Shandong Taishan, as a third-tier team with international influence, has one of the tightest schedules in the Chinese Super League. At the beginning of the season, they started their journey ahead of other teams, followed by the challenge of the AFC Champions League knockout stage. Entering November, Shandong Taishan will not only have to cope with one Chinese Super League match, but also the final of the AFC Cup and two AFC Champions League matches, with six internationals - Xie Wenneng, Wang Dalei, Li Yuanyi, Liu Yang, Huang Zhengyu and Gao Junyi - competing in six matches in just 24 days, an average of one match every four days.
The grueling nature of each game cannot be overstated. Ivankovic is working on the next national soccer roster, and the team has only made minor adjustments to individual positions. This means that Shandong Taishan's six international players will remain in place, which undoubtedly increases the pressure on the team to play on four fronts. Meizhou Hakka is expected to get three points in the upcoming matches. Shenzhen and Qingdao Hainiu, on the other hand, will have to fend for themselves and can't count on Taishan's support. After four rounds of matches, He Xiao Ke is expected to return to the field. He will need to prove himself, and the process from expectation to disappointment will be crucial for him.
Since Zeca's injury at the beginning of the season, the unfortunate loss in the AFC Champions League knockout rounds, the frequent injuries and the temporary departure of Choi Kang-hee, the Shandong Taishan team has not collapsed. Not only did the team make it to the final of the AFC Cup with a view to winning it, but they also didn't disgrace the Chinese Super League team in the AFC Champions League. Rotation does not mean watering down, and Taishan's substitutes will still give their best. In consecutive matches, the team has encountered challenges in terms of set-pieces. In the last game before the AFC Champions League, Choi Kang-hee will use the match against Meizhou to hone his defensive strategy. Foreigner Marcel is expected to make his debut, while Meizhou's twin strikers John and Conrad have a powerful impact, for which the team is preparing well in advance.
