FOOTPICKS’ 2024 J1 League Hot Picks #3: Vissel Kobe and Kawasaki Frontale

New champions Kobe challenge for back-to-back titles with depth of squad

After last season’s long-awaited first league triumph, Vissel Kobe have succeeded in expanding their ranks by bringing in talented players at every position.

In the backline, the academy graduate Takuya Iwanami returned from Urawa Reds after a seven-year absence. The acquisition of Yosuke Ideguchi is a fine move as Mitsuki Saito will be sidelined for a long time due to a serious knee injury. Both are good at recovering the ball in the midfield battles.

Up front, Taisei Miyashiro can play as a centre-forward, a winger or even an attacking midfielder, who declared not just to be a backup to Yuya Osako, but a contender for the starting line-up. Yuya Kuwasaki from V-Varen Nagasaki and Rikuto Hirose from Kashima Antlers are also capable of playing regularly for other clubs.

The team’s structure will not change much from last season, with the likes of Osako, Yoshinori Muto and Hotaru Yamaguchi, but the reliable newcomers should invigorate the positional competitions and lead to an improvement in the team’s strength.

The league title holders failed to win the Super Cup, losing to Kawasaki Frontale. With other teams being more wary of them this season, the team may not be able to show the same dynamic performance as last season. However, their individual abilities are still amongst the best in the league, and they will be more than capable of overcoming their opponents’ counter-measures. The new champions could well be the team to watch again this season.

(by Yuhei Harayama)

Predicted Lineup: 4-1-2-3

Major Arrivals

• Yosuke Ideguchi (from Celtic)
• Takuya Iwanami (from Urawa Reds)
• Taisei Miyashiro (from Kawasaki Frontale)
• Yuya Kuwasaki (from V-Varen Nagasaki)
• Rikuto Hirose (from Kashima Antlers)

Kawasaki are determined to regain supremacy

The departure of Kyohei Noborizato, Miki Yamane and Leandro Damião has created some uncertainty for Kawasaki Frontale, but there are high expectations for the new players.

Japan international Sota Miura and Sai Van Wermeskerken, a half-Dutch “re-imported” player, fill in for both side back positions left by Noborizato and Yamane. Yuichi Maruyama from Nagoya Grampus has also joined the back line.

Yuki Yamamoto, from Gamba Osaka, is a highly rated addition. The central midfielder with an excellent passing sense has quickly adapted to Kawasaki’s attacking style. He made his presence felt in the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League.

However, the key for Kawasaki this season could be their new international recruit Erison, who scored a goal in the AFC Champions League match. The striker’s performance could make the outcome different.

In the Super Cup, the Emperor’s Cup champions won their first title of the season with a 1-0 victory over Vissel Kobe, even though they saved most of the main players for the AFC Champions League tie against Shandong Taishan the following week. The team is full of positives, with new signing Van Wermeskerken producing early results in that match.

Under the coach Toru Oniki, now in his eighth year at the helm, the reborn Kawasaki team will be looking to reclaim the title.

(by Yuhei Harayama)

Predicted Lineup: 4-1-2-3

Major Arrivals

• Sai Van Wermeskerken (from NEC Nijmegen)
• Sota Miura (from Ventforet Kofu)
• Yuichi Maruyama (from Nagoya Grampus)
• Yuki Yamamoto (from Gamba Osaka)
• Erison (from São Paulo)
• Patrick Verhon (from Bahia)
• Ze Ricardo (from Goiás)