The beacon of preparation for the tournament was lit as Guoan's foreign aid Ngaardew sweated it out on the training ground.
At 19:35 on June 9, Beijing Guoan will face Dalian Ren on the road, ushering in the fierce battle of the 12th round of the Chinese Super League. Before the match, Guoan head coach Stanley said forcefully in a press conference, "The desire for victory is like a blazing fire, we are determined to win, just to improve the team ranking."
After the 11th round of the competition on June 2, Guoan was able to fully recuperate and make targeted tactical adjustments. Stanley revealed that the team focused on solving the defensive challenges, the coaching team on the players one by one to carry out a detailed analysis.
Despite Dalian's position in the lower reaches of the table, Guoan dared not slacken off against a team that is good at applying pressure in front of the ball. Stanley emphasized, "We are well aware of Dalian's tactical style and need to be more resourceful when attacking. The details of when to control the ball and when to make long passes are crucial." He cautioned that the game is not a small one and that the opponent's poor ranking doesn't mean it's a good deal. "A win before the break will be crucial for us to move up the rankings."
Since the game, Guoan's performance has been a roller coaster with fluctuations. The Dutch coach expects his team to play steadily and maintain their best form. It all depends on the team's own performance. Stanley confessed, "The opponents will not give away easy gifts, we have to go all out and play at a high level."
Injuries are still the heart of Guoan. In the game with Changchun Yatai, Yu Dabao injured the back of his head, leaving sequelae; Park Cheng and Wang Gang will also be absent due to injury. To make up for the lineup, the coaching staff selected Yan Yu from the U21 ladder, and the young players are expected to show their skills in this game.
