Taishan Thrashes Guoan! Media Buzz: Setién Under Fire as Defense Resembles Manchester United

In Round 23 of the 2025 Chinese Super League, Shandong Taishan delivered a stunning first-half performance at home against Beijing Guoan. Vako netted a sensational hat-trick, while Madruga added another with a brilliant lob, giving Taishan a commanding 4–0 lead before halftime. The match quickly became the center of heated discussions among football pundits.

The contrast from their first meeting this season could not have been starker. In that earlier clash, Taishan suffered a humiliating 1–6 defeat away to Guoan. This time, however, Vako ran the show with three goals and one assist in the opening 45 minutes, while Madruga’s audacious finish sealed a first-half rout.

Xu Zexin didn’t mince words in his analysis:

“Guoan have been completely dismantled—Setién will face serious questions. Tonight, their defense looked exactly like Manchester United’s last night: poor coordination, costly individual mistakes, a desire to control possession without the ability to hold the ball, and a dangerously high defensive line without the pace to recover. Add in the fact that they were up against a ‘Shandong Messi,’ and it was a disaster by halftime.”

Reporter Yong Fangfang offered a blunt tactical suggestion:

“In the second half, they either need to change formation—abandon ineffective possession and play direct—or park the bus to stop the bleeding. If they stubbornly keep playing this way, they’re asking for a humiliation they’ll never recover from.”

Yang Tianying highlighted Guoan’s mental collapse:

“That half left Guoan shell-shocked. Taishan’s trademark high press at the start wasn’t unusual, but Guoan’s slow ball movement and struggles in building from the back were glaring. The defensive midfielders committed major errors, gifting two goals. This was the moment for Setién to make changes, but the veteran coach kept calmly observing.”

Journalist Chen Hua compared Setién’s choices to other recent tactical failures:

“Yesterday, there was no 5-4-1 start, no compact low block, and Rongcheng punished them on transitions. Today, Setién skipped the lone striker setup, fielded Chi Zhongguo who lacks the aerial and physical presence of Fan Shuangjie, and opted for an aggressive double-striker approach to try to press Taishan at home. It backfired completely, as Taishan exploited the spaces in transition. This shows the gap in CSL teams isn’t huge—it’s not just about squad strength, but about tactical balance. Both games revealed strategic flaws where attacking ambition outweighed defensive stability.”

He added:

“Guoan’s use of two strikers was too aggressive, leaving them exposed. Shanghai Port made the same mistake yesterday—high pressing against stronger opponents like Felipe and Romulo without being able to contain them. In the end, both coaches overestimated their own strength, underestimated the opponent’s intensity, and lacked targeted tactical adjustments. To be fair, Guoan’s 5-3-2 shape at least matched on paper, but a 0–4 scoreline shows just how many holes there were defensively.”