Shanghai Port's New Season: Ups and Downs and Hopes
The new season of Shanghai Harbor has had its ups and downs, but the results are quite eye-catching. After six rounds of fighting, they accumulated 14 points with 4 wins and 2 draws, following Shanghai Shenhua, ranking third in the Super League table, and undoubtedly a strong contender for the Super League title this season.
The new coach, Muscat, has been pragmatic and low-key since he took over, and has been particularly cautious in his use of foreign aid, very different from his predecessor. He prefers to rely on veteran players such as Zhang Linpeng and Wang Shenchao rather than relying too much on foreigners. However, young players such as Liu Zhurun and Liu Xiaolong have struggled to get consistent playing opportunities under him.
Statistics show that after six rounds of matches, Liu Zhuyun has made only two appearances, and Liu Xiaolong even less. What is even more regrettable is former international player Wei Zhen, who, despite being only 27 years old and supposed to be a stalwart of the team, was almost forgotten in Muscat's tactical system and did not feature in any of the seven matches.
Wei Zhen, the center back from the Shanghai Lucky Star Youth Training Camp, is 189cm tall and weighs 80KG, with outstanding physical qualities. He has been called up by national teams of all ages and has been hailed as a hopeful star of the future national football defense. However, at this stage, he has been relegated to a marginal role in Shanghai Port's lineup.
In the past six seasons, Wei Zhen has played 133 matches for Shanghai Port, including 101 starts, making him an indispensable player for the team. Now, he has become a "set-up" in the team, and it is worrying whether he will consider switching to other Chinese Super League teams or even joining the business world in the future.
