The J2/J3 100 Year Vision League kicked off at the weekend, so Jon Steele and James Taylor got together to discuss the big talking points from the opening round of fixtures. In part 1, Jon reviews the East groups, with a particular focus on Yokohama FC v Yamagata, then picks his East MBP and games to watch for matchday 2 (to 24:25). Then in part 2, James talks about Imabari v Kanazawa and Kagoshima v Miyazaki, discusses the postponements, picks a West MBP and games to watch (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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The Chaos Energy J.League Cup got underway over the weekend, and in Part 1 of this episode Jonny and Ben were very pleased to welcome new Hiroshima correspondent Robert Turner to the pod to chat about Sanfrecce's opening night win over Nagasaki, and his thoughts on their prospects this season (to 23:55).

Then in Part 2 your co-hosts round up the other four games from the west group (to 37:30), before moving on to Kawasaki's 5-3 triumph over Kashiwa on Sunday and the rest of the games from the east, before rounding off the pod with a look ahead to upcoming ACL and J1 fixtures.

Jon Steele and James Taylor return with a preview of the J.League’s half-season tournament for J2 and J3 teams. First, James runs through the tournament setup and prize money (to 04:45). Then Jon talks about Yokohama FC and Tochigi City from the East-A group (to 15:30) and Sapporo and Matsumoto in East-B (to 25:20). After that, James looks at Imabari and FC Osaka from West-A (to 33:50) and West-B teams Tosu and Yamaguchi (to 46:05). The boys finish with a discussion of the different ways clubs might approach the HYVL (to end).

Big thanks to Mike Innes for sharing his detailed notes on the J3 teams.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time. We hope you’ll enjoy the HYVL with us.

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We wrap up our top flight previews with the final five teams from the east group, beginning in the capital with FC Tokyo (to 18:15), Tokyo Verdy (to 30:40) and Machida (to 44:40), before Kawasaki correspondent Neil Debnam joins us to chat about Frontale's interesting moves in the transfer market, and their prospects for The Chaos Energy J.League Cup (to 1:19:10).

Then Jonny and Ben preview Yokohama F.Marinos (to 1:33:35), take care of some housekeeping, and preview J1 Matchday 1.

Check out Neil's Frontale Rabbit blog, and Jonny's Top 50 Japanese University Players (link is to Part 2, here's Part 1), take your swing at J.League Fantasy (and enter our mini-league with code sjWwSZ9k), and try your luck at JPred for ultimate bragging rights!

We wrap up the west on this week's episode, and after celebrating Japan's triumph in the Under 23 Asian Cup, Jonny and Ben welcome Kyoto correspondent Jamie Meikle back to the pod to chat about Sanga's tremendous 2025 season, and to look ahead to their 2026 by discussing their dealings in the transfer market, key players and ones to watch, and our final thoughts on their prospects for the Chaos Energy J.League Cup (to 32:45).

Later Jonny and Ben follow the same pattern in chatting about Cerezo Osaka (to 48:50), Gamba Osaka (to 1:09:05), Nagoya (to 1:25:55) and Shimizu (to end), with those final three teams all under the stewardship of new managers.

We head west for this week's previews, and we were thrilled to be joined by Daniel Kuroda, one half of the Vivi Cast podcast, to chat about Nagasaki's 2025 campaign, and their long-awaited return to J1 in the Chaos Energy J.League Cup (to 42:30).

In Part 2 Jonny and Ben begin with a depth chart explainer and praise for the collaboration between Yokohama FC and J.League Journeys, then run the rule over Fukuoka (to 1:01:45), Hiroshima (to 1:15:00), Okayama (to 1:27:45) and Kobe (to end).

As a special bonus, we've smashed down the Patreon paywall this week so that all listeners can access Jonny's depth charts for the five teams featured on this episode by clicking on this link.

We kick off our Chaos Energy J.League Cup previews with five teams from the East group, and after Jonny and Ben run the rule over J1 Champions Kashima (to 14:13), Jon Steele guests to chat about the sensational promotions achieved by J2 Champions Mito and Playoff winners Chiba, and how both teams might fare in the top flight (Mito to 45:20, Chiba to 1:08:10).

In Part 3 Jonny and Ben finish off the episode by checking in on Kashiwa (to 1:23:20) and Urawa (to end).

The JTET team (with special guests) are back to conclude their J2 retrospective for 2025.

In the first segment, James and Jon discuss the fortunes of Kofu (Start to 06:35), Fujieda (06:35 to 11:00), and then Oita (11:00 to 19:25).

Then we hand over to pod debutant Tom for his take on Sapporo's 2025 campaign (19:25 to 24:55). After that, we welcome Fin back to the show for his thoughts on Sendai (24:55 to 37:45).

James and Jon reconvene to run through a quartet of teams from the (very) wrong end of the J2 table: Toyama (37:45 to 43:55), Yamaguchi (43:55 to 49:00), Ehime (49:00 to 53:30), and Kumamoto (53:30 to 01:03:00).

To make sure that we round things off on a positive note, we end with Allen's look back on an unforgettable season for JEF Chiba (01:03:00 to Finish).

Thanks to all of our contributors, and to all of you for listening - we'll be taking a short podcasting break until the first week of February (when we'll post a 100 Year Vision League preview episode)!

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Happy New Year to you all, and welcome back to another season of The J-Talk Podcast. We're beginning the year with a bang, as we celebrate our 600th episode, and after a brief catch-up (and explanation of the pod for new listeners), Jonny and Ben welcome in Dan Orlowitz, to chat about the highs of 2025, as detailed in the J.League Season Review, (all in Japanese, use browser translation) and to look ahead to the Chaos Energy J.League Cup.

Happy New Year, everyone!

In a vainglorious attempt to get 2026 off to a flying start, we do our best to review the J2 season across a pair of bumper episodes (Part 2 is on the way).

In the early stages of this pod, James and Jon wax lyrical about a quartet of J2 clubs: champions Mito (Start to 04:30), runners-up Nagasaki (04:30 to 08:30), as well defeated Play-Off sides Tokushima (08:30 to 11:00) and Iwata (11:00 to 15:45).

