The J-Talk Podcast

J-Talk: Extra Time - Episode 4: Question Time

You asked, we (kind of) answered. Our podcast supporters on Patreon had carte blanche to pose questions to Jon Steele and Stuart Smith, and they responded with various queries about the lesser-reached parts of the J.League.

WARNING: May contain traces of idols and social commentary.

Follow us on twitter:

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Stuart - @sushi_football

Enjoying Extra Time? It's only come about thanks to the support of our Patreon subscribers. Please consider hopping on board at patreon.com/jtalkpod - all support is greatly appreciated.

Episode 281 - J1 Matchday 17

This week's monolithic episode of J-talk features guest appearances from Alex Bishop and Stuart Woodward, Neil Debnam and Ryan Steele as we round up all of the games from J1 Matchday 17.

In Part 1 Alex and Stuart chat about Saturday night's top of the table clash at Ajinomoto Stadium, with leaders FC Tokyo fighting back from a goal down to ultimately triumph 4-2 (to 31:07).

Then Neil fights through his pessimism to discuss Kawasaki's 3-1 away win at Iwata (which proved to be Jubilo manager Hiroshi Nanami's final game in charge) and Frontale's slow but steady progress throughout the season (to 50:10).

Finally Ryan jumps on cock a hoop after Urawa's stunning win at Ulsan in the ACL Round of 16 last midweek, but he's brought back down to earth after Reds laid another egg in the league on Sunday night - falling to a limp 2-0 defeat at high-flying Oita. From there we round up the other six top flight games, including braces for all three of DAZN's Spanish poster boys in goalfests at Kobe and Tosu.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Alex - @Abishop32

For news and information on FC Tokyo in English, follow @FCTokyo_EN

Stuart - @stuartcw

The Yokohama supporters group @TricolorePride

Neil - @frontalerabbit

Neil's Frontale Rabbit blog

Ryan - @Steelinho

Enjoy the podcast? Please consider supporting us - The J-Talk Podcast on Patreon - all support is greatly appreciated.

J-Talk: Extra Time - Episode 3: Act Your Age

From the serious to the sublime to the stupid - the new episode of J-Talk: Extra Time gives you all the J2 information that you didn't know you needed.

Jon and Stuart talk outstanding free-kicks, head injuries, adults sneaking in as kids, Bob Marley, Lee Yong-Jae and lackluster derby performances in this week's podcast.

Follow us on twitter:

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Stuart - @sushi_football

Support The J-Talk Podcast on Patreon at patreon.com/jtalkpod.

Episode 280 - Japan National Teams & J1 Matchday 16

Dan Orlowitz and Sean Carroll return to the pod to run through a packed agenda of both international and domestic matters. Also sprinkled in are a fine collection of questions from some of the podcast's Patreon supporters.

In Part 1 we round up last week's ACL Round of 16 first legs and look ahead to the return fixtures this midweek, then move on to the Samurai Blue at the Copa America, whose campaign (as you now know but we didn't at the time of recording) ended with their draw against Ecuador in their final group stage game, before touching on Nadeshiko Japan at the Women's World Cup (to 33:00).

Then we move on to J1 Matchday 16, and begin with the game that Sean and Dan were both at, the Nissan Stadium clash between Yokohama and Matsumoto on Saturday night, with our initial focus on the visitors (to 1:02:45), then move on to another toothless display from leaders FC Tokyo away at Sendai, which, though it pained Dan and myself no end, set up the tantalising prospect for the neutral of a top of the table clash at Ajinomoto Stadium this Saturday night (to 1:17:05).

From there we run through the other five games from the matchday, including more heroics at the death from Shimizu, this week away at Nagoya, and a fruitful Saturday night for both Osaka clubs.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Sean - @seankyaroru

Dan - @aishiterutokyo

You too can support the podcast on Patreon - we've already launched a second podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, thanks to the contributions of our patrons. Get involved at patreon.com/jtalkpod.

J-Talk: Extra Time - Episode 2: For The Poncho People

Rain. What is it good for? Well, fantastic goals for starters. Club branded ponchos for another. Balls stopping dead in their tracks to make defenders look stupid? Check.

Stuart Smith and Jon Steele don their anoraks and Wellington boots to guide you through the top and bottom of J2, and take a look at the J3 promotion race. Grab your waterproofs and join them!

Follow us on twitter:

Stuart - @sushi_football

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Episode 279 - J1 Matchday 15 & Kubo to Real Madrid

This bumper episode of the pod features star turns from Sam Robson, Adrian Serna and Stuart Woodward, as we cover all of the games from J1 Matchday 15, and also Takefusa Kubo's stunning move to Real Madrid.

