With the announcement of the Chinese men's football training squad list, fans have begun to speculate on who will be selected and who will be eliminated, especially with the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia, where the final lineup is becoming increasingly uncertain.
Out of the 32-man training squad, only 23 players will make it onto the matchday roster, meaning that 9 players will face the reality of being cut from the team.
Let's delve into the reasons why these 9 players might miss out on this crucial match.
Starting with the goalkeepers.
Everyone knows that the goalkeeper position in the national team has been largely settled, with Wang Dalei and Yan Junling almost guaranteed as starters.
Han Jiaqi seems destined to miss out on the 23-man list.
Although his performance during training was acceptable, he falls short compared to the other two experienced goalkeepers. Especially when it comes to defending high balls and corners, the national team clearly prefers goalkeepers with stronger aerial control abilities, which Han Jiaqi fails to meet.
As a result, his elimination is almost certain, unless some unforeseen circumstances occur.
Moving on to the defenders.
Wei Zhen, Han Pengfei, and Wu Mitijiang are likely to be left out of the final 23-man list.
First, let's talk about Wei Zhen. Although he has excellent physical conditions, his defensive awareness and positional sense on the field are clearly lacking.
In high-pressure matches, his performance could affect the team's defensive stability, so coach Ivan is unlikely to choose him as a key defensive player.
Next, Han Pengfei, despite his tall stature, clearly lacks the ability to surpass other players in the same position, especially when compared to players like Wu Shaocong, the gap is obvious.
Lastly, Wu Mitijiang, although he has good physical fitness and some passing ability, has only recently recovered from an injury and has not undergone high-intensity training for a long time, making it a big question whether he can maintain his competitive form. It would be difficult for Ivan to risk including him in the matchday squad.
Netizens also have different opinions on this.
Looking at the midfielders, Huang Zhengyu, Cheng Jin, and Maiwulong are also under significant pressure to be eliminated.
Huang Zhengyu's defensive capabilities cannot be underestimated; he can reach a very high level when intercepting the ball. However, his ability to shift and handle the ball is relatively weak, which is one of the reasons why he finds it hard to become a regular starter for the national team.
Cheng Jin's physical condition does not suit Ivan's all-out defensive strategy, and he appears somewhat frail in confrontations, probably offering little competitive advantage.
As for Maiwulong, although young, in such a critical match, coach Ivan leans towards selecting experienced players rather than risking a 20-year-old rookie.
Let's talk about the forwards.
Yang Liyu and Tao Qianglong, these two forwards, are also likely to be eliminated.
Yang Liyu's state has always been unstable, especially with issues regarding his attitude, often leaving people puzzled. Coach Ivan has very high standards for his players, especially in terms of attitude and determination.
Tao Qianglong does not have much competitiveness among players in the same position, nor does he have any outstanding technical characteristics. To truly stand out in a match, he would need more explosive power.
After all, for a forward, scoring ability and standout moments in a game are most important, and in these aspects, he seems to fall short.
The comments from netizens are also quite interesting.
Overall, the final 23-man list will face no shortage of controversy.
While we can see some promising young players from the training squad list, judging from their current form and performance, many players have yet to reach the level required for key national team matches.
Coach Ivan Kozlovic needs to balance experience and form to make the best choices, and among those eliminated, some may lose the opportunity to represent the national team.
Future matches will determine the fate of the national team, and whoever is selected will undoubtedly bear immense pressure.