The AFC refused to divide the World Cup qualifiers into Western and Eastern zones and will conduct qualifiers as usual. This means China has no choice but to play against Mid-east teams. I notice for many years it's not powerful teams like Japan or Iran that stops China (in fact the Chinese play quite well against them) from qualifying for WC or entering the Asia Cup safely, it's playing poorly against average or weak teams. (e.g. If China won Indonesia away, or beat Saudi Arabia at home during Asia Cup qualifiers, they wouldn't have shat their pants playing vs. Iraq on the final day) There really has to be a change in attitude. A strong team must have confidence to play against anyone. Not depend on other teams' results, or groupings, etc. Sometimes I wished China did not qualify for this Asia Cup, so they can really really wake up and make some lasting changes for the better. No more silly phobias like Koreaphobia, Mahmoud-phobia (the Iraqi captain who always scores crucial goals vs. China and knocks them out of the WC qualifiers), or now, Adisak-phobia!
I have little faith in Perrin tbh. His choice of personnel are absolutely absurd at times. Like seriously no Zhang Xizhe, Yu Dabao or Liu Binbin?
REMINDER: China plays Thailand tomorrow morning at 7:35 ET/4:35 PT. Revenge match for our 5-1 loss under Camacho last summer?
China should win this. Thailand has sent a vastly underpowered team. Anything less than 3 goals is unacceptable. The real game is vs. Paraguay.
http://sports.sina.com.cn/n/2014-10-09/10537363543.shtml Perrin says no Huang Bowen or Zhang Xizhe because they don't fit into his tactics. Thoughts?
Well looking at his selections it makes some sense. It seems he prefers more defensive minded midfielders or box to box players. Neither of the called up midfielders are really pure attacking midfielders, which I think Zhang Xizhe is, and Huang Bowen to a certain extent (He used to be a pure attacking mid but at Guangzhou he has got to play a bit more central with more defensive duties) Judging by his selections it seems he will play a 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 with very defensive central mids. This doesn't sound too pleasing to be honest, without a proper playmaker to link up between defense and attack it could easily end up like that Jordan game again.
HT 0-0 Boring game, China dominating possession but can't create anything, Thailand is playing very defensive and has done well, especially on the flanks leaving no space for Yu Hai and Zhang Chengdong on the wings. As predicted we are in desperate need of a proper playmaker to unlock these kind of defenses. Official line-up according to sina is 4-2-3-1 with Zeng Cheng, Zhang Linpeng, Feng Xiaoting, Li Xuepeng, Ren Hang Cai Huikang, Wu Xi Zhang Chengdong, Wu Lei, Yu Hai Han Peng. Have to leave so i'm going to miss the second half, but if it keeps going like the first half i won't be missing much.
http://dp.sina.cn/dpool/video/pad/p....cn/p/sports/n/v/2014-10-10/215564132913.html Highlights. FT China 3 - 0 Thailand
http://sports.sina.com.cn/n/2014-10-13/10027368582.shtml China's estimated starting 11 vs. Paraguay: GK - Wang Dalei DF - Zhang Linpeng, Mei Fang, Li Xuepeng, Ren Hang MF - Liao Lisheng, Cai Huikang, Zheng Zhi FW - Gao Lin, Yang Xu, Yu Hanchao MF and FW I would say it's okay... they finally put the key players esp. Zheng Zhi in their natural positions. Maybe they'll ask Gao Lin to hold the ball and pass it to Yang Xu or Yu Hanchao to shoot. For GK, it's understandable for Perrin to try the reserve keeper. But DF... apart from Zhang, the other 3... really? I think the choices are weird. Your thoughts?
China up 2-0 against Paraguay in the 18th min. Zheng Zhi scored the first on a penalty after Sun Ke was brought down. Wu Lei scored the second getting on the end of a good cross. China outplaying Paraguay with very good passing and movement.
Starting Lineup: 4-2-3-1 Wang Dalei Wu Xi, Zhang Linpeng, Feng Xiaoting, Ren Hang Cai Huikang, Zheng Zhi Zhang Chengdong, Wu Lei, Sun Ke Yang Xu
HT 2-0 China came out guns blazing and caught Paraguay sleeping in the first 20mins. Paraguay has since got themselves together and it has been alot more even, with China still having a slight edge. Very good movement and fluidity in the passing
China wins 2-1 against Paraguay. Good win with some nice passing and movement, but Paraguay almost came back in the second half.
Yeah China was more conservative in the second half after a very energetic performance in the first. Paraguay dominated possession in the second half but didn't really create much until their goal in the 80th min, after that nerves kicked in and Paraguay got revitalized and looked dangerous each time, but Wang Dalei put in a man of the match performance to deny them, which seems typical China nowadays.
The 41-man squad for a training camp before the New Zealand friendly: http://www.fa.org.cn/bulletin/training/2014-10-29/452340.html A separate 23-man squad for the match will be named in the coming days.
Squad against New Zealand and Honduras: Guangzhou Evergrande: Zeng Cheng, Zhang Linpeng, Yu Hanchao, Zheng Zhi, Mei Fang, Li Xuepeng, Gao Lin, Feng Xiaoting Shandong Luneng: Wang Dalei, Hao Junmin, Han Peng Beijing Guoan: Zhang Chengdong, Lei Tenglong Guizhou Renhe: Rao Weihui, Yu Hai Guangzhou R&F: Jiang Zhipeng Shanghai East Asia: Yan Junling, Wu Lei, Cai Huikang Jiangsu Sainty: Ren Hang, Wu Xi, Liu Jianye, Sun Ke
The trend from our recent friendlies is a very attacking minded first half with lots of movement and fluid passing, expect lots of pressure on the Honduran ball holders early on. The second half China will most likely play more defensive and play a more counter attacking style, leaving the possession to Honduras. Obviously how China will play in the second half is dependant on what the score is at halftime, but I think China will tire out by 65-70 min like they have in the other friendlies, due to such intense first halves.
But what if the opposing team manage to bypass the pressure by China? Are they playing a high line?? No wingbacks? Lol. Btw idk how fast and strong Chinese players are, but it'll be interesting to see how they plan against physical sprinters in Quioto and Alberth Elis of Honduras.
It will be an open game, regardless of what the opposition does. China will put on lots of pressure in the first half and will play very agressive, if Honduras does the same then it will be a very entertaining game with lots of chances to score for both teams. We do have wingbacks/fullbacks in Zhang Linpeng, Jiang Zhipeng and Ren Hang. Players like Zhang Chengdong, Yu Hai, Hao Junmin, Sun Ke and Wu Xi can also fill in that role.