AFC Champions League Knockout Round: Battle of Jinan Springs
This evening, the spring city of Jinan will welcome the decisive battle in the quarter-final of the AFC Champions League. Shandong Taishan, the only team in the Chinese Super League, is going head-to-head with Yokohama Marinos, the only team in the J-League, and this matchup will undoubtedly be the center of attention. In my opinion, Choi Kang-hee's personality is like a double-edged sword for Taishan, and its polarity will determine the direction of this battle.
Undeniably, at the beginning of last season, Taishan suffered a stormy time, Cui Kangxi took over the coaching whip, the team quickly on track, not only in the league and the Cup to reap the runner-up, but also in the AFC Champions League into the quarter-finals. Cui Kangxi has left a deep tactical mark on the Taishan team. Even in the Chinese Super League, there are very few teams that can compete with Taishan. In addition, Cui's calm and tough image on the sidelines has made a qualitative leap in the spirit of the Taishan team.
However, everything in this world has two sides. The old Cui stubborn personality and offensive style of play, making the Taishan team in the achievement of not bad results at the same time, the hidden dangers of the back line is also increasingly prominent. For example, Cui Kangxi extremely respected high level of grabbing the ball tactics. This kind of tactics and rhythm, with the thickness of the Taishan team's lineup, in the Chinese Super League can still cope with. But in the AFC Champions League, we need to look at it dialectically. Against Yokohama Marinos, Cui won't adopt the "bus" tactic. If it's business as usual, Tarzan will still stick to the high ball. However, if they can't control the whole field in the face of the opponent's fast and accurate passing, what will they do?
And what is the response to this matchup? The key lies in two points: mentality and rhythm. On the one hand, the mentality needs to be stabilized and public opinion needs to be cooled down. Abandon the glory of being the only team in the Chinese Super League and see Yokohama Mariners as a stronger opponent than Kawasaki Frontale. On the other hand, they need to be moderate when grabbing the ball high up the pitch to avoid being too relaxed in the midfield. It is also important to pay attention to the position of your teammates, grabbing the ball in a timely manner when it is guaranteed and avoiding adventurous play. We need to guard against being beaten by our opponents as well as minimize unnecessary fouls and turnovers in sensitive areas. In terms of tempo, we need to build on our strengths and avoid our weaknesses, without having to tangle in midfield. Combine speed with exciting prospects on the fringes.
The strategy of the high-flying team is to tend to contain and counteract. Fortunately for the Yokohama Mariners, their coach is still gelling shortly after taking over, which is certainly a big advantage for the Taishan team.
