HANOI — Here's a quick player-by-player rating of the performance of the Japan team at the Asian Cup finals:
Japan's Naohiro Takahara scores during Japan's Asian Cup quarterfinal match against Australia July 21 in Hanoi. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker was Japan's leading scorer in the tournament.
AP PHOTOYOSHIKATSU KAWAGUCHI (Jubilo Iwata): Star of the penalty shootout victory over Australia and didn't have a bad tournament at all. He did concede a goal in every game — even against Vietnam — but none were really his fault. 7/10
AKIRA KAJI (Gamba Osaka): Went someway to redeeming himself with a standout performance against Saudi Arabia, but the best that could be said about him in the other games was that he was hardly noticeable. 5/10
YUJI NAKAZAWA (Yokohama F. Marinos): Looked pretty unflappable for much of the tournament and with Yuki Abe saw off Mark Viduka against Australia, before scoring the shootout winner. Loses marks for being utterly outfoxed when Malek Maaz scored the Saudis' winner. 7/10
YUKI ABE (Urawa Reds): Helped Nakazawa nullify the threat of Viduka. Lacks the height to be more than a stopgap at center back for Marcus Tulio Tanaka. Was equally culpable as Nakazawa for the Saudi winner by allowing him self to be dummied so easily. 6/10
YUICHI KOMANO (Sanfrecce Hiroshima): So good that Osim has to play him out of position at left back. But when he can be devastating on the right offensively and extremely solid in his defensive duties, on the left he is merely good. Kaji has to make way for Komano on the right. 6.5/10
YASUYUKI KONNO (FC Tokyo): A dependable defensive/midfield replacement or substitute if the win needs protecting but nothing more. 4/10
KEITA SUZUKI (Urawa Reds): Must be Ivica Osim's first name on the team sheet. He stalks an area far beyond just in front of the back four and is devastatingly effective in how he tackles and distributes. Japan's Didier Deschamps. 8/10
YASUHITO ENDO (Gamba Osaka): Turned it on against the minnows of Vietnam but was woefully ineffective against Australia and Saudi Arabia. Sums up the level and heart of the player. Lacks international-level pace. 5/10
KENGO NAKAMURA (Kawasaki Frontale): Edges Endo in the performance stakes because he rose to the occasion against Australia. But one good game does not a good tournament make. Another who is too slow. 5.5/10
SHUNSUKE NAKAMURA (Celtic): Simmered at the start of the tournament with only flashes of his brilliance but reached the boil with an impressive if understated performance against Australia when he was the heartbeat of the team. Ruined it all by looking sluggish against the dynamic Saudis. 6/10
NAOHIRO TAKAHARA (Eintracht Frankfurt): Four goals in five games cannot be argued with (especially when none of those came in the shooting practice against Vietnam). Justifiably Osim's No. 1 striker and puts Seiichiro Maki to shame with his eye for goal. Again, tiredness blunted his effectiveness against the Saudis, but what can one expect when he has to do the work of two strikers? 8/10
SEIICHIRO MAKI (JEF United Chiba): The only logical explanation he is still in the team is because of the Osim-JEF connection. And if you hear someone going on about his "unselfish and intelligent running of the ball" tell him or her to put a sock in it. Strikers have to score goals or at least look like they will score (and not just against Vietnam). The coach may be sticking with him in the hope he regains the form he showed when he was on the cusp of the national team. A couple of England coaches did that with Emile Heskey. Exactly. 3/10
SATORU YAMAGISHI (JEF United Chiba): Started against Qatar, didn't do anything and featured not a jot after that. Even the JEF connection couldn't save him. 3/10
SUBSTITUTESHISATO SATO (Sanfrecce Hiroshima): Deserves to be in the team ahead of Maki. When he came on he looked full of zip and, most importantly, is a proven goal scorer in the J. League. 5/10
NAOTAKE HANYU (JEF United Chiba): Just not the player to call on when a game needs turning on its head. 4/10
KOKI MIZUNO (JEF United Chiba): Again, not a game changer. Some nice touches against Vietnam don't impress anyone. 4.5/10
KISHO YANO (Albirex Niigata): Osim introduced the big man far too late against Australia or Saudi Arabia to have any effect. Needs to be given a chance ahead of Maki. 4/10
HIDEO HASHIMOTO (Gamba Osaka): Came on against the Qataris and they promptly scored. Didn't feature again. 4/10
IVICA OSIM (Coach): The two games he should really be judged on are the Australia game and the Saudi game and in both his tactics appeared spot on. Japan dominated Australia and began by dominating the Saudis. Ultimately in the latter game, his players' lethargy let him down. In the Australia game, he was guilty of not acting quick enough with his substitutions in order to kill off the game, while throughout the tournament he was guilty in bringing on sub standard JEF players (Yamagishi and Hanyu) when a more dynamic change was needed. 7/10