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Tanaka opens emotive 'massive' debate on opponent as dream continues
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- Tanaka opens emotive 'massive' debate on opponent as dream continues
Tanaka opens emotive 'massive' debate on opponent as dream continues
Leeds United fans of a certain vintage might bristle at Ao Tanaka's choice of adjective for Bournemouth, but current reality backs him up.
The Japan international was asked this week about Saturday's game against the Cherries and described both it and the opponent as 'massive.'
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The word massive is an emotive one in football. Some fanbases use it sincerely with whole-hearted belief that it applies to their club. Others use it slightly more ironically. Even when it is reasonably applied, the word means different things to different people. Some might take into consideration a club's global presence, stadium size, average attendance or historical success. Others, like Tanaka, look not at Bournemouth's circa 12k capacity ground or historic honours board, but progression up the Premier League table over the last three years, last season's top-six finish and back-to-back-to-back 3-0 wins over AC Milan, Manchester United and Aston Villa.
"This is a massive opponent," Tanaka exclusively told Premier League Studios. "This is a massive challenge. Bournemouth is such a good team, especially recently, the results have been so good. And it's a massive game for us as well, because we didn't win four games. So we want to win the game. So this is a massive game, massive opponent. [They are] a bit different than last season, because they changed the manager. But still, they have quality players, quality tactics. So I'm looking forward to playing against them."
Unlike Bournemouth, Leeds cannot boast of nine seasons at Premier League level in the last 11 years but by any other metric can be considered a massive club. Three historic top flight titles, an FA Cup, European success, a soon-to-be 53k capacity stadium and a fanbase to fill it are all significant pieces of evidence. Daniel Farke often cautions that the club must learn to walk again in the Premier League before it can run, yet seventh place after eight games can be cautiously described as a step forward from last season.
"I'm happy to be seventh - we aren't satisfied but it's a good start," said Tanaka. "The Premier League is the best league in the world so we know how difficult it is to get a point in every game but I feel better [the start has been] than I expected."
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Tanaka admits Leeds perhaps did not deserve to win their last game, a 0-0 at Sunderland but it was not a 'bad point' in the end. The game at the Stadium of Light was the midfielder's sixth consecutive start in the Premier League this season. Last season he managed just one sequence of that many starts in a row with what turned out to be a seven-game run in the starting XI at the end of the season. Tanaka has a theory as to why he's in the side, at a time when physicality is so cherished not only at Leeds but in the Premier League in general.
"Of course, every player wants to play every game," he said. "And we have such a good squad, so it's not easy to play every game. Starting and coming on as well. But for me, I have to show quality in training, on the pitch, and in the game. I didn't play the first game at the beginning of the season, but I know what I need to do in the pitch. So now I feel like I could show my quality every game.
"I feel I'm a different player, because I'm not strong. I'm not a physical player, but I feel like I have ability to control the ball and tactics as well. This is what we need. So that's why I have to show my quality every game."
At 28 years of age, previewing Premier League games that he'll stand a good chance of playing in, Tanaka is living the dream. It's one he wasn't actually confident he would realise.
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"Everyone plays in the Premier League because it's the best league in the world," he said. "And we know how difficult it is to come to the Premier League. So when I was younger, I watched so many games. And then, still, I couldn't believe I could play in the Premier League, to be honest, because it was my dream. I couldn't imagine I would play in England when I was young. But now I play in England, and I'm so happy to play in this club."
