Reported by Chen Yong. After a commanding 6-0 win over Beijing Guoan, Shandong Taishan is preparing for their away fixture against Shanghai Shenhua. Supporters long for a win to reverse the embarrassment of four straight losses to Shenhua, some by large margins. Yet, this game is fundamentally different from the Jinglu derby — the fighting spirit can be duplicated, but the tactical framework cannot.

Beyond tactics, the victory in the Jinglu derby showcased Shandong Taishan’s crucial fighting spirit and confidence. More precisely, aside from the efficient counterattacks, the team’s performance in this match was so distinct from other games that it hardly seemed like the same squad.

On one hand, this reflects the consistent mentality typical of the Jinglu derby. In a way, matches in the league are often viewed through the lens of the Jinglu derby, where the team always shows great determination. Even when suffering a heavy 1-6 away defeat to Beijing Guoan, Taishan’s situation was poor, but before two players were sent off, the scoreline was still balanced. On the other hand, the team’s recent improvement coincided with this derby.

Historically, Shandong Taishan has invested far less emotionally in the Luhu battles compared to the Jinglu derbies. There is little rivalry or grudge between the two sides, and relations have generally been amicable. However, to succeed in the Luhu clash, Taishan must demonstrate the same spirit, fighting attitude, and confidence shown in the Jinglu derby.

Currently, Shandong Taishan is on a four-match losing streak against Shanghai Shenhua: a 0-1 loss in the 2023 FA Cup final; a 0-3 home defeat and a 0-6 away thrashing in the 2024 league season; and a fiercely contested 0-1 loss at home earlier this season.

Tactically, it is very difficult for the Luhu battle to replicate the Jinglu derby’s approach. The Jinglu derby was a classic counterattack victory. Beijing Guoan’s media and fans once vividly described the match as their defenders standing at midfield, repeatedly allowing Shandong Taishan to break behind them. The first Guoan goal was a mistake, but before that, Zeca’s offside goal showed the efficiency of the counterattack. Taishan’s second and third goals came from counterattacks, leading to Madruge’s brilliant fourth goal. In the second half, the fifth goal resulted from a tactical corner routine, and the sixth was another efficient counterattack.

Beijing Guoan currently leads the Chinese Super League with a 67% possession rate, while Shanghai Shenhua’s possession is only 54%, much lower than Guoan’s and even below Chengdu Rongcheng and Shanghai Port. Shenhua’s possession is just 2 percentage points higher than the underperforming Shandong Taishan this season.

In their first half of the season match, Shandong Taishan learned from last season’s mistakes and focused more on defense. Even so, Taishan’s possession reached 56%, compared to Shenhua’s 44%. Therefore, it is very challenging for Taishan to find the open spaces needed to break through Shenhua’s defense as they did in the Jinglu derby. Additionally, Shenhua’s defense is one of the strongest in the league, especially with center backs Zhu Chenjie and Jiang Shenglong excelling in both open play and aerial defense.

In fact, many of Shandong Taishan’s conceded goals against Shanghai Shenhua have come from Shenhua counterattacks. The most typical example was in the first half of the 2024 season when all three of Shenhua’s goals were scored on the break.

For this match, Shandong Taishan must fully leverage their foreign player advantage. Recently, the team has restored a five-foreign-player lineup. Kazayishvili is in fiery form, scoring in six consecutive matches with a total of 11 goals. Kresan has returned to scoring and found a better role as a playmaker. Madruge scored twice in the last game with impressive performance. Center back Lopez had shown some issues before but performed well in the Jinglu derby. Zeca has just recovered from injury, and after the derby and the break, his condition is expected to improve further.

In contrast, Shanghai Shenhua’s foreign players are underwhelming: Asue has yet to fully integrate into the team, with the attack relying mostly on Teixeira and Andre Luis. Amadou has not regained his best form since returning from injury, and his recent appearances have been inconsistent. Moreover, Gao Tianyi’s suspension due to accumulated yellow cards significantly impacts Shenhua.

Regarding injuries and suspensions, Shandong Taishan’s Huang Zhengyu is suspended. He often played as a wing center back, but Zheng Zhi has returned for this match. The only issue is the lack of suitable rotation options in the defensive midfield position.