In the 18th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Guoan defeated Manatees with a clean score of 2-0, and the team briefly found the rhythm of winning. The key to this victory was the fact that the opponents were not very good, and the Manatees, as a newly promoted team, were relatively inexperienced and weak, so this victory was favored before the match. Nonetheless, fans were more concerned about the adjustments to the team's lineup. Since Suarez took over, he has made considerable adjustments to the lineup and given young players the opportunity to show their skills. However, there are still doubts about the utilization of some of the players, especially national team member Zhang Xizhe, who has not been given a chance to play so far despite being on the bench.
In response to the speculation, Guoan team gave a response. 32-year-old core player Zhang Xizhe failed to appear in the match, mainly due to injury problems. His recovery needs to be assessed before the match, including a thigh muscle strain and synovitis in his right hip. Obviously, Suarez is not distrustful of Zhang Xizhe, but because the latter has not yet fully recovered. He has been unwell before and now he has suffered a direct injury. The coaching staff wants to give Zhang Xizhe sufficient rest and dare not risk using him. If his condition deteriorates further, he may even be out for the season.
Guoan is facing a wave of injuries. In addition to Zhang Xizhe, international player Li Lei also suffered a left leg injury in early July, is still recovering, and is expected to come back as early as the 20th round of the league. Yang Liyu, who was injured at the end of June, is making good progress in his ankle recovery, and has already reached the standard of running and jumping, and is gradually carrying out training with the ball, so his comeback is close at hand. Two veterans, Ji Zhongguo and Park Sung, need 2 and 3 weeks respectively to recover, and their road back is long.
Among this group of injured players, 35-year-old veteran Zhang Chengdong's injury is the most serious. The results of the examination showed that the collision he suffered in the match with the Sea Bulls was limited to soft tissue and did not injure the bones, so basically it will not affect the next round of matches. These six players of Guoan team have all represented the national team and are the main force of the team, their injuries and absences have a direct impact on the team lineup.
Suarez had to rely on young players with the shortage of personnel. Fortunately, three young players, Nai Bijiang, Jiang Wenhao and Fang Hao, performed well and contributed key assists and goals for the team, which was certainly a pleasant surprise.
