The J-Talk Podcast

By Ben MaxwellSports Soccer Football

The J-Talk Podcast episodes

August 14, 2018 Episode 238 - J1 Matchday 21
In this raucous episode of J-Talk, Alan Gibson and first-time guest Tobias Dreimann come to us live from The Harbour Tavern in Kobe to review an action-packed J1 Matchday 21.
We begin with Gamba Osaka's much-needed win at home over FC Tokyo on Friday night, and discuss the situation at the foot of the table, which tightened up appreciably with all of the bottom four at the start of play winning over the weekend (to 15:15).
We then turn our attention to the top, with Hiroshima strengthening their position at the summit thanks to a home win over Nagasaki on Saturday night in the 'Peace Match', that Tobias was lucky enough to take in as part of his three and a half week ground-hopping tour of Japan.
The rest of the Matchday 21 games are rounded up (after I initially forgot Nagoya's 4-2 home triumph over Kashima!), in and around a look ahead to two massive rounds of fixtures this Wednesday and Sunday, with a preview of Kobe v Hiroshima beginning at 37:40.
#AUDIO ISSUES# Alan and Tobias were both sat in the pub, and therefore there's an awful lot of background noise as other people went about their business of enjoying their Monday night - I apologise as certain sections of the podcast will be difficult to hear - perhaps crack open a beer yourself, put your headphones in/on and imagine you were there, too!
Follow my guests on twitter:
Alan - @JSoccerMagazine
Tobias - @ConDrei
J.League Germany
54 min
August 07, 2018 Episode 237 - Yokohama, J1 Matchdays 19 & 20, J2 Update
Plenty to catch up on in this week's episode of J-Talk, and Sean Galbraith and Stuart Smith are on board to chew over the goings-on in the top two divisions.
In Part 1 Sean discusses Yokohama's recent tough run, that has seen them lose their last three to the top three in the J1 table - the latest a 2-0 Kanagawa Derby defeat to Kawasaki on Sunday - before we look ahead at F.Marinos' prospects of pulling away from the relegation zone (to 27:40). We then move on to round up the week's two rounds of matches, that saw FC Tokyo further reduce Hiroshima's buffer at the top, while Nagoya's fruitful week saw them edge up to almost within touching distance of safety (to 46:20).
Then in Part 2 Stuart returns to review a busy two months since our last J2 Special. We begin with how the current top six are travelling (to 1:12:45), before checking in on some winners and losers from the last 10 matchdays.
Follow my guests on twitter:
Sean - @1amSage
Stuart - @sushi_football
1 hr 42 min
July 31, 2018 Episode 236 - Moriyasu, Summer Transfers & J1 Update
In our first episode since Japan's World Cup exit, Dan Orlowitz and Sam Robson guest to round up a busy period in the Japanese game.
We begin with Hajime Moriyasu's appointment as Japan manager, and how he will handle dual duties in charge of the Samurai Blue and Japan's 2020 Olympic team (to 8:20), before moving on to a very hectic summer transfer window.
The arrivals of Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres (heard of them?!) lead off our chat (to 16:00), before we turn our attention to notable domestic transfers, including Mu Kanazaki joining Torres at Tosu, and Nagoya retooling as they attempt to right their sinking ship (to 32:00). We then move to European matters, with Wataru Endo and Naomichi Ueda taking their talents to Belgium, and we focus on Yoshinori Muto's move from Mainz to Newcastle United (from 37:00 to 43:50).
From there its matters on the pitch in J1 all the way, as Sam and Dan each choose a couple of 'winners' and 'losers' from the three (almost complete) matchdays that have taken place since the league resumed.
Follow my guests on twitter:
Sam - @FRSoccerSam
Dan - @aishiterutokyo
1 hr 10 min
July 04, 2018 Episode 235 - Japan 2-3 Belgium
After Japan's crushing late loss to Belgium in the first knockout round in Russia, Cesare Polenghi and Scott McIntyre guested for a post mortem on the 3-2 defeat, and the Samurai Blue's campaign as a whole.
The players who impressed, Akira Nishino's blind spot re: Eiji Kawashima, and whether Nishino is the right man to take Japan forward are just a few of the topics covered before Scott, coming to us from a (very atmospheric) train platform in Russia, literally has to depart (at 39:00), before Cesare broadens our horizon with opinions on how the Japanese game and the national team can be taken forward, and we wrap up the game.
