Although Taishan sent a double-height lineup to attack Guangzhou City in the second half, Guo Tianyu and Fellaini repeatedly missed good chances and failed to convert headers into goals, resulting in a 0-0 draw in the first match after the league restarted. This result partly reveals that Taishan's high-flying tactics have become obvious and are being targeted by opponents' defenses, and the challenge of scoring in the future will get tougher. The deep bench strength of the Taishan team has become a major advantage in the intensive schedule of matches. Observing the whole game, how to solve the problem of offense has become the key for Taishan to compete for the championship this season.
In the first match after the league resumed, Coach Hao Wei basically followed the previous starting lineup, only replacing Fellaini to the bench. Leonardo gradually found his form during the break and played with Wu Xinghan as the left and right wingers respectively, while Guo Tianyu sat in the center. The midfield consisted of Xu Xin, Sun Junhao and Jin Jingdao. In the back line, Wang Tong replaced Ji Xiang to guard the right side, Zheng Zheng and Shi Ke partnered in the center back, Song Long is responsible for the left side. From the starting lineup, we can see that Hao Wei still insists on attacking tactics, and the three midfielders are good at both attacking and defending, which can both organize the attack and reduce the pressure on the backline.
Guangzhou City, who used to be known for their offense, adopted a strategy of contracting their defense when facing Taishan, especially against Taishan's high altitude tactics, and they went out of their way to contain the opponent's offense with two defenders in a pack. This tactic worked to a certain extent, but it also made Guangzhou City lose the initiative on the field. Taishan firmly controlled the rhythm of the game, and any lost ball in the positional battle was able to stop the opponent's counter-attack through the quick counter-attack in the midfield. However, due to Guangzhou City's overly dense defense in the penalty area, the threatening shots mainly came from Xu Xin's long-distance shots. In the first half, Leonardo had a chance to break through with a corner kick, but VAR ruled that he had committed a handball foul first.
Early in the second half, Taishan switched to Fellaini in order to strengthen the overhead threat in the box. This change resulted in a significantly faster attacking tempo and more header chances for Taishan. However, due to the hot weather, both sides were consumed, and although Taishan had many header chances, Guo Tianyu and Fellaini were unable to capitalize on them. Although Guangzhou City also threatened Taishan with the individual ability of their foreigners, the overall momentum of the offense was not as strong as before. In the final stage of the game, Hao Wei replaced Liu Binbin and Artemisia Junmin and other international players, but the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
Affected by the FIFA virus, Taishan's squad of seven internationals and three powerful foreigners failed to beat Guangzhou City. Leonardo's goal was disallowed and his performance was moderate. South Korean international Son Junho's form has slipped since his return and his performance was mediocre. In contrast, captain Kim Kyung-do played much better, but the passing was occasionally confusing. The two starting internationals did not lead the team to launch an effective offense in the first half. The performances of substitutes Ji Xiang, Liu Binbin and Artemisia Junmin could only be described as moderate. These problems may be related to the Taishan team's high altitude advantage failed in the game.
If Guo Tianyu was struggling in the first half, Fellaini came on in the second half to take the pressure off him and Guo Tianyu was given more space. But Fellaini and Guo Tianyu failed to hit at least five excellent headers. Compared to last season or before the break, Taishan's header power has dropped dramatically. This may be due to Guangzhou City's over-intensive defense in the penalty area, and if future opponents follow suit, this form of Taishan's team will be worrisome for the upcoming matches.
Against the backdrop of Leonardo's limited individual ability to solve problems on his own, Taishan's offense relies heavily on the overhead superiority of Guo Tianyu and Fellaini. However, almost every team in the Chinese Super League is aware of this advantage, and Guangzhou City's targeted defense did a pretty good job. As the aerial bombardment fails to bear fruit, Taishan need to think about how to break the deadlock in front of the high-density defense.
The Chinese Super League has been disrupted by the World Cup this season, with the giants cutting back on spending to cope with the league's winter. The relatively stable Taishan team had a good chance to win the title, but their first game after the league resumed ended in a 0-0 draw. It was a wake-up call for Coach Hao Wei that in order to achieve results, Taishan must solve its offensive problems.
