00:12.3
00:18.1
Hello and welcome to this week's edition of J.Chan!
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00:20.9
I'm your MC, Asami. Thank you for watching!
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00:26.0
And back for the first time in a while is our favorite commentator, Cesare!
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00:31.4
What was that? You're not cool at all! Don't do that!
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00:35.3
This is how I'm welcomed back... aren't you glad to see me?
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00:36.6
How have you been?
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00:41.0
I'm good, but I've been working hard! I went all the way to Osaka...
00:41.2
00:42.9
Lots of girls? No no no...
00:43.1
00:45.5
I did... um... lots of things!
00:45.6
00:48.3
You were actually working, right? This wasn't a vacation?
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00:54.2
Everyone says Italians do nothing but play...
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00:58.1
...but I'm from Milan and we work hard because we love it!
00:58.3
01:02.2
Really? Really! Speaking of that, let's get to work.
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01:04.3
As you can see...
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01:06.2
That's right!
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01:11.6
By the color you might mistake it for a Vegalta Sendai uniform...
01:11.7
01:13.9
If you look quickly, they're that same yellow-orange...
01:14.0
01:18.7
Vegalta lost so I'm not wearing their uniform. Whose uniform is this?
01:18.8
01:28.9
That's Shimizu S-Pulse from 19...96? 1995? It's from the early days of the J.League.
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01:38.3
It has the map of Asia, so when play is stopped the players can study geography!
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01:49.4
It's all there! Mongolia, Singapore... it's a very unique uniform and popular overseas.
01:49.5
01:58.5
It's a cool uniform, and you can study geography, but the team isn't doing very well right now.
01:58.6
02:03.4
But in the beginning of the season when Kashima Antlers were struggling,
02:03.5
02:11.0
You wore their uniform and then they started to improve! Maybe you're a lucky charm!
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02:15.7
Maybe I am! Here's hoping their results improve.
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02:18.7
Speaking of results, let's look at the scores for this round!
02:20.3
02:27.5
The end of the sixth round means we're a third of the way through the First Stage.
02:27.7
02:34.9
Speaking of Antlers, I went to see their 3-1 win over Kashiwa Reysol and it was a great match.
02:35.0
02:39.6
You go to a lot of Reysol games! I do, I like them a lot.
02:39.7
02:49.4
Antlers continue to rise in the standings, and as for the other matches this weekend...
02:50.3
02:59.4
Gamba Osaka won their fourth in a row. Their form has been fantastic lately, perhaps the best in the league.
02:59.5
03:01.3
Takashi Usami scored another goal!
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03:07.2
Then there's the match I went to, FC Tokyo vs. Sanfrecce Hiroshima!
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03:15.4
Of course I wanted my compatriot Massimo Ficcadenti to get a good result for Tokyo...
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03:22.3
But in the end I was still glad to see Sanfrecce win. Takuma Asano's goal was fantastic.
03:23.2
03:27.0
It reminded me of Wayne Rooney; he couldn't be stopped.
03:27.1
03:32.5
Last year he had so many scoring chances that went wasted because he'd aim wide or straight at the goalkeeper.
03:32.8
03:38.8
This time I almost couldn't watch but then I heard Hiroshima supporters cheering...
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03:50.9
In any case it was a good match! Tough luck for Tokyo, but it was good to see Sanfrecce bounce back after their loss to Nagoya Grampus.
03:51.0
03:54.4
Hiroshima did struggle in their last few matches.
03:58.3
04:09.0
It's important to point out that two weeks ago they lost to a struggling Vissel Kobe, then again last week to a struggling Grampus...
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04:16.6
But then they played away at FC Tokyo, who were tied for first place with Urawa Reds, and they won!
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04:21.8
After the match Sanfrecce manager Hajime Moriyasu said it too,
04:22.2
04:30.1
"You never know what will happen in the J.League." There's really not a big gap between the stronger and weaker clubs.
04:30.5
04:35.0
J.League matches are entertaining because you never know what the result will be!
