After deciding to play 352 in the final, the Chinese team focused on this lineup in training.
Abandoning the 442 that had been used for six games before and suddenly switching to 352 was actually a helpless move by the Chinese team.
Yuan Da's injury affected his performance in the game.
In a game like the final, Qin Lin didn't dare to take the risk.
Although you can also switch to 352 during the game...then why not use 352 from the beginning?
So it was decided that the Chinese team would start with 352 in the final.
But the formation is 352, and the specific candidates can only be decided through training and inspection.
"Although Zhang Qinghuan has trained with the team,... his condition during training is not very good. I don't know if it is due to psychological effects or the impact of injuries..." As assistant coach Ding Gaoyi said this, he looked at
Team medical leader Yuan Bo.
Yuan Bo replied: "The body has definitely not recovered to the state before the injury. Even if he can play, the suggestion is to let him play as a substitute instead of starting. His current body is definitely not ready to play the full game."
Qin Lin made a decision: "Zhang Qinghuan will not be allowed to start in the finals. If 352 is used, we will mainly use 352 in the semifinals. Ou Yangjin and Shi Wanqing will start as a double midfielder, and Xia Xiaoyu will move up to the central midfielder, freeing him up to organize the attack.
"
Then he asked assistant coach Ding Gaoyi: "How is Yuan Da's mood?"
"The mood is not high," Ding Gaoyi replied, "but it's normal. After all, he lost the chance to play in the World Cup finals. But he still understands our decision and everything is based on the interests of the team."
Qin Lin nodded: "Indeed, it is normal to have emotions. But I can only hope that he understands and digests it himself..."
Then he turned his attention to the tactical board.
"In this case, our starting two defensive midfielders can let Ou Yangjin take care of Meili when defending, so that we can free Chen Xingyi and let him attack more..."
The more Qin Lin talked about it, the more he felt that the 352 arrangement was better than the original 442, and could be considered a balance between offense and defense.
"In the last two days, we have to strengthen the training of set pieces and penalty kicks. We must take into account the possibility of a penalty shootout with Argentina in the final. Judging from the semifinals, Argentina is very meticulously prepared for penalty kicks.
Yes, they should also have carefully studied our penalty kick routine, so we also have to train penalty kicks for them."
Ding Gaoyi replied: "Our people are already studying the penalty kick characteristics of Argentine players. When the time comes, we will tell the goalkeepers the results of the analysis and let them do targeted training."
Qin Lin nodded after hearing this. Then he thought about it and said to the coaches: "Are there any questions? Or something I didn't expect? Can you help me think about it?"
Everyone thought hard for a while, then looked at each other in confusion. Finally, assistant coach Ding Gaoyi said: "It should be fine. If anything is missing during training, let's communicate and make adjustments in time."
"Well." Qin Lin looked at his coaching staff and sighed with emotion, "Thank you for your hard work. Let's do our best in the last game. The semi-finals were said to be 'no man's land' before, but actually this is the final.
It is truly a 'no man's land'. We have no experience in dealing with the World Cup finals, so we can only take it one step at a time. Please take care of yourself for the last three days!"
After he finished speaking, he bowed his hands to everyone in a serious gesture of supplication.
Ding Gaoyi quickly waved his hand: "Where is this? Let's not say those kind words. Who doesn't want to be famous in history, right?"
Someone said loudly: "I don't want to talk about such big things as 'famous in history'. My wife used to dislike me for being busy at work every day. I would be away from home all day when there were competitions and trainings. But since we reached the World Cup finals...
…Hey! My wife’s attitude towards me is so good! I’m not afraid of your jokes. My family status has risen rapidly and has surpassed that of our dog!”
Everyone burst into laughter in the room.
Qin Lin also laughed, and this laughter somewhat diluted some of the team's nervousness and anxiety when they faced the World Cup final for the first time.
After all, even he, the head coach himself, doesn't know whether the decisions he made for the final are effective.
In the World Cup final, he really didn't know what he would encounter...
※※※
After a day of training, the Chinese team had dinner in the hotel restaurant.
But unlike the excitement of the team just after winning the semifinals, the restaurant was relatively quiet two days later.
Everyone just ate in silence, no one talked loudly, and no laughter was heard.
After just one day of training, the atmosphere changed like this.
In fact, everyone knows why this happens.
Because in the training session, the team changed to 352, which on the one hand means that players who were originally in the main lineup will be excluded from the starting lineup, such as main full-backs like Yuan Da and Peng Weijun.
Yuan Da's injury worsened during the match against Brazil, but he has been actively undergoing treatment and recovery, hoping to make it to the final.
But now there are less than three days left before the finals, and the training content tells Yuan Da - you have no chance to play.
Yuan Da's mood must not be high.
Peng Weijun was even worse. Yuan Da was injured at least.
Where is Peng Weijun?
He has nothing and is in good condition, but just because of tactical needs, he can only sit on the bench and be a spectator.
Being able to reach the World Cup finals is the dream of countless players.
As a result, when we were closest to this goal, we were told that we might miss the finals... Who would feel better?
