Former Japanese International: Be Extremely Wary of Ivanković’s Tactics; They Have the Ability to Snatch Points Away in Japan

After analyzing China’s attacking players, Kuroki Hisashi, former Japanese international and ex-Qingdao West Coast manager, has written another article focusing on China’s midfield for the upcoming match against Japan. In Kuroki’s view, China boasts several players who are proficient in both attack and defense, giving them a fighting chance to snatch points away.

In Kuroki’s opinion, compared to the Japanese national team which only had two training sessions, the Chinese team assembled on August 21st, and the longer preparation period could very well put the Japanese team at a disadvantage.

Moreover, China’s midfield includes several standout players. “Li Yuanyi is similar to Endo Gaku in style, while Wang Shangyuan, who plays in Henan, is strong defensively and can initiate attacks when he gets the ball, these are players the Japanese team needs to be wary of.”

In Kuroki’s eyes, Xie Pengfei could become the core of China’s midfield organization. “Wu Lei needs someone to supply him with passes, and Xie Pengfei is just that type of player. I was familiar with Xie Pengfei when I was at Wuhan Three Towns, and he is also a player we need to take seriously.”

Kuroki is very familiar with Ivanković’s tactics, typically deploying a 4-man defense, only switching to a 3-man defense when desperately chasing the game. Moreover, Kuroki believes China has a chance to snatch points, “They will use a defensive formation aiming for a draw and a point. In this group, Japan and Australia are likely to compete for the top two spots, while China will aim for third place. We must be extremely wary of Ivanković’s tactics.”