It may not have been the dream start he was hoping for, but former Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou marked his return to club football with a respectable draw last weekend. His new club Yokohama Marinos just fell short of a winning start to the new J-League season, against one of the pre-season favourites Cerezo Osaka, the team which defeated the Marinos in the Emperor’s Cup final earlier this year, before Postecoglou took over as coach.

In last weekend’s season opener, Postecoglou’s Yokohama was headed for a 1-0 away win when Cerezo scored a late equalizer for a share of the points.

Postecoglou set out his team in an attacking 4-3-3 formation, in which Socceroos defender Milos Degenek started alongside captain, and Japan legend, Yuji Nakazawa in the heart of the defence.

In the short period of time that he’s been in charge, Postecoglou has already introduced a more attacking formation to the Yokohama Marinos in comparison with the way the team played under its recently departed previous coach Erik Mombaerts.

According to Milos Degenek, Postecoglou has adjusted the midfield structure by deploying two number 10s and a single number six as opposed to last season’s formation which used two defensive midfielders.

Speaking to The World Game, Degenek said “The style of football we’re playing under the boss is a lot different to any other team in the J League,” said Degenek, speaking ahead of round two’s visit to Kashiwa Reysol.

“It’s a lot better and it felt really good out on the pitch.
“We were up against probably the strongest side in the league and we took it to them on their own home ground.
“The result was positive but we really should have killed it off in the first half.
“All in all, the boys were happy and the boss was okay with it as well.”
“Last year we played with one No. 10 and two No. 6’s, this season it’s one No. 6 and two No. 10’s and three up top, or one up top and two wide players.
“It’s more offensive this year with a higher line. It’s very good. We have a lot of players rotating.

This Saturday morning (AEST), Yokohama plays its second round league match when it visits Kashiwa Reysol, a team currently competing in the AFC Champions League and which boasts a couple of Brazilian imports in its forward line, Christiano and Ramon Lopes.

The match against Kashiwa Reysol marks the start of a heavy schedule of five matches in two and a half weeks , including three league and two Group stage J-League Cup matches, for Postecoglou and his Yokohama Marinos team.