Shinji Kagawa

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Just an interview from a french site quoting him and basically saying that the players play too many sideways passes (wing play) and not enough through him.He expects the adjustments to be better with more matches as the mutual understanding will progress.
For those who understand french
« Je veux améliorer des parties de mon jeu. Je pense que les combinaisons avec les autres joueurs vont s’affiner au fil des matches. On fait beaucoup de passes latérales, mais je veux que mes coéquipiers me transmettent la balle dans les pieds. Il faut que je leur en parle. Je veux qu’ils aient suffisamment confiance en moi pour me chercher lorsque je suis devant eux.
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Sounds like the same quote from earlier.

Q) Do you feel you could influence games even more?

Yes. We seem to pass the ball sideways a lot, but I want team-mates to start giving me the ball from all areas and angles. I need to speak to them about this, because I want them to have the trust in me to play the ball forward.
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Google translate says:

"I want to improve parts of my game I think the combination with the other players will be refined over the matches. We do a lot of lateral passes, but I want my teammates pass me the ball into the feet. I must speak to them. I want them to have enough confidence in me to get me when I'm in front of them."
 
Kagawa actually reminds me a fair bit of Kaka. He drives the ball forward with purpose and his technical ability is frightening.
 
Theres a reason we play it sideways a lot and thats because we've been relying on our wide players to create for us for so many years. Its only natural that as his teammates realise how good Kagawa is and how he can take the ball in tight situations like Barcelona players that they'll look to play it into him more often.

Carrick for example is very good at feeding the ball into front players through the middle early on. But with Rooney leading the line at times its no surprise that we havent seen much of it recently.
 
We've now got 2 players up front who are really good with the ball at their feet in tight spaces and with a good eye for a defence splitting pass (Van Persie and Kagawa). We need to play through them more during matches, which I'm sure will come as the season goes on.
 
Cheesy said:
After his early performances, I think he's already nailed down a spot in our team. We look a completely different, more fluid entity when he's in the team and has the ball. He's going to be one of our most crucial players this season in my opinion.

I don't think we should play him out left though. The comparison to Silva is valid, but they already have central players who can be creative for them through the middle. We don't really have anyone who can do what Kagawa does centrally, plus we already have two excellent wingers in our side already.
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Which central players do City have who are creative for them in the middle?
 
The man who gave him his break Levir Culpi said:

“He is the product of his own capacity and talent. He’s got a lot of personality. I noticed from the start that he really wanted to be the best,” said Culpi.

“I notice this in the players, this quality, but it’s thanks to his own ambitions that he managed to take these steps himself.

“I tried to teach him all the things I’ve experienced myself, but in a way, he is also self-taught. He had big ambitions and wanted to be the best.

“The main thing I tried to tell him was to have an ambition about scoring goals. I told him that if you score ten goals or more – in any league in the world – everyone will regard you highly. Shinji has these goal-ambitions.

“He runs, tries to breakthrough, shoots with both feet, but of course, he can also develop in many ways.

“Shinji has an important asset in his game. He is extremely mobile. Its almost like a disease – he cannot stop running. I would guess that he runs 13-15 km during a game.
He’s a really dynamic player. It’s very difficult for opponents to mark him.

“At the start, he was a defensive midfielder. But I saw that with all that movement, I had to give him a more free role where he could express himself.

“In a way he is a little bit of a rebel. I remember his last game for Osaka. We got a free-kick, and Shinji wasn’t supposed to take it, we had other players who were supposed to that.

“But he wanted to say farewell to the fans with a goal. So he took it, and scored. He is a bit of a rebel but that’s important for winners. They take the decisions that give them success. He isn’t afraid of anything and takes any challenge head on. He is a special boy.

“In that way he is different. Certainly. Normally Japanese players think as a collective. That’s because of the culture. They are taught to do what they are told to do. But Shinji pushed this. He does what he is told, but he also does his own things.

