Special contribution/Shen Jun As the final whistle blew, a smile appeared on Li Jinyu's face. With a 2-1 victory, Liaoning Ironman defeated Beijing Guoan, securing two consecutive wins. After starting with two consecutive losses, Li Jinyu faced immense pressure, even being "lectured" by fans at the airport. Subsequently, two home wins brought a strong rebound. Li Jinyu stated after the match, "When the players adopt a correct attitude and engage in each match with a positive mindset, I believe we have the capability to compete against any opponent."

Making changes amidst the storm

Ironman invested heavily in reinforcements during the winter transfer window, with the total value of foreign players reaching 11.5 million euros. Expectations for this team were high. However, starting with two losses to Taishan and Tongliang Long without scoring a single goal, team morale plummeted, and Li Jinyu was thrust into the spotlight.

As a newly promoted team, Ironman inevitably experienced the "pain of a newcomer," with defensive vulnerabilities and low offensive efficiency becoming the biggest obstacles hindering the team's progress. After Ironman lost to Tongliang Long away and returned to Shenyang, in the arrival hall, several emotional fans even questioned Li Jinyu: "Why didn't you start Bonben Yiyu?" They even brought out a tactical board to "tell" him how to use the player. Li Jinyu showed no impatience, only apologizing, "I disappointed everyone," before leaving.

Addressing the fans' dissatisfaction, Li Jinyu admitted: "As a newly promoted CSL team, we need a process and phase to re-adapt to the rhythm of the CSL."

After thorough analysis, Li Jinyu made adjustments. The core change was reinstating Bonben Yiyu to the starting lineup, leveraging his ability to organize and initiate plays in midfield, while establishing a tactical approach focused on "defensive counterattack + set pieces."

The effect was immediate. In the 3rd round against Tianjin Tigers, the reinstated Bonben Yiyu shone brightly, not only delivering exquisite assists but also personally scoring a delicate "chip" penalty, leading the team to a 3-0 sweep over their opponents, securing the team's first CSL victory in history, and rapidly boosting team morale.

In the 4th round against Beijing Guoan, although the opponent's lineup was not complete, they had performed well since the start of the season. Li Jinyu deployed a 5-4-1 formation, with all players focusing on defense. The double midfielders compressed the central space, forcing the opponent to rely solely on crosses from the wings, greatly reducing their offensive efficiency. Simultaneously, he fully utilized the advantages of speed-oriented foreign players like Mbunza and Refinio, emphasizing quick transitions after intercepting the ball to directly exploit the gaps behind Guoan's defensive line. In the starting lineup, Bonben Yiyu assumed the role of midfield core, Refinio created space, and Mbunza spearheaded the attack. This personnel arrangement ensured midfield stability while maintaining the lethality of counterattacks.

The match process perfectly validated Li Jinyu's tactical deployment. Mbunza calmly converted a penalty. Subsequently, Bonben Yiyu executed a precise tackle in midfield, initiating a quick counterattack. Mbunza received the ball in the box and cleverly passed it to the front of the goal, allowing Refinio to score easily. In the second half, although Guoan scored a goal back, Ironman's counterattacks created several opportunities, but finishing was lacking, preventing them from extending the lead.

Players' attitude is most important

After the match, Li Jinyu remained composed. He stated: "From a coach's perspective, in the world of football, there is no certainty of victory against any particular team, nor absolute distinctions of superiority or inferiority. After all, each team operates at different levels and sets different goals. For our Ironman team, being able to play such a match against Guoan, I personally feel very satisfied. The competitive state and fighting spirit displayed by our players on the field deeply gratify me. What they demonstrated met expectations, and in my view, that is sufficient."

Refinio arrived with high expectations, but in the previous matches, he did not show sufficient capability, and he personally faced doubts. In the match against Guoan, he shed the burden and scored a goal. Regarding this, Li Jinyu said: "For foreign players, I believe technical and tactical ability and level are certainly important, but more crucial is whether they can integrate into the team and adapt to the match rhythm and intensity of competition. This goal will definitely be very helpful for him (Refinio). Our team always relies on collective play; it's never about one individual deciding the outcome of a match."

Li Jinyu emphasized that players' attitude is most important. "Today, whether it was the players fighting on the field or those waiting on the sidelines, their attitudes were very positive. This is the most important thing. In competitive sports, even the best tactical deployment, if lacking the support of a fighting attitude, ultimately cannot be effectively implemented. As long as the entire team concentrates their efforts and gives their all, it can add confidence to the match and even influence the direction of victory." After the match, he thanked the players in the locker room: "Without their brave fighting and hard work, all arrangements by our coaching staff would be futile."

From two consecutive losses to two consecutive wins, how should Ironman position itself? Regarding this, Li Jinyu stated it is "not as lofty as outsiders imagine." He said: "We always approach the CSL with a rational and balanced mindset. During the preparation phase, I repeatedly emphasized to the players the cruelty and intensity of the league. However, verbal descriptions are ultimately limited; only through the test of actual matches can players truly deeply comprehend. The previous two consecutive losses were not without gains; instead, the players drew valuable CSL experience and lessons from them. Whether in terms of match intensity, control of rhythm, or quick reaction ability during transitions between attack and defense, there has been significant improvement. When players adopt a correct attitude and engage in each match with a positive mindset, I believe we have the capability to compete against any opponent."