Chinese Super League Style: Oscar's Shooting Feast
What is so unique about the presence of Oscar, the "master goal scorer" in the Chinese Super League? In the statistics of the 2023 season, we found a remarkable number. Oscar has reportedly been involved in 205 attacking plays that ended in a shot on goal in the Chinese Super League this season, a figure that is far higher than any other player by at least 35 times (see below).
Looking deeper into this spreadsheet, we see that Wu Lei is second in the rankings with 170 shots on goal, while Shanghai Port has accumulated 375 shots on offense. What does this reveal? It reveals the perfect combination of Oscar's art of assisting and Wu Lei's shooting skills. No wonder Wu Lei is at the top of the scorer's list.
The reason why Wu Lei is so strong, cannot be separated from Oscar's precise pass. Without Oscar's "feeding", Wu Lei's performance would have been at least halved.
Similarly, the strength of Shanghai Hong Kong with Oscar and without Oscar is akin to that of the other.
Looking back at the 2022 season, Oscar's inconsistent appearances led to SIPG's drop to fourth place in the league. Despite a lack of systematic preparation at the start of the season, Oscar's prolonged absence was a key factor.
Wu Lei returned in August last year and represented Shanghai Hong Kong in the Chinese Super League in September. However, without Oscar's accurate assists, Wu Lei's efforts didn't significantly improve SIPG's ranking.
The 2022 season not only showed how important Oscar is to Shanghai Hong Kong, but also made Shanghai Hong Kong realize it. That's why Oscar wanted to return to Brazil, but SIPG's insistence kept him there - without Oscar, Wu Lei couldn't spread his wings and fly. Without Oscar, SIPG lacks the centerpiece and brain of the midfield.
At the end of the 2023 season, Hong Kong is once again faced with a choice. How to react if Oscar chooses to leave? Fortunately, Oscar's interview gave Shanghai Harbor a ray of hope.
According to Global Sports, Oscar retains the option to return to Brazil, but he won't be following in Shanghai Harbor's footsteps. Especially his last words, "My plan is to finish the last year of my contract at Shanghai Harbor and then see what happens."
Previously, many fans worried that Oscar would leave the team. Now that we have seen his response, we can rest assured in advance that we don't have to worry about whether or not he will play in the 2024 season of the Chinese Super League.
Oscar's statement means a lot to Shanghai Hong Kong - a chance for the 2024 season! With Oscar, Wu Lei's scoring rate will be guaranteed, and the road to the championship for Shanghai Hong Kong will be more open; with Oscar, Shanghai Hong Kong in the AFC Champions League will be full of confidence.
Of course, Oscar's willingness to stay is not out of faith or charity, but because of his immediate interests. After all, few can resist the lure of more than 20 million euros. Now, at a time when many Chinese Super League teams are facing the plight of salary arrears, Shanghai Harbor is able to support this expensive foreign aid. Let's just say, it's nice to be rich!
