A Modern Lei Feng

Martinez just keeps performing

Away at Nanchang is the kind of game that’s easy to slip up with, playing an average (at best) side in front of a large home crowd, often times complacency sets in and especially when the game is close late, it’s easy for the home side to poach a goal and a point (or three).

There were nerves that this would be the case after Guoan came out and played a mediocre first half.  The sides went to the change room at the half with Guoan up by 1, despite having a ton of chances (including a sitter by Martinez set up by Piao Cheng and Roberto).  At the same time, Nanchang’s counter-attack wasn’t completely worthless.  Roberto, making his first start for the Men in Green, came up with the 1st half’s only goal, a fine effort, when a Zhang Xinxin cross found his head at the back post.  Any concern as to how Guoan would be without Griffiths in the lineup were quickly squashed, Roberto showed that he has the potential to be a quality CSL player, his height and skill are going to give manager Jamie Pacheco a bit of a happy dilemma as to who should start up top.

If you hear a sound, it’s me banging the drum for Walter Martinez as player of the month.  This wasn’t his best match, he had plenty of chances and couldn’t put many away, but in the 73rd minute, a ball fell to Zhou Ting who played a low pass across the front of the net that found Martinez in the middle.  This time he made sure to put it away, giving Guoan a 2-0 lead with 15 minutes left, pretty much securing them 3 tough road points.  Yet another added time effort goal, this time from Wang Changqing, who hustled down the pitch and got through two tough tackles to put the game on ice.

Another 3 points after another 3-0 win for the capital side, if they keep this up the fans are going to start expecting too much.  Pacheco’s done a great job where Hong Yuanshuo failed, putting together a solid side and managing it well.  He’s also been blessed with some truly talented new additions in Piao Cheng and Roberto, alongside some young players who are developing fast.  Guoan’s back in Beijing for a few days, but will be travelling this weekend, heading to Chengdu for what should be another 3 points.

There’s another story involved in this match, one off the pitch.  A small contingent of Guoan fans made the trip down to Nanchang, whose fans didn’t do much to welcome them.  This subject will be covered more later in the week, but suffice to say, once again, the issue of hooliganism in China has been brought to the fore.

Man of the Match

Roberto (okay, it probably should be Martinez, but he deserves it for a goal in his 1st start)

Monday night football will take a whole different meaning tonight when the club takes on Dalian at Worker’s Stadium. An Andy Lau concert forced the move to Monday and after last night’s practice session on the Gongti pitch, the players are chatting on weibo (China’s version of twitter) about how horrible the pitch is. Dalian comes into this game with the same 1-1-1 record as Guoan in this young season.

Though they’ve fallen from their status as one of the league’s top teams, they still have the potential to stun you. If Guoan even thinks about taking this one lightly, last year’s embarrassing 3-0 drubbing in Dalian should remain fresh in their memory. Dalian’s strike combination of James Chamanga and new boy, Martin Kamburov are an impressive front line. We also know that whenever this fixture comes up, Beijing’s Korean community comes out in strength for Ahn Jung-hwan and the team’s 2 other Koreans (and Korean manager).

Guoan’s defense has been their biggest problem so far this season, it will be interesting if manager Pacheco has made the necessary adjustments during the last week of training. Goals are going to happen, it’s not a big deal, but you can’t be giving up freebies. With the pitch in bad shape, anything can happen, but if Guoan can continue their habit of scoring first, it would really help.

Both of these clubs need 3 points to keep pace with the top sides in these early days. Dalian has yet to show themselves of being capable of playing against the better sides, even their win (at home against Nanchang) was unimpressive. I know some fans might disagree, but I’d love to see Roberto get his first start for the Men in Green tonight, with the pitch in bad shape, a lot of the balls should be coming in high and his height could be useful. I also think a run out for Yan Xiangchuang (or perhaps Wang Xiaolong) are in order, Guoan could use some speed down the wing against Dalian’s older legs.

