The J-Talk Podcast

Wow! What a Sunday. It has taken Jon Steele & Stuart Smith the best of a week to get their thoughts together on what was an epic final day in J2. We talk Kashiwa, Yokohama, Omiya, Kyoto, Tochigi, Stadia, players, suits, redemption, acne and so much more. 

Like a Pink Floyd album, this podcast is long but very much worth listening to all of it.

After Urawa fell at the final hurdle in their attempt at a third ACL title, Ryan Steele and Sean Carroll guested in the aftermath of Reds' poor performance in the 2nd leg at home versus Al Hilal, while Dan Orlowitz returns to the pod after a Rugby World Cup-enforced absence to discuss J1 Matchday 32.

Even though there wasn't a lot to say about Urawa's poor showing on Sunday night, apart from how disappointing it was, we discuss what went wrong, while hopefully also giving Al Hilal their due credit as very worthy winners over the two legs (to 28:37).

Then Dan returns with some RWC stories, as we attempt to delay talking about FC Tokyo's insipid display at home against relegation-threatened Shonan that cost them top spot, with Yokohama taking advantage of their slip up by going top with their away win at Matsumoto. Next follows a brief chat about Kashima, who are still in with a sniff of the title but trail the new leaders by four points with two to play (to 1:00:25).

From there we turn to the bottom three, with cellar dwellers Iwata giving themselves a fighting chance of hauling themselves up to the playoff place with their dramatic late win at Sapporo.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Sean - @seankyaroru

Ryan - @Steelinho

Dan - @aishiterutokyo

Dan's Archive at The Japan Times

Who will finish second? Who will end up in the playoffs? Who will finish 21st and be in line for a possible relegation? Stuart Smith & Jon Steele don't really know, but they will guide you through, and brief you on, what is sure to be a dramatic final day of the J2 season.

We're back to brighten up your international break with another terrific Groundhopping Special, but as the title suggests, we're off to the islands with Chris Hough and Stuart Woodward as we travel around Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa.

We begin on Shikoku and Stuart's trip to the Pocari Sweat Stadium in Tokushima, then Chris follows with his visit to (Shinji) Kagawa Prefecture and Kamatamare Sanuki's Pikara Stadium (to 25:39).

We then head over to Kyushu, where Stuart and Chris have both been to Tosu, Oita and Nagasaki, and continue on to everyone's idea of a good time, Fukuoka (to 56:22), before finishing up down in Okinawa with FC Ryukyu's Very Long Stadium Name (total running time 1:22:24).

Follow my guests on twitter and elsewhere:

Stuart - @stuartcw

Tricolore Pride

Chris - @LiFJapan

Chris's Lost in Football website and terrific YouTube channel

This episode ran first for our Patreon supporters, without whom special podcasts like these would not be possible. To support the podcast, please visit patreon.com/jtalkpod.

Scott McIntyre rides shotgun this week as we welcome Ryan Steele, Alex Bishop and Stuart Woodward back to the pod.

In Part 1 Ryan joins us to review the first leg of the ACL Final, that saw Urawa struggle away to Al Hilal, but with the tie still delicately balanced with the second leg coming up in Saitama on the 24th (to 16:52).

In Part 2 Alex chats about FC Tokyo climbing back to the top flight summit as they wrapped up their eight game road trip with a narrow win at bottom club Iwata, with Kawasaki doing them a solid by knocking Kashima off their perch with a 2-0 away win (to 35:12).

Then in Part 3 Stuart discusses the other big beneficiaries of Kawasaki's win, Yokohama, who rose to second, a point behind Tokyo, after their big home win over Sapporo. There's also a lot of love for Ange Postecoglou, the F.Marinos manager, following the news he has re-signed with the club for the 2020 season (to 1:02:32).

Finally, Scott and I close out the episode with a check of the other five games from Matchday 31 - including big relegation dogfight wins for Sendai, Nagoya and Tosu - and the briefest of glances at the Japan squad(s) for upcoming games.

Follow my guests on twitter (and elsewhere):

Scott - @mcintinhos

The new-look The Asian Game website

Ryan - @Steelinho

Alex - @Abishop32

FC Tokyo English

Stuart - @stuartcw

Tricolore Pride

After another ripping weekend of top flight action, Alan Gibson and Sam Robson return to the pod to review J1 Matchday 30.

We begin with league leaders Kashima doing just enough to edge past Urawa last Friday, which upped the stakes for FC Tokyo and Yokohama in their games on Saturday, but both claimed impressive away wins to keep pace at the top.

From there, you know the drill, we work our way through the results and down the table, finishing up with the Shizuoka Derby, won in dramatic fashion by Adailton for Iwata (sounds like a fashion label that).

Follow my guests on twitter:

Alan - @jsoccermagazine

JSoccer.com

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

In honour of Hallowe'en, the title is Hallowe'en themed and there is definitely a Hallowe'en flavour pervading this weekend's J2. 

Tokushima have ghosted into the playoffs - are they set for more?

Trick or Treat for Omiya Ardija - beat Kashiwa and they look set, lose and it looks scary

The creaking door to the haunted house of J3 is well and truly open

Spiders...or actually Spiderman boots for a certain J2 star

Which teams will make it out of the witch's cauldron that is the playoff race?

Stuart Smith and Jon Steele are ready to take you through it all - with no silly costumes.

No J1 this past weekend, but that doesn't stop us going big on this new episode of the pod, as Neil Debnam, Ryan Steele and Paul Williams, and Chris Hough all guest on various cup action in the past week.

In Part 1 Neil revels in all of Kawasaki's glory after the dramatic Levain Cup final won on penalties over Sapporo last Saturday, and we wonder if a late spurt could propel Frontale back into the ACL next year - or perhaps even see them claim a third straight league title (to 34:15).

In Part 2 Ryan and Paul guest together as we collectively try and work out how Urawa have been so good in Asia this year - after Reds made it through to their second ACL final in three years last week - despite struggling throughout the J1 season, while we wax lyrical about Shinzo Koroki after his goal settled the semi final second leg, and the tie against Guangzhou Evergrande (to 1:14:32).

And then in Part 3 Chris returns to chat about the quarter finals of the Emperor's Cup played last Wednesday, and the latest installment of his Road to the Final - the all-J2 clash between Nagasaki and Kofu.

Follow my guests on twitter (and elsewhere):

Neil - @frontalerabbit

Neil's Frontale Rabbit website

Ryan - @Steelinho

Paul - @PaulWilliams_85

The new-look The Asian Game website

Chris - @LiFJapan

Chris's Lost in Football website and YouTube channel (get subscribing!)

This is part two of the J2 round up, and this part focuses on the push for promotion and the ever tightening playoff race. Again, Jon Steele is at the helm, and I (Stuart Smith) try to make sense of it all.

(There's a little mishap at the beginning where I edited out part of Jon's lead in question but I think you'll be able to understand it. As for my answer though....)

This week's podcast is split up into two halves, with this part 1 being about the teams near the foot of the table. Jon Steele & Stuart Smith discuss:

FC Gifu's home win against Ehime

Ryukyu's win at Tochigi

The unsavoury goings on at Kagoshima-Renofa

Avispa safe

Machida toking over their shoulder

JEF's capitulation against Kashiwa

Enjoy this Part 1 - part 2 will be on its way soon!!