In addition to the "negative pressure" brought by those who may not be able to play in the finals, today's training also made all the Chinese team players withdraw from the excitement of reaching the finals and realize that what they have to face next is a game.
What kind of game.
World Cup final!
They have never had this experience before.
Even if I have participated in the Champions League final, there is no way to compare it with the World Cup final.
When it comes to finals experience, the players on this Argentine team actually don’t have it either.
But the Argentine national team has played in the World Cup finals in history, and they have also won two World Cup championships. This has become part of their football culture.
As for the Chinese team, let alone current players, no player in history has experience in the World Cup finals.
How should I approach this final?
I have to work hard...but what if I make a mistake in the game? Or I get injured in training and miss the finals?
All kinds of thoughts came to the minds of the Chinese team players, making them involuntarily nervous.
When facing an unknown future, no one can cope with it easily.
In the somewhat depressing atmosphere of the restaurant, Zhang Qinghuan saw Peng Weijun getting up and leaving after finishing his meal, so he called out to him: "Xiao Peng, come and sit here."
He patted the chair next to his seat.
Peng Weijun saw Hu Lai, Wang Guangwei, Xia Xiaoyu and Chen Xingyi sitting at the table. He hesitated and did not come over immediately.
Hu Lai said to Zhang Qinghuan: "Brother Huan, I'm not a troublemaker. But you see, it's hard for you to talk to Xiao Peng..."
As soon as Peng Weijun heard this, he rushed over and sat down next to Zhang Qinghuan. He also argued: "No, no, Brother Huan. I'm just afraid of disturbing your meal..."
Zhang Qinghuan scolded: "Excuse me, I don't call you usually, but you took the initiative to come up to me, why are you hiding today?"
Peng Weijun was a little embarrassed and didn't know what to say.
Could Brother Huan not know why he behaved like this today?
I must know...
Then why ask?
Do you want to admit that you are in a low mood because you can't go on stage?
Doesn't it make you look selfish to say it?
It seems that he only cares about whether he can play, and does not care about the overall interests of the team...
Seeing that Peng Weijun didn't say anything, Zhang Qinghuan took the initiative to point out: "Is it because you feel that you won't be able to play in the finals, so you have no fighting spirit?"
Peng Weijun waved his hand quickly: "No, it's not..."
Zhang Qinghuan didn't listen to his explanation and hugged his shoulders: "It's okay, I'll be with you on the bench when the time comes!"
Peng Weijun's eyes widened: "Brother Huan, you are talking nonsense. The team has changed to practice 352. Isn't it clear that this is for you?"
In the Chinese national team, if they play 442, Zhang Qinghuan will be the substitute. But if they play 352, there will definitely be a position left for Zhang Qinghuan in the five midfielders.
Zhang Qinghuan said: "I can play if I hit 352? Let me tell you, Brother Lin can't guarantee that. I know my own situation well."
He didn't explain much about the reasons for his health to Peng Weijun.
In today's training, although the team was practicing 352, Zhang Qinghuan was very aware of his physical condition, which resulted in his performance in training not being outstanding.
He will not think like Peng Weijun that he must have a place in 352. This is the World Cup finals, not a friendly match or a warm-up match. Of course, such a game depends on the status of the players to decide who can and who cannot play.
Since he was injured before the semi-finals, his training has not been very systematic, the training effect is not good, and the game status is unknown.
Under such circumstances, it would be impossible for Coach Qin, as a normal head coach, to let him start.
When Zhang Qinghuan encouraged Rong Yi, he could still say, "You are still young, and you will definitely participate in more than one World Cup in the future."
But faced with a situation like Peng Weijun's, it is certainly impossible for him to still say, "You are still young, and you will definitely participate in more than one World Cup final in the future"...
He understands Peng Weijun's psychology very well. After all, this is the World Cup final, and many people may have the opportunity to participate in the World Cup final only once in their lifetime.
He just squeezed Peng Weijun's shoulder hard: "Don't think so much, just be ready on the bench at any time."
Peng Weijun still sighed: "This is the only way..."
Zhang Qinghuan thought this was enough, but Hu Lai suddenly jumped out and pointed at him: "Oh, Xiao Peng, your behavior is not good. Look, Brother Huan didn't even hear it!"
Peng Weijun was puzzled. He felt that what he just said was quite clear: "Brother Huan is right next to me, how could it be possible..."
Hu Lai stood up, put his hands on his hips, and raised his voice: "If the thirty-four-year-old big brother said he didn't hear it, he didn't hear it!"
The international players who had not yet left in the restaurant were all attracted by the movement here, and everyone looked over one after another.
This seemed to make Peng Weijun even more embarrassed.
When Zhang Qinghuan saw this, he didn't think about helping Peng Weijun. Instead, he cooperated with Hu Lai and said: "That's right, you want to play in the World Cup finals even if you don't talk listlessly?"
Perhaps this sentence stimulated Peng Weijun, so he closed his eyes and shouted at the top of his lungs: "I know! I will be prepared!"
Hu Lai then gave him a thumbs up: "Good! Very energetic!"
