Japanese Media Criticizes Chinese National Football Team: "No Strategy, No Tactics, No Passion"
On October 8, Japan’s sports media outlet Football Channel published an analysis stating that the China national men’s football team suffered another 0-1 defeat in an international friendly against Tajikistan. This marks their third consecutive loss following a 0-3 defeat to New Zealand and a 0-5 loss to Palestine, accumulating nine goals conceded across the four matches. The squad—ranging from coaching staff to players—appears as a disparate collection, revealing serious underlying issues.
These four games also served as practical simulations for the 2027 Asian Cup. While China opened with a 3-0 victory over Maldives, they have since endured a three-match losing streak. Originally, this tournament offered an opportunity to establish a clear playing identity, form a core starting unit, and determine the optimal lineup. However, after four matches, the team has gained little meaningful progress.
The starting eleven was frequently reshuffled across the four games, with no consistent central figures and no transparent selection criteria. Young players appeared for a total of 197 minutes across three matches, while domestic league performers who demonstrated stronger form were restricted to just 13 minutes of play.
Tactical understanding proved even more problematic. Despite missing key players, the team persisted with a four-back formation against both New Zealand and Palestine, resulting in a pronounced disconnect between attack and defense. The team failed to sustain coherent forward movements or effective wing crosses, relying heavily on long balls without securing midfield superiority. Tactical principles remained theoretical, lacking adaptation to the actual capabilities of available players.
In the 0-5 loss to Palestine, defensive lapses were evident, with insufficient communication and positional covering among defenders. Players appeared disconnected, offering minimal coordination—resembling a group of individuals playing a game rather than a cohesive team.
Technical skills can be refined; tactics can be adjusted. But passion and determination are fundamental requirements for any competitive team.
With limited time remaining before the Asian Cup, the three consecutive defeats highlight not only deficiencies in attacking and defensive organization but also systemic flaws in strategy, tactical execution, and team mentality.
Chongqing International Football Invitational Tournament
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1878435253578764/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.