Today, as the second round of the Qatar World Cup Round of 12 kicked off, China's roster unveiling ceremony on Sept. 7 sparked a heated discussion about lineup choices. Wei Shihao and Yu Dabao were left out of the newly announced 23-man squad, while Xu Xin and Zhu Chenjie were lucky to make the cut.
Looking back at the last round of the tournament, Wei Shihao, who came on as a substitute, showed his skills and breakthrough ability in the offensive end, which made the rival Australian team tired to deal with. However, his accidental omission from the list has stirred up many fans' dissatisfaction and questions.
After the list was announced, head coach Li Tie's microblogging comment section was quickly occupied by a variety of voices: "Class dismissed! Did Wei Shihao get eaten by you?" This heated reaction seems to foreshadow a debate about tactical choices and lineup arrangements that is about to unfold.
One wonders why Wei Shihao would have disappeared from the list if he was not plagued by injuries. Prior to this, his outstanding performance against Japan, as well as his ability to break through on the field, have made him a bright spot in the national football team. Perhaps, behind Li Tie's decision, there are his own unique considerations.
