Apart from Jin Shunkai, two other players in Shenhua's squad have been impressive, with midfielder Xu Hao Yang successfully replacing international star Wu Xi, and Yang Zexiang filling the void left by national team player Xiao Wen. SCMA's way of employing people is unique. Xu Hao Yang is particularly good in attacking propulsion and endurance running. Yang Zexiang, a versatile player who can play as a left back as well as a right back, has been particularly intelligent and agile in the winter training. Shenhua's starting lineup has basically taken shape, including Han Chao, Xu Hoyang, Yang Zexiang, Zhu Chenjie, and Jin Shunkai, as well as goalkeeper Bao Yaxiong.
Who will be the key scorer for Shenhua in the new season? The answer is undoubtedly Malelei. Although he misses a lot of good chances in every game, he is still the most trustworthy striker in Shenhua's offense. In the just-concluded match against Qingdao Hainiu, Malelai once again contributed two goals, which made many fans chortle, "It seems that the fewer fans there are, the better Malelai can play, or perhaps he feels uncomfortable in crowded occasions." This is not a good thing. Shenhua's home fans are some of the most passionate in the Chinese Super League. More fans will gather to cheer on the team in the upcoming Super Cup. Mallet will need to adapt to the big game scenarios as soon as possible to show his shooting boots in the Shanghai harbor.
The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment tends to be. Andre Luis, as an outside center, did not perform as well as he should have, with little presence in the game and few bright performances in the warm-up matches. In terms of speed and individual skill, his performance was not even as good as Malelai. In contrast, Shanghai Shenhua in this season's introduction of foreign aid, the strength is obviously less than the national security, Shandong Taishan and seaport and other title contenders. Shenhua must be prepared to deal with the situation, in case Luis becomes the team's chicken ribs. There is still a chance to make adjustments to the foreign aid in the summer transfer window. It would be wise to keep Malelai, at least he will be able to contribute a dozen goals to the team in a season, avoiding a situation where both centers have nothing to show for their efforts.
