On March 15, Shandong Taishan's AFC Champions League campaign came to an end, and the team switched to domestic matches to meet the challenge of Shenhua on March 31st. Soccer Daily points out that Taishan will need to make three key adjustments in the transition between the AFC Champions League and the Chinese Super League.
First, the optimization of the foreign aid lineup is imminent. With the Asian Championship over and the league just beginning, Taishan cannot continue to rely on a single foreigner if they want to win the title on home soil. The strengthening of the summer transfer window is crucial for Taishan. In the future, the team needs to focus on reserving resources for reinforcements, and the first task is to ensure sufficient financial support.
Secondly, the defensive end needs to be summarized. Taishan's 12 goals conceded in 6 games against Japan exposed the team's defensive weaknesses when facing strong teams. In the new season of the Chinese Super League, teams are commonly equipped with four foreign players, or even a trident on the attack line, which puts a higher standard of defense on Taishan, who conceded the fewest goals last season.
Furthermore, the details of the substitutes' handling should not be ignored. In the AFC Champions League Quarterfinals, Taishan suffered a loss after two substitutions, reflecting the incongruity between the new players and the players present in terms of mentality, tempo, and status. Coach Cui may need to consider the adaptability of Chinese players in different positions, with more room for error in front of the field adjustments, while backfield mobilization needs to be more cautious.
However, Taishan team still has a "no change": First, to maintain the mentality of the strong, not self-depreciation, the courage to go head-to-head, which is a valuable experience in the Asian Championship; second, to adhere to the high-pressure robbery, in the Super League, more needs to be a high level of robbery and fast counter-attacks seamless; third, to maintain the pace of the game, including the intensity of the fast pace of confrontation can be a greater degree of pressure to the The third is to maintain the rhythm of the game, including intensity, fast-paced confrontation can put more pressure on the opponent.
