From Forgotten to Back in the Spotlight, CSL Assist Leader Gao Tianyi Gains Favor Again as Shao Jiayi May Focus on His Development

After the upcoming round of the Chinese Super League concludes, the new China national team squad is set to be announced. With a friendly match scheduled for September 24 overlapping with the international window, the team urgently needs to hold a training camp before the match. The national team friendlies during this window and the Asian Games matches will prevent several key players from participating. Shao Jiayi will face greater pressure in squad selection and needs to make important adjustments to prepare for the next four friendly matches.

Since taking charge at the end of last year, Shao Jiayi has guided the national team through two international-window friendly match periods. Based on his selection criteria, he has strict requirements for players' technical ability, especially in midfield, where he prefers technically skilled players. In previous friendlies, Shao recalled players such as Dai Wai-tsun and Gao Tianyi, who had previously been absent from the national team, reflecting this preference. Dai was once regarded as a future star for the national team, but injuries prevented him from meeting expectations. If everything had gone smoothly, he should have had a place in the squad.

Gao Tianyi is also an excellent midfielder with clear attacking qualities, outstanding vision, and strong passing and assist ability. In this season's CSL, Gao has established himself as a key midfielder for Shanghai Shenhua. Although he has scored only one goal, he has provided eight assists and currently ranks third on the CSL assist chart, behind Yunnan Yukun's Jonica and Zhejiang's Mitritsa. He has become the leading assist provider among domestic players, with two more assists than the second-ranked Zhang Yuning. However, during Ivan's tenure as national team coach, Gao gradually disappeared from the national team picture. Despite receiving some trust initially, a mistake against Thailand in World Cup qualifying gradually reduced confidence in him, making further call-ups difficult.

It was not until Shao Jiayi took over that Gao Tianyi returned to the national team and received playing opportunities in previous friendly matches. As mentioned, Shao favors technically capable midfielders. Considering Gao's excellent CSL performances, his name is highly likely to appear on next month's squad list, and he could become an important member of the team. The squad urgently needs midfield support with passing and creative ability. However, if Shao decides to continue using Gao Tianyi, he must also consider his defensive shortcomings.

Whether defending for the national team or playing for Shanghai Shenhua, Gao Tianyi's defensive ability has remained relatively weak, and he often makes mistakes. This was one reason Ivan did not give him more opportunities. If Shao Jiayi wants to continue using Gao in upcoming matches, he should consider pairing him with a defensive-minded holding midfielder to reduce Gao's defensive burden and allow him to focus more on attacking and organization. However, this also highlights a current issue for the national team: it has consistently struggled to find midfielders who are both well-rounded and capable at both ends of the pitch. Having players like Zheng Zhi, Hao Junmin, or even the balanced Wu Xi would be an ideal situation.