Shandong Taishan: Failed to bounce back promptly after three heavy defeats

Journalist Chen Yong reports The league season is approaching its midpoint. In the 14 rounds completed so far, Shandong Taishan has recorded 7 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses. Among these, three matches saw the team concede 4 goals in a single game. Following each of these heavy 4-goal defeats, Taishan failed to stop their decline in the subsequent match: they lost 0-4 to Yunnan Yukun, then fell 1-2 at home to Dalian Yingbo; after a 1-4 loss to Qingdao Hainiu, they managed only a 1-1 draw at home against Qingdao West Coast; in the previous round, Taishan lost 1-4 to Zhejiang Green City, and in this round, they played to a 3-3 draw at home against the relegation-threatened team Wuhan Three Towns.

Currently, Taishan seems trapped in a vicious cycle: the first issue is that the team frequently collapses, as evidenced by three matches in which they conceded 4 goals in a single game; the second issue is that after a heavy defeat, despite playing at home in the following match, they are consistently unable to reverse the downward trend.

Taishan's current situation requires in-depth analysis: first, at the level of overall team spirit, the collapses are closely related to this factor. Notably, the opponents in these three collapse matches were not exceptionally strong, and the consecutive goals conceded indicate serious psychological problems within the team.

In terms of statistics, Taishan has scored 25 goals this season, ranking fourth in the Chinese Super League, but their 24 goals conceded are second only to Wuhan Three Towns' 29. Taishan's average goals conceded per game is nearly 2, making their performance this season rather inconsistent. Of course, Taishan is not the only traditional powerhouse struggling; Shanghai Shenhua, Zhejiang Green City, Shanghai Port, and Beijing Guoan all have fewer points than Shandong Taishan, with goals conceded of 22, 23, 18, and 21 respectively—also quite high.

The excessive number of goals conceded needs to be addressed at the tactical and systemic level. It must be acknowledged that the use of young players has significantly impacted the defense, and some goals conceded are related to opponents targeting areas defended by Taishan's young players. However, there are clearly major issues with Taishan's overall defensive system as well.

Furthermore, Taishan's offensive system relies too heavily on the individual abilities of foreign players. When the foreign players underperform, the team's overall performance declines sharply.

Of course, this is also a common problem in the Chinese Super League. Several other strong teams have struggled due to injuries to their foreign players, including league leaders Chengdu Rongcheng, who have suffered two consecutive losses after a wave of foreign player injuries. Overall, Taishan's foreign players have a relatively high attendance rate, and under these circumstances, developing a more multidimensional offensive system should be a priority for the team.

A regrettable aspect of this match was that the penalty awarded to Wuhan Three Towns appeared to be a misjudgment. Slow-motion replays showed that the attacking player had already lost balance before making contact with Yu Jinyong, suggesting a possible dive. Multiple sources believe it was not a penalty.

There was also a positive takeaway from this match: Chen Zeshi's performance is becoming increasingly consistent. It can even be said that he has earned a spot in the starting lineup or as a key rotational player through his ability and performances. Additionally, after Yimulan came on, Taishan's midfield organization became clearer, and his chemistry with Chen Zeshi was very strong. These two 21-year-olds have given people reason for hope.