Xie Pengfei has been in a worrying situation lately, and his poor performance seems to be related to his lack of experience on the field. In the second half of the 2024 season, his situation at Shanghai Shenhua has slipped from being a starter to being on the bench. Since September, he has played only 9 matches as a substitute at Shenhua, accumulating only 133 minutes of playing time, no income, goals and assists are empty talk. At the same time, the star, who was once the No. 10 player of the national soccer team, has rarely appeared in the team coached by Ivan, and his name on the national team's call-up list is becoming increasingly rare.
Xie Pengfei's playing style seems to be difficult to reconcile with Ivan's tactical system. In the Chinese Super League, he has been touted as a skilled frontcourt core, but his contribution in the running and defensive end is relatively limited. As a result, Ivan did not include him in his lineup in the recent Top 18 tournament. Coupled with his place on the bench at Shanghai Shenhua, Xie Pengfei's place in the national team has become precarious.
The 31-year-old Xie Pengfei should consider finding another way out of Shanghai Shenhua next season if he wants to continue to make a difference in soccer. Otherwise, his career will be reduced to a regular on the bench. Shanghai Shenhua's midfield is already highly dependent on foreign aid, so a local attacking midfielder like Xie Pengfei will naturally have to settle for a place on the bench. In the long run, Xie Pengfei's form will only deteriorate and fall into a vicious cycle that is difficult to extricate himself from.