Then there's a chance for James to take a breather as Jon chats in-depth to special guest contributor Steve Fryer about another team vanquished in the Play-Offs, Omiya (15:45 to 59:40).

James is back on deck to talk to Jon about a further trio of teams after that: Tosu (59:40 to 01:03:55), Yamagata (01:03:55 to 01:08:00), and finally Imabari (01:08:00 to 01:12:55).

The pod ends with dynamite drop-ins from two of our regular club-specific contributors: Martin Spivey tells us all about Akita's 2025 campaign (01:12:55 to 01:21:40), before Leslie Mabon does similar for Iwaki (01:21:40 to Finish).

We hope everyone enjoys the bumper pod - thank you to all of our contributors!

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Jon Steele and James Taylor sign off for 2025 by compiling a best eleven for J2, along with MVP and Manager of the Year (to 30:10). Then in part 2, Jon quizzes James on his J3 team (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time. Keep an eye and an ear out for J2 season reviews over the next few weeks.

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The curtain came down on another season in J2, J3 and the JFL last weekend, and Jon Steele and James Taylor have analysis of the three big games: JEF United v Tokushima (to 20:00), FC Osaka v Miyazaki (to 35:40), and Numazu v Shiga (to 56:45). They also pick a Most Bravo Player from each of the matches (to 1:02:35) and round off the episode with news about the J2/J3 100 Year Vision League and J.League Awards.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time. Keep an eye and an ear out for J2 and J3 season reviews over the next few weeks.

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In the final episode of Big Pod for 2025, Alan Gibson guests as we piece together our Team of the Season. After Jonny and Ben begin the episode with some housekeeping - brief J2 Promotion Playoff and ACL reviews, as well as the groupings for the Chaos Energy J.League Cup - (to 16:26) we first get Alan's thoughts on some early offseason managerial appointments, before working from back to front in selecting the J-Talk J1 Team of the Season.

Jon Steele and James Taylor are back with a full review of all five postseason games from last weekend. The JTET section of the pod begins with a discussion of JEF v Omiya (to 17:05) and Tokushima v Iwata (to 23:35), then a preview of the playoff final, MBP chat and news of managerial changes in J2 (to 39:30). Then, in the JTSC section, the boys discuss Osaka v Kanazawa (to 48:35), Miyazaki v Kagoshima (to 54:30), and Shiga v Numazu (to 1:07:15), before ending with a fixture preview and another MBP award.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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Kashima claimed a record-extending ninth top flight title in Saturday's final round, and in Part 1 of this episode Jonny and Ben run through the key events in both games that mattered, as a Leo Ceara-inspired Antlers held off a gallant Kashiwa side to win the league by a point (to 25:50).

Then in Part 2, Reysol correspondent Seamus Johnston - armed with a killer stat - returned to the pod to celebrate his side's remarkable rise up the table and hand out Reysol's Player of the Year award (to 56:43), before your co-hosts rounded up the other games from Matchday 38.

The regular season ended in dramatic fashion in both J2 and J3, so James Taylor and Jon Steele tried to get their heads around just what exactly happened. They start by going through the first half of the J2 matches (to 07:00), then the second half (to 11:25), and reflect on automatic promotion, the playoffs, and relegation in turn (to 33:05). Then they elect their Most Bravo Player (to 36:05), catch up on some managerial news (to 40:45), and preview the playoff semi finals (to 46:05). After a quick break, it’s onto J3, for a discussion of automatic promotion and the playoffs (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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This week's bumper episode features a star turn from Ryo Nakagawara, who joins Jonny and Ben to review the crunch games involving the top two in J1 Matchday 37 (to 28:45), and preview the final day matchups between Kashima & Yokohama F.Marinos, and Kashiwa & Machida (to 48:50), before we stick our necks out and make predictions on the destination of the title (to 55:42).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben scoot through the other eight games from Sunday (to 1:16:30), and hand out five more Player of the Season awards.

The picture at the top and bottom of J2 isn’t getting any clearer, but James Taylor and Jon Steele combined their brain power to try and make sense of it in this week’s JTET. First, James reviews 9 games from the penultimate matchday of the season (to 06:55). Then, he and Jon discuss Nagasaki’s win over Mito (to 25:35), Most Bravo Player (to 30:30), and look ahead to a blockbuster final day (to 41:00). There’s also a bonus preview of the final round of fixtures in J3, as there’s still plenty to play for in the top half (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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After Machida won their first major title in Saturday's Emperor's Cup final over Kobe, Dan Orlowitz joined Jonny and Ben to chat about their deserved success, and the progress the club has made in recent seasons, as well as lessons the JFA might learn from the disappointing attendance at the National Stadium (to 28:20), before we chat about the half season at the start of 2026 and the FC Tokyo Player of the Season award (to 43:43).

Then in Part 2 we hand out more MVP gongs, and look ahead to Sunday's J1 Matchday 37.

As the end of the season approaches, Jon Steele and James Taylor take a look at the state of play in J3 with just two games left. They begin with the mess at Matsumoto (to 12:00), then turn their attention to automatic promotion (to 15:45), the playoffs – including the scrap for 6th place (to 23:30), the bottom of the league and the top of the JFL (to end).

Thanks again to Mike Innes for suggesting talking points.

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk: Short Corner.

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After Jonny revels in Scotland's qualification for the World Cup, we round up another productive international break for the Samurai Blue following wins over Bolivia on Tuesday, and Ghana last Friday. We discuss the standout performers, and whether any of the recent call-ups can force their way on to the plane next year (to 21:27).

Then in Part 2 we hand out Player of the Season awards for the bottom six teams in J1 (to 40:33), then review the Emperor's Cup semi finals from Sunday, and look ahead to Saturday's final between Machida and Kobe.

