Stat Attack

So how, you're almost certainly thinking, does Jang Wae Ryong's 2009-vintage Ardija compare with other Squirrels teams to have competed in J1 since promotion at the end of 2004? GGOA takes a quick look at the statistics of how Omiya were performing at this exact same stage - i.e. after nineteen games - of each season.

2005

Coach: Toshiya Miura
Points / Goal difference: 25 (-3)
Position: 10th
Top scorer / goals scored: Christian 6

2006

Coach: Toshiya Miura
Points / Goal difference: 29 (-2)
Position: 8th
Top scorer / goals scored: Daigo Kobayashi 6

2007

Coach: Robert Verbeek, Satoru Sakuma
Points / Goal difference: 17 (-9)
Position: 17th
Top scorer / goals scored: Kota Yoshihara 3

2008

Coach: Yasuhiro Higuchi
Points / Goal difference: 23 (-3)
Position: 14th
Top scorer / goals scored: Denis Marques 6

2009

Coach: Jang Wae Ryong
Points / Goal difference: 24 (-5)
Position: 12th
Top scorer / goals scored: Naoki Ishihara, Mato Neretljak 5

In terms of points scored and league position achieved, therefore, Jang's Omiya team is exactly in the middle - third out of five, one point and two places better than last season under Yasuhiro Higuchi. The best Ardija side since reaching J1, and thus the best side in the club's history, can be counted as being that of the early part of 2006, especially when Daigo Kobayashi was firing on all cylinders as the new Squirrels star. And while Christian would presumably have hit double figures if he had stayed longer than just a few months, it also becomes clear when looking at the stats that Omiya have in all of the last four and a half years never had a real J1-quality goalscorer. Hello Dudu?

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