Entering March, Shanghai Shenhua welcomed four new players in the winter transfer window - Luis, Manafa, Xie Pengfei and Gao Tianyi. Especially notable is that Xie Pengfei with 1.16 million euros transfer fee to become the king of internal aid. Oriental Sports Daily commented that the addition of Xie Pengfei will strengthen Han Chao's tactical advantage.
Louis: A double guarantee of strength and attitude.
In his Super Cup debut, Luiz's performance won the favor of many Chinese fans. The center forward is less than 1.84 meters tall, but with excellent header skills to create repeated success. In the Portuguese league this season, he delivered 6 goals and 2 assists.
Observing Luis' goal highlights, most of the header goals were accomplished unmarked, showing his keen sense of smell in front of the goal. In the Super Bowl, Luis was notable as a pivot, with excellent ball control and a low turnover rate. Currently, Luis is a little short on passing, but his professional attitude is amazing. 29 years old, he still has a lot of room to rise.
Manafa: pure European wingback.
Manafa is a typical modern European wing-back. No matter what kind of tactics the coach sets up, Manafa is capable of playing them, and his indispensable position is self-evident. In the match against Port, Shenhua played defense, and Manafa's outstanding performance reflected his physical qualities. He took on the right side of the defense and won the trust of the coach and his teammates, which made Shenhua dare to put more troops on the left side of the field.
As the season progressed, Shenhua invested more in the attacking end of the field, with Manafa's figure appearing frequently in front of the field. Euroleague data shows that Manafa's left and right foot skills are balanced and have great potential. His understanding with his teammates still needs to be strengthened, and the future is promising.
Xie Pengfei: Complementary strengths with Han Chao.
Xie Pengfei has yet to secure a starting position at Shenhua, often appearing as a substitute. In Slutsky's tactical system, he temporarily lagged behind his teammates in the competition. However, in just over 20 minutes of appearances, Xie Pengfei's performance was still noteworthy, leaving a deep impression on the coach.
In terms of technical and tactical style, Xie Pengfei has no conflict with Han Chao, and everything depends on the coach's tactical arrangement. Shenhua signed Xie Pengfei in the hope that he would contribute to the team, and at 31 years old, he is in the prime of his career and has a bright future ahead of him.
In the first game of the new season, Xie Pengfei's performance satisfied Slutsky. When the team needs to control the rhythm, he can always step up in time. Shenhua will face more tough opponents in the upcoming Chinese Super League, and Xie Pengfei's strengths will be shown more.
Gao Tianyi: Waiting for the right time to gain experience.
Gao Tianyi and Xie Pengfei have a slight overlap in position and can play as a 9 1/2. Slutsky tends to pick Gao Tianyi when Luiz needs a rest.
In the two positions that Gao Tianyi specializes in, Teixeira and Luiz occupy the front position respectively. But the season is long and Gao Tianyi still has many chances to show his strengths. Slutsky needs tactical reserves to deal with different opponents, and Gao Tianyi will be one of the key options.
