Reporter Chen Yong reveals that the 2023 season of the Chinese Super League has seen an impressive array of intense matches. Players are running more frequently and confrontations are more intense. With the exception of a few teams such as Shenzhen, the gap between most of the teams is minimal and the results of the matches are often revealed at the last minute. The penultimate round of games saw the dust settle on the champions, while the final round was about league qualification, relegated teams and top scorers.
Initially, expectations for the league were not high, however, as the season progressed, the fans became more enthusiastic, the games got better and better, and the whole process far exceeded expectations.
It is undeniable that the league still has room for improvement at the technical and tactical levels, and needs to speed up the pace of the game, extend the net playing time, strengthen the confrontation, and accelerate the improvement of the technical and tactical contents. At the same time, the CFA and the teams need to strengthen the management of the bench and on-field discipline.
This season, the level of confrontation in the Chinese Super League has increased significantly: the average number of confrontations per game is as high as 101.64, much higher than the average of the previous three seasons. In a side-by-side comparison, the Chinese Super League confrontation figures are slightly higher than those of the Japanese J-League and the South Korean K-League.
When watching the game, it is evident that the Chinese Super League has deficiencies at the technical and tactical levels, but confrontation is always present. The foreigners also generally agreed that the Chinese Super League is very competitive. Interestingly, the average number of yellow cards in the Chinese Super League is much higher than in the J-League and K-League, reflecting the intense competition in terms of discipline and personal fouls.
Offensively, the average goals scored by Super League teams this season is 2.77, which is not high, but the average chances and number of shots per game have improved compared to last season. In addition, the number of draws and one-goal matches has increased this season, reflecting a balanced team strength and more intense competition.
This season, the average running distance is similar to the previous one, but the high intensity running distance has been improved. At the end of the 28th round of the league, the title race was still in doubt, with Shanghai Port leading Shandong Taishan by 5 points. By the 29th round, Shanghai Port won the championship, while the fourth-ranked Zhejiang team eventually moved up to third.
This season, the league table is characterized by a significant difference in points between two teams with a large gap in strength. The relegation of Shenzhen and Dalian is actually a victim of golden dollar soccer. This season, the performance of civilian teams is eye-catching, and the economic base is directly proportional to the strength of the team.
From the current situation, the stratification of the groups in the 2024 season of the Chinese Super League is clear. The upstream group includes strong teams such as Shanghai Port and Shandong Taishan, the midstream group is of equal strength, while the civilian teams are expected to invest less than 100 million yuan.
There is still a gap between the technical and tactical level of the Chinese Super League and that of the Japanese and Korean leagues, especially evident in the AFC Champions League. The difficulty of improving the technical and tactical level of the Chinese Super League increases in order, with strengthening the confrontation being the easiest, improving the tempo being more difficult, and improving the technical and tactical level being the most difficult.
In the 2023 season, the net playing time of the Chinese Super League has decreased, and it is necessary to strengthen the discipline of the bench and the field, and strictly enforce the rules. At the same time, it is recommended to strengthen the training of referees to reduce the number of misjudgments, clarify the attitude of clubs in law enforcement, and strictly punish violations.
The penultimate round of the 2023 season saw a number of controversies in the match between Shanghai Port and Shandong Taishan, with the CFA showing determination by fining both clubs. In order to further improve the pace of the game, a concerted effort by clubs is needed to reduce bad fouls and achieve a shift to a faster tempo.