Things are getting tighter at both ends of J2, so James Taylor and Jon Steele got together to try and make sense of it all. First, James reviews 9 games (to 09:45) from J2 matchday 36. Then he and Jon talk about Mito’s loss to Omiya and the implications for promotion and the playoffs (to 37:25). Next, there are Most Bravo Players to be elected (to 43:20), and the episode finishes with a look ahead to matchday 37 (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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We finally had some clarity at both ends of the table in J1 Matchday 36, as the title race is down to just two teams, and at the bottom, Yokohama FC's relegation to J2 was confirmed. In Part 1 of this episode, Kyoto correspondent Jamie Meikle guests to help us celebrate Sanga's remarkable season, even though their title hopes ended on Sunday at home against Yokohama F.Marinos. We ask Jamie about Kyoto's 2025 Player of the Year, the future of Manager Cho Kwi Jae, and where the club can strengthen in the offseason (to 28:27).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben round up the wins for Kashima and Kashiwa that left them as the last two teams standing in title contention, and work their way through the rest of the games, before finishing with a check on the national team squad and a look ahead to the Emperor's Cup semi finals.

James Taylor and Jon Steele are back with a review of the latest round of J2 fixtures. In the first part of the episode, James rounds up 8 games (to 07:45). Then, in the second part, James is joined by Jon to discuss Iwata’s win over Nagasaki (to 21:30) and Yamaguchi’s triumph away at Kumamoto (to 35:50). After that, the co-hosts nominate their Most Bravo Player (to 42:40) and take a look at the matchday 36 games, including permutations regarding relegation, promotion and the title (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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James Taylor and Jon Steele got together again to review all the action from J2 matchday 34. First, James rounds up 9 games (to 07:50) and then talks to Jon about Sendai’s dramatic comeback against Tosu (to 34:20). That’s followed by Most Bravo Player and a quick preview of the most interesting games coming up this weekend, as the promotion picture isn’t getting any clearer and teams at the bottom are just about clinging on (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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As the top flight enters the final stretch, things tightened at the top in Matchday 35, but two dogfighters saw their fates sealed in a dramatic round of games. Jonny and Ben begin the pod with an ACL review, then cover the games involving the title chasers, including Kashima's stunning late equalizer at Kyoto, Kashiwa's win over Yokohama FC, and Kobe's late collapse at already relegated Niigata (to 28:28).

Then in Part 2, Yokohama F.Marinos correspondent Stuart Woodward joins us again after his side's 3-0 home win over Hiroshima took them to the brink of securing safety, while we also discussed Shonan's relegation (to 58:58). And finally, Jonny and Ben round up the other five games, and look ahead to the Levain Cup final on Saturday.

The JTET team are back in action to review all of the big stories from last weekend's J2 action (Round 33 of the season).

In Part 1, James puts in a solo shift, running through 9 of the matches from the Round 33 slate (Start to 08:00).

Then in Part 2, Jon sat down with special guest and JEF Chiba correspondent Allen for a deep dive into their last-gasp 1-0 win at promotion rivals Mito (08:00 to 27:00).

Discussion then turned to Most Bravo Player nominations (27:00 to 32:30), followed by look ahead to the upcoming games in Round 34 this weekend (32:30 to Finish).

*Thanks to Allen for guesting on the pod this week! Find him on BlueSky @mynameisjef.bsky.social

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J1 returned with a bang after the international break, and in Part 1 of this new episode Jonny and Ben were joined by Kashiwa correspondent Seamus Johnston to chat about a fascinating set of results for the title chasers - Kobe and leaders Kashima drawing on Friday night, before Seamus's Reysol demolished Gamba (sorry Jonny) on Saturday and Kyoto gutted out a dramatic late point with ten men on Sunday (to 37:40).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben round up the relegation dogfight, which, as we long suspected, is now a straight shootout for survival between the two Yokohama clubs, then the other games before a look ahead to midweek and weekend action.

Jon Steele and James Taylor catch up on the situation in J3 with 7 games left. They start with the automatic promotion places (to 05:00), then discuss the playoffs (to 12:35), before a look at the battle to avoid relegation (to 32:10). They have a brief look ahead to this weekend’s big fixtures to end the episode.

Special thanks to Mike Innes for the detailed taking points.

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk: Short Corner.

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Japan made history with a stunning 3-2 win over Brazil on Tuesday night, and Ryo Nakagawara joined Jonny and Ben for a deep dive on the game, the standout performers, and what the result means for the Samurai Blue going forward (to the hour mark), before we briefly looked back at the draw against Paraguay, and Ryo and Jonny ran through their lists of which players Hajime Moriyasu already has on the plane to the 2026 World Cup (to 1:29:45).

Next we returned to domestic matters by rounding up the Levain Cup semi finals, and looked ahead to who has the edge in the final between Hiroshima and Kashiwa, before finishing the episode with a look at the run-in in the top flight: Can any of the three teams on 60 points overhaul Kashima? And which of the Yokohama clubs will survive?

Follow Ryo on Bluesky and/or X/Twitter, and check out his work on his Shogun Soccer newsletter.

In this episode of JTET, James Taylor rounds up 9 games from J2 matchday 32 (to 07:45), then chats to Jon Steele about the Shikoku Derby between Tokushima and Imabari (to 25:00). Then it’s time for Most Bravo Player and a quick preview of the most interesting games coming up this weekend (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

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J1 Matchday 33 was chock full of drama, and after a brief review of the ACL action from last midweek, Jonny and Ben run through the weekend's games involving the title contenders in Part 1, culminating with the huge Kashima vs Gamba Osaka game on Sunday (to 43:10).

Then in Part 2 our Tokyo Verdy correspondent Lewis White returns to the pod to chat about Verdy's vital win on Friday night, the season so far, and the future of manager Hiroshi Jofuku (to 1:03:12), before Jonny and Ben round up the other games, look ahead to the Levain Cup semi finals and Japan's games against Paraguay and Brazil.

Jon Steele and James Taylor are back with all the latest from J2. James kicks things off with a review of 9 games from matchday 31 (to 08:45). Jon takes over for a chat with James about Oita v Ehime (to 31:35), before moving on to general J2 news and Most Bravo Player (to 50:55). To finish, the co-hosts preview the biggest games coming up this weekend (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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With two bumper matchdays in the top flight in the past week to review, Jonny and Ben were joined first by Yokohama FC correspondent Jon Steele, who then stuck around as F.Marinos correspondent Stuart Woodward made it a Yokohama-centric Part 1 after both sides won on Sunday evening. With six games left, which club will survive in J1, or could they both overhaul some of the dogfight adjacent teams struggling for results? Part 1 runs to 37:55.

