The performance of Shanghai Port in this season can be described as "the wind knows the grass, and the board knows the Chengchen". After the first 16 rounds, they topped the Chinese Super League with 13 wins and 3 draws, accumulating 42 points and not losing a single defeat. Especially in the last 9 rounds, the Harbour team is even more powerful, with an amazing record of 9 consecutive wins. Such a performance undoubtedly makes them a strong contender for the title.
However, such success did not happen overnight. The addition of Muscat can be said to be the key to the team's success. The Australian manager's tactical vision and managerial skills have breathed new life into the Shanghai port. He did not choose to seek development in stability, but dared to carry out drastic reforms to the existing squad, which in the eyes of many people, was almost gambling on his own position. But it was this reform that gave the team a second spring.
The storm of reform first affected the veterans of the team. Shanghai Port's decorated players – Lu Wenjun, Wang Shenchao, Zhang Linpeng and Cai Huikang – were once an integral part of the team, but under Muscat's new policy, their places were gradually replaced by younger players. This is not a disrespect to them, but a necessary tactical adjustment and strategic planning. For example, Wang Shenchao and Zhang Linpeng have significantly reduced their starts, and Cai Huikang has almost become a marginal figure. This adjustment, while brutal, is also an investment in the future.
In the face of such a bold lineup adjustment, some people will inevitably ask, is Muscat taking a risk? But judging by the results so far, all these adjustments are worth it. The overall combat effectiveness of the team has been improved, and the replacement of the old and the new has also filled the team with new vitality and hope. In his own way, Muscat proved that the game of football is not only a contest of technique and tactics, but also a contest of psychology and management.
But this change has not come without a cost. The gradual fading of the decorated veterans means that the team will have to find new chemistry and team balance in a short period of time. This is the next problem that Muscat needs to solve. However, judging by his results so far, it seems that he has found a solution to the problem. Fans are looking forward to the future and hope that Harbour will continue to be successful under Muscat's leadership.
Overall, Muscat's operation, although full of risks, also showed his extraordinary courage and courage. He's not just doing the job of a coach, he's playing the role of a reformer. Perhaps, it is this courage to break the rules that has made Shanghai Port shine with a different brilliance this season.