Nagoya Whale beat Niigata Swan 1-0 in their first league game after the break last weekend, bringing them within two points of the top of the table.
In this win, they started to defend from the front and showed their ability to win the ball. Matthios Dus Santos has left the team for Saudi Arabia's Aidayun, and although this has had a huge impact on the team, I think Ryuji Izumi can be a mainstay of the offense. In fact, he can play in the center or on the wing, giving the Whales multiple options in the attack.
Kashima Antlers have only lost 1 of their last 14 league matches after a 3-0 win over Hokkaido's Gonzaga Sapporo last Sunday. Including goalkeeper Tomoki Hayakawa, the entire Kashima Antlers team built up their offense quite well, and were able to get rid of the opponent's pressure, and a number of players stepped forward to participate in the assists to ensure that the offense flowed smoothly as the ball was delivered to the front of the field.
I expect Yuma Suzuki to be the centerpiece of the Antlers' offense this season, and if he can protect the ball well and buy time for his teammates to get back on the field, they should have some chances to score.
