A disastrous start: Shenhua's new coach Milojevic is racing against time

Special Contributor/Gan Hui Shenhua's new coach, Milojevic, experienced a heavy defeat in his first CSL match. In the game against Guoan last night, the home team Shenhua launched 21 shots but scored none, ending with a 0-3 loss.

After the match, Milojevic twice noted that "we created many opportunities but unfortunately couldn't turn them into goals," a recurring problem that has troubled Shenhua for multiple seasons.

From the game, Shenhua had just as many clear chances as Guoan. After weathering the opponent's high press in the first five minutes, Shenhua took control and created several excellent opportunities. Asue's performance was particularly outstanding; he either cut inside from the right flank or delivered crosses from the baseline, putting considerable pressure on Guoan's defense.

However, Shenhua was not clinical enough in front of goal. For example, Teixeira's close-range shot hit Guoan goalkeeper Hou Sen.

After this match, the name Hou Sen might be etched into Milojevic's memory. At the post-match press conference, he proactively mentioned Hou Sen: "The opponent's goalkeeper performed exceptionally well today, saving many of our shots. We had 21 shots in total but couldn't manage to score."

Guoan, on the other hand, was more efficient. When the first half was slightly passive and their goal was under siege, Guoan capitalized on a second-phase attack, with Ramos scoring. Milojevic said, "Before the match, we did extensive research on the opponent, knowing their common tactics and formations. From the game, we can see that their midfield and forward players are very capable. Overall, I think we maintained good compactness for the first 70 minutes and created many chances. The flow of the game changed after the set-piece goal in the first half. I haven't had time to review that goal in more detail yet."

Milojevic's first substitution was quite surprising. In the 64th minute, he replaced Wang Haijian with forward Mineiro. This was not a like-for-like swap; removing a defensive midfielder for a striker seemed like a desperate move to equalize or even take the lead.

The effect of this adjustment was not ideal. On one hand, since Guoan was leading, Shenhua had to play against a compact defense, leaving Mineiro no space for counterattacks. On the other hand, after removing a defensive midfielder, Shenhua's midfield and defense had more gaps, making defense much harder. In the subsequent play, Guoan scored twice on counterattacks, with Cao Yongjing and Zhang Xizhe sealing the 3-0 victory.

Captain Wu Xi said after the match, "Whether in attack or defense, the coach explained very clearly how to defend in the front, middle, and back, as well as where each player should stand in attack and defense. We followed the coach's overall setup. I think from the game, the goals conceded were due to our own mistakes. We need to figure out how to play more concisely and effectively in the midfield and attack. That's something everyone needs to reflect on."

Milojevic officially took over the team after the match against Henan. Obviously, two days is too short. He hasn't even had a chance to fully understand and know every player, let alone the CSL and its opponents.

"Although the loss is regrettable, I saw the players' tenacious spirit on the field. The most important thing now is to keep working hard and prepare well for the next match," Milojevic said.

Next, Shenhua will face Rongcheng away and Taishan at home, both strong opponents. In the FA Cup, Shenhua also has a crucial match against Yingbo away. For Milojevic, he needs to race against time to learn as much as possible in the shortest time to better handle the games.

The match against Rongcheng is on the 22nd, giving Milojevic only three days to prepare.