Translation of the article content into English:
In the scope of the Chinese Super League (CSL), the main factors affecting the championship are three: domestic player strength, foreign player strength, and the coaching level of the head coach.
Based on these factors, it is predicted that the new season's CSL champion will be born from the following three teams, excluding Shanghai Port.
The first championship contender: Shanghai Shenhua
Shenhua has an extremely luxurious domestic player lineup, with national team starters filling the midfield and defense, and young talents such as Dai Weijun, Liu Chengyu, and Wang Hanlong on the bench. The operational status determines the height of the foreign players, and Shenhua has sufficient operational funds, so there is no need to worry about the quality and level of the foreign players, and there is also a margin for error, allowing for adjustments at any time if things don't go well.
Coach Slutzki has substance, but there are also problems that were overshadowed by last season's good luck. For example, his system relies too much on the midfield and set pieces for offense, with weak organizational ability.
If Slutzki can enrich the tactical approach and expand the thinking in using players in the new season, the probability of Shenhua winning the championship will certainly increase.
The second championship contender: Beijing Guoan
Guoan's domestic squad is based on the national team's main players, with Wu Shaocong and Li Lei in defense, Serginho and Cao Yongjing in midfield, and Zhang Yuning and Lin Liangming in attack. In two words, it's luxurious. In terms of foreign players, Guoan will fill all five foreign player slots and let the five foreign players run through the entire spine of the team, which is also a way to strengthen the team.
New coach Setien is a top-level coach from the top five leagues, and his coaching experience is more than enough for the CSL. Moreover, the possession-based playing style he advocates should fit well with Guoan's current squad. The uncertainty lies in whether he can produce a good chemical reaction with the team, and when that reaction will occur.
The third championship contender: Chengdu Rongcheng
Chengdu Rongcheng's head coach Xu Zhengyuan has an online coaching level. Last season, he led a team with insufficient bench depth to third place in the CSL, which speaks for itself. After several seasons of integration, the players and coaches have already developed a good chemical reaction.
During the offseason, Chengdu Rongcheng further strengthened the team by addressing existing issues and bringing in several strong domestic reinforcements. With advantages and continuous problem-solving, they are naturally championship contenders. It is expected that Chengdu Rongcheng will be able to deliver more high-quality tactical content in the new season.
Why Shanghai Port is not a championship contender
Reason one: System weakening. Coach Muscat's tactics heavily rely on the midfield. After Oscar and Bargas left, there is no one in the midfield who can provide assists. Even if the front line signs the CSL Golden Boot, Silver Boot, and Bronze Boot winners, there is nowhere for them to play. Moreover, Golden Boot winner Wu Lei will be absent for some time, and winning the league championship is a process of continuously accumulating points, so losing points early naturally affects the chances of winning later.
Reason two: Too many veterans. All six of the team's Chongming tigers are over 33 years old.
What do you think, fellow football fans? Welcome to leave your thoughts and discussions in the comment section!