Prediction: Beijing 1 – 0

As a Guoan fan, I was nervous about this match to begin with, but now that both Yang Zhi and Xu Liang are gametime decisions, I’m downright worried about what the squad’s going to look like when they step on the pitch tonight. Ahead of the Hangzhou match, I said it was a test to see how good this Guoan side really was, if that was the case, they positively failed, but fortunately (or not), they don’t have to wait long before another real test.

There’s a lot of familiarity between these two sides, Lee Jangsoo gave Guoan 3 of its best ever seasons and their offseason signing Yang Hao grew up with the club, at the same time, Xu Liang spent the better part of his career at Guangzhou and captained the side for multiple seasons. Especially coming off a draw at Nanchang, it’s a guarantee Lee will have his side prepared and ready for anything Guoan can throw at them, so the Men in Green are going to have to be on their game. Beijing will need to play like the team that gave fits to Jiangsu in the 2nd half of the 1st match, not the team that gifted Hangzhou 3 goals in the 2nd half of the 2nd match.

Going up against multimillion euro signing Cleo would be hard for any defender, but Lang Zheng had his confidence destroyed by Luis Ramirez and Hangzhou, will he still be given the start? Guangzhou isn’t a team where height is an issue, so Jamie Pacheco could use Zhang Yonghai over Lang Zheng, but that’s about the extent of his options. If Xu Liang isn’t ready to go, who can handle the defensive duties (and offer the necessary protection for Lang)? Zhu Yifan, Piao Cheng, and Zhang Xizhe all have more of a mind for going forward than playing defense, though Piao’s physicality may mean he’s the most appropriate, though no matter what option Pacheco chooses, it will be a hard job for a young kid.

A lot also depends on which Guangzhou side shows up, they’ve played okay so far this season, but have yet to look like the side that signed pretty much every player out there in the offseason. Obviously it was (is?) going to take some time for Lee to combine all those players and make them into a team, I disagree with those who believe he can do it this season. At the same time, there are plenty who believe he’s on a very short leash, especially after the unexpected draw at Nanchang, and a failure to defeat Guoan would mean Lee’s on the hot seat after only 3 matches.

As often is the case with the CSL, surprises are to be expected, but I can’t see Guoan going to Guangzhou and coming away with a win. In 4 tries, Guangzhou has not been able to beat Guoan, though the previous two contests in Guangzhou have ended in 1-1 draws. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same thing happens this time around.

Prediction: Guoan 1 – 1 Guangzhou

Guoan kicks off the season Sunday night at Worker's Stadium (19:30 start)

It’s finally here, Sunday night will see the Men in Green open up their season at home against Hangzhou Greentown, pitting watermelon kit vs. watermelon kit (though Hangzhou will be in their change whites), Griffiths vs. Griffiths, and Honduran vs. Honduran, making for plenty of intrigue.

Let’s not forget, it was on a fateful day in October 2009 that Guoan defeated Hangzhou on the last day of the season to win the club’s first title and relegate Hangzhou.  The CSL’s other green team ended up staying up due to the match fixing scandal and came back to haunt Guoan, pipping them by 2 points to secure the final ACL spot last season.  They come into Gongti tomorrow night with their strongest side yet and looking to repeat last year’s feat of leaving the capital with 3 points.

Not to be outdone, Guoan will be ready to re-establish “Fortress Gongti” under its new “mayor” Jamie Pacheco.  While they had a ho hum 1st half last weekend in Nanjing, the 2nd half was something special, as the attack flowed forward in waves, a more impressive half of soccer than anything produced under Hong Yuanshuo.  It will be interesting to see if Pacheco keeps the same lineup or decides to play around with the attacking setup (Jamie, I beg you, please don’t touch the defense!).

