After being completely defeated by South Korea, how do you evaluate Zhang Linpengs commentary on the match, saying that the defense on set pieces was not well organized, but at least the South Korean team did not score in open play?

Defensive Issues: Lack of Communication and Coordination.

A few words to say.

The issue of inadequate defensive arrangements for set pieces is a serious mistake.

Although the national team showed great determination last night, it can be said that we lost the match but not the respect. However, in a game, the result determines the victory or defeat. Apart from the penalty, we conceded two goals from set pieces, and our marking against the Korean players was problematic. Especially in the header scored by Son Heung-Min, Wu Xi was clearly two steps slow in reacting. He was slower than the opponent in terms of movement, and being slow in reaction allowed the opponents to win the ball in the front area, which is a very normal situation.

It’s not just these three goals; even the set pieces we created exposed the defensive shortcomings of the Chinese team, especially the lack of communication and unity in the defense line. This is something that requires daily training and a lot of communication. Obviously, the Chinese team is far from fulfilling this aspect.

This has been a problem for the Chinese team since the era of the Chinese Super League, and it still exists after thirty years. It’s not just a problem with the coaches; it can only be said that from a young age, Chinese players have not developed the habit of communicating and exchanging information on the field. Zhang Linpeng, as the team captain and the oldest member of the defense line, should shoulder this responsibility. Unfortunately, he didn’t live up to it, and to some extent, he was involved in the first two goals.

However, in the upcoming matches, as long as we can maintain this momentum, and with the two matches against Singapore and the home game against Thailand, the Chinese team still has a great chance of defeating the opponents and advancing to the top 18. It is still a daunting task for Yang Kopovich and his team, but the hope is also great.

China’s defensive midfield problem

A penalty kick and two corner kicks lost, it seems that the Chinese team did not lose in open play. Therefore, after the match, many people are saying that China’s defensive positioning is still good, but the defense against set pieces needs to be strengthened.

However, in fact, throughout the entire game, the Chinese team’s defensive positioning was already exposed by the opponents.

During that controversial process, Liu Binbin and Zhang Linpeng were easily bypassed by Huang Heecan. Wu Xi even commanded “traffic” in front of the penalty area.

Around the 25th minute of the first half, Yan Junling made a double save; although Wu Xi tried to block Son Heung-min’s long shot, neither of the two defensive midfielders were in their positions before his shot.

After Yan Junling saved the long shot, our defenders had no anticipation and allowed Huang Heecan to easily score on the rebound.

In the 33rd minute, when Lee Kangin made a long shot, Cao Guicheng failed to intercept it, and our two defensive midfielders were far away from the penalty area, watching as Lee Kangin took a direct shot.

Before the second goal was conceded, the defensive players for the Chinese team were watching Son Heung-min’s forward run without anyone marking him, allowing Son Heung-min to easily challenge Yan Junling, and it was only after Yan Junling saved Son Heung-min’s shot that a corner kick was conceded.

At the start of the second half, Wu Xi lost possession in the opposing half, and their counterattack quickly penetrated our defense. Yan Junling was dribbled past, but Zhu Chenjie recovered and rescued the situation.

In the 55th minute, when the South Korean team had a strong two-on-one situation in front of the penalty area, both of our defensive midfielders were in their positions and didn’t interfere at all. Jiang Shenglong also made an interception mistake, but because there was no angle left, Yan Junling saved it relatively easily.

In the 65th minute, after another two-on-one situation in the middle by the South Korean team, there was open space again, and Jiang Shenglong was waiting for the two defensive midfielders to come back and help, but those two defensive midfielders were still running at a steady pace, allowing Lee Kangin to shoot comfortably.

In a game, a goalkeeper making multiple saves does not necessarily mean there is a problem with the overall defense. However, when the opponent has multiple opportunities to easily take shots directly at Yan Junling and when there is no one to disturb them in the penalty area, it indicates that China’s defense has a major problem.

The defensive line was repeatedly breached by the South Korean team, which is related to the huge gap in individual abilities between the players of both teams. However, we can also see that in consecutive matches, the defensive midfielders of the Chinese team have encountered major problems in both attacking and defending, especially Wu Xi!

Among the former head coaches of the Chinese national team, Gao Hongbo appreciated Wu Xi the most. Gao Hongbo’s national team focused on organizing attacks and controlling the rhythm, with Zheng Zhi (and Hao Junmin during the Asian Cup) playing a key role, and Cai Huikang was used to strengthen the defense. His requirement for Wu Xi and Wu Lei (yes, you read it right, when Gao Hongbo played 4-1-4-1, if Zheng Zhi played as a single defensive midfielder, Wu Lei and Wu Xi would be the two central attacking midfielders) was for them to be able to join the attack and also track back to their positions for defense.

Regarding the use of Wu Xi, Marcello Lippi had similarities with Gao Hongbo. In Lippi’s first era with the national team, he focused on organization and control in midfield with Zheng Zhi, Huang Bowen, and Hao Junmin. Wu Xi was a box-to-box midfielder who excelled at making late runs. In Lippi’s second tenure, he emphasized the organization, control, and threatening passes in midfield with Hao Junmin, Zhang Xizhe, and Wu Xi became a box-to-box midfielder.

However, when Li Tie took over and played the World Cup qualifiers, Hao Junmin’s form had declined, and Li Tie forced Wu Xi to become a defensive midfielder and a tempo controller. Zhang Xizhe was chosen for organizing attacks.

By the time they reached the final round of qualification, Zhang Xizhe’s poor performance was heavily criticized by public opinion, which also overshadowed Wu Xi’s equally poor performance. When they played against Oman (Sharjah) at home during the final round of qualification, with Xu Xin’s inclusion in the starting lineup, an additional player was added in front of the two defensive midfielders, greatly relieving the pressure on Wu Xi.