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben run through the rest of the games, as the title race narrowed.

In this week’s JTET, James Taylor reviews all the action from J2 matchday 30, picks his Most Bravo Player, and previews the matchday 31 fixtures.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Jonny and Ben kick off the episode with a review of ACL action from last midweek (to 9:00), before diving in on the eight games played from J1 Matchday 30 on Saturday night, as Kashima moved back to the summit after Kyoto slipped at home. We rule a couple of big fish out of the title race, before moving on to all of the action in the dogfight (to 1:06:00). We then wrap up the pod with a look ahead to the next two rounds, played on Tuesday night and the weekend.

In this double episode of JTET, Jon Steele and James Taylor review all the action from the last two rounds of J2. First, Jon has a review of all 10 games from matchday 28 (to 13:35), then James reviews most of the games from matchday 29 (to 21:00). After that, the co-hosts discuss Omiya v Nagasaki (to 41:10), their Most Bravo Players and the J.League’s monthly awards for August (to 49:40). Finally, they look ahead to some important games at both ends of the table (to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Sean Carroll joined Jonny and Ben to give his thoughts on Japan's two friendlies in the United States, and the state of the J1 title race and relegation dogfight after the weekend's J1 Matchday 29 (to 56:25).

Then in Part 2, Jonny and Ben wrap up the remaining four games.

Jon Steele welcomes back a jetlagged James Taylor for the latest checkup on J3. The episode begins with a brief recap of Sagamihara’s Emperor’s Cup quarter final (to 02:45), before discussing teams near the top of the table: Nara (to 05:55), Kagoshima (to 09:15), Tochigi City (to 15:40), FC Osaka (to 20:40), and Hachinohe (to 29:25). Then attention turns to the bottom and the perilous predicaments of Nagano (to 37:20) and Numazu (to 40:20), before Jon lets James loose in Kanazawa Korner (to 47:00). Finally, there’s a look ahead to the round 27 fixtures (to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk: Short Corner.

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After Jonny and Ben begin the episode by rounding up the Levain Cup quarter finals (to 14:15), they were joined by first time guest Naoya Kanai to chat about Kawasaki Frontale's progression to the Levain semis and their season so far, before we moved on to Japan's scoreless draw against Mexico in Oakland, and looked ahead to the Samurai Blue's meeting with the USA in Columbus, also touching on similarities and differences between the J.League and MLS.

After Kyoto moved clear on top of J1 with ten rounds left, Jamie Meikle made a very welcome return to the pod to discuss Sanga's 5-0 romp over Okayama on Saturday, and what's gone so right in his side's remarkable campaign to this point (to 32:07).

Then Jonny and Ben round up the rest of the top flight results, beginning with Kashiwa's controversy-tinged home win over Fukuoka, and Kobe edging past Yokohama F.Marinos, before we discuss a couple of game-of-the-season contender goal-fests.

Very late this time (apologies!), Jon Steele rounds up all of last weekend's J2 action in a 15-minute solo pod.

Also includes the regular Most Bravo Player segment, a check on the top and bottom of the table, and a preview of this weekend's action (Round 28)!

Sorry again for the late upload, and thanks for the continued support!

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Kyoto and Kashima lead the way at the top of J1 after the weekend's Matchday 27, and after rounding up their very contrasting results (to 16:30), Jonny and Ben are joined by Kashiwa correspondent Seamus Johnston to chat about Reysol's brilliant come from behind home win over Urawa on Friday night and other talking points around the club (to 39:50).

Then Jonny and Ben run through the other results from the weekend, before looking ahead to midweek Emperor's Cup quarter finals and Thursday's national team squad announcement.

After another busy round of J2 action, Jon Steele (flying solo this time) checks in on all of the main talking points in a 15-minute mini-pod.

Also includes the usual segments - Most Bravo Player chat, and a look ahead to this weekend's Round 27 fixtures!

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Thanks for all of your support!

With Ben back in Australia, Alan Gibson joined Jonny to run through all the major talking points from Round 26 of the J1 season.

Time Stamps:

Start - 01:50 Intro / Emperor’s Cup

01:50 - 1:36.24 Round 26 Review 

1:36.25 - End Round 30/27 Preview

Thanks again for listening!

Embarrassingly late this week, JTET is back with all of the latest news from a J2 standpoint.

This time, Jon kicks off Part 1 with a review of the recent Emperor's Cup Round of 16 ties (from a J2 perspective), and rounds up all of last weekend's J2 action (Round 25 of the season).

After that, Jon was joined by Big Pod regular (but JTET debutant) Ryo Nakagawara to talk in detail about Imabari's home win over Kumamoto. The boys also chatted about some Most Bravo Players from the round, along with the official monthly J2 awards for July and Sapporo's change of manager.

Finally, Jon picked Ryo's brains about the upcoming Round 26 matches.

Timecodes:

Start to 16:10 - Emperor's Cup & J2 Round 25 Roundup

16:10 to 44:20 - Imabari v Kumamoto

44:20 to 57:30 - Most Bravo Player discussion

57:30 to 01:01:00 - J2 Monthly Awards for July

01:01:00 to 01:09:40 - Sapporo's change of manager

01:09:40 to Finish - J2 Round 26 Preview

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Thanks for all of your support!

With J3 taking a short summer break at the moment, it seemed like the ideal time to record our latest J-Talk: Short Corner J3 Special for 2025!

In this August edition, Jon Steele was joined by long-suffering Gifu supporter, groundhopper extraordinaire, and J3 expert Richy Palmer for a look at the current state of the third tier.

In Part 1, Jon quizzes Richy on his trip to Nagasaki's beautiful Peace Stadium to catch their J2 game against Sendai. The conversation then moves on to cover the J3 promotion scene, with automatic promotion and Play-Off contenders all assessed.

