China's national team shoulders heavy challenges
Despite the fact that the Chinese men's soccer team is out of the question for this western tournament, they still face a major challenge in terms of results. The general consensus in the industry is that the minimum target for the two matches is to get at least a point from Oman to avoid a fourth consecutive loss. Li Xiaopeng has suffered two consecutive defeats since he took over the reins of the national team, notably a 1-3 defeat away to Vietnam on the first day of the Chinese New Year, a result that provoked a public outcry. If there is no score on this trip, Li Xiaopeng will face his first "four consecutive defeats" since taking over, which will have a profound impact on the national team's future construction, preparation, and even shareholding reforms in the domestic soccer world.
On the other hand, the group stage of the 2023 Asian Cup will kick off in June next year. This season's Chinese Super League starts on April 23rd and ends on November 13th. Under the current anti-epidemic policy, it is almost impossible to arrange high-quality warm-up matches for the national team during the league season. Therefore, the national team's preparation for the Asian Cup needs to start now, making full use of the tactical value of the last two group stage matches of the 12-team tournament to warm up for next year's Asian Cup. For this reason, the national team must make adjustments in its staffing, and some senior players who may have faded out of the national team after the Top 12 matches may no longer be suitable for this westward journey, and younger players should be given more opportunities to exercise.
What will four straight losses trigger?
All the signs show that it is not easy for the national team to win in this western expedition. On the one hand, the opponents are strong, on the other hand, after a year of closed training, the national team players' psychological pressure is obvious, and their preparation attitude is negative. In addition, the domestic league environment has suffered a heavy blow, many clubs are difficult to operate, and some international players even face the problem of salary arrears. With the league transfer window about to open, the players' contractual problems may also distract them.
After the Vietnam battle, the national team has already shown this mood during the closed training in Suzhou, and the coaching team has paid attention to it. In the Haikou training, the national team increased the intensity of training, on the one hand, to replenish physical fitness for the upcoming challenge, on the other hand, also hope to inspire the players' fighting spirit and improve the team's fighting strength through training. However, the effect of these measures still need to be verified through the actual battle.
If there is a "four consecutive losses" extreme situation, will undoubtedly trigger a new turmoil in the national team, Li Xiaopeng's coaching career may also be overshadowed. Looking back at history, China's head coach at the beginning of his tenure suffered four consecutive defeats unprecedented situation. The away loss to Vietnam on the first day of the Chinese New Year has already sparked a storm of public opinion on social media. If the team suffers another four consecutive defeats on this trip to the west, the pressure on the new national team coaching staff can be imagined.
