On the morning of July 8, Beijing Guoan striker Zhang Yuning embarked on a journey home, bidding farewell to the Chinese Super League (CSL) Meizhou region and returning to the imperial capital to seek in-depth treatment for a shoulder injury. In the meantime, Shanghai Shenhua Wu Xi and Shanghai Harbor Zhang Linpeng also bid farewell to Dalian due to injuries. Three members of the "overage international players" of the injury, so that the list of the East Asian Cup is dark, they may not have a chance with the East. Looking ahead to the preparation for the Asian Cup, this situation is undoubtedly a kind of regret.
Under the influence of the epidemic and other factors, the start of the 2022 Chinese Super League season has been delayed, and the first stage of the 10 rounds of matches is compact. As the pillars of the team, the "overage internationals" and many young players stuck to the league, working full time or close to full time, even in bad weather and field conditions, and injuries were not accidental.
On the evening of July 7, news of injuries to Wu Xi, Zhang Linpeng and Zhang Yuning came one after another. Under the pressure of consecutive full games, Zhang Yuning made 9 starts in 9 rounds of the Chinese Super League, averaging 88 minutes of playing time and contributing 6 goals and 1 assist. Wu Xi made 8 consecutive starts before missing the 9th round due to injury. Zhang Linpeng started the first 8 rounds for Harbour. Jiang Guangtai missed 2 rounds due to injury, but started the remaining 6 games. Tan Long appeared in 9 consecutive games, starting in 8.
Wu Xi and Zhang Linpeng are both 33-year old veterans and top pillars of the Shanghai team. Wu Xi was injured by a collision during the away game at Wuhan Sanzhen and his X-ray showed that his injury is serious. Zhang Linpeng, on the other hand, suffered a medial collateral ligament injury in his left knee during practice and has been suffering from a cumulative injury.
Although Zhang Yuning is young, but in the Guoan team's foreign aid is not powerful, young players are difficult to bear the heavy responsibility, bear the heavy responsibility of attacking the city. He is tough and resilient, but continuous high-intensity matches have led to the recurrence of old injuries. Other players such as U23 Dai Weijun of Shenzhen Football and Zhu Chenjie, the backbone of Shenhua's defense, are also at risk of injury.
After the injury of the national football team, there are voices questioning: since the Chinese team is not in the World Cup, the Asian Games postponed, why not send a young team to participate in the East Asian Cup? In fact, this mixed team of the national football team, which is dominated by players of the 1999 age group, is also the prototype of the future national football team. At the time of personnel renewal, this team in addition to practicing, but also need to grind for the Asian Cup. Team renewal is not a one-day effort, the need for veterans to help guide the growth of young players.
The reason why the coaching staff recruited five "overage players" includes both technical and spiritual aspects. These players are not only outstanding technical players, but also a benchmark of spiritual style, setting an example for young players.
The regulations of the East Asian Cup stipulate that each team can register 26 players. The coaching staff will first make an alternative list of 40 to 50 players, and even if some of the "overage internationals" are injured, they will be called up according to the players' performance. Head coach Jankovic emphasized that regardless of the personnel, the fighting spirit is the key.