#On Wednesday, several Japanese media outlets reported that Jurgen Klinsmann has been lined up to replace Nishino - we were not aware of these reports during recording.#
Follow my guests on twitter and the web:
Scott - @mcintinhos
The Asian Game podcast
Cesare - @CesarePolenghi
Football Tribe
1 hr 11 min
June 29, 2018 Episode 234 - Japan 0-1 Poland
Job done, but only just! This episode was recorded right on the full time whistle of Japan's 1-0 loss to Poland in their final Group H game, with the Samurai Blue scraping through to the Round of 16 via the fair play standings, having accumulated fewer yellow cards than Senegal over the three games.
In Part 1, Scott McIntyre comes to us live from Volgograd Arena to give immediate reaction, and a thorough explanation of the raft of changes Akira Nishino made, with six of the starting XI who had begun the first two games rotated out due to the stifling conditions. Scott also praises Nishino for his stellar job in steering Japan out of such a challenging group, and again calls for a change in goal (to 11:20).
Then in Part 2 Stuart Smith and Sam Robson guest as we run through all of the major talking points from the game, including: Eiji Kawashima's stunning first half save; the poor goal that Japan conceeded; some concern at their lack of urgency after falling behind; and the strange way the last 7 or 8 minutes played out, with the game ceasing to be a contest at the death, with Poland content to sit on their lead and let the Japanese players pass the ball around amongst themselves - a strategy that obviously would have failed spectacularly had Senegal snatched a late equalizer against Colombia (to 46:30).
We finish the episode with a look at Japan's last 16 prospects, with Sam answering a question he submitted for the post-Senegal pod, and while we focused on the likelihood the Samurai Blue would face England, a potential match-up vs Belgium was also considered.
Follow my guests on twitter:
Scott - @mcintinhos
Stuart - @sushi_football
Sam - @FRSoccerSam
1 hr 4 min
June 26, 2018 Episode 233 - Japan 2-2 Senegal
Following Japan's 2-2 draw with Senegal that left their World Cup Group H fate in their own hands going into the final match, Sean Carroll and Stuart Smith joined me to discuss the game and look ahead to Poland (and, hopefully, beyond).
We begin with some bigger picture takes on the merits of the Senegal result and the impact the players at the centre of Akira Nishino's major selection decisions have had (to 17:00), before moving on to all of the major incidents from the first half of the clash with The Lions of Teranga, including the latest installment of The Eiji Kawashima Chronicles.
After a half time break to tackle several of the great range of twitter questions we received, we wrap up the second half and discuss Keisuke Honda's role in Nishino's set up, then move on to preview the clash with Poland (from 1:04:00), and the permutations in the group, with Senegal v Colombia kicking off at the same time on Thursday.
We finish with Japan's potential Round of 16 (touch wood) opponents England and Belgium - a loaded topic with both guests hailing from England.
#AUDIO ISSUE# Sean was heading home for the first 15 or so minutes of the episode, so you will notice a lot of traffic/background noise, we hope it doesn't detract too much from your listening experience.
Follow my guests on twitter:
Stuart - @sushi_football
Sean - @seankyaroru
1 hr 33 min
June 20, 2018 Episode 232 - Japan 2-1 Colombia
Alan Gibson and Cesare Polenghi guest on this week's podcast, recorded right after Japan's stirring 2-1 triumph over Colombia in their first Group H game at the 2018 World Cup.
We begin the episode with a discussion on where this win ranks amongst the Samurai Blue's (admittedly small) list of World Cup victories, and then chat about the key selection decisions Akira Nishino faced following the three friendlies leading in to the Colombia match.
