works hard to defend from the front, if the center-back is beaten at the very end and we concede a goal, it's meaningless. I believe Antlers' center-backs are the kind of presence that makes people think, "We've got our backs covered, so it's fine," and that's what we both aim for.
Talk about Keigo TSUNEMOTO & Koki ANZAI
Kento Misao talks about Keigo Tsunemoto & Koki Anzai
Tsunemoto is strong in one-on-one duels and dependable in defense.
Anzai is expected to participate more in offense.
As a center-back, I consider how the full-backs should position themselves, taking into account their individual strengths. Tsune (Tsunemoto) at right-back is strong in one-on-one defending, so during attacks, I've told him I want the defensive midfielder to push forward and fill the space he leaves, which also includes managing risks. Conversely, Koki-kun (Anzai) at left-back is known for his attacking prowess, so I've conveyed to him that it's okay to even join the attack alongside the defensive midfielder. His aggressive play is a strength of the team, so I want him to maintain that aggressive mindset without worrying too much about the back. To achieve this, I and other players consciously cover for him or slide to allow him to push forward. However, recently, Tsune has also been actively joining the attack, and Koki-kun has often balanced things from the back, so I've had more opportunities to tell Tsune to "come back" (laughs).
Full-back is a position for players with good running ability, so if I say "come back," they have the speed to return quickly. Ideally, we would defend with just two center-backs, but if it's just two, we can sometimes be beaten on a counter-attack. Therefore, we try to maintain a balance where we can respond with three players, including one of the full-backs.
A recent trend, especially as we've played more matches, is that opponents have analyzed our playing style and are exploiting the space behind our full-backs when they push up to join the attack. To reduce goals conceded in the future, I believe we need to instill in the entire team the awareness to maintain balance until we score the opening goal.
Looking at individuals, Tsune doesn't lose one-on-one defensive duels and can cover a wide range, making him a reliable defender. If I had to pick one thing, I'd say I wish he wouldn't hit opponents when crossing the ball during an attacking run (laughs). Even if he beats an opponent and delivers a cross, if it hits an opponent, there's a possibility of a counter-attack. So, I hope he can at least get the ball into the penalty area.
Honestly, I think Koki-kun can do more. Since he's not left-footed, it might be difficult for him to completely beat his man down the left flank and cross, but conversely, I want to see him cut inside with a dribble and score.
I've known Koki-kun since our Tokyo Verdy Junior days. Off the pitch, he's always joking around, making everyone laugh, and brightening the atmosphere, but I know he can do more on the pitch. In fact, back in our Tokyo Verdy Youth days, if he didn't overlap, Tomigashi (Goichi)-san would get angry every time. Now, I even feel like he's holding back, considering the team's balance. That's why I've told him personally that I want him to overlap aggressively without worrying about the back.
By sharing opinions as a team,
communication can be further improved.
Heading into the second half of the season, as a team, we need to approach games without getting too carried away by joy or sorrow, understanding that whether we score first or concede first, a match lasts 90 minutes. I feel that mental resilience, impervious to anything, is necessary. Our goalkeeper, (Kwon) Sun-tae, who is at the very back, exemplifies this attitude the most. Not just Sun-tae, but everyone needs to grasp this and demonstrate it through words and actions, otherwise, we won't win titles. Even if individuals have thoughts or feelings during a match, there's a lot that won't be understood unless communicated to those around them. The coach also tells us, "During the game, talk more and communicate with those around you." Each match from now on will be a battle for whether or not we can win the title. I believe that daily practice, our demeanor during matches, and our efforts to engage the team are crucial for us to overcome challenges together.