After a quick break, Part 2 begins with a check on the relegation zone and the rest of the bottom half of the J3 standings. There's also chat about teams in contention for promotion to J3 from the JFL, and Richy picks out some of the most interesting transfers that have taken place during the summer window.

We hope everyone enjoys the show!

Timecodes

Start to 13:00 - Richy's Nagasaki trip (not J3-related but we'll let him off with a warning)

1300 to 30:20 - The J3 promotion picture

30:20 to 38:30 - The bottom half of the J3 table

38:30 to 43:20 - State of play at the JFL summit

43:20 to Finish - Richy's Transfer Talk

With Ben enjoying a well earned break back in Australia, Sam Robson made a welcome return to the pod. Together, Sam and Jonny took an in-depth look at all the drama and talking points from Round 25 of the 2025 J1 season.

Time stamps as follows: 

Start - 03:03 Emperor’s Cup wrap / Kunishige Kumamoto tribute 

03:03 - 1:34.15 Round 25 Review 

1:34.15 - End Round 26 Preview 

Thanks again for all your support!

After a long break between drinks, it's time for another JTET 'Two Jonnies' takeover!

In Part 1 of this episode, Jon Steele runs though all of the key talking points from Round 24 of the J2 season.

After that, Jon is joined by Jonny Nicol (on loan from Big Pod) for a deep dive on Kumamoto's home win over Mito, plus a chat about the state of J2 with 14 rounds left to go in 2025. Jonny also weighed in on all of the usual segments, and helped Jon to preview this weekend's Round 25 slate.

Hope everyone enjoys the pod!

Timestamps:

Start to 13:30 - J2 Round 24 Round-Up

13:40 to 25:30 - Kumamoto v Mito in-depth

25:30 to 31:00 - Most Bravo Player chat

31:00 to 45:30 - Jonny talks about the top half of the J2 table (focus on Iwata)

45:30 to 57:00 - The bottom half of the J2 table

57:00 to Finish - J2 Round 25 Preview

In a 35-minute JTET bonus episode, Jon Steele borrowed Jonny Nicol from Big Pod for a long-overdue 'Two Jonnies' reunion chat!

The focus this time is on the summer friendly matches that have taken place across Japan during late July and early August.

First of all, Jon runs through the results from the games that involved Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, and State Reims.

After that, the Two Jonnies compare notes on their experiences (at Yokohama FC v Sociedad and Gamba Osaka v Reims respectively), and comment on the overall slate of summer matches from 2025.

We hope everyone enjoys the pod!

After a summer break, the JTET boys are back with a 15-minute mini-pod to clean deck before J2 returns!

This time, James and Jon look back at Round 3 of the Emperor's Cup (held on 16th July) from a J2 perspective. Recording solo, James covers 5 of the pertinent matchups, with Jon (also in isolation this time) talking you though the other 5 (including Hiroshima's high-scoring win at Fujieda).

Before time is up, Jon also briefs you on the forthcoming Round 24 fixtures in J2 this weekend, and casts a glance at the midweek Emperor's Cup Round of 16 games on the horizon for Akita and Yamagata. Thanks for waiting patiently for the uploads during our slow summer - we'll have a full review of J2 Round 24 as usual next week!

Live and direct from Germany, Ralf Seidl joined Jonny and Ben to chat about Urawa's two games in the past week, his thoughts on Reds' prospects for the rest of the season, and his experience following the club in the Club World Cup in the US.

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben round up some other business from around the league. Thanks to all of our patrons who submitted questions for both parts of the episode.

After a longer than expected (and accidental!) summer break, James and Jon return to catch up on the last round of J2 fixtures played before the holiday interval (Round 23 of the season).

With work and family pressures weighing heavy on the guys in July, it's a mini-pod this time. In Part 1, James covers the bulk of the Round 23 action, including yet another impressive win for runaway leaders Mito (I still can't get used to typing this combination of words).

Then in Part 2, Jon wraps things up with a check on in-form Tosu, & their home victory over near neighbors Oita (plus a quick comment on a Most Bravo Player for the round).

We hope everyone enjoys the review (and accepts our apologies for the tardy upload)!

Later this week, stay tuned for a review of the Emperor's Cup Round 3 games from a J2 perspective, along with a preview of the J2 Round 24 games coming up this weekend!

J1 returned with a bang after the EAFF Cup break, and Alan Gibson joined Jonny and Ben to chat about our new leaders, Kobe, and which of the top six might be their most likely challengers (to 59:15).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben celebrate wins for Gamba and FC Tokyo, and round up the situation at the foot of the table.

Thanks, as always, to Alan, the pleasure was all ours. Check out Alan on Bluesky and X/Twitter, and consider supporting his Patreon.

After the Samurai Blue won the EAFF Cup for the second straight time on Tuesday night, Ryo Nakagawara joined Jonny and Ben to chat about: The standout performers for Japan in South Korea; three players who might be destined for a move to Europe in the future; and the state of the top and bottom of J1.

Check out Ryo's terrific work on his Shogun Soccer site, and follow him on Bluesky and X.

After a busy 7 days in the real world (gulp), James and Jon look back on last weekend's J2 action.

In Part 1, James casts a glance over 5 of the J2 matches from Round 22, and talks about his Most Bravo Players for this matchday.

Then in Part 2, Jon does similar for the rest of the Round 22 games. There's also a preview of this weekend's Round 23 fixtures, and a look ahead to the midweek Emperor's Cup Round 3 games with a J2 participant!

Hope everyone enjoys the show, and thank you for being patient with the upload this week!

After another terrific J1 matchday, Stuart Woodward joined Jonny and Ben in Part 1 to chat about Yokohama F.Marinos' away win in the Yokohama derby on Saturday night, as well as the pre-match kerfuffle that led to the away supporters missing most of the first half at Mitsuzawa, and other goings-on at F.Marinos, including Anderson Lopes' departure, and new coach Hideo Oshima (to 28:15).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben review the other eight games from Saturday night, including Kashima's third straight loss that saw them tumble from the summit, new leaders Kashiwa taking over at the top with a win over FC Tokyo, and Kobe roaring up to second after two wins in four days.

