At the top of Taishan Mountain, there is a sudden change in the wind and clouds. The absence of Liu Yang and Wang Tong, two core players, is like a bolt from the blue, making Shandong Taishan team feel the pressure in this key battle. According to the latest news, they did not go with the team to Kawasaki, Japan, to prepare for the second round of the AFC Champions League 1/8 final. This decision may be closely related to their health status. Wang Tong is still recovering and Liu Yang is not at his best. Taishan will face a huge challenge without these two players.
The absence of Liu Yang and Wang Tong not only disrupts the team's tactical layout, but also highlights the potential threat of injuries and low form to players' positions in a fierce soccer competition. In the face of Taishan's personnel restructuring and training program for young players, the team needs to play steadily and contribute consistently in key positions. Wu Xinghan's flexible position and excellent defense may be able to make up for the vacancies of Liu Yang and Wang Tong to a certain extent. But as Shandong fans, Liu Yang's absence is still painful.
Peng Xinli's failure to travel to Japan with the team seems to indicate that his future relationship with the team is not optimistic. Insiders revealed that Taishan's starting lineup is getting richer by the day, with mid-generation players such as Li Yuanyi, Liao Lisheng and Huang Zhengyu, and young players such as Abdu and Jia Feifan, while Peng Xinli's performance is relatively bleak. In such a competitive environment, Peng Xinli's position is in jeopardy. Failure to participate in the AFC Champions League has further seemed to marginalize his position in the team.
All indications are that Peng Xinli is unlikely to stay in the team next season. He may need to seek new challenges and opportunities. For Peng Xinli, leaving Cui's midfield system and saying goodbye to Taishan with Bi Jinhao may be a wise choice. Looking back at 2022, Peng Xinli made 24 appearances for Shanghai Shenhua, scoring only 1 goal. on January 6, 2024, Shanghai Shenhua announced that they would not renew Peng Xinli's contract. Cui Kangxi's decision to bring in Bi Jinhao and Peng Xinli does not seem wise. Despite both teams giving their all on the pitch, there is still a gap in strength with Shandong Taishan.