We then work our way through the key moments of the match, beginning with the Carlos Sanchez red card naturally, Japan not doing enough to ram home their advantage in the first half (where the Eiji Kawashima conundrum gets another airing), and then all of the positives that came out of the second half: the chances that came before the second goal; Yuya Osako's winner and what it could do for him confidence-wise in the rest of the tournament; and the assured way Nishino's team saw out the last 20 minutes.
After wrapping up the Colombia game (to 40:10), we then shift our focus to the next match, against Senegal, and discuss whether Nishino might consider a return to three at the back against The Lions of Teranga, or roll on with an unchanged side.
Follow my guests on twitter and the web:
Cesare - @CesarePolenghi
Football Tribe
Alan - @jsoccermagazine
JSoccer.com
53 min
June 13, 2018 Episode 231 - Japan World Cup Preview
Following Japan's final two pre-World Cup friendlies against Switzerland and Paraguay, Shintaro Kano from Kyodo News guested on this week's podcast to review the two games and look ahead to the Samurai Blue's Russian adventure.
As we recorded immediately after Japan's 4-2 win over Paraguay, we begin with that game, and the questions it posed to Akira Nishino - with his supposed second stringers outperforming the lineups that suffered defeats against both Ghana and the Swiss. Did Shinji Kagawa and Takashi Inui do enough to make their case to start against Colombia on June 19, what is Shintaro's preferred central midfield pairing in that game, and what of the goalkeeping situation, with Eiji Kawashima failing to convince (to 29:10).
We then look back at the Switzerland game, with other selection decisions for Nishino also discussed (which Sakai at right back?) (to 42:30), before we finish with Shintaro's thoughts on the Halilhodzic to Nishino coaching change, and some players he was surprised to see not make the final squad of 23.
Follow Shintaro on twitter @shintarokano
54 min
June 05, 2018 Episode 230 - Nishino's 23 & J2 Special May 2018
Stuart Smith and Jon Steele return to the podcast for a discussion on Japan's squad for the World Cup, and the latest of our monthly J2 Specials.
In Part 1 we briefly review Japan's loss to Ghana and experimentation with three at the back in their final friendly on home soil before Akira Nishino named his squad for Russia, then run the rule over the 23 man group, focusing on the exclusions of Yosuke Ideguchi and Takuma Asano (to 30:50).
Then in our J2 Special we begin with the big risers in the table since our last installment, beginning with FC Gifu (with a tangent on 'triple punishment' for professional fouls in the box), and moving on to Kofu, Tokushima and Chiba (to 1:11:55). Then follows a chat on the four teams who have taken the biggest tumbles since Matchday 11: Tokyo Verdy, Kumamoto, Kanazawa and Mito (to 1:22:20), before we finish with the current top six, with a brief word on our All-time Japan XIs from The Guardian website right at the death - props to Ben Mabley.
Follow my guests on twitter and the web:
Stuart - @sushi_football
We Are Gifu
Jon - @J2KantoBites
From The Guardian - Choose your own All-time Japan XI
1 hr 44 min
June 05, 2018 Episode 230 - Nishino’s 23 & J2 Special May 2018
Stuart Smith and Jon Steele return to the podcast for a discussion on Japan's squad for the World Cup, and the latest of our monthly J2 Specials.

In Part 1 we briefly review Japan's loss to Ghana and experimentation with three at the back in their final friendly on home soil before Akira Nishino named his squad for Russia, then run the rule over the 23 man group, focusing on the exclusions of Yosuke Ideguchi and Takuma Asano (to 30:50).

Then in our J2 Special we begin with the big risers in the table since our last installment, beginning with FC Gifu (with a tangent on 'triple punishment' for professional fouls in the box), and moving on to Kofu, Tokushima and Chiba (to 1:11:55). Then follows a chat on the four teams who have taken the biggest tumbles since Matchday 11: Tokyo Verdy, Kumamoto, Kanazawa and Mito (to 1:22:20), before we finish with the current top six, with a brief word on our All-time Japan XIs from The Guardian website right at the death - props to Ben Mabley.

Follo0w my guests on twitter and the web:

Stuart - @sushi_football

We Are Gifu

Jon - @J2KantoBites

From The Guardian - Choose your own All-time Japan XI
1 hr 44 min