Tatsunori Yamagata

Name – Tatsunori Yamagata 山形

Position – Right-back

DOB : 4 Nov 1983

Height : 172cm

Weight : 67kg

Nickname : Nori

When I first started watching Avispa Miyaji was the first choice right-back because Nori was injured, and I was a little surprised that having had the younger Miyaji play well (with good back-up from Hiraishi) Yamagata went straight back into the team when he was fit again.

Since then I’ve seen that while Miyaji is a very competent defender Yamagata should be in the team on merit as he combines good defending with a good willingness to go forward and since he when he is in the team there is greater use of both flanks rather than concentrating on the left.

He has excellent stamina and is the player most likely to be tracking all the way back at the end of the game, while still trying to push forwards when he can.

Left the club at the end of 2011. I’m not entirely sure why as he was one of the players who did pretty well in J1, but was one of the first players to announce that he was quitting.