2009.04.25
Urawa Reds Winning Back their Will to Win

Storm in Fuku-Ari in Chiba

Volker Finke has been changing his team by degrees. From media reports, we know that he adopts the offense as his slogan, introduces four back system, and repeats physical and offensive training. On the season opening match against Kashima, Urawa demonstrated their snapshot of the cooperated offense, but they lost from Kashima's two brilliant counter goals. Although many were anxious about the defense constraction, Finke begun to answer without revealling his recipe. After the lose in Kashima, Finke's team won fifth and draw once while scoring eight times with only two goals against. Finke insists it is the result of the "offensive defense".

Finke, though, insists the results do not reflect a defensive mentality like that of the Italians, who pride themselves on winning "Uno-Zero." The manager says Reds are attacking, just not finishing enough.

"Yes, I'm the Italian coach of Japan," Finke said with a smile that spoke a lot about his team's early-season surge. "This 1-0 is a result of a very offensive defense because we attack very early on. It's not the Italian way; it's not Catenaccio.

"Not today, but in the game against Nagoya and the last game at home against Kyoto, you have to score. We had seven, eight, nine big opportunities to score. The games have come on a good level, but the scoring is not enough, it's true.

Reds edge JEF, move back to J1 summit. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20090426TDY24304.htm