Shanghai Shenhua's performance in the Chinese Super League this season has had its ups and downs, but on the whole, the results are quite good. After the first 24 rounds of competition, they have accumulated 42 points with 12 wins, 6 draws and 6 losses, and there is still an 11-point gap between them and the Super League leader Shanghai Port. Theoretically, Shanghai Shenhua still has a chance to compete for the title.
Shanghai Shenhua's performance in the FA Cup has been more solid than that of the Chinese Super League title race. Not only did they reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but they are still in a strong position to reach the final after their clash with Qingdao Sea Cowboys. If they make it to the final, the race for the FA Cup title could become a reality.
The possibility of winning the title despite the double fronts is rare for Shanghai Shenhua, who have often fallen into the doldrums in previous seasons. Fans were naturally ecstatic about the positive momentum of the season. However, as fate would have it, Shanghai Shenhua has been in an unprecedented predicament recently.
According to Shenhua team newspaper, Shanghai Shenhua is facing a tricky problem at the crucial moment of sprinting for a double title. With 13 first-line starters called up by the Olympic and Asian Games teams (including core players such as Zhu Chenjie, Jiang Shenglong, Xu Hoyang, Wang Haijian, Dai Weijun, etc.), Coach Wu Jingui will only be able to call up 21 players for the September matches, with 5 U21s yet to be recorded as appearing in the matches. In other words, Shanghai Shenhua actually has only 16 players who can participate in the double fronts in September.
As the saying goes, "a skillful woman can't cook without rice", facing such a situation, any team will feel the pressure. For Shanghai Shenhua, the dream of playing on two fronts will be shattered once 13 starters are unable to return. If the CFA fails to adjust the FA Cup schedule in Shanghai Shenhua's favor, they could be in a serious predicament of talent shortage. At that time, even if the coach Wu Jingui is talented, it is difficult to turn the tide. Shenhua's dream of winning the championship on two fronts may turn out to be in vain, leaving endless regrets. In this case, Shanghai Shenhua will have a very difficult time. I sincerely hope that the CFA will take more humane measures so as not to cause injustice to Shanghai Shenhua.
