Makes people miss their predecessor Jankovic! , Coach Ivankovic made consecutive mistakes, quick comment: The national football team was tied with Thailand at home
Despite the support of Shenyang, the blessed home ground, the Chinese men's national football team still cannot advance to the top 18 of the Asian region of the 2026 US-Canada-Mexico World Cup with a victory. On June 6, the national football team was tied 1-1 by Thailand at home, and the prospect of qualifying for the group was not good. In the last round of the away game against the South Korean team, the national football team can only ensure promotion by scoring 1 point. If they lose, they will have to compare the goal difference with the Thai team.
The China-Thailand war ended 1-1, and the national football team failed to advance one round ahead of schedule.
After leading his team to a 2-2 away draw with Singapore, the weakest team in the group, head coach Ivankovic led his team to a 1-1 draw with Thailand again. These two draws completely plunged the national football team into a dilemma. passive. Many netizens and fans even lamented: "Ivankovic's tactical settings and on-the-spot command ideas were confusing, and the equalizing goal was completely based on high-altitude bombing without any coordination routines. In contrast, former head coach Jankovic Although he is not very good at attacking, at least his defense is solid. In comparison, his dismissal was a bit unfair!”
It must be admitted that this was a lucky draw, and it was an embarrassing draw for the coaching staff. Compared with the score, the content of the game is pale, especially the coaching staff's tactical settings and on-the-spot command's confused thinking, which are more worthy of discussion. In this campaign, head coach Jankovic's biggest problem was his self-contradiction at the tactical level - the national football team's starting lineup did not even have a strong high center forward. At the last moment, the coaching staff replaced defender Jiang Shenglong and center Zhang Yuning as double centers. It was precisely the two high center forwards who scored goals after coming on the field. The coaching staff's self-defeat at the center position is disappointing.
The national football team arranged for two naturalized forwards, Alan and Fernando, to start in this campaign, but they are not traditional strong centers and cannot deter the Thai team's defense.
The Thai team is generally a typical Southeast Asian team with exquisite footwork, excellent passing skills, and flexible movement. However, there are still some shortcomings in terms of physical confrontation and high ball defense. Regardless of whether Lippi or Jankovic is coaching, Ivankovic, the current coach of the national football team, can definitely copy his homework: instead of competing with the Thai team on foot skills, he first shrinks the defense line to consolidate the defense, and then uses relatively thick medium and long passes to hit the opponent behind, and compete with the Thai team. At the same time, make good use of set pieces to win sneak attacks. If the score is still deadlocked, wait until the Thai team is busy attacking and their physical strength decreases, and then send a tall or extremely fast substitute player to complete the fatal blow.
Unfortunately, Ivankovic chose to face the Thai team head-on in this campaign, and at the same time there was no traditional high center forward. Although the two naturalized forwards Alan and Fernando who started this campaign worked very hard and gave their all when fighting for headers, they were obviously insufficient in the deterrence of high-altitude balls due to their physical limitations and the fact that they were not traditional centers. In just 28 minutes of the first half, the national football team took the lead in conceding the ball. Gao Tianyi, who played as a defensive midfielder, was a little sloppy in defense and was replaced by Ivankovic with tall center Baihe Lamu.
The single defensive midfielder tactics and formation used by Ivankovic made the international players very uncomfortable.
Originally, this was an opportunity for the coaching staff to correct their mistakes. Pushing Bayholam to the forward line could better deter the Thai team's defense, but Ivankovic actually arranged for the young center to play as a right midfielder. Although there is an idea to consolidate the defense, this personnel adjustment has caused "four differences" - after Gao Tianyi came off the field, the national football team's midfielder, which was originally lacking in creativity, directly lost control. The national football team's offense could only rely on simple long passes to compete for the first point. to complete; after Baihe Lamu came on the stage, he was unable to play in the center position he was most familiar with. Most of the time, he could only use his physical strength to help defense.
In the first half, the Thai team actually had many opportunities to kill the game, but they were never able to expand the score. Any team that wastes opportunities will be punished. The Thai team, which was only leading by one goal, then tasted the bitter taste of the high forward tactics of the national football team. In the second half, the national football coaching staff sent in two senior players, Zhang Yuning and Jiang Shenglong, for the last substitution opportunity. There are 2 players, including center back Jiang Shenglong as a guest center.
Center defender Jiang Shenglong performed well as a guest center in this campaign.
Zhang Yuning, who was troubled by injuries, came on as a substitute and also performed well.
Ivankovic's self-correction immediately yielded results, and the Thai team, which had tightened its defense, was in a panic in the penalty area. In the 70th minute, the national football team got a set kick opportunity. Defender Zhu Chenjie's header caused chaos. Right midfielder Baihe Lamu, who inserted into the penalty area, volleyed and scored. After that, the national football team directly started simple high-altitude bombing, and Jiang Shenglong and Zhang Yuning also created good offensive opportunities.