“Everybody is part of the group in Japan, and it’s rude to put yourself forward. At the same time, the one who do his own things, the one who dares to defy the orders, he is often seen as a genius.

“To be honest I didn’t want him to go to an English team. I would have preferred him playing for Barcelona. That would be his perfect match,” added Levir.

“Barcelona is a team which focuses on passes and breakthroughs in front of goal. I would have loved to see him play with Xavi and Iniesta. He could add something new to the Barcelona team.

“His movement is so good that with the passes of Xavi and Iniesta, he would help them create even more. In England it’s a lot about attacking down the flanks and then crossing. That’s why I thought it would be harder for him in England.

“German football is more technical and Dortmund have a technically strong team. The German style is closer to the Spanish style.

“It’s rougher in England. It’s more about long, high balls. But of course, there have been other small players who have succeeded. Like Juninho from Brazil.

“But I think it will be harder for Shinji to be a success in England than in Germany. It was an ambitious buy by United. It represents something different. If this means United will change their way of playing, he can help them back to the top level.

“And compare him to anyone? Well, he reminds me of one of the old greats – Johan Cruyff from 1974.

“In ‘74, Holland had a team that would fit Shinji like a glove. No-one really had a set position. It was all about movement, and Cruyff was a player that was like Shinji in many ways.

“He was everywhere, he broke through the defence, he shoots, he scores and he attacked using the entire field.

“So yes, that’s the player I’m thinking of. Shinji’s style reminds me of Cruyff.”
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Everybody speaks of him very highly dont they; i can see why. No wonder fergie wanted him so bad.
 
To be honest I didn’t want him to go to an English team. I would have preferred him playing for Barcelona. That would be his perfect match,” added Levir.

“Barcelona is a team which focuses on passes and breakthroughs in front of goal. I would have loved to see him play with Xavi and Iniesta. He could add something new to the Barcelona team.
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Thats what I was thinking he could easily be fit in to Barcelona's first team and would be one of their best players, so I guess we are very lucky to have him.
 
I remember his last game for Osaka. We got a free-kick, and Shinji wasn’t supposed to take it, we had other players who were supposed to that.

“But he wanted to say farewell to the fans with a goal. So he took it, and scored. He is a bit of a rebel but that’s important for winners. They take the decisions that give them success.
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Scores a free kick in his last game for Osaka, scores a brace against Dortmund's rivals Schalke in one of his first games.

Shinji Kagawa, the jewel in Dortmund's crown

"The boy plays like an angel," the Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin said.

Shinji Kagawa, 21, signed for €350,000 (£294,000) from the J-League new boys Cereza Osaka, a figure that roughly equals one hundredth of Schalke 04's total expenditure on new recruits, was the star of the show in the Veltins-Arena last night. Dortmund absolutely bossed the Revierderby with a combination of high pressing and crisp passing, but the first win in three years against their hated rivals was, first and foremost, down to Kagawa's fine handiwork. The attacking midfielder opened the scoring when he cut through the Royal Blues' defence like a freshly sharpened Hanzo sword, then unleashed a shot that Benedikt Höwedes could only deflect past Manuel Neuer in goal. For his second, he ghosted past the half the Schalke team to artistically steer a fine chip from Jakub Blaszczykowski into the net. "The style of this lively, cultured player reminds one of the filigree writing of the calligraphers," local newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten gushed.

Kagawa had confidently predicted he would score a brace in Sport-Bild interview before the derby but was modesty personified after the event. "I knew how important this game was," he said. "It's just wonderful to see the happy faces of my team-mates. Of course I'm proud that I played a role in making this historic win happen."
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Also;

Kagawa provides reminder of Eastern promise

Of course, it's way too early to tell if Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa can emulate Cha - or even, for that matter, Okudera - but there's no denying that the young Japanese already enjoys the kind of cult status among Borussia's support that Cha had in Frankfurt. Even before Kagawa scored two goals to win the heated Ruhr derby for Dortmund against Schalke, the Dortmund supporters had watched and listened to enough YouTube videos to sing Kagawa Shinji - putting the family name first, as it's done in Japan - and make brave attempts at getting the sounds right, pronouncing the 'w' more like 'oo'.

