Beijing Guoan Wins Two Consecutive Warm-up Matches, Can You See That Setien Is More Advanced Than Suarez?
Hey, fellow Beijing fans, today we're going to talk about our Beijing Guoan! The 2025 season hasn't officially started yet, but Guoan has already given us a great start with two consecutive victories in the warm-up matches. It's so exciting! They won the first match 2-0 against Changchun Yatai and the second match 4-2 against Chongqing from the China League One. In total, they scored six goals, which made me feel so passionate and happy!
Now, many fans are starting to wonder: Is Setien better than the previous coach, Suarez? Let's discuss this.
Honestly, Setien, this coach, has a deep understanding of controlling football. His philosophy of pressing and surrounding after mistakes is very fast, whether it's one-on-one or multiple players working together. This is just like the high-pressure tactics of Barcelona back then! He values ball control and pressing more than anything else. And considering his background as an international chess master, how could his IQ be low? This coach is not simple!
Guoan has invested heavily in bringing in Setien. Once the national team players return, his concept of controlling football will surely take root in Guoan. Last season, Guoan lost too many points against weaker teams, losing twice to Shenzhen Xinpengcheng and even falling to Changchun Yatai away from home. At that time, Suarez was jokingly called "Song Jiang, the Timely Rain of the Chinese Super League," and now it seems there's some truth to that.
Suarez's regional defense was a mess, and he wasted valuable foreign player spots on central defenders. The data doesn't lie. Look at the number of goals conceded last season: Shanghai Shenhua had 20, SIPG had 30, Chengdu Rongcheng had 31, and Guoan had 35! That's quite a difference. Suarez had good players, but their offense wasn't the strongest, and their defense wasn't the most stable. Compared to Shenhua, who conceded the fewest goals, Guoan conceded 15 more. We need to think about this carefully.
Therefore, Guoan has made great efforts in recruitment this season. They let go of Mamadou and kept Enjadeu, focusing on the main defender Juanpe from La Liga. In midfield and attack, there are names like He Yupeng, Fang Hao, Zhang Xizhe, Cao Yongjing, Zhang Yuning, Fabio, and Wang Ziming. Which one of them isn't capable of attacking and fighting? Guoan's lineup this year is definitely well-off in the Chinese Super League. There are also players like Zhang Xizhe, Chi Zhongguo, and Feng Boxuan on the bench, providing impressive depth.
Talking about winning the championship, Guoan really has a chance this year. Look at SIPG winning the championship last year with five healthy foreign players, their offense was in full swing, and their defense was stable. If Guoan can avoid injuries this year, winning the championship is not a dream. Offense is the key to winning championships, while defense is the foundation. However, what often decides victory or defeat is still the offense!
So, Beijing Guoan fans, let's look forward to this year with high expectations. Can Setien lead Guoan to rebuild its glory? We'll wait and see! The two consecutive victories in the warm-up matches are a good omen, but the real test is still ahead. None of the opponents in the Chinese Super League are pushovers. If Guoan wants to win the championship, they still need the support and encouragement of fans like us!