James Taylor and Jon Steele return with another action-packed JTET. In part 1, James rounds up 9 games from J2 matchday 21. In part 2, James and Jon discuss the recent managerial changes at Yamaguchi and Yamagata, analyse Sapporo v Kumamoto, offer a tribute to Hitoshi Morishita, select their Most Bravo Player, and preview the coming weekend’s fixtures.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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After a very eventful J1 matchday, and some housekeeping at the start of the episode (to 12:10), Jonny and Ben were joined by first time guest Seamus Johnston to chat about Kashiwa Reysol, who went joint top of the top flight with a character-building 2-0 away win over Shimizu on Saturday. Seamus chats about his expectations coming into the season under new manager Ricardo Rodriguez, some of the standout players thus far, and whether or not the club will be active in the summer transfer window (to 35:20).

Then Jonny and Ben run through the other games played over the weekend, when, with the notable exception of Kyoto, the rest of the top six struggled.

Scheduling conflicts meant James Taylor and Jon Steele were unable to record together this week, so James has a quick review of all the action from J2 machday 20, picks his Most Bravo Player, and previews the coming weekend's games.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Sam Robson made a triumphant return to the pod, to help Jonny and Ben run through all nine games played over the weekend in J1 Matchday 21.

After a quick look back at the Emperor's Cup and Urawa's first two games at the Club World Cup, we kick off our top flight review with Machida's home win over leaders Kashima, and the instant classic between Kashiwa and Kyoto at Hitachidai that finished 3-3. From there we move on to Hiroshima and Kobe, who surged into the top four with away wins, and then work our way through the other five games, chatting about the managerial changes at Niigata and Yokohama F.Marinos along the way.

In this brief episode, James Taylor reviews the 11 games involving J2 teams in the Emperor's Cup 2nd round.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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James Taylor and Jon Steele are back with a bumper episode of JTET reviewing another entertaining weekend of J2. First, James has a roundup of 7 games from matchday 19 (start to 05:35). Then he was joined by Jon to discuss three goalfests: Nagasaki v Omiya (05:35 to 20:20); Yamagata v Sendai (20:20 to 33:00); and Tokushima v JEF United (33:00 to 44:00). Next, the boys choose their Most Bravo Players and discuss the J.League’s monthly awards for May (44:00 to 51:40), and end the episode with a preview of the coming weekend’s league fixtures (51:40 to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Jonny and Ben begin the episode by chatting about the fringe players who stood out in Japan's big win over Indonesia last week, and the cupsets from the 2nd round of the Emperor's Cup (to 15:10), before diving in to all the results and talking points from the nine J1 games played over the weekend.

In a quick wrap-up pod, James and Jon cover recent games from a trio of competitions.

In Part 1, James takes a look at how J2 sides fared in Round 1 of the Emperor's Cup at the end of May.

Then in Part 2, Jon checks in on Iwata's two-legged Levain Cup Play-Off tie against Shonan, and reviews the three rearranged J2 games that took place last weekend (including yet another win for Mito).

Thanks for all the support of the pod this season - we'll be back to review all of the weekend action next week!

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In this episode of JTSC, Jon Steele and James Taylor discussed recent events in J3. They begin with a quick mention of notable results from the first and second rounds of the Emperor’s Cup (start to 05:10), then discuss the recent managerial change at Zweigen Kanazawa (05:10 to 16:40), the general situation regarding the relegation battle (16:40 to 24:20), and a look at the teams at the top end of the table (24:10 to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk: Short Corner.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Alan Gibson joins Jonny and Ben to help us piece together the J-Talk Team of the (Half) Season. Before we get to the good stuff we chat about Alan's interview with Football Zone (Part 1 of 3 linked here), his overall thoughts on the first half of the season, and some of the major transfers in this mini window (to 27:30), before we discuss how Japan's newcomers fared in the 1-0 defeat to Australia last Thursday, and the Levain Cup playoff round (to 52:30).

Then in Part 2, we go from back to front selecting our team of the best performers in the first half of the season.

James Taylor and Jon Steele return with a review of a breathless weekend of J2 football. James kicks things off with a review of 9 games (start to 07:35), then Jon joined to discuss the game between two teams from Shikoku: FC Imabari v Tokushima Vortis (07:35 to 23:30). After that, there’s the usual Most Bravo Player coronation, transfer news, and previews of upcoming league and cup matches (23:30 to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Stuart Woodward returned to the pod to chat about his appearance on the Ｊリーグと私 You Tube series (link is for the You Tube playlist, Stuart's episode isn't up yet), and Yokohama F.Marinos making it two straight wins in the wet at Machida on Saturday (to 34:10).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben round up the other nine games, as Kashima kicked six points clear at the top of the table as we reached the halfway point of the season.

In this week’s JTET, James Taylor and Jon Steele review the latest Levain Cup and J2 action. In part 1, James has a roundup of 2 Levain Cup games and 6 league matches from matchday 17 (start to 05:45). In part 2, James and Jon talked about Iwata’s cup win over Gamba Osaka (05:45 to 14:40) and Kofu’s dismantling of Yamagata in the league (14:40 to 27:55), selected their Most Bravo Player (27:55 to 32:05), discussed some managerial news (32:05 to 40:15), and previewed league and cup fixtures (40:15 to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Dan Orlowitz joined Jonny and Ben in Part 1 of our new episode to chat about his new piece in The Guardian, Hajime Moriyasu's experimental national team squad, and Hiroshima's comfortable win over FC Tokyo at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Then in an elongated Part 2 Jonny and Ben run through the other games from J1 Matchday 18, including Yokohama F.Marinos ripping up the form book with a fine home win over leaders Kashima, as the bottom three at the start of the matchday had a weekend to remember.