This is astonishing, considering Kagawa has been with Dortmund for not more than 14 weeks. But the fans were given proof very early that this is quite a talented 21-year-old. He was the best man on the pitch when Dortmund met a star-studded and fiendishly expensive Manchester City side in a pre-season friendly. Kagawa, signed for only €350,000 from Cerezo Osaka, won the penalty that led to the first goal and scored the second as Dortmund won 3-1.

Also, Kagawa reminds Dortmund's support of two former players who were very popular in the stands. The first is, of course, Tomas Rosicky, because Kagawa's technique, vision and pace over the crucial first few yards (not to mention his stature) make him almost a dead ringer for the Czech playmaker.

The second is, far less apparently, the Scot Paul Lambert. Like Lambert, Kagawa was signed as a stand-in for more established midfielders but won a place in the starting line-up through diligence and his work-rate; like the Lambert transfer back in 1996, Kagawa's signing was both a no-risk deal and seemingly the result of good scouting in places untapped by competitors.
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I remember watching that Schalke game. They absolutely battered Schalke that day and it sort of set the tone for the season they were about to have. I kept thinking how they got this little gem of a player for only 280k.
 
Score 2 against city and won a penalty? no wonder fergie signed him up :drool:

i love our little ninja already, hectic is it too early to say hes a fans favourite? :p
 
OGkush said:
Said it several times already, but I'll say it again, Kagawa was (from my point of view) always deemed as the "brighter" signing, even if RvP is proven world-class quality.
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I agree, think a few more people have said that too in the last 2 weeks or so. He's fantastic and I think he'll be the most important player for us if we use him right.

I just love watching him play football.
 
It seems that 5 foot 8 is the magical size to make footballers amazing at ball control.
 
Rooney out could be a good thing for him. Means we will keep him in his natural position behind the striker instead of pushing him back into midfield to make room.
 



Brilliant, keep this chant up! (to the tune of Radio Gaga)
 
OGkush said:
Said it several times already, but I'll say it again, Kagawa was (from my point of view) always deemed as the "brighter" signing, even if RvP is proven world-class quality.
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Kagawa is proving to be a magnificent signing. However its unfair to judge RVP at this point in time. He hardly had any pre season games at all.
 
I'm more of a one hit wonder than a legend in waiting, to be fair.

My previous failed efforts include 'You shook me all night, Dong'.
 
I personally liked Kagawa today, barely missed a pass in the first half, but then again Southampton had one or even two men on him whenever he got the ball. The problem was behind him, so Scholes had to come on, and when he did we needed to attack with 2 forwards. Unlucky for him.
 
Played well. Would like him to try some more intricate stuff. Understandable that he wants to keep it more simple as he's new at the club.
 
My only complaint is he gets shrugged off the ball a little too easily, but you can see the quality is there and RVP and him linked up very nicely in the first half (once or twice early he missed some lovely layoffs from RVP).

Him and RVP continue to be the best thing about this rather ordinary start to the season.
 
He was alright today, think he was a bit suprised by the pace and intent Southampton played with. It was tough for him though as all the movement seemed to be players running towards him in the middle. Really think nano will be good for him as nani can give width but also makes inside runs across te defence that kagawa can work with.
 
I think this was his worst game so far, but he's a fantastic talent. Still getting used to the team and I think he's the key to breaking our "zombie passing" cycle - he talked about publicly not liking the sideways passing and trying to get teammates to use him as the link more and more.

He's going to be a brilliant player for us.
 
It's difficult to play the number 10 role when your midfield is pressed with high energy players like today.

Kagawa is a very good player but people have got carried away saying he's better than Rooney in that role off the back of a few games. Personally I feel we have two great options in the hole now and Rooney has been underrated on this forum.
 
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