Shenhua's ups and downs are getting better after Jiuzhi's ownership
Shanghai Shenhua, a traditional Chinese Super League powerhouse that has long been plagued by the club's financial problems, has seen its league performance fluctuate dramatically in recent seasons. They tend to show great athleticism in the first half, but often make mistakes in the second half, especially in the late stages of the league, when Shenhua often becomes a scoring target for other teams.
Since Jiuzhi Group took over the club, Shenhua has shown unprecedented stability in the league this season. Up to 28 rounds of the league, Shenhua has achieved 15 wins, 6 draws and 7 losses, and is currently in third place on the table.
After the takeover by the Jiuzhi Group, Shenhua's goal is to reinvent itself as a top team in the Chinese Super League and strive to qualify for the AFC Champions League next year. Currently, Shenhua is only one game away from this goal. If they can beat Tianjin Jinmen Tigers on the road in the next round, Shenhua will lock the top four in the league.
In addition, Shenhua has advanced to the semi-finals of the AFC Cup. If they can beat Qingdao Hainiu in the semi-final, Shenhua will have a chance to compete with Shandong Taishan in the final. If they win the cup, Shenhua will qualify for the AFC Champions League next season. Even if they don't win the Cup, Shenhua will still be able to qualify for the AFC Champions League play-offs by virtue of finishing fourth in the league.
In the current situation, Shenhua is 90% sure to be among the next season's AFC Champions League. In order to make a difference in the Asian Championship, the club needs to make adjustments to the player lineup.
Shenhua's reinforcement efforts this season have not been as good as they could have been, with only Amadou performing well among the five foreigners. Malele is technically rough, Bassogo is frequently injured, and Teixeira is prone to injuries, making it difficult for him to play in the attacking end. As for Yann Xinli, the Chinese defender only has the advantage of height, but nothing else stands out.
Therefore, if Shenhua hopes to continue to make a difference in the next season, it is necessary to replace these four foreign aiders and bring in foreign aiders who have the ability to organize the midfield and score consistently.
In terms of domestic players, head coach Wu Jingui has promoted a number of young players this season. Jiang Shenglong has become the core of the defense, while Wang Haijian and Xu Haoyang have been equally good in the midfield, not inferior to foreigner Teixeira.
In order to improve the overall strength of the team, Shenhua also need to continue to bring in local reinforcements. Recently, a number of clubs, including Dalian people, Wuhan three towns and Shenzhen and Shenhua rumors, involving players including Xie Pengfei, Deng Hanwen and Wang Zhenao.
However, Shenhua have yet to secure a spot in next year's AFC Champions League. The next three league matches against Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, Zhejiang and Qingdao Hainiu, as well as the AFC Cup, are crucial. In order to avoid a long night's sleep, Shenhua must go all out to beat Tianjin Jinmen Tigers in the next round, so that they can focus on preparing for the semi-final of the AFC Cup against Qingdao Hainiu without having to worry about the final round of the league against Zhejiang.
Although the Super League title is out of reach this season, there is still hope for the AFC Cup. Four years ago, Shenhua won the AFC Cup by beating Shandong Luneng. It is worth mentioning that it was Tarzan coach Cui Kangxi who led Shenhua to achieve the feat of winning the AFC Cup...