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04:44.9
The same thing happened to Vegalta too; they've been winning a lot lately and then they lost at home.
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04:47.7
Now, let's look at the standings!
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04:51.5
Urawa Reds are on top!
04:51.6
04:54.4
They're the only team without a loss this season!
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04:57.0
And they've only given up three goals.
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05:02.6
That means they've only allowed one goal every two games.
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05:05.9
This goalkeeper is working hard, isn't he!
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05:08.1
You know him well, don't you!
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05:19.4
Who else but Shusaku Nishikawa! He's not only a good shot-stopper but great at managing his defenders.
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05:27.4
Urawa didn't give up many goals early last season either, but faded down the stretch...
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05:35.4
But because of the new two-stage format, they're in prime position to contend for the title.
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05:41.7
Before we get to Gamba, let's talk about Sagan Tosu in third place!
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05:47.5
We always say we never expect it but they're doing very well this year too.
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05:53.4
Then we have Nagoya Grampus in eighth place after winning two straight.
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05:56.6
Until a couple weeks ago they were near the bottom of the table.
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06:09.0
I think they've been able to play more compactly since they switched to a three-back system.
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06:12.5
And they've finally figured out how to score goals as well.
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06:15.0
As you'd expect from Akira Nishino's team!
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06:20.1
Antlers also have eight points, but if we look at the bottom of the table...
06:20.9
06:25.4
It's hard not to worry about Ventforet Kofu. They only have three points...
06:25.5
06:31.0
They won their home opener opener against Grampus, but lost all of their other matches.
06:31.1
06:35.0
More troubling than anything is that they've only scored two goals.
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06:44.0
Montedio Yamagata have also only scored twice. Win or lose, supporters want to see goals...
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06:49.5
Kofu and Yamagata's strikers, please work hard!
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06:54.4
And of course the team with the most goals is Kawasaki Frontale.
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06:58.2
They scored another three goals this weekend.
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07:06.5
Gamba scored two goals, so these two teams are averaging about two goals per match.
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07:16.5
The First Stage is a third through, but the top of the table looks about how we'd expect!
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07:19.9
It does look like that, doesn't it.
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07:29.0
I think Reysol are capable of doing better than 12th, but they're putting a lot of effort into the ACL.
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07:36.8
I bet you're glad that Sanfrecce won! Of course!
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07:39.5
And I bet you're glad that Vegalta... oh.
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07:42.4
That wraps up the results and current standings!
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07:50.2
Coming up, this week's Best XI!
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07:59.6
Have a look at our Best XI for Round 6.
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08:03.0
What do you think, Cesare?
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08:07.9
Well first we have veteran goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogohata.
08:08.7
08:12.8
On defense there's a name we haven't seen before.
08:12.9
08:18.7
Montedio Yamagata kept a clean sheet thanks to Shogo Nishikawa.
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08:22.3
His last name is different from Shusaku Nishikawa's by one character.
08:22.4
08:24.3
That's right, it's a different character for 'kawa' (river)
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08:29.2
Aren't you impressed a foreigner knows that? No? Never mind, then.
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08:38.6
He marked Matsumoto Yamaga's Obina very well throughout the match.
08:38.7
08:44.4
There were a few occasions where Yamaga would have scored if Nishikawa wasn't there. I thought he played very well this week.
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08:54.2
I think everyone is familiar with our midfielders. That said, Toshihiro Aoyama was fantastic, wasn't he!
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08:57.6
Just as I'd expect you to say!
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09:02.5
One player who intrigues me is Kisho Yano.
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09:08.0
He was originally a striker, but now he's being used as a fullback.
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09:15.4
Now with Grampus' three-back system he's changed to a 'wing-back' role, which I think suits him better.
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09:17.0
He runs quite a bit!
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09:21.0
He's formed a great combination with Kensuke Nagai.
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09:24.3
What do you think of these three strikers, Asami?
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09:30.7
All three are national team players, so it would
be a scary line to face as a defender!
