The 2024 World Cup Qualifiers Asian Top 12 are coming to an end, and the Chinese men's football team will usher in a very crucial home game on June 6. The opponent is the Thai team in the same group, the strength of this Southeast Asian team should not be underestimated, and the Chinese team is injured and lacks two main players in the team, how to deal with it is really worrying.
The leading main force Wu Lei was suspended and absent, and the attack power of the national football team was hit hard
In the last round of the defeat to Singapore, Wu Lei was in hot form, and with his goals and assists, the national football team finally won 4-1. However, this time he was suspended due to the accumulation of yellow cards, and the attacking strength of the Chinese team will be greatly affected.
Wu Lei is the well-deserved core of the Chinese team today, and his ability to take charge alone is unmatched. At the beginning of the season, he scored seven goals for Guoan in the Chinese Super League, helping the team win many times, and he is very good at timing positional goals, which is crucial for the team. It can be said that the departure of the Chinese men's football team from Wu Lei at this stage is equivalent to the loss of the most important offensive weapon.
Facing the Thai team, whose strength should not be underestimated, Wu Lei's absence is undoubtedly a huge loss. Thailand's defence is not very good, but they have some capable players in the midfield and attack, creating a hidden danger for the Chinese team's defense. Without Wu Lei to control the attack, it will be more difficult for the Chinese team to win.
Midfielder Lee Won-il is suspended, and the defensive system may be impacted
In addition to Wu Lei, Li Yuanyi, another main player of the Chinese team, was also suspended for one game due to accumulating yellow cards. Li Yuanyi, who plays as a midfielder, is an indispensable member of the Chinese team's defensive system.
Although Li Yuanyi's form has declined in recent years, his experience and judgment are still rare in today's Chinese team. In the last game against Singapore, the Chinese team was almost overtaken 1-1, and it was Li Yuanyi who controlled the rhythm on the field in the face of danger, which created an opportunity for the team to finally overtake. This veteran composure played an irreplaceable role in critical moments.
Without Li Yuanyi's control, the Chinese team's midfield may be more passive. If the opponent can take advantage of this weakness of the Chinese team and create opportunities through midfield attacks, the Chinese team's defensive system may be impacted.
Is it a loophole in the lineup, or is it a change of tactical thinking? Ivankovic faces a difficult choice
Faced with such a passive situation, how should the new Chinese team coach Ivankovic deal with it? Depending on his personality, there may be two possible options.
The first possibility is that the central pillar is not changed and the soldiers are not moved. Ivankovic insisted on using the 3412 formation that won in the AFC and looked for suitable substitutes to fill the vacancies of Wu Lei and Li Yuanyi.
Under this line of thinking, Ivankovic may use naturalized players Ackerson and Alan to start the game in place of Wu Lei and Li Yuanyi respectively. However, neither of them is in good shape, and they may need to find other replacement options.
For example, this game can give Shandong Taishan striker Fernando a chance to start. Fernando has performed well in the Chinese Super League this year, and his attacking power is worthy of recognition. But he is old, and his fitness is really a little worried, and it is difficult for him to continue to play for 90 minutes.
As for the midfield substitute, Ivankovic may consider Li Ke, a naturalized player who used to be the main player, or rely on local player Xu Xin. However, it is difficult to be completely reassured by the strength of both men, and it remains to be seen whether Ivankovic will choose to trust them.
The second possibility is that Ivankovic changes course and adopts a different formation or tactical style of play. For example, the 4231 formation could be tried, and the midfield manpower could be increased to strengthen this weak link, but at the expense of full-backs.
Or they may adopt a more attacking 343 formation, with three central strikers, to block the opponent's counterattack in terms of personnel and strategy, so as to cover up the weaknesses of their own midfield.
Regardless of Ivankovic's choice, it can hardly be said to be a brilliant one. Because the Chinese team's personnel reserves are really limited, there are too many shortcomings in the lineup, and no matter how the combination is combined, it will inevitably expose weaknesses.
The Thai team is strong and should not be underestimated
Not only that, but China's opponents, Thailand, are also not to be underestimated, and although they have a mediocre record in this round of qualifying, their past performance proves that this team is not an idle team.
Thailand beat not a weak team in a friendly 2-0 at the start of last week, highlighting their attacking prowess. Their attacking line, with overage but still in-form striker Tiradu and the young Volavid, are attacking threats to be reckoned with.
In the midfield, the Thai team has experienced veteran Song Bingming to control the tactical rhythm, and there are also young and energetic people such as Brilam and Chavon to inject motivation. Defensively, they also have a number of well-trained centre-backs in the squad and are something to be wary of.
Overall, Thailand did not perform at the highest level, but they were still a tough opponent in the round of 12. It will not be easy for the Chinese team to win at home.
Fans lose confidence and criticism continues
It is precisely because of such a passive situation and the challenge of strong opponents, coupled with the poor previous record of the national football team, that the confidence of fans in this game has dropped significantly.
Indeed, after several years of low periods, the national football team has not been fruitful. It was 12 years ago when they last competed in the World Cup, and since then they have suffered setbacks in various competitions and have failed to achieve any significant results. In this qualifier, although there were 4 wins, most of them were due to luck, and the winning process was more difficult and reckless.
It can be said that today's national football team is in a weak state, has a poor sense of presence, and the overall strength is far from meeting everyone's expectations. They often make small mistakes, and with a lot of holes in both the defensive and offensive ends, they often fall into passivity.