Keisuke Goto – Jubilo Iwata’s well-rounded goalscoring prodigy

Keisuke Goto first started playing football at the age of four as he started playing football with the Kawai Physical Education School Soccer Club. He has been with Jubilo Iwata from U15 level to U18 level as he has been known to listen to Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ before playing a game. At 17-years-old, he is a young phenom in the J2 League as another striker in a rapidly growing young striker pool in Japan. The teenager from Shizuoka has already scored 4 goals this season as he is rapidly gaining experience in the Japanese Second Division and in the Emperor’s cup as he has a wide array of tools to make him a high-level striker. He has adapted almost seamlessly from Japanese high-school football to Japanese professional football as he is massive fan of Lionel Messi and even keeps the Argentine attacker as his lock screen on his phone.

Goto stands tall at six foot three and weighs 70kg as his physical profile has allowed him to adapt to professional football as he can win aerial duels, hold-off defenders while he has the burst to make runs in behind. However, at 17-years-old, with such little professional football experience behind him, he already understands movement and the timing of his runs which is impressive. His intelligence for near post movement in the box and one-touch finishing will make him a threat on the ground and in the air while he is clever at moving into an opposition defender’s blind-side before evading him with double movement to generate his own shooting opportunities. He is a constant threat in running in behind as he is shrewd with his bursts as the timing of his runs are also well-developed while the young striker can also generate shooting opportunities for himself with his ball-carrying, even over long distances, holding off defenders to drive into the box. At such a young age, Goto is technically proficient as well as being able to generate shooting opportunities in a variety of ways, be it on the ground and in the air as he is an interesting player to follow.

Against Fagiano Okayama, his side would play an early pass into the channel where Goto intelligently isolated himself a centre-back in the centre of the box as he occupied his blind-side before darting across his face towards the near-post where a cross was played over his head. He then dropped into the eight space to receive possession, laying off the ball before making a movement towards the nine-space where he received possession once more, taking a touch and spreading the ball to a teammate. In another attacking situation, a ball was played to the left flank where the 17-year-old was isolated against a centre-back at the near post, moving towards the centre of the box before stopping his feet and moving towards the flank to receive possession as he moved back towards the centre of the box when the ball was not played to him. He positioned himself in between the opposition centre-backs as he dropped deep and looked to make a run in behind as he did not check the defensive line or take care in timing his run as he received a lobbed pass and sent his opportunity wide.

Goto would control a high ball and lay-off to a teammate before making a run behind into space before he isolated himself against his centre-back once more at the back-post, moving towards his before changing direction with a singular step and moving towards the centre of the box where he flicked a header wide of the back post. The teenager notched his first goal with a near post movement as he isolated himself against a defender near the penalty spot, taking a jump step and making a run towards the near post as the cross to him was blocked. Jubilo Iwata won a turnover as Goto was free in the centre of the box as he made another run to the near post occupying the near post defender’s blind-side as he received a cross to open his body, allowing the ball to roll across his body for a one-touch finish. At the beginning of added time, Jubilo Iwata would take a short corner as the 17-year-old was positioned at the back-post before identifying a pocket of space in the centre of the box and moving towards a defender at the near post where he rose highest to send a glancing header past the goalkeeper.

Away to Renofa Yamaguchi, Goto came off the bench in the 69th minute, he closed down a defender in the box as he won a sliding tackle and made a clearance. He received possession with a lobbed pass on the right flank, controlling it with his first touch before laying the ball off as he moved towards the centre of the box and moved in between two defenders as he made a run in behind as he received possession but lost the ball with a tackle. After a turnover in the midfield line, he illustrated his penchant for intelligent movement as the ball was played to the right flank with Goto making a run towards the centre of the box before redirecting his run to the near post as he held his run for a cut-back but did not receive it. At home to Montedio Yamagata, he came off the bench in the 72nd minute, he won an aerial duel to lay the ball off to a teammate before he received possession with a run in behind, controlling possession on the left flank, driving the ball into the box as he was unable to get a shot away. He was positioned on the left flank once more before moving towards the penalty spot in between two centre-backs as he scanned and made a movement towards the back-post before making a run to the near post for a cross that was blocked.

