Vs Henan Match Review:
Attacking Style’s Change Gave JS A Second Life
The Jiangsu(JS) fans should be felicitated for their lucky win over Henan(HN) after having a roller coaster game last Sunday night, two goals behind and four goals in a row, leaving the result 4:3. Today I would like to share some opinion about the team’s attacking style in two half, which seems to be totally different.
First of all, the team at two half have nearly the same formation 4–3–3，that has been prove to be competitive in CSL for these years. While the defensive line slightly up in second half, the main difference is in the front.
Xie pengfei & Huang Zichang was in the start-up at sideline as inverted winger or wide target man, their main job is get the ball, push the wing defender into penalty area, cut inside into the attacking third to open up space for the full backs, and try to help the full backs send the ball to Santini’s head.
This idea was always right when you have a big Target man with air domination, and you have strong full backs could made precise crossing ball. Ji Xiang & Zhang Cheng seems qualified of this two positions with endless energy to go up and down.
The response of HN is simple: reduce the distance between the defenders and midfield, overload to keep your wings away from the end line; overload to make your uncomfortable to cross the ball into box; and marking, kept at least one defender twist with your forwarders inside the box every seconds.
This simple response really works well, for the first half: HN got one goad ahead and the crossing ball of JS really sucks. JS makes more than 19 crossing ball from both side of the pitch, but we even did not see any threatening header at all; the long pass completed rate for Ji Xiang and Zhang Cheng is only 16.7% while Xie Pengfei and Luo Jing is 0%(only tried once each). I do not want to judge anyone by one game, but we have to say HN succeed in defending JS’s winger at first half, and keep the order of their defense line very well.
By the start of second half, Teixeira subbed Luo Jing on the pitch, played as a “Trequartista” behind Santini. The main attacking style has changed from both side of wingers to the center, with more short pass and expressive creative freedom, more focus to counter-press in transition rather than regroup. Xie Pengfei claw one goal back through this tactical gave Olaroiu confidence to keep this tactic.
I have to praise the coach for his courage and determination when he subbed Xie Pengfei by Eder when Xie had just scored. At this very moment, JS finally shows his sharp paw prepared for this special season CSL: The same 4–3–3 formation, but totally different style. Teixeira played as Trequartista at left, Santini as Complete forward in the center, and Eder as inside forward at right. With strength, speed, and skills, this three forwards build one of the most powerful attacking line in CSL.
Compared with the first half, both side of the winger do not keep their feet at sideline or outside the box, but more and more inside to get connections with each other, they even don’t need midfield’s helping; rolling pass instead of volley pass; dribbling instead of heading; always gather around the box to each other and made consecutive passes. Teixeira completed five dribbles, Eder nailed both of his shooting in the net, and Santini made two key pass & one goal. When this three attackers stay in one area, the overload side came to JS, finally turns to plenty of shooting opportunities with four goals.
The result of game seems settled when Eder came from the bench, powerful attackers and swift tactic change gave JS a deserved victory. But what we have to think about is the part we need to improve:Whether we could use this three guns all the season long? What changes could be made to make our native players more effective and share the responsibility? What happened to our full backs’ crossing ball? How to develop our U23 players into useful player? Should we keep in faith with our goal keeper Gu Chao?
In the last, although HN is not among strongest teams in this group, a good winning start is still needed, even to say it gave the whole team the confidence when you are two goals behind in the game.
