In an international friendly match on September 9, 2023, the Chinese team shook hands with the "five-star" Malaysian team and drew 1-1. Although the results were acceptable, the problems exposed during the game prompted the coaching staff to make deep adjustments to the staffing layout. This article will analyze the five personnel adjustments that the Chinese team needs to make around this game.
Throughout the game, Wu Lei did not have many opportunities, but his performance on the field was disappointing. As a striker with excellent speed and breakthrough ability, Wu Lei rarely plays a threatening attack in the game, and does not dare to challenge the opponent one-on-one when holding the ball, nor dare to decisively shoot with his feet. The purpose of the substitute examination is to give other players more opportunities, and also to let Wu Lei find a response in rest and reflection.
Jiang Guangtai's defensive ability is undoubted, but he has obvious shortcomings in the ball. Slower speed and poor accuracy of long passes limit the team's offensive tempo. In order to solve this problem, the coaching staff can consider bringing in a central defender with strong ball ability, such as Zheng Zheng, to share the pressure of Jiang Guangtai and improve the team's counter-attack efficiency.
In the first half of the game, Xu Xin's performance was a disaster. His passing intentions are too obvious and easy to be seen by opponents; And there is a lack of sufficient contribution on the offensive end. To address this, the coaching staff needed to reposition Xu Xin's position and role, and consider bringing in other, more dynamic midfielders to enrich the team's offensive approach.
Fourth, the lack of explosive points on the wing is also a problem that the Chinese team needs to pay attention to. Although the overall strength of the team is not weak, it has done little in terms of wing breakthroughs. To solve this problem, the coaching staff could consider calling in wing raiders like Werch or Barton to enhance the team's attacking power on the wing.
In the second half of the game, Xie Pengfei's performance was eye-catching. He not only delivered accurate passes on the offensive end, but also actively returned to defense, creating a solid barrier for the team. Establishing Xie Pengfei as the tactical core can maximize his role on the field and improve the overall combat effectiveness of the team.
In short, although this friendly match with Malaysia did not have a substantial impact on the Chinese team, the problems exposed during the match cannot be ignored. Facing the upcoming Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese team must make the necessary adjustments as soon as possible to cope with the fiercer competition. Through the optimization of personnel layout, the Chinese team can better play the potential of existing players, improve the overall combat effectiveness, and fully prepare for future competitions.