In my opinion, the strength of Dalian Yingbo's lineup is slightly less than that of well-known teams such as Yunnan Yukun, Chongqing Tongliang Dragon, and Guangxi Pingguo Hanyin, but it is still at an upper-middle level compared to teams such as Shijiazhuang Kungfu, Nanjing City, and Liaoning Ironman.
Nevertheless, thanks to the charm of the soccer city, the efficient use of tactics, the good team atmosphere, the high fighting spirit of the whole team, the favor of good luck, and the strong home advantage of the professional soccer stadium in Barracuda Bay, Dalian, Dalian Imbo has achieved four consecutive victories and eight rounds of undefeated since the start of the season. The number of new fans surged and tickets for Barracuda Bay were hard to come by. However, after a ninth round home defeat against Guangzhou, Dalian Yingbo was heavily penalized by the CFA due to financial problems with parent company Evergrande, leaving the team with only one foreigner available, Robertson, and young players such as Mao Weijie called up to the National Youth Football League team, coupled with the focus of referee Ma Ning and others.
In the following six rounds of matches, Dalian Yingbo had a record of 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses, and exited the Super League. The summer transfer window opened with the return of veteran Zhao Mingjian and the replacement of the departing Embalo by foreigner Karanga. Although the purpose of introducing new recruits is clear, the strength is limited. If the new recruits perform brightly, the team can at least pass the season assessment.
Dalian, as a major Chinese soccer town, has a huge fan base with fans of all qualities. When the team is in trouble, most of the fans will ride out the storm with the team, but there are also a lot of negative comments. When the team fails to live up to the expectations of the fans, all sorts of negative rumors ensue.
In the past few years, whenever we encountered such a predicament, I would say to those so-called fans: we have spent three years in the Chinese First Division at a low ebb, and have gone through tough times together with the team. Don't jump to conclusions, all speculation and imagination should be suspended. Once we are through, we will return.
The situation is similar this time. Although the club's goal exceeds that of the past three years, the capital investment is really not as good as those teams with big money, but if there is a chance to impact the Chinese Super League, the team will never give up easily. From my understanding of the team, Dalian Yingbo will not give up voluntarily. The so-called not wanting to overtake is pure nonsense.
In the second half of the year, Dalian Yingbo faced many challenges! Kotelnik is back, Karanga and Zhao Mingjian have joined, the experience of the young coaching staff has improved and many young players are maturing. More sponsors and partners may join us. Fans are getting more and more enthusiastic, which may help the team to revitalize.
However, the pitfalls cannot be ignored. Many veterans in the team may be plagued by injuries and fatigue and unable to maintain their best form, especially at the center back and fullback positions. When love comes in, the mentality of some young players may change, even affecting training and matches.
The matches with the direct contenders for the Super League, all of which are on the road, are not advantageous in terms of strength comparison, and it is extremely difficult to grab points.
For reasons that are well known, all goals can be blown. Who's to say we won't continue to be concerned on and off the field? These are issues we have a hard time addressing!
When results improved and the market picked up, those who had previously thumbed their noses at the team swooped in and tried to use the opportunity to damage the club...
The road to the revival of Dalian soccer is still long, and I hope Dalian Yingbo can carry more good luck!