A jubilant James Taylor was joined by Jon Steele to talk about the latest events in J2. First, James reviews 9 games from matchday 16 (start to 08:25). Then, James and Jon discussed Mito’s win over Kumamoto (08:25 to 18:10), before chatting about high-flying Hollyhock in more detail (18:10 to 30:30). They round off the episode with Most Bravo Player (30:30 to 34:35), general news (34:35 to 40:, and a look ahead to league and cup fixtures (40:45 to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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There were certainly many talking points from the weekend's top flight round, and we begin this episode with some positivity from Jon Steele after Yokohama FC moved out of the drop zone with an away win over Shonan on Saturday, as the sky blues continue to make a decent fist of their return to J1 (to 21:00).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben continue their roundup of Matchday 17, beginning with Kashima extending their advantage at the top of the table after they downed Shimizu, and Kashiwa lost at Machida. Next up is Kyoto, who piled on the misery for bottom club Yokohama F.Marinos with a fine away win, before we move on to events at Saitama Stadium, where Urawa claimed a controversy-laced home win over FC Tokyo (Ben's rant alert).

Following that we review all of the other games, before finishing with a look ahead to midweek and weekend action.

James Taylor and Jon Steele got together again to review the latest round of J2 games. In part 1, James reviews 9 games from matchday 15 (start to 06:55), and in part 2 he and Jon analyse the big match: Omiya v Sendai (06:55 to 22:40). They also pick a Most Bravo Player (22:40 to 26:20) and look ahead to the matchday 16 and Levain Cup fixtures (26:20 to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Jonny and Ben flip the script and go from bottom to top on this week's episode, running through (almost) all positive results for the bottom six at the start of the matchday in Part 1 (to 45:45), before Neil Debnam joins the pod to chat about Kawasaki's ACL Elite adventure, and their defeat on Sunday at the hands of Kashima (to 1:13:08).

Finally, your co-hosts round up the final two games, before previewing J1 Matchday 17.

James Taylor and Jon Steele gathered their remaining energy to discuss the final set of J2 Golden Week fixtures. James reviews 9 games from matchday 14 in part 1 (start to 06:55), then chats to Jon about Sapporo v Iwata (06:55 to 25:10), Most Bravo Player (25:10 to 30:25), and the matchday 15 fixtures (30:25 to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Jonny and Ben wrap up Golden Week with a look back at the midweek action from J1 Matchday 15. We begin with 1-0 wins for Kashima and Kashiwa on Tuesday, then move on to Wednesday night's action - Kyoto's dramatic late victory at Machida, and Hiroshima squeaking past Shonan - before reviewing the other games from Tuesday, including excellent wins for both Osaka clubs.

With the Golden Week holidays in full swing, Jon Steele takes control of a solo JTET mini-pod to run through all of the J2 action from Saturday 3rd May (Round 13 of the season).

Over a 15-minute pod, you'll hear about all of the goals and talking points from the Round 13 matches, along with Jon's pick for a Most Bravo Player and a quick look ahead to Tuesday afternoon's full slate of fixtures (Round 14).

Thanks for all the support as always, and enjoy the pod!

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Jonny and Ben begin by commiserating with Kawasaki after their ACL Elite final defeat, then review all eight games played on Saturday in J1 Matchday 14.

Regular JTET co-hosts Jon Steele and James Taylor get together for another monthly update of the topsy-turvy world of J3. The episode begins with a discussion of recent goalfests involving Kochi United (start to 08:50), then takes in the standout attacking performances of Paulo Junichi Tanaka (08:50 to 17:30), Giravanz Kitakyushu’s impressive defence (17:30 to 20:25), a checkup of James’ beloved Zweigen Kanazawa (20:25 to 32:10), and a look at the bottom of J3, with a brief focus on the struggles of Thespa Gunma and Azul Claro Numazu (32:10 to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk: Short Corner.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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In this brief episode, James Taylor rounds up all the action from J2 matchday 12 (start to 04:05), selects a Most Bravo Player (04:05 to 05:40), and previews the upcoming fixtures on Saturday and Tuesday (05:40 to end).

Apologies for the variable sound quality this time - there were some technical issues.

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Jonny and Ben return with a midweek special, to round up the eight games played from J1 Matchday 13 on Tuesday.

After beginning the episode with a quick look back at Kawasaki's ACL Elite quarter final win (Spoiler Alert: They won their semi final, too!), we begin our J1 wrap with the game Jonny was at: Gamba Osaka's win over incumbent leaders Kyoto (to 14:45).

Then we move on to Kashima going top, and Kashiwa second, with away wins (to 23:10), Shimizu and Machida both moving up after also winning on the road (to 30:50), Tokyo Verdy's second straight win, and Hiroshima Crisis Watch after their home defeat at the hands of Niigata, plus the only draw between Shonan and Fukuoka.

With a rush of Golden Week matches hoving into view, the JTET team looks back on the most recent slate of J2 fixtures (played across Friday and Saturday last week).

In Part 1 (Start to 04:15) James gives us a whistle-stop tour of the action from 9 of the Round 11 games.

Then in Part 2, Jon was joined by familiar voice (but first-time guest) Leslie Mabon for a deep dive into Iwaki's stunning 4-3 win at Nagasaki. In a wide-ranging chat, the boys talked about Leslie's impressions of the Peace Stadium, the match itself, & the season so far for both clubs (04:15 to 44:40).

There's also time for Most Bravo Player chat (44:40 to 47:00), and a look ahead to Tuesday afternoon's J2 action in Round 12 (47:00 to Finish)!

Big thanks for Leslie for taking the time to pod with us, and we hope everyone enjoys the show!

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With Golden Week upon us, the stars aligned and former co-host Sam Robson was able to join Jonny and Ben for a full review of all eight games played from J1 Matchday 12 over the weekend (the large majority of them on Friday night).

Sam also shares his thoughts on the state of the league - with goals down across the division - while we were keen to discuss teams like surprise leaders Kyoto and promoted high-fliers Okayama with him.

James Taylor and Jon Steele return with another packed episode of JTET. In part 1, James reviews 9 games from J2 matchday 10 (start to 07:20), then he’s joined by Jon to analyse Montedio Yamagata v Ehime FC (07:20 to 22:40) and elect a Most Bravo Player (22:40 to 27:20). To round out the episode, the boys take a deep breath before looking ahead to the upcoming bombardment of J2 fixtures (27:20 to end).

Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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After the rest of the Levain Cup Round 2 games were played last Wednesday, Jon Steele covers all of the action from a J2 standpoint in an 8-minute mini-pod.

