The pouring rain, the score trailing, and the more than 10,000 harbour fans were not "on top". During the game, SAIC Pudong Football Stadium was always full of enthusiasm; After the final whistle, an angry roar echoed through the stadium: "Class! Shame! On August 22, Shanghai Port lost 3-2 at home to Thai Pathum United, and for the first time in history, Shanghai did not qualify for the group stage at home, and was humiliated.
Although Shanghai Port still temporarily led the Chinese Super League standings, the humiliating defeat to the AFC Champions League group stage was unacceptable to fans and put coach Javier on the crater. This defeat not only exhausted the dividends of the previous Shanghai derby away victory, but also completely exposed the three weaknesses of the Spaniards. It is reported that Javier signed a 1+1 contract with Shanghai Port, and even if he can last until the end of the season, he may not be able to get a contract extension.
Weakness 1: The offense and defense are unbalanced, and the new signing disrupts the original order
In this match, the deficiencies of the Harbour team's offensive and defensive imbalance broke out again, especially in high-level continental matches such as the AFC Champions League qualifiers, the stronger the confrontation and faster the pace, the more thoroughly the problems of the Harbour team were exposed. Shanghai Port conceded three goals early in the game, which also showed that manager Javier was completely lost. Especially after the arrival of his hand-picked center foreign aid Joao, it disrupted the team's original winning rhythm and offensive and defensive order.
In the first half, the Shanghai Port team was unbalanced in attack and defense, and after the whole team pressed out to attack, it could not return to the position in time to defend. Batum United scored twice in the first half by striker Sergeyev, and Harbour then pulled a goal back by Matijan Worldwave; In the second half, Sergeyev extended the score and washed his hat, and substitute Harbour international Vargas assisted Pinko to pull a goal back. In the final moments, the harbor team launched a wild attack, but Wu Lei missed the chance to draw and finally lost 2-3 at home, ushering in a humiliating defeat.
Overall, Harbour have brought in new centre-forward João in the summer window, but in his recent starts, Harbour has not only seen a significant decline in results, but also conceded goals. At home to Zhejiang, the harbor team lost 3-4, and the defense was basically paper-paste; Facing Meizhou Hakka at home, the harbor team's defense was also unstable, and could only barely equalize by Oscar's long-range shot; This time facing the Thai Pathum United, Joao, who is still the starter, still does not have a strong sense of presence, his defensive active pressure is not enough, coupled with Oscar, Wu Lei also due to lack of physical fitness caused by insufficient defensive enthusiasm, directly led to the team's offensive and defensive imbalance, three consecutive home thunderstorms.
Weakness 2: Refuse to rotate and use a set of lineups to the end
After getting the opening starting lineup, the author gasped: the starting lineup of the Shanghai Port team is too old, in other words, too much attention to seniority. As a meritorious player in the first phase of Chongming Island, 34-year-old Zhang Linpeng plays as a central defender, and the same 34-year-old Lu Wenjun and Wang Shenchao play full-back, plus 29-year-old Jiang Guangtai, this four-man guard line is as high as 131 years old.
Experienced veterans will always be an asset to a team, but the coaching staff needs to mix old and new to better combine the physical strength of young players and the awareness of veterans to produce chemistry. Unfortunately, the Harbour's overall squad for this game was too old to cope with the intensive schedule, especially the streak of hot summers. On August 18, this group of veterans just did their best to help the harbor team draw 1-1 with Meizhou Hakka team; After just three days, the bodies of these 34-year-old veterans are no longer as easy and fast as in the past, they are more relying on experience and will to grit their teeth.
Reflected in the competition on the court, that is, the veteran players of the harbor obviously could not run, and their reaction was obviously slow. Whether it is the defensive total difference of half a step by defenders such as Zhang Linpeng, or the missed opportunities of strikers Wu Lei and Oscar in front of goal, it is not their lack of technical ability, but the obvious lack of physical strength - physical strength is the foundation of competitive sports.
The two goals of the Harbour team were also scored by fresh forces: Matijian scored in the world wave, and he was well rested and did not play in the league three days ago; Foreign signing Pinker, who scored his second goal, has been almost a substitute this season, but has been full of energy since his debut; Including the assists given by foreign aid Vargas, who came off the bench, it also comes from the recent role of substitute and has enough physical strength. Obviously, in this game, the starting line-up of the Harbour team is too old and the players are too tired.
Unfortunately, Javier's active rotation is obviously not enough, especially the first phase of Chongming Island represented by Oscar and Zhang Linpeng, who really lacks opportunities to rest and rotate. The veterans do still have oil in their tanks, but they can't stand the coaching staff being so "dead with a lineup". Under the intensive schedule, this group of veterans finally staged a tragic scene of "having the intention to kill the enemy and unable to return to the sky".
Weakness three: foreign aid bias, ignoring the interests of the team first
Admittedly, the Harbour's humiliating defeat in the AFC Champions League qualifying tournament was also due to Javier's bias in the use of foreign aid. Compared with the Chinese Super League opponents, Zhejiang and Meizhou Hakka resolutely use four foreign aid starters, including the AFC Champions League qualifying opponent Baton United also sent as many foreign aid as possible, Javier's use of foreign aid is not only very stubborn, but also a bit contrary to common sense.
The harbour team faced Batum United, Javier only arranged Oscar and Joao, two foreign assistants to start, Oscar was obviously physically exhausted, and Joao's physical condition was not up to the starting requirements. In the second half, Javier replaced Vargas and other wide players, but replaced high school striker Joao, which also meant strengthening the wide cross but not outflanking the point. After the game, some Shanghai media directly asked: "Is such a substitution contradictory?" Javier also explained reluctantly: "I didn't expect to be 2-0 down, it made the team nervous, and the position on the pitch was not particularly reasonable. ”
In the author's opinion, so far in the season, the use of foreign aid by the Harbour team is not reasonable, and there is a bias against some foreign aid, ignoring the interests of the team first. Pinker, for example, hadn't had many chances before, but he was very aggressive after coming on this game, using his keen sense of smell to score a goal. Obviously, in the previous games, foreign players such as Pinker and Vargas fully deserved more playing time.
This humiliating defeat also proved that Javier and the Harbour coaching staff have neither found the best tactical combination nor truly achieved the interests of the team in the deployment and use of foreign aid. Joao, the foreign aid he hand-picked, starts continuously even if he is not in good condition, and some foreign players do not get more opportunities to play, which has to make people suspect that Javier is more concerned about the use of foreign aid, and there may be suspicion that technical and tactical thinking is divorced from the purpose of putting the interests of the team first.
Column editor-in-chief: Chen Hua Text editor: Chen Hua Source of title picture: Haishal
文内插图：海沙尔 Source: Author: Wei Bing