Goto earned his first start in the J League Cup group stage away to Yokohama Marinos as he occupied a space in between two centre-backs, receiving possession and laying off to a teammate who had his shot blocked. After a turnover in the midfield line, he made a decoy run to drag two defender’s attention and creating space for a pass to a teammate on the break as his team would have an opportunity on goal. In another attacking sequence, he was positioned in the nine-space as he moved in between the opposition’s left-sided centre-back and fullback as he adjusted his body, spun and made a run in behind for a lofted pass as he was unable to control possession. In the counter-pressing phase, he pushed forward to apply pressure in the wide areas before moving into the central areas where he made an interception and played the ball to a teammate. Goto was positioned in between the centre-backs once more, angling for a run in behind for a pass that was played to a teammate in the ten space as Goto backed into a pocket of space and made a run to the back-post as a pass was played to the wide areas before moving to the near post where a cross was blocked.

Goto would have the ball in the back of the net but it was chalked off for offside as he was positioned in the nine-space, in between the ball-far centre-back and fullback, before moving to make a run in between the two centre-backs as a teammate was driving the ball forward as he could have received a through ball as he backed into a pocket of space before swiveling to adjust his body shape for a through ball which he controlled and dispatched. The 17-year-old made his run a moment early and was a yard offside. Moments later, his team regained possession in the pressing phase as he controlled the ball and played the ball to a teammate for a cross. Goto positioned himself in between the two centre-backs as the ball was switched to his left flank as the 17-year-old tried to make a run to the back-post while his centre-back held him before he made a run across him to receive a cross at the near post as the delivery was deflected. At home to Shimuzu S-Pulse, an early pass was played in behind for Goto to make a run, beating the last centre-back with a burst of pace to control the ball and fire past the goalkeeper with his left-foot.

Goto dropped deep to receive an early pass in the nine-space which he laid off to a teammate before he won an aerial duel and laid the ball off to a teammate. He won another aerial duel on a long ball into the final third, laying possession off before looking to make a run in behind and gesturing for the ball as he moved into a pocket of space as he positioned himself in between two centre-backs. When the ball was switched to the flanks, he made a run into the box, looking to run across the defender when the ball was played towards the near post, but his opportunity was blocked. Goto made another run in behind, receiving possession in the left channel, controlling the ball to stand up his marker before cutting inside and sending a right-footed shot wide of goal. The 17-year-old controlled a high-ball in the nine-space, laying off the ball and moving towards the right flank before moving in between the fullback and centre-back as the ball was switched to the opposite flank as once a pass was played into the half-space, Goto moved in between the centre-backs as he made a run towards the near post where a cut-back was played into his path but he dummied the ball for a teammate at the back-post. He received a deep pass in between the lines to flick on a pass to a teammate before making a run to receive possession as he was barged over. He received another pass in between the lines to lay-off the ball to a teammate.

At home to Tochigi SC, he received a lay-off after a throw-in to switch the ball to the opposite flank before making a move into the nine-space as the wide player was unable to get a delivery into the box. In another attacking sequence, the ball was played into the channels on the left flank as Goto made a movement towards the back-post before redirecting his run to the near post, stopping his feet and moving towards the ball to have a back-heel blocked. The17-year-old received a long pass in the nine-space to flick-on a pass to a runner in the channels before receiving another early pass in the left channel, surging into the box to have a cut-back blocked. He received possession in the nine-space to lay-off for a teammate before moving to the right flank to receive a switch ball, threading a pass for a teammate in the channels for a cut-back. After a switch to the left flank, the teenager isolated himself against a centre-back in the middle of the box, holding his run as he slowly trudged into the box as once a cut-back was played to a teammate, he utilized a bounce step before making a run towards the near post where he flicked on a cross to the back-post for a teammate to finish.

