Head mentor: Ange Postecoglou 2019 result: Champions Foreign players: Park Il-gyu (Korea Republic), Theerathon Bunmathan (Thailand), Thiago Martins (Brazil), Marcos Junior (Brazil), Erik (Brazil), Edigar Junio (Brazil) Player to view: Teruhito Nakagawa
Yokohama F. Marinos found their very very very first league name in 15 years in 2019 by playing the proactive, attack-oriented soccer that has been characteristic of Ange Postecoglou edges.
They wrapped up glory by closing the 2019 campaign unbeaten within their final 11 games and winning every one of their final seven, including a symbolic 4-1 triumph away to dethroned Kawasaki Frontale within the penultimate round and then a 3-0 cruise over runners-up FC Tokyo in the last week-end to ensure associated with name. Teruhito Nakagawa was at specially form that is scintillating the run-in, and as well as completing joint top scorer with Marcos Junior he had been additionally voted J. League Player of the season.
The actual only real departure that is notable Mateus going back to moms and dad club Nagoya Grampus after an extraordinary loan spell, whilst the squad happens to be nicely supplemented by striker Ado Onaiwu plus some talented J2 players. Previous captain Jun Amano and Ryuta Koike also have can be found in from displaying Lokeren, meaning Marinos are particular to install a stiff defence of the top this present year.
FC Tokyo
Head mentor: Kenta Hasegawa 2019 outcome: 2nd Foreign players: Joan Oumari (Lebanon), Adailton (Brazil), Leandro (Brazil), Arthur Silva (Brazil), Diego Oliveira (Brazil), Player to view: Diego Oliveira
FC Tokyo reached their utmost ever complete last period, but having led the table for installment loans no credit check therefore long finishing as runners-up will nevertheless have appeared like a frustration for the main city city club.
The team ultimately paid the price for their lack of goals, and once first choice strikers Diego Oliveira and Kensuke Nagai stopped finding the net not enough other players stepped up to the plate – Takefusa Kubo ended the campaign as their third top scorer, despite notching just four times and then leaving for Real Madrid in mid-season as in the previous year.
This year, proven J. League forwards Leandro and Adailton have been recruited to add extra scoring threat, and with the spine of Akihiro Hayashi, Masato Morishige and Yojiro Takahagi still in place the team should at least remain in the mix at the business end of the table in order to avoid a repeat.
Kashima Antlers
Head mentor: Antonio Carlos Zago 2019 outcome: third international players: Kwoun Sun-tae (Korea Republic), Leo Silva (Brazil), Juan Alano (Brazil), Everaldo (Brazil) Player to view: Katsuya Nagato
Probably the most effective club in the Japanese game, Kashima Antlers faded through the name photo at the conclusion of final period and despite completing 3rd and claiming an area within the 2020 AFC Champions League these people were then eradicated into the Qualifiers following a surprise house defeat to Melbourne Victory back in February.
Which was new mentor Antonio Carlos Zago’s first game in control after changing Go Oiwa, along with the group additionally tasting beat against Sanfrecce Hiroshima regarding the starting day associated with brand new league period, the enforced COVID-19 break could have supplied some much-needed additional bedding-in time for the previous Brazil worldwide.
While a few key players through the 2018 AFC Champions League winning part have managed to move on, the kind of Katsuya Nagato, Daiki Sugioka and Ryuji Izumi have now been earned ahead with this campaign and include quality to a squad that will because ever be focusing on trophies.
Kawasaki Frontale
Head mentor: Toru Oniki 2019 outcome: 4th international players: Jung Sung-ryong (Korea Republic), Jesiel (Brazil), Diogo Mateus (Brazil), Leandro Damiao (Brazil) Player to view: Leandro Damiao
Kawasaki Frontale had been focusing on a 3rd consecutive J1 top final period, but eventually couldn’t endure the rate along with to settle for the fourth-place finish and raising the J. League Cup.
Evergreen playmaker Kengo Nakamura suffered leg ligament harm at the conclusion regarding the previous campaign but should quickly be returning to complete fitness, although 2017 J. League Player of the season Yu Kobayashi will probably miss out the very first couple of games at the least having found a knock in the exact middle of June.