Persija Jakarta have lost the top position in the 2026/2027 Super League Standings after Dewa United beat PSIM Yogyakarta 2-1 on Friday (6/11/2026). This situation acts as a warning for Shin Tae-yong, who carries the ambition to lead Macan Kemayoran to claim the championship title as an anniversary gift for Jakarta's 500th year in 2027.
Based on the latest standings, Dewa United leads the table with 20 points from nine matches. Persija dropped to second place with 18 points, but still holds one game in hand.
Prior to this, Persija suffered two consecutive defeats at Banten International Stadium. Macan Kemayoran first fell 2-3 to Persita Tangerang, before also losing 1-2 to Dewa United.
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These two poor results drew attention from Football Analyst Ronny Pangemanan. Speaking on the ITSMe podcast, the observer known as Bung Ropan noted that the top flight title race is extremely tight this season. Madura United have already collected 17 points, while Bali United and Persib Bandung each hold 16 points.
According to Ronny, Persija cannot afford to drop any more points, as staying in contention for the title will only grow more difficult. This situation has naturally become a major concern for the Jakmania supporters, who hope Persija will bounce back quickly and regain consistent performance throughout their championship hunt.
Persebaya Fixture Becomes Critical Test Without Shin Tae-yong
Persija desperately need a win when they host Persebaya Surabaya at Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) on Saturday (7/11/2026). Securing all three points will take Persija to 21 total points and open the path to return to the top of the standings.
However, the challenge becomes far heavier as Shin Tae-yong will be unable to lead the squad from the touchline. The South Korean head coach is still recovering after being diagnosed with Influenza Type A, having previously received hospital treatment.
Ronny expressed hope that Persija can repeat their positive response after defeat, similar to when they thrashed Arema FC 5-1 immediately following their loss to Persita.
Even so, Persebaya are not an easy opponent. Football Analyst Firzie Idris assessed that the side nicknamed Bajul Ijo are highly effective at converting scoring chances. While they have only lost once in the league so far, Persebaya have dropped points multiple times via drawn matches, including fixtures against Persijap and Garuda Yaksa.
Jeremjev's Finishing Form And Rotation Issues
For Persija, Alexander Jeremjev's goalscoring sharpness remains the team's primary attacking reliance. The striker has already scored 6 goals from 8 matches. Shin had previously tried pairing him with Ivan Mahmud during the Dewa United fixture.
Firzie highlighted the rotation and substitution decisions made by Shin Tae-yong against Dewa United. Shin brought on Fabio Silva, Arlyansyah Abdulmanan, Pratama Arhan, Jordi Amat and Kerim Memija to adjust the team's gameplay. However, Persija struggled to maintain tactical balance after Dony Tri Pamungkas received a red card in the 65th minute.
Pratama Arhan's full 90 minute performance also came under observation. There are expectations for him to provide more varied on-pitch contributions, rather than only relying on his long throw-ins.
Meanwhile, Ronny reminded that criticism over a coach's tactical choices almost always emerges immediately after a team suffers defeat. Dips in form are a normal part of competitive football dynamics, even experienced by elite clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona.
This discussion was recorded as part of the ITSMe podcast featuring Ronny Pangemanan and Firzie Idris, hosted by Raisha and Gilang Respaty at Sentul Studio, Bogor on Thursday (5/11/2026).
Following the Persebaya match, Persija will next travel for an away fixture against PSM Makassar on 21 November 2026. For Shin Tae-yong, the core challenge is now restoring Persija's consistent form, to ensure their ambition of delivering a championship title for Jakarta's 500th Anniversary does not remain nothing more than an unmet target.