After a turnover, Goto received an early pass in between the lines to lay-off for a teammate as he moved to the right flank to win an aerial duel and flick on for a teammate making a run in behind. The 17-year-old would have another shooting opportunity, making a run in behind to receive a flick-on before opening his body and sending a tame shot at goal. He could have cut past his man to have a better opportunity on goal, but he manages to be a constant threat running in behind and into the channels. He controlled a throw-in with his chest and laid the ball off to a teammate as he made another lay-off when his side regained possession in the opposition half to play an early ball to him in the nine-space as he caressed the ball to his teammate in the ten space.

He started against Oita Trinita, receiving a pass direct from the goalkeeper to lay-off the ball with his head for a teammate to send a shot wide from range. When the ball was on the right flank, he positioned himself in between the ball-far centre-back and fullback, isolating the centre-back to make a movement in behind before bursting to the near post where he had a tame header saved. In the defensive phase, he dropped back onto an opposition player’s blind-side where he made and played a one-two with a teammate to burst into the right channel on the counter-attack as he was tackled before he could drive the ball into the box. He received an early pass in between the lines again to control possession and flick-on a pass to a teammate.

At the age of 17, it is impressive how complete and well-rounded Goto is as a striker as he even possesses an innate understanding of the mental aspects of the position such as the timing of runs and movement into the box. He can operate as a threat in making runs in behind while he is able to drop deep to receive possession and link play in between the lines as his height also allows him to control aerial balls and initiate attacking moves. He has already mastered the art of the near post run as he is savvy in the way that he isolates his defender in running into the box, expertly holding his run as he can anticipate triggers like the wide player adjusting his body to prepare the delivery to make a run to the near post or a pass being played to the half-space as he is generating shooting opportunities from these situations. When he isolates his defender, he can engage physically, looking to make runs to his defender’s blind-side, forcing his defender to hold him before bursting to the near post to receive a delivery. Aerially, his movement in the box allows him to be in the right position to redirect aerial opportunities at goal.

Goto can also create shooting opportunities with his ball-carrying, playing on the shoulder and making runs in behind to receive possession, hold-off defenders and fire shots at goal. He is comfortable in finishing with both feet, being able to generate power and precision with his left and his right as this helps with near post runs to both posts as well as being able to make runs in behind on both flanks. Despite being a taller striker, he is comfortable using his feet as a dribbler and a ball-carrier while he can make quick bursts into space. He will need to improve the timing of his runs as well as scanning to see if he is on-side as he tends to be offside in certain situations and not notice. Defensively, he can win aerial duels in the defensive phase, cover for teammates while dropping back to regain possession in defensive and counter-pressing situations. He is also astute at covering ground and pressing the ball, being able to chase possession from man to man before initiating a turnover.

Constant improvements in academy, high-school and University level football has made Japan a ripe market for technical young players as they have a wonderful generation of strikers coming through. Goto turns 18 in June as he will then be able to move as foreign clubs are signing young players with limited experience as the young striker could be on the move in the summer. Bayern Munich would be a good destination for the youngster as they have thrived in developing physical specimens such as Goto as he could play for FC Bayern II in the German Third Division as well as in the UEFA Youth League until he is ready for first-team exposure. Ajax who have just hired Sven Mislintat as their Director of Football would also be a good move as he could play with Jong Ajax and a route to the first-team woud be paved for him. Mislintat has a history with scouting Japanese players which dates back to Shinji Kagawa at Borussia Dortmund while at Stuttgart, he signed Anrie Chase from high-school level. Real Sociedad would also be a good landing spot for the youngster as he could play with their youth teams while FC Midtylland would be a good move to prepare for a move to Brentford in a few years as would a move to Union-Saint Gilloise to prepare for a move to Brighton and Hove Albion. Goto could be one of the more sought-after youngsters on the Japanese market this summer.