Here is a short preview I wrote for japanesesoccer.net...
Kyoto Sanga FC faces in 2009 a very particular task: survival in J1 for the second year in a row. In fact, in its history, the Old Capital’s club has never played three consecutive seasons in the top flight. The good news for Sanga is that the team seems now equipped for the challenge: a team that ended 14th last season but showed some moment of sheer brilliance has been reinforced in every department, with the former Verdy’s midfielder Diego as cherry on the cake.
With many new faces around, it is hard to predict how Kyoto will play in 2009. Shunsuke Amazutsumi, a Japanese journalist who follows Sanga for El Golazo and Soccer Digest, predicts a 4-2-3-1 with Mizutani in the goal; Masushima, Mizumoto, Lee Jung Soo and Watanabe as defensive belt and Sidiclei and Sato as a midfield tampon. This very defensive back should allow for four offensive players on two lines: Diego, flanked by Hayashi and Paulinho, and Yanagisawa as spearhead. Other options for Coach Kato might involve the use of a second pure forward (Yohei Toyoda), a daring option in the goal (Kenya Matsui, already a member of the youth NT), and some of the youngsters Sanga seems to count on: Yuta Someya (DF), Koken Kato (MF), Jun Ando (MF) and the 17yo phenomenon Takumi Miyayoshi (FW). Finally, an interesting story is that of Nishino: not very prolific as a forward in the past seasons, he has been recycled as right side-back, and seems to be the most promising alternative for Masushima in that position.
Considering the number of experienced players, last year’s decent run and the newcomers, Sanga should have no problems to achieve permanence in J1, if that will come in the last rounds as in 2008 or much earlier, it is to be seen.
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