That defense is going to have a hell of a test handling Luis Ramirez, who tends to be at the top of the CSL scoring table year after year, as well as Uruguyan new boy (and big boy) Paulo Pezzolano, who opened his account last weekend against Nanchang.  Fortunately for Beijing, Hangzhou’s weakness, it’s midfield, is Beijing’s strength, if Darko Matic and Xu Liang can play the ball around and Martinez and Wang Changqing can keep burning down the wings, they should be able to give Hangzhou fits.  Plus, big brother Joel Griffiths has always done well when going up against his younger bro in defense.

It’s hard to tell how strong this year’s Guoan side really is, the result of this match will be telling.  Hangzhou is one of the better teams this year, a win will serve as a declaration from the capital boys and serve as yet another happy home opener.

Prediction: Beijing Guoan 2 – 1  Hangzhou Greentown

China’s not a sports loving country.  In the US or much of Europe, even if you aren’t a sports fan, you know a bit about how the local side is doing that year, you’ll see it on the news, in the papers, and it will definitely be a topic in the office.  Here in China, that’s just not the case, dedicated sports fans who’d seem normal elsewhere are looked upon as freaks.  Well, I’m letting my freak flag fly.

I love Worker’s Stadium on a matchday, it’s such a unique setting, such a unique neighborhood.  It’s not like Highbury, where if you blink you may miss the football stadium, but the area encompasses every possible income and includes a real cross section of the Beijing population.  There are always people hanging around Gongti, typically in the form of old men playing cards or mah jong along Gongti North Road, but you also have those that use this “enclosed space” as a running track or exercise area.  On matchdays, they’re all out in force adding to the surreal feeling of it all, 40,000 people will descend on this area in a couple hours, the police and “yellow cows” are setting up and yet these old guys are living in their own little bubble.

On matchday afternoons (or increasingly in Beijing, evenings), a sea of green starts descending on Gongti 2-3 hours before match time, as people start flowing in from the subway lines to the east and west of the stadium.  The KFC just east of the stadium serves as a meeting spot and quickly gets overrun by people.  Others hit up the Jingkelong next door for snacks and water before the match.  Though the stadium is right in the midst of Beijing’s most popular bar area, few fans stop off in the bars, though there’s always a decent contingent of westerners who head to the Den for prematch beverages.  At this time, the merchandise sellers also start coming out, people pulling up their cars in front of the stadium and popping open the trunk or carrying bags full of Guoan gear on the back of their bike, setting up their little “shop” on the sidewalks around the stadium.

There’s an excitement in the air, you keep passing by people in green and giving them the look, you’re both in the same club, one that the tourists around the Village and Yashow have no clue about, and it adds to the tense butterflies in your stomach about how your beloved Men in Green will do that day.

Maybe you grab a drink at the Den or a snack at the KFC, pick up a newspaper for halftime at the newsstand outside the KFC, or look to see if there are any new offerings from the souvenier sellers along Gongti North.  While the Guoan players are tucked away inside their rooms along the southwest part of the stadium, you know the away team will pull into the west gate about an hour before the match and maybe you head there to “greet” them before going through security.

Once you’re inside the security, if you’re like me (ie fat), maybe you stop off at Stadium Dog for a hot dog and a beer as you peruse the latest sports news in the paper you bought.  Or you meet up with other Guoan friends before you head inside to your seats.

You settle into your seat and watch warmups, see who Pacheco has in the starting lineup (hopefully it won’t be like the days of Hong Yuanshuo when every game would be an unwelcomed surprise) and see if you recognize any of the people sitting around you.  You stand up with your scarf when the players come out onto the pitch, sing the national anthem, and scream your head off for the next 90 minutes or so.

After the match, you hopefully leave the stadium on a high, seeing your beloved Guoan secure 3 more points and head off into the night.  A block over at Sanlitun, the country’s most famous bar street, nobody even knows there’s a football match going on, but you’re a member of a 40,000 plus club, and you take that joy with you as you return to “normalcy” with your other friends over a beer at Sanlitun.

Cheers, drink up, here’s to another Guoan victory.