Kawasaki Frontale have dominated this era of Japanese football. They won four of the last six Meiji Yasuda J1 League titles, as well as multiple cups, but they are not on top right now. Yokohama F·Marinos pipped them to the championship last year, and now Toru Oniki is dead set on putting his side back on top.

Last season

The problem with being as good as Frontale have been is teams come for your best players. Last season, with so many of their best players having been plucked by European clubs, Frontale found themselves in a bit of transition point. And yet, despite all that, Frontale were right back in the title hunt.

Frontale’s attack and defense both took small steps back in 2022 and that proved to be the difference in winning the title and not, even though they took the race to the very last day of the season and very nearly took home the crown.

Goal for 2023

The expectation at Frontale is to win the title and that remains. Topping the league for a fifth time in seven years would be unprecedented, but that is the machine that Oniki has built at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium.

Both Leandro Damião and Yu Kobayashi will be out at the start of the season so managing the early part of the season and being able to keep the powerful attack clicking will be the focus because, if Frontale can manage that, then the title chase is well and truly on.

What to watch for

The moment of transition at Frontale isn’t quite over yet. Shogo Taniguchi has departed and Frontale have to replace their captain in 2023, putting a lot of pressure on Takuma Ominami to come over from Kashiwa Reysol and immediately play excellently.

Taisei Miyashiro has flashed brilliance in his years away on loan, but now that he’s back at Frontale and asked to deputize for Leandro Damião, he has an opportunity to be a real breakout star. Also keep an eye on Shin Yamada, who could join Miyashiro as the latest Frontale youngster to become stars.

There’s a lot of change at Frontale again, but would you bet against Oniki and Co? A team that still has established stars like Miki Yamane, Jesiel, Marcinho, Yasuto Wakizaka and Akihiro Ienaga? Of course not.