More transfers!

Well we sold Kiyotake to Nuremberg for a pittance considering his status but we got a fair price for Bo Kyung from cash rich Cardiff City and their rebranding Malaysian owners. Branqhuino who has been average at best has gone on loan to Montedio Yamagata in J2. Also this week we signed Brazilian midfeilder Heberty on loan from Thespa Kusatsu in J2. He joins fellow newbies Yokoyama, Edamura and Simplicio. Here are a few of Heberty's goals in J2, don't get too excited, remember anyone can look good on a Youtube highlights compilation but here's hoping he can be good enough to help us avoid relegation.

Out in the Nabisco Cup quarter final 0-3 Kashima Antlers

We could have gone through with one goal and a clean sheet but after letting their star player Dutra glide through our midfield and allow him enough time for his shot we would have been fortunate to get anything. Antlers finished off the game with a penalty and finally a third as we played poorly against decent opposition as usual. Soares threw on Nagai and Bando to try and salvage something but the damage was done. After that things don't look too good for the Osaka derby but seeing how poorly Gamba are doing this season we may have a chance. The only good point on Wednesday was a chance to see Brazilian legend Jorghino on the touchline for Antlers.

Cerezo Osaka 4-0 Consadole Sapporo

This game saw starts for two of our new signings, Edamura on loan from Shimizu S-Pulse and Simplicio arriving after a few seasons in Serie A. The money we got from Bo Kyung's sale to Cardiff could well be going mostly towards Simplicio's wages, he's been capped once for Brazil and played 30+ games a season in Serie A which much makes him one of our best imports in recent years. He showed his experience and also the kind of foreign players we should always try and sign on his debut. He was dictating things in midfield and was telling players where to go, where to pass, and what tempo to play. A good debut but I think you would expect that from a player with his credentials. Edamura showed a couple of nice touches but couldn't really get into the game. The scoreline was flattering, Jin Hyueng had to pull off a couple of fine saves and earn his clean sheet. Sapporo missed the best chance of the game before we scored. Murata the speed merchant got a start today and the first goal from Simplicio's pass. Kakitani got the second and is showing he's got the ability and goals to keep us in J1. Kempes came off the bench to provide some glorious entertainment. He tried, but I think failed, to connect with a header and it looked like a clear own goal but he was credited with it and he certainly celebrated like it was his as he leapt into the crowd. Most people in the stadium on seeing the replay agreed it was an own goal and had a bit of laugh at his over the top celebration. There was more to come from Kempes though. Kakitani won a penalty and (the fastest I've ever seen Kempes move) before anyone could argue Kempes had picked up the ball and placed it on the spot. I don't know how good his Japanese is but even just from the atmosphere he must have known most people weren't too happy with this. Anyway fairplay to him for having the guts to try...and fail. His tame effort was saved by the Consadole keeper. This led to more complaining from our fans of course, it's lucky for him that it wasn't an important penalty or I think I might have witnessed for the first time Cerezo fans booing one of their own. Consadole heads were down throughout the 2^nd half despite a decent 1^st half showing and Kempes managed to tuck away his (possibly!) second of the game in what proved to be an eventful substitute appearance. So after a long run of depressing games (and not wanting blog about about them!) a decent victory against what we must remember is a team bottom of J1 with one of the worst records at this stage in the history if J1, oh and they beat us in Sapporo. The 2^nd leg of our Nabisco Cup tie kicks off tonight against Kashima Antlers who we currently trail 2-1.

Consadole fans bravely sung throughout and for some reason
decided to congregate on the right side of the away section rather
than the traditional behind the goal patch of grass. 

Confused school kids help out at half time

Only in Japan? Cerezo ponchos were prepared for those
with a front row seat for the random half time summer madness



Kempes perhaps realising his eagerness to take the
penalty may have been misguided just before his effort

The moment I found out Kempes is in fact left footed, previously
he's been so bad with both feet it was impossible to tell