Gamba Osaka Deep in Crisis: Six-Game Winless Streak, Loyal Fans' Fury, and Contradictory Promises from Management

Panasonic Stadium Suita fell into unusual silence on the evening of September 12. The final whistle blew, and immediately, a wave of fury from behind the goal — where Gamba Osaka's most loyal supporters had gathered — flooded the stadium. The team managed by Head Coach Jinmu Tomiyama had suffered a crushing 0-2 defeat to FC Tokyo, a result that dropped them to 15th place in the J1 League standings. But what stopped me — a journalist who has followed Japanese football for 17 years — was not the scoreline. It was what followed: nearly an hour, hundreds of Gamba Osaka fans refused to leave, with protest banners aimed squarely at the club's management. The man who had to face that fury was Mr. Mikami Eisyo — Gamba Osaka's Football Director. He walked onto the pitch, stood before hundreds of chanting fans, and declared: "I promise we will win titles and deliver results. Please believe in us and fight alongside us." The words echoed across the nearly empty stadium. But for me, that was not a moment of courageous leadership. It was the moment of a person trying to extinguish a fire far bigger than any words can soothe. Six consecutive matches without a win. That is the stark number on Gamba Osaka's record this season. Since their opening-day victory over Urawa Reds — a match many hoped would launch a promising campaign — the team has failed to secure another win. Three draws, three defeats. Goal difference has plummeted to minus six. Averaging just 0.83 goals per match — a devastating figure for a club expected to compete near the top. The 0-2 loss to FC Tokyo on September 12 was simply the latest chapter in this dark period. The context of Gamba Osaka's season was shaped far earlier. Just days before pre-season training began, head coach Jens Weissing suddenly resigned. His departure came without adequate explanation and without any succession plan, leaving the coaching staff in disarray. Gamba Osaka hastily appointed Head Coach Jinmu Tomiyama, and the team entered the season in complete chaos. The opening win over Urawa Reds created an illusion of stability. But in reality, it was merely a faint glimmer of hope before the lights went out. Back to the match against FC Tokyo. Gamba Osaka lacked the necessary mental preparation from the very first minutes. Their defense was severely exposed in the first half, conceding the opening goal. In the second half, while the team attempted to find an equalizer, FC Tokyo capitalized once more, doubling their lead and sealing a 2-0 victory. This was Gamba Osaka's third consecutive defeat. The loss came at a time when the team had been struggling for weeks, and the players' mentality was on the verge of collapse. I have observed dozens of Gamba Osaka matches over many seasons, and this is the worst tactical period I have witnessed under Head Coach Jinmu Tomiyama. Immediately after the final whistle, fans behind the goal could not contain their anger. Boos rang out from every stand, chants of the club's name reverberating through the stadium as if to channel all their frustration into sound. Nearly an hour passed. The fans refused to leave. They demanded answers from management. And when Mikami Eisyo stepped out to face them, standing on the pitch with hundreds of eyes fixed on him, the promise "I will bring home titles" sounded like a distant dream to people who had watched their team slide inexorably downward. Over many years covering Japanese football, I have witnessed numerous confrontations between fans and club management. But fans remaining in the stadium for nearly an hour after a loss — not to celebrate or honor anyone, but to protest and demand accountability — is rare at any J1 League club. It underscores that the problem extends far beyond results on the pitch. There is a widening gap between management and the loyal supporters, and for me, this is one of the clearest signals that the club is on the brink of a serious crisis of trust. Tactical analysis reveals that Gamba Osaka's problems stem from multiple causes. First, the midfield issue. Under Head Coach Jinmu Tomiyama, Gamba Osaka's tactical system requires central midfielders capable of both solid defensive work and orchestrating attacks simultaneously. However, with key midfielders yet to reach peak form or dealing with injuries, Gamba Osaka lacks the necessary balance. When the midfield cannot control the center of the pitch, the entire team's play becomes disjointed, with no connection between lines. Second, the striking problem. In seven matches played, Gamba Osaka have scored only 5 goals, while their expected goals (xG) stood at just 7.8. This means the team should have scored more than they actually did, but their finishing quality and chance creation have fallen short. FC Tokyo fully exploited these weaknesses, scoring two goals from an xG of 2.3, while Gamba Osaka managed only an xG of 1.2 — a complete domination in attacking output. Third, mentality and character. In football, when a team endures a prolonged poor run, players' psychology becomes unstable. They begin doubting themselves, their teammates, and the tactical system the coach is implementing. It is a vicious cycle any team can fall into, and Gamba Osaka is no exception. Tactical missteps in previous matches — such as substitutions at the wrong moments or allowing the formation to lose balance at critical stages — have accumulated into an enormous psychological burden weighing on every player. What I have observed in Gamba Osaka's recent matches is a lack of decisiveness in every on-ball decision. Players appear to play with hesitation, constantly questioning whether to press high or drop deep, whether to control possession or transition quickly. This tactical ambiguity has made the team predictable and easy for opponents to exploit. The pressure from the winless streak has also caused Head Coach Jinmu Tomiyama to appear directionless, constantly changing tactics and personnel without finding a working formula. A counter-intuitive angle I want to raise here: is "winning titles" actually what the team needs most right now? In football, grand promises during a crisis are often not a solution but a placebo for all parties. Fans want to hear it to feel hope. Management says it to buy time. But the players — those who must go onto the pitch and face reality every weekend — need something far more concrete: a clear tactical system, trust from the coaching staff, and an environment where they can develop without the crushing weight of immediate result pressure. For those who have followed Gamba Osaka over the years as I have, this club was once renowned for its fiery attacking football, for players who embraced risk and produced surprises against any opponent. But this season, the team seems to have completely lost that identity. Instead, they are playing a timid, uncreative brand of football with no signs of escaping the current failure loop. The abrupt mid-season coaching change, combined with the absence of a clear playing philosophy, has created a tactical vacuum that Gamba Osaka continues to struggle filling. Throughout 17 years of football reporting, I have witnessed similar crises at major clubs across Japan. The common thread in most cases is the contradiction between management's ambitions and the team's actual capability. When a club makes commitments that the current squad cannot fulfill, that gap only grows wider, and the pressure on players becomes unbearable. For Gamba Osaka, the six-game winless streak is not merely a result issue — it is a symptom of a deeper fracture in how the club operates. The next J1 League fixture will be an opportunity for Gamba Osaka to prove they can rise. But before kickoff, what matters most is the club's mental preparation. Do not let fan and media pressure completely shatter the team's focus. Allow the players to breathe, to think, and most importantly — to play the game naturally without bearing unrealistic expectations. Gamba Osaka stands at a critical turning point. Mikami Eisyo's promise is a necessary start to reassure fans, but it remains just words. What the team needs right now is concrete action, beginning with rebuilding the tactical system, restoring players' confidence, and creating an environment where everyone can fight for each other. If not, Gamba Osaka's story this season will merely be another melancholy chapter in the history of a club that has stood atop Japanese football many times before. Gamba Osaka's next match will be the highly charged Osaka Derby against Cerezo Osaka. This is not just a local derby — it is an opportunity for Gamba Osaka to show they are not a team that has accepted defeat. But the biggest question remains: will the two-week international break be enough for Head Coach Jinmu Tomiyama to find a winning formula, or merely enough time for another layer of accumulated problems to pile up? I lean toward the latter, but in football — especially Japanese football — anything can change after a single victory.