Xie Pengfei's recent sluggish performance may have something to do with the fact that his chances of getting on the pitch have been drastically reduced. Entering the second half of the 2024 season, Xie Pengfei's role at Shenhua has been reduced from a starter to a substitute. Since September, he made only nine substitute appearances at Shenhua, accumulating a total of 133 minutes of playing time, and no income, goals and assists are absent. At the same time, as the former No. 10 of our national football team, Xie Pengfei also failed to frequently selected by Ivan coached by the national team lineup.
It is obvious that Xie Pengfei's style deviates from Ivan's tactical system. In the Chinese Super League, Xie Pengfei is viewed as a skilled attacker up front, yet his speed and defense are mediocre. For this reason, Ivan did not include him in his squad for the recent Top 18 tournament. Additionally, Xie's place on the bench at Shenhua has made his national team future a worrying prospect.
In fact, if the 31-year-old Xie Pengfei still wants to make a career in soccer, he should probably consider jumping out of Shanghai Shenhua next season. Otherwise, Xie's career path may be confined to the bench. Currently, Shanghai Shenhua's midfield is almost dependent on foreigners, while local attacking midfielders like Xie Pengfei have to settle for the bench. The longer he stays on the bench, the more Xie's form will deteriorate and he will be caught in a vicious cycle that he cannot get out of.