All 5 of the J2 v J1 ties last midweek went into extra time, but in the end only one 2nd-tier side made it through to the next round!

Jon also nominates a Most Bravo Player from the midweek madness.

*You can support The J-Talk Podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Alan Gibson returned to the podcast, to help Jonny and Ben review goings-on from last midweek, and how the four Kansai clubs are faring after 11 rounds.

We chat about the three J1 games - including Steve Holland's ouster at Yokohama F.Marinos after their home loss to Shimizu - and the conclusion of the 2nd round of the 1st round of the Levain Cup last Wednesday (to 18:30), before moving on to Matchday 11, beginning with our new leaders Kyoto, Kobe's fruitful week, and draws for both Osaka sides (to 1:05:55).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben round up the other six games, and look ahead to games coming up in Matchday 12.

Jon Steele and James Taylor were reunited after a week of solo pods for this episode of JTET. In part 1, James runs through 9 games from J2 matchday 9 (start to 09:20), before chatting with Jon about Kataller Toyama v Renofa Yamaguchi (09:20 to 26:35). There’s also Most Bravo Player discussion and mention of the J.League’s official awards for February and March (26:35 to 33:55), before a brief preview of matchday 10 (33:55 to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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In a fashionably late mini-pod, Jon Steele looks back at last Wednesday's Levain Cup action from a J2 perspective.

There were derby wins for Imabari (in their rescheduled Round 1 game) and Iwata, as well as a night to remember for Yamaguchi as they slayed a J1 giant in the form of Kashima Antlers.

Jon also picks a Most Bravo Player, and previews the remaining Levain Cup fixtures in Round 2 (being played this Wednesday evening).

Sorry about the slow upload this week - Jon has been working at full capacity!

Sean Carroll made a very welcome return to the podcast this week, as we round up J1 Matchday 10, and the surprises and disappointments of the season so far.

We begin with the history makers in the top two, Fukuoka and Kyoto both flying higher than they ever have in the top flight, then move on to the incredible story that is Okayama, after their away win at Hiroshima. We also discuss Kashiwa's strong start, and Tokyo Verdy's early struggles (to 52:30).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben chat about the other five games, and look ahead to upcoming midweek and weekend action.

A bit later than scheduled (sorry!), James Taylor gives us a solo review of all of last weekend's J2 action (Round 8 of the season).

In a 10-minute pod, James also nominates a Most Bravo Player for the matchday, and previews the Round 9 matches coming up this weekend.

*Jon Steele is working on a review of the midweek Levain Cup action from a J2 perspective - that will be posted as soon as it's ready (let him cook, etc.)!

Hope everyone enjoys the pod!

Jonny and Ben round up two full rounds of J1 fixtures, with a focus on the weekend's Matchday 9, in our new episode.

We begin with the new frontrunner for game of the season - Kyoto's remarkable away win over Kashima on Sunday - before discussing the hard fought draw between Machida and Kawasaki, and the rest of an eventful Sunday chock full of tremendous goals.

In this episode of JTET, James Taylor reviews 9 of the J2 matchday 7 games (start to 05:00) to start off, then chats to Jon Steele about Fujieda v Nagasaki (05:30 to 16:00), Most Bravo Players (16:00 to 19:55), and the league and Levain Cup matches coming up over the next week (19:55 to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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Regular JTET co-hosts Jon Steele and James Taylor step up for an update of the goings-on in J3 during March. In part 1, Jon and James focus on the top half of the table (start to 14:25), and after the break they shift their gaze downwards to the bottom half (14:25 to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk: Short Corner.

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J1 returned after the international break over the weekend, and Daniel Hawkins joined Jonny and Ben to chat about goings-on at Avispa Fukuoka.

After a brief review of Japan 0-0 Saudi Arabia, and our review of Kashima's hard-fought win over Kobe (to 9:07), Daniel hopped on board to discuss Avispa's draw with Machida on Saturday, how the club's new signings have settled in, and more (to 29:42).

Then in Part 3 we round up the rest of the games, including Kawasaki having their way (again) against FC Tokyo in the Tamagawa Classico, and Nagoya notching a first league win of the season.

In this episode of JTET, Jon Steele and James Taylor review the second part of the Levain Cup 1st round. Jon kicks things off with a roundup of 5 games (start to 05:55) and is then joined by James to talk about Fukushima v Sapporo (05:55 to 21:50) and Omiya v Iwaki (21:50 to31:00), and select a Most Bravo Player (31:00 to 34:10). James rounds out the episode with a quick review of the remaining 5 matches (34:10 to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

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This week, JEF Chiba supporter Alan makes a JTET debut to help us to make sense of his side's fantastic start to the 2025 campaign.

To get things started, James round up most of the on-field action from Round 6 (Start to 03:30), then Alan joins Jon to chat about JEF's last-gasp win on the road at a blustery JIT Recycle Ink Stadium (03:30 to 18:50).

Jon and Alan then talk about their picks for Most Bravo Player for the round (18:50 to 22:20), and wrap up with the standard preview of the big fixtures coming up this weekend (22:20 to Finish).

We hope everyone enjoys the show, and thanks to Alan for his time!

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The Samurai Blue cruised into their eighth-straight World Cup with a 2-0 win over Bahrain last Thursday night, and Dan Orlowitz joined Jonny and Ben to review the game, and speculate on how Japan might prepare for the showpiece event, more than a year out (to 31:31).

Then we review the Levain Cup results from last Thursday afternoon, and look ahead to J1 Matchday 7.

Check out Dan's piece on The Guardian, and follow him on Bluesky.

In this week’s streamlined JTET, James Taylor kicks things off with a roundup of the J2 matchday 5 games (start to 05:30) before being joined by Jon Steele for analysis of Iwata v Kofu (05:30 to 14:30), Most Bravo Player selection (14:30 to 19:30) and a look ahead to upcoming league and Levain Cup matches (19:30 to end).

Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time.

*Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

*Find our JLeague Chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/UwN2ambAwg

*Follow JTET on Bluesky here: @jtalket.bsky.social