Shanghai Shenhua: Despite giving their all, they can’t break their six-match winless streak.

By special contributor Gan Hui. Shanghai Shenhua dropped points yet again against their "nemesis" Shenzhen Xinpengcheng. Playing at home on May 24th, Shenhua conceded two goals within the first 17 minutes and eventually lost 2-1. Their season's initial loss came on May 1st against Chengdu Rongcheng, marking the start of a six-game winless run, featuring two draws and four defeats, which has seen them tumble to 11th in the table.

In the post-match press conference, Slutsky stated, "The team is indeed in a very difficult situation right now. As you can see, our options for the starting lineup are very limited. We made some very uncharacteristic rookie mistakes in the opening phase, falling behind by two goals, and ultimately paid a heavy price for those two errors."

In the last two matches, Slutsky has consistently highlighted the difficulties Shenhua is facing. Indeed, the team is experiencing unprecedented challenges with a large number of players injured or suspended, a situation that has shown no improvement in this game.

For the match against Shenzhen Xinpengcheng, Guy, Teixeira, and Mineiro were all sidelined due to injuries, while Manafa was serving a suspension. As a result, the team could only field one foreign player, Raphael Tang. Additionally, defensive stalwart Jiang Shenglong was resting, young player Wu Qipeng had muscle discomfort after the previous matchday, and Liu Chengyu was also absent from the final training session before the game due to injury.

The absence of half the regular starting lineup, especially the four foreign players, has significantly impacted the team's overall strength. In this situation, Slutsky did not make many tactical adjustments to compensate for the personnel shortages. The consequence was that the team essentially ran itself into the ground.

Since the match against Chengdu Rongcheng, the team's form has deteriorated steadily due to the ongoing injury crisis. The team went from a five-game winning streak in April to a current six-game winless streak in May. When a team suffers such a prolonged period without a win, it's definitely not just a matter of bad luck. Slutsky needs to assess the situation realistically and stop approaching every game with a "strong team" mindset. For example, he could consider reinforcing the midfield and defense, prioritizing a solid defensive foundation, even if it means securing just a draw.

Staying the course regardless of the opponent is the posture of a strong team. However, the current Shenhua, temporarily fielding only one foreign player, may actually be at a disadvantage in overall strength. Therefore, making appropriate tactical adjustments, seeking opportunities based on a compact defense, and adopting a more pragmatic "secure a draw, then try to win" approach is necessary to stabilize the situation. After all, circumstances dictate strategy.

Having played consecutive games, Wu Xi and Chen Jinyi were clearly exhausted. In the latter stages of the match, the 37-year-old Wu Xi was seen gasping for air after intense runs. In the previous game's dying moments, Chen Jinyi didn't even have the strength to take a throw-in. Zhu Chenjie, after recovering from a fever, played in the match but was visibly physically depleted.

Everyone knows it's dangerous to drive when fatigued. Fatigue slows down reactions, impairs judgment, and increases the risk of errors. The same principle applies to football. When overly tired, a player's technique can break down, and the risk of injury increases significantly. In the last match against Wuhan Three Towns, Gao Tianyi performed exceptionally well, which was likely related to having had a rest during the previous round due to a yellow card suspension.

In the previous two matches, there was external criticism regarding Slutsky's decision not to substitute Wu Xi and Chen Jinyi to give them some rest. In this game, Slutsky did make a change at full-back, bringing on Wang Shilong, who had seen very little playing time. However, he replaced Yang Zexiang, not the visibly exhausted Chen Jinyi. Furthermore, since Yang Zexiang received a yellow card in this round and will be suspended for the next away game against Qingdao West Coast due to accumulating four yellow cards, there was no reason to conserve his energy.

After the 1-2 loss to Shenzhen Xinpengcheng, Shenhua has failed to win any of their last four home matches in the Chinese Super League, with a record of two draws and two defeats, conceding at least two goals in each game. The silver lining is that after the next round of matches, the league will enter a nearly month-long break, giving Shenhua a chance to catch their breath.

The upcoming break will obviously focus heavily on the recovery of injured players. Additionally, the 2026 CSL summer transfer window will open on June 18th and close on July 22nd. During this time, clubs can make personnel adjustments. Given that Guy is likely out for the season with an Achilles tendon rupture, Shenhua could use the summer window to recall Azue, who was loaned out to CD Leganés in the Spanish Segunda División at the start of the year. According to the loan announcement made by Shenhua Club on January 28th, Azue's loan period runs until June 30, 2026. Looking at the schedule, Leganés will play their final match of the Segunda División season at home against CD Mirandés on June 1st.

Therefore, after the break, the squad situation for Shenhua should see significant improvement.