Next up, although Shandong Taishan have added Kazaishvili to bolster their frontcourt following the loss of Fellaini and Moises, it must be admitted that the team's ability to attack inside the penalty area is still compromised to a certain extent. Especially when fighting for set-pieces, it is now more important to rely on the ability of guest striker Jadson. Certainly, Shandong Taishan's overall offense seemed to become more diverse in the match against Kawasaki Frontale, which is a welcome change. Meanwhile, Choi Kang-hee will need to delve deeper into how to limit the Yokohama Mariners' offense, especially the play of Elbe and Lopez.
Lastly, I would like to mention the test of physical fitness from the intensive schedule. The Chinese Super League (CSL) will start on March 1st, and Shandong Taishan's first match is against Changchun Yatai on March 3rd. On the third day after the first match of the Chinese Super League, Shandong Taishan will start the first round of the match against Yokohama Marinos at home. After completing the second round of matches against Beijing Guoan on March 9, Shandong Taishan will only have two days to consolidate, during which they will also have to urgently travel to Japan to participate in the deciding match of the second round. 4 matches in 11 days is a huge test for physical fitness.
It is worth mentioning in particular that, in terms of the arrangement of the new season of the Chinese Super League, the Football Association is very practical this time. In the first five rounds of matches, Shandong Taishan can three consecutive home games. Obviously, the Football Association has taken into account the possibility of Shandong Taishan advancing to the last eight of the AFC Champions League, so it has made space for the schedule in advance to avoid the team's plight of traveling between home and away games in a row. In this regard, we have to praise the soccer association for the thoughtful and meticulous arrangements.