After the game, a reporter questioned Ivankovic's tactics: "The high center forward tactics did not have very good results in the game!" The national football coach's response was: "Our use of Jiang Shenglong is to target the opponent's contraction to play high balls." , He also played a role by using his header characteristics. As a professional coach, this game is very important to both sides. Of course, professional coaches are responsible for the game. Responsible."
Although center Bayholam scored a goal, his right midfielder position in this campaign was unable to display his characteristics.
However, Jankovic's simple and crude high ball bombing instantly lost its effect as the Thai team adjusted their tactics in time ten minutes later. The Thai team, which originally narrowed the penalty area, saw that the two major centers of the national football team were frequently creating murderous opportunities, so they directly chose to switch to high pressure and move the overall formation forward. At this time, both Zhang Yuning and Jiang Shenglong could only ask for the ball away from the opponent's penalty area. The Thai team resolved the tactical changes of the national football team.
At the same time, the on-the-spot adjustments of the national football coaching staff were chaotic, making it difficult for the two centers to continue to exert their power - Xie Wenneng, who originally played as a forward, was at a loss in the defensive midfielder position, and Baihe Lamu, who originally played as a center, could only do dirty work on the wing. Wei Shihao, the most threatening player, was replaced early, but Alan, who was relatively lacking in physical strength, was struggling to hold on.
Fernando was eager to make a contribution, but unfortunately missed the penalty kick.
In this campaign, naturalized forward Fernando missed a penalty kick, which also aroused doubts from some fans, including the fact that he still took the free kick before the end because he was exhausted, which also aroused the dissatisfaction of some media reporters. After the game, Ivankovic explained: "I agree with your view that Xie Pengfei can take the penalty kick. The final free kick should be taken by players with better physical fitness. It is because of getting the ball. It’s a penalty. However, we are well prepared for set kicks. We trained yesterday. The first penalty kicker was Fernando, the second was Alan, and the third was Wei Shihao. There were also free throws for set kicks and corner kicks. Arrange accordingly.”
Overall, the national football team coached by current head coach Ivankovic has lost the team's defensive heirloom. When the predecessor Jankovic was coaching, although the national football team did not know how to attack and the tactics were a bit monotonous, they at least had a relatively solid defense. Relying on a relatively solid defense, the national football team defeated the Thai team 2-1 in the away game, ensuring that it still maintains its second ranking. After Ivankovic took office, he conceded goals in 3 games, especially the previous away game where he was tied 2-2 by Singaporean team, which was a team of fish belly, and the 1-1 draw with Thailand in this campaign, which directly led to the qualification of the national football team, which was originally in good condition. The outlook is not good.
The national football team gained a point, at least ensuring that they still have hope of promotion.
Fortunately, the national football team at least still has the initiative. Although the South Korean team is strong, as long as the national football team maintains their fighting spirit and style, and strives to draw the South Korean team away from home, they can ensure promotion to the top 18. The South Korean team is Asia's top team, and its strength is far superior to that of the national football team. However, because the team has already qualified first, the fighting spirit of the soldiers will be somewhat compromised. At the same time, even if the national football team loses to the South Korean team, it is still theoretically possible to compete with the Thai team on goal difference and advance. Not giving up is the attitude that the national football team needs to maintain at the moment.
National football forward Zhang Yuning, who was affected by injuries, said after the game, "This game has passed, but the competition is not over yet, there is still a chance. My body is slowly recovering, and I believe that Wu Lei, who has returned from the ban, will definitely give the frontcourt Bringing help, we are confident that we can advance smoothly in the away game." In Zhang Yuning's view, the national football team did not give up when the score was behind. "In the end, we evened it and seized the hope of survival. There is still the next game." He also praised Shenyang's home atmosphere, "The fans are very enthusiastic and created a good ups and downs. It's a pity that we didn't get three points. Now we will work hard to fight for the next game."
The coaching ability of national football coach Ivankovic has been questioned.
The famous commentator Zhan Jun also questioned head coach Ivankovic's use of troops after the game: It was a lucky draw, his skills were inferior, and he could only rely on "high-altitude operations" to create threats. A 2:0 lead in the away game was tied by Singapore, and a "tie" with Thailand at home. Is the 70-year-old Ivan suitable for the national football team? He did not have enough time to understand these players, nor did he make corresponding adjustments according to the team's situation. He stubbornly arranged the diamond midfield formation to amplify his own weaknesses. The desperate play in the last twenty minutes is not the norm. How to make good use of the characteristics of Wei Shihao, Alan and Fernando? Is Ivan's idea correct? Is there a chance to achieve a miracle and draw with South Korea in an away game next week?