After Yang Hongbo took over, whether playing 5-4-1/3-4-3 or 4-4-2, the two central midfielders' roles were divided with one mainly responsible for organizing attacks and controlling the rhythm, and the other responsible for defense. But now, Wu Xi’s running ability and ability to win duels have clearly declined, and he is no longer capable of playing as a defensive midfielder like he did under Li Tie. If he is to play as an organizing midfielder, that is not his tactical role, which leaves Wu Xi in a very awkward position on the field. Many times, he wants to perform well on both ends of the pitch, but he lacks the ability to do so!

Of course, in the previous match, Li Ke started alongside Wu Xi, and in this match, Li Ke replaced Wu Xi. However, his performance is no better than Wu Xi’s. As the only defensive midfielder in the team, Li Ke often found himself unable to keep up with the opponents and lacked the ability to compete, despite his seemingly robust style and excellent physicality.

He Chao, Zhang Jiaqi, and Xu Xin were all subsequently abandoned by Yang Hongbo, and Gao Tianyi proved in the October friendly matches that he is not capable of taking on a leading role. Wang Qiuming is injured again, which means that after considering all these factors, Li Ke and Wu Xi became the preferred options for the defensive midfield position in the World Cup qualifiers, with Wang Shangyuan as the first substitute. Even if Wang Shangyuan, as the first substitute for the defensive midfield position, comes in, if both Wu Xi and Li Ke continue to disappoint, it will seriously affect the overall performance, and the national team needs to tap into the potential in the midfield!

In the Chinese Super League this year, there is actually no shortage of impressive defensive midfielders, such as Li Yuanyi, who is capable of running, intercepting, and making late runs. Moreover, although Li TieXiang is getting older, he is currently the only domestic player in the Chinese Super League who can fulfill the role of midfield commander.

When Wu Xi is habitually invisible on the field and lacks presence, it is time to make way for others!

Summary: Tactical and personnel adjustments needed for utilizing Wu Lei’s attacking ability.

Translation: Tactical and Personnel Adjustments Needed for Utilizing Wu Lei’s Attacking Ability. It is worth encouraging the spirit shown, but we should not summarize the problem in this way.

Yes, it is true that better arrangements and adjustments are needed in defending set pieces.

However, the South Korean team did not score in open play, mainly because firstly, they were not in good form, and secondly, they did not play with tightness.

Confidence must be maintained, but the gap must also be recognized.

It is more important to reflect on the tactical arrangements. If we want to use Wu Lei’s attacking ability, we must face the problem of his declining running coverage due to his age.

We cannot use 32-year-old Wu Lei and also arrange 34-year-old Wu Xi and 34-year-old Zhang Linpeng behind him. This 100-year-old axis has always been the opponent’s target for attack.

Thailand has been attacking this side from start to finish, not just because Zhang Linpeng was shown a yellow card, as mentioned by the commentator.

In the game against South Korea, the first penalty was also a result of their slow reaction speed on this side.

For the second goal, after Wei Shihao and Wu Lei switched sides, South Korea failed to pass through our right side for a few minutes, and we immediately launched an attack from the other side.

The opponents know that they have to track Wu Lei’s movement forward because there is no coverage from behind. We need to know this as well.

If we want to utilize Wu Lei’s attacking ability, we need to be prepared tactically and in terms of personnel arrangements to make up for his defensive coverage.

Efforts and passion on the field

Yes, it’s not easy to achieve this given South Korea’s 160 million Euros price tag.

Zhu Chenjie’s desperate chase and clearance off the goal line truly warmed my heart. I really love this kind of attitude.

Lack of funds leads to inadequate defense.

Actually, it’s a relatively fair answer. The current strength of the Chinese team is like that of a poor person. They have just enough clothes to cover either the top half or the bottom half of their body when folded in half. If they cover the top half, the bottom half is exposed, and if they cover the bottom half, they can’t cover the top half. They have no choice but to prioritize and cover the most important area. You may ask why they can’t cover everything. Well, it’s because they’re poor and they don’t have the money. This can be related to the insufficient level of Chinese football. There are leaks from all sides and they can only focus on one side.

韩国队技战术差距显著，国足拼搏劲头。 (Korean team lacks tactics, Chinese team shows effort)

In terms of this game, the fact that there were no goals in open play is only in terms of the result. The gap in technical and tactical ability between the two teams is evident. Even though the South Korean team played a bit exaggerated, they still had chances. It’s just that we had better luck or they had worse luck.

The penalty in the first half came relatively early. The South Korean players clearly didn’t feel the pressure, with a relaxed expression on their faces. Even in the second half, it felt more like a warm-up match for them to test the lineup and atmosphere, with a lower intensity.

In this game, the Chinese team did show a fighting spirit, but it also reminded me of the Eight Banners cavalry charging towards the “foreign gun troops” during the Opium War era.

8.5 Asian World Cup Qualification Spots

Asia has 8.5 slots to directly enter the World Cup finals, which means 8 slots, while the additional 0.5 slot competes with South America.

Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Australia have already secured 5 slots. The Chinese team aims to compete for the remaining 3 slots. If they are lucky with the draw, they still have a good chance.

Korean team lacks coordination and individual skills against Japan.

Our Gap is Comprehensive, Nothing Much to Summarize.

To be honest, this South Korean team is not strong. They have been led astray by their coach and have not been able to coordinate well. Like playing against Singapore, it all depends on individual abilities. If this South Korean team were to encounter Japan, the outcome would be embarrassing and they would most likely lose miserably.

Start from childhood, no one can do it now.

必须从娃娃抓起，现在谁也不行。

We must start from childhood, no one can do it now.

Low Expectations

Often failing exams, occasionally passing once, only to realize that my expectations of myself are so low…