China's national soccer team has a big task ahead of it as it prepares for October. Following a winless September, the team is under unprecedented pressure. Especially under Coach Jankovic, the team has consistently failed to live up to expectations, and there has been a lot of skepticism about the coaching staff. In particular, the failure to beat Malaysia, who were ranked below them, and the defeat against Syria have put Jankovic's position in jeopardy. Therefore, these two October matches are not only a redemption of the team's record for Jankovic, but also a defense of his personal credibility.
In order to meet the challenge, Jankovic boldly innovated, abandoning the traditional veteran tactics, and instead relying on young players and the middle generation. 95-year-old players were given more opportunities to play, and the pace of the transition between the old and the new was accelerated. The key to winning is solid defense, and the tacit understanding of the defense combination is crucial. Especially when core player Zhang Linpeng is unable to play, fans turn their attention to Zhu Chenjie. His partnership with Jiang Guangtai may bring unexpected results. But surprisingly, according to informed sources, Zhu Chenjie may miss the first match against Vietnam in October due to injury.
Zhu Chenjie's absence was mainly due to injury. He had been injured in the group stage at the Asian Games, and despite coming back in the following three matches, he left in a hurry after only half a game in the quarterfinals with South Korea, and his performance did not meet the coach's expectations. After a week's rest, Zhu Chenjie was included in the national team list, but he was unable to play the day before the match against Vietnam, which was unexpected. Jankovic has always been strict in his management of the lineup in the past, but this time the arrangement for young players to recuperate from injuries seems to be extraordinarily lenient.
Zhu Chenjie, a young 23-year-old defender, was selected for the national team at the age of 18, becoming the first post-00 international player to play in the last 12 games. Although hailed as a talented defender in domestic soccer, his glassy physique has also been a slight disappointment. Liu Dianzha, who was also injured, was also unable to participate in this training and was replaced by Ma Zhen. For the upcoming matches, Jiang Guangtai will need to gel quickly with his new partner to make up for the absence of his main center back.
