Gamba Osaka has been stagnating in the league, with two consecutive matches ending in draws. However, in the previous match against Nagasaki, they were trailing by two goals in the closing stages, but Hummett and JEBALI scored back-to-back goals. They managed to tie the game at the last minute and bring home at least one point from their away game.

Nakazumi made his first start in J1, and in the latter stages, Okamoto, a youth player registered under the second category, also revitalized the attack. Gamba is taking on the consecutive matches with all their might, but the match against Chiba, which will be the culmination of five consecutive official matches, is a game where only three points are required, regardless of the performance.
"Honestly, it was a match we absolutely had to win against Nagasaki. It was a disappointing result, but we absolutely have to win against Chiba, and we want to fight as a team," Abe said, expressing his determination to head to the away grounds with a win-at-all-costs attitude.

The biggest area for improvement, according to Head Coach Myojin, was losing possession of the ball when they were about to attack after winning the ball back from the opponent.
While maintaining the forward-moving approach seen in the match against Hiroshima, if they attack patiently without rushing, the chances will naturally increase.
On the other hand, while ball possession is important, effective pressing from the front line is also crucial. Coach Myojin said, "In the Nagasaki match, with changes to the forward line players, we couldn't execute what we wanted to do from the Head Coach," so winning the ball in the opponent's half and then launching short counter-attacks to threaten the Chiba goal will be essential.

Chiba, playing in the J1 League for the first time in 17 years, has lost their first five matches and has conceded multiple goals in all five games. However, Hummett remains calm and humble, saying, "I think the biggest trap is letting ourselves be misled by the results. It's important to have a strong mentality to definitely get three points when playing at the opponent's home ground." Chiba is still experimenting with changing the number of players in their backline, but with the in-form JEBALI at the core, they are sure to create scoring opportunities, and the ability to finish those chances should be the shortest path to three points.

Chiba is the only team among the 20 J1 teams that has yet to earn a point, but their performance in matches is gradually improving. In the last match, they narrowly lost 1-2 to Okayama in the final moments. In the match before that, they lost 2-4 to Kawasaki Frontale, but their attacking players still possess a strength that should not be underestimated. For Sasaki, who played as a key player for Chiba for three years from the 2022 season, this will be a match against his former club, but his former teammate Tanaka has scored in two consecutive matches, with a total of three goals. "Tanaka is fast and has scored in two consecutive matches. ERISON Danilo De Souza will also be a target, so we have to be careful, but Tanaka will slip the ball behind them," Sasaki said, expressing caution regarding Chiba's strengths.

In the match against Okayama, 38-year-old Yonekura, who contributed to Gamba's treble, was also deployed in the attacking line in the second half. Sugiyama, who previously played for Gamba, was also brought on as a wide player. Needless to say, they will be players to watch out for when they are on the pitch.
"The J.League is not a league where there are big differences between teams, and especially since we are playing away games, we need to be well-prepared both mentally and physically," (Head Coach Myojin). In order to catch up to the top teams, all that's left is to seize the victory that they haven't achieved since the opening match.