足球報論中國足球：外界預期黯淡，對伊萬信任度驟降

China's national team is facing a daunting challenge in October as they travel to Australia and host Indonesia in the third round of World Cup qualifiers. The expectations from the outside world are extremely pessimistic, considering the strong opponents they are up against.

In September, China encountered two unexpected setbacks in the qualifiers. In their first match against Japan, it was widely believed that China had almost no chance of winning, with even losing by less than three goals considered an acceptable outcome. However, the national team suffered a devastating 7-0 defeat, which left Chinese fans in shock. In the second match against Saudi Arabia, although there was some hope of gaining points, China took an early lead through an own goal by the opponents and had an advantage with Saudi Arabia reduced to ten men. Unfortunately, China failed to capitalize on these advantages and ended up losing 2-1.

The team's performance in the qualifiers has been disheartening for the fans. The first match saw a lack of control in the second half, while the second match was marred by slow substitutions and poor in-game management. As a result, the trust in head coach Li Tie has reached its lowest point. It is worth mentioning that in the Chinese Super League, there have been examples of foreign coaches turning around teams after a slow start. However, at the national team level, such transformations are much more difficult due to the lack of coercive power that the Chinese Football Association has over the players.

One thing that can be praised is the overall spirit of the national team in recent years. Compared to the past, when there were frequent internal conflicts among players and clashes with coaches, the team's morale has improved. However, this alone is not enough for real progress. Li Tie needs to make changes as well. After the September matches, there was comprehensive communication between Li Tie and the Chinese Football Association, but whether this communication will have any effect remains to be seen. It is in the upcoming matches that Li Tie's true ability to improve the team will be tested.