Under the coaching of Choi Kang-hee, Shandong Taishan has had an outstanding season. The team's veteran players have been revitalized under careful coaching, and they have shown enough strength on the field to be on par with the best in the world. However, despite this, many players were not selected by Jankovic to join the national team, which is undoubtedly regrettable for them. After three rounds of intense selection, Ballon d'Or has revealed the 2023 Chinese Super League Team of the Year, and Shandong Taishan is undoubtedly the biggest winner.
Shandong Taishan players occupy almost half of this best XI list, and they are spread across all tactical positions. On the forward line, Fellaini played as a center forward, while Cressan, who played alongside him, is about to say goodbye to the season, and his right winger position was taken over by his teammates. The core of the midfield, Moises and Li Yuanyi, even with their fluctuating form, still delivered impressive figures of five goals and ten assists, and he is still an indispensable piece of the team's midfield.
Li Yuanyi, the 30-year-old veteran, transferred to Shandong Taishan from Shenzhen this season. At first, he did not get too many chances to play. But after Cui Kangxi joined the team, he got the starting position and won the team's trust with his stable performance. He scored goals in the Chinese Super League, AFC Cup and AFC Champions League. His attacking, defending and scheduling abilities make him the all-round warrior of the team.
In the backline, Liu Yang has performed well in several tournaments, not only participating in the Chinese Super League, the AFC Cup and the AFC Champions League, but also in the warm-up matches for the Asian Games. Under the tutelage of Choi Kang-hee, his defensive abilities have improved significantly. Center back Jadason, despite his age and increasing injuries, has been able to stabilize the defense and even contribute goals whenever he plays, making him the mainstay of Shandong Taishan's defense with the title of "defender with a sword".
In goal, Wang Dalei was solid. Whether Yankovic recognizes it or not, his outstanding performance on the field is indisputable. Compared to Yan Junling's mistakes, Wang Dalei's saves at critical moments were more crucial. In the best XI, Leonardo was also part of Shandong Taishan as a striker. Despite his beef with Cui Kangxi, his strength should not be underestimated. This season, he became the best scorer in the Chinese Super League and overcame a lot of difficulties by playing for two teams. Even if the possibility of returning to Shandong Taishan next season is not high, it would be his indirect contribution to the team if he can bring a good transfer fee to the team. We look forward to his performance next season.
