[Yomisaka/Pickup Player] Eito Taniguchi: Can he rebuild Kawasaki's defense in the season opener against Tokyo Verdy, the club where he spent 13 years?
Sunday, August 9, 2026, 18:00 Kickoff [Ajinomoto Stadium]
How to read Yomisaka
The concept of Yomisaka is 'watching soccer through foresight'.
'Yomisaka/Pickup Player' is a project that selects one player from a featured match and articulates 'what that player needs to do to bring the team closer to victory' before the match begins.
As a series separate from our regular Yomi articles (which focus on player matchups), we will continue this during the pre-season period as well.
Reason for attention
In the season opener between Tokyo Verdy and Kawasaki Frontale, the player to watch is Eito Taniguchi (DF/No. 3).
Taniguchi has been with Tokyo Verdy's youth system since elementary school, joining the top team in 2022 after playing for Kokushikan University.He is a homegrown player who supported Tokyo Verdy for 13 years, counting his time in the academy.He immediately secured a starting position as a center-back in 2022, appearing in 133 official matches. In 2024, the season Tokyo Verdy returned to J1 for the first time in 16 years, he
scored a hat-trick against Kawasaki F, and in 2025, he was a key figure in keeping 17 clean sheets—tied for second in J1—contributing to the team's second consecutive season of staying in J1.
This December, Taniguchitransferred permanently to Kawasaki Frontale. The first match of his transfer, which he described as a decision he 'agonized over,' happens to be the season opener against Tokyo Verdy, the club that raised him.
Player Analysis
Taniguchi's strengths arehis aerial and man-marking defensive prowess, and his build-up ability starting from accurate kicks. Not only does he use his 181cm/80kg physique for defense, but he is also a scoring threat on set pieces, making him a player who can be a source of goals for the team despite being a defender.
His new club, Kawasaki, finished the 2025 season with 57 goals conceded, tied for the third-worst in the league. With the overseas transfer of Kota Takai, the departure of Jesiel, and the retirement of Shintaro Kurumaya, rebuilding the defense was an urgent task.
Taniguchi was acquired specifically for his 'man-marking and build-up ability,' and he himself is aware that 'defense is what is expected of me'.
Under new manager Shigetoshi Hasebe, defensive reconstruction is the top priority.
In fact, while Kawasaki has remained stable with an 8th-place finish for three consecutive seasons from 2023 to 2025, their goals conceded have worsened from 45 to 57 to 57.
Taniguchi's addition makes this first match a test of whether he can put a stop to these numbers.
Foresight as a condition for victory
Whether Eito Taniguchi can function as the starting point for the build-up in Kawasaki's final line and use his accurate kicks to bypass Tokyo Verdy's high press will determine Kawasaki's performance in this match.
The players and staff at his former club, Tokyo Verdy, should be well-versed in Taniguchi's playing habits, and it is highly likely they will try to unsettle their new center-back.
On the other hand, Taniguchi himself surely has a strong desire to repay the club that raised him with results.
If Taniguchi can demonstrate not only his 'man-marking' but also his 'build-up accuracy' under the pressure of the season opener, I believe Kawasaki's defense, which was among the worst in the league, could show a different face from the start.
To accompany your viewing:
When Taniguchi has the ball in the final line, pay attention to how Tokyo Verdy's front line closes him down, and whether Taniguchi can bypass them.
About the verification of this foresight
After the match, I will add to this article whether this foresight was correct or incorrect. At Yomisaka, we value accumulating a record of 'why we predicted it that way' more than the accuracy rate itself.
This article organizes key points based on public data such as player backgrounds and transfer information. It does not guarantee accuracy and should be used as a reference for your personal viewing experience.