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09:37.9
That's right. Okubo had one goal and one assist,
and he was involved in all three goals for Frontale.
09:38.5
09:43.0
He was--- oh, right, they played Vegalta...
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09:44.5
Then we have Yohei Toyoda, who scored two goals.
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09:50.1
His second goal was fantastic; I don't even think
Gianluigi Buffon could have stopped it.
09:50.2
09:57.0
Last but not least is Takashi Usami. His body fat percentage gained attention this week but boy can he score goals!
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09:59.6
What happens if he loses weight and stops scoring?
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10:01.8
That would be Vahid Halilhodzic's fault, wouldn't it?
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10:05.6
You're right! At any rate, Usami is playing very well.
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10:12.5
Yoshinori Muto also scored a great goal, but unfortunately didn't make our Best XI for this round.
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10:17.2
What an incredible group of strikers that is!
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10:19.7
That's it for our Best XI!
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10:32.0
Next up, this round's MVP!
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10:42.2
It's time to announce J.Chan's MVP for Round 6!
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10:52.9
Gamba Osaka forward, #39 Takashi Usami!
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10:57.8
He's been chosen again... but what a fantastic player!
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10:59.8
This is Usami's second week in a row as MVP.
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11:05.5
After he came back from Germany he worked very hard in the J2 League, which is of course the second division.
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11:16.3
Last season he contributed to Gamba Osaka's treble,
but this season he's played better than ever before.
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11:19.3
He's scored in four straight matches.
11:19.4
11:27.8
He was criticized somewhat by Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic, but he did play in both of Japan's games and scored a goal.
11:27.9
11:36.0
I think being called up to the Samurai Blue has boosted Usami's confidence and improved his form tremendously.
11:37.0
11:43.6
He's grown into a true striker but he can continue to improve and I'm looking forward to seeing how good he can become.
11:43.7
11:46.7
He's definitely become more aware on the pitch. Did you see his goal?
11:48.3
11:56.8
It wasn't the sort of goal we're used to seeing from him; he didn't score with his feet but really powered in and finished with a header.
11:56.9
11:59.0
But it's important to be able to score those sorts of goals.
11:59.4
12:06.7
He said something along those lines after the match; it's not the kind of goal he usually scores but it's the kind he needs to be able to score.
12:06.8
12:11.6
He was proud of it especially *because*
it was the kind of goal he didn't usually score.
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12:18.7
He's absolutely grown as a person since he went to Germany.
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12:20.5
He's matured considerably.
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12:26.9
Usami has a bright future ahead of him.
Congratulations on earning two straight J.Chan MVPs!
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12:34.6
Last week he earned 50% of the MVP vote.
This week he earned 30%, which is still a great figure.
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12:37.9
Don't worry, Aoyama received a lot of votes too!
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12:43.0
And of course nobody from Vegalta Sendai made the Best XI.
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12:48.5
To recap, Takashi Usami was our MVP for Round 6! Congratulations!
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12:59.0
That brings us to the end of our Tuesday show.
13:00.6
13:07.8
Cesare, it might be because you went on vacation,
but you forgot how to do the J...
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13:09.3
Don't worry, I remember. Look!
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13:10.6
Are you sure?
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13:11.6
Absolutely!
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13:17.1
If you can't get it right we may need to
replace you again so please work hard.
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13:32.0
Our next video will air on Wednesday, featuring my personally-selected Handsome Footballer Corner and Cesare's oh-so-serious...
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13:35.0
It won't be *too* serious! Well, maybe a little.
13:35.1
13:37.7
Serious or not, tomorrow will also feature Cesare's Key Moment.
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13:39.4
Please don't forget to watch tomorrow!
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13:41.9
Okay, Cesare, are you ready?
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13:43.3
I'm ready! I've practiced.
13:43.4
13:45.2
Get out of vacation mode, this one's for real!
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13:48.8
See you again tomorrow!
13:50.1
13:53.6
See? Wasn't that perfect?