Sam guests off the top to talk about Kubo's now former club, table toppers FC Tokyo, suffering their second loss in three games at the hands of an Andres Iniesta-inspired Kobe on Saturday night, then we round up the three games played on Friday night, with Kawasaki dropping more points at home, and Kashima and Hiroshima doing their business in the second half on their way to home wins (to 26:27).

Then Adrian joins me to talk about Kubo's fascinating transfer, and what it really means for his future, as well as the reaction in Spain to the news, and Barcelona missing out on the chance to sign their former youth star (to 45:17).

Stuart then hops on board to dissect Yokohama's loss at Shimizu in Matchday 15, in which they threw away a late lead, and all three points at the death, after Marcos Junior's red card saw them unravel (to 1:06:07), then Sam and I finish off the matchday with the final four games, including vital wins for Urawa and Sendai.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

Adrian - @758Bruns

Stuart - @stuartcw

Episode 278 - Samurai Blue & Thorsten Fink In At Kobe

With J1 on a break due to international friendlies, Dan Orlowitz and Tobias Dreimann guest on this week's podcast to talk about the Samurai Blue, and Kobe's new manager, respectively.

In Part 1 Dan reviews Japan's Kirin Cup clashes against Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador, the latter game notable for an impressive showing from pinch hitter Kensuke Nagai, and a stirring cameo on his international debut from 18 year old Takefusa Kubo. We then move on to discuss players to watch, and expectations for the tournament, for Japan's untested squad at the upcoming Copa America (to 25:17).

Then Tobias hops aboard to chat about Kobe's new German coach, Thorsten Fink, discussing his somewhat chequered past at clubs in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Cyprus, and whether his footballing philosophy will see Vissel prosper, and end the seemingly interminable managerial merry-go-round at the Kansai club.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Dan - @aishiterutokyo

Tobias - @ConDrei

Information on Tobias' J.League podcast in German can also be found via @jleagueDE on twitter 

J-Talk: Extra Time - Episode 1: Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

A busy week in Fukuoka, goals aplenty for Nagasaki, blue and white at the summit and the best players in J2 - Stuart Smith and Jon Steele take you on a guided tour of J2 in the debut of J-Talk: Extra Time.

Follow us on twitter:

Stuart - @sushi_football

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Episode 277 - J1 Matchday 14

This week's episode features a full review of J1 Matchday 14 with Sam Robson and Ryan Steele.

We begin with FC Tokyo increasing their lead at the top of the table to six points after a 3-1 home win over Oita on Saturday, a performance lit up by Takefusa Kubo, who turned on the style in what may turn out to be his final Gasmen appearance, while we also ponder whether Oita's pixie dust might have finally started to run out (to 20:50). Ryan then discusses the managerial change at Urawa, with Oswaldo Oliveira shown the door last week, before moving on to Reds snatching a point at the death away at Kawasaki on Saturday night (to 38:00).

We then move on to Yokohama zipping up to third with a 2-1 away win in the Kanagawa Derby at Shonan on Friday night, and ponder whether Ange Postecoglou's side might finally be hitting a consistent vein of form a year and a half into his tenure (to 52:10), before we move on to the most shocking result of the week - then-bottom Sendai stunning suddenly wobbly Nagoya (to 58:30).

Next we cover the 1-0 wins for Sapporo (at home over Hiroshima) and Cerezo Osaka (away at a Torres-less Tosu), before wrapping up the matchday with the three 1-1 draws, and a discussion on the logjam at the foot of the table, with five teams 'joint-bottom' on 13 points.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

Ryan - @Steelinho

And keep your eyes on your podcast feed for the first episode of J-Talk: Extra Time, our new J2-centred pod co-hosted by Stuart Smith and Jon Steele will be dropping on Wednesday.

Episode 276 - J1 Matchday 13

This week's episode features our original two guests, Sean Carroll and Alan Gibson, back together, as we run through all of the games from J1 Matchday 13, while Stuart Smith makes a special cameo at the end of the pod, with a very special announcement.

We begin our top flight wrap in Osaka, where leaders FC Tokyo suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Cerezo (to 9:45), before we move on to Nagoya and Oita blowing their chances to make up ground on The Gasmen, with Kawasaki leap-frogging both of them into second with their away win over Trinita (to 28:00).

From there we run through the other games, including big home wins for Yokohama and Kobe, before finishing up with our first relegation six-pointer of the season, with Shimizu sending Sendai to the cellar after a rollicking 4-3 win (to 1:30:26).

Stuart follows with some terrific news, that I won't spoil here.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Sean - @seankyaroru

Alan - @JSoccerMagazine

Stuart - @sushi_football