What is the challenge for Song Lam Nghe An?

After 9 rounds, Michael Olaha and his teammates have only managed to secure a meager 5 points from 5 draws and 4 losses. Currently, Song Lam Nghe An is temporarily sitting second to last in the standings, and the gap between them and the team at the bottom is a precarious 1 point.

Over the past period, the management, coaching staff, and players ofLam River, Nghe AnHe made great efforts to help the team overcome the crisis, notably by replacing Pham Anh Tuan with Mr. Phan Nhu Thuat as head coach. However, the Nghe An team continued to stagnate.

"You can't make a cake without flour," the return of coach Phan Như Thuật is not enough to help Song Lam Nghe An immediately transform. This is because the team from Nghe An currently possesses a squad that is both weak and lacking compared to the general standard of the V.League (the average age of Song Lam Nghe An is 21.9 years old).

"I hope the players who performed well will recover and return soon. Especially in the second phase of the season, I hope to have more players to support the team," the coach shared after Song Lam Nghe An's 0-5 defeat against The Cong - Viettel in the 9th round, which took place on November 19th.

Observing the recent playing style of the Nghe An team, it's clear they lack a playmaking midfielder – a true "orchestrator" on the field. Players like Nguyen Quang Vinh, Dang Quang Tu, Nguyen Xuan Binh, and Nguyen Trong Tuan are only strong in one-on-one challenges and defensive duties from a distance.

Meanwhile, the most anticipated player, Dinh Xuan Tien, has shown signs of slowing down after a period of internal disciplinary action. Furthermore, the player from Nam Dan district is currently recovering from an injury. It can be said that the midfield of the Vinh-based team has an excess of "workhorse" players and a lack of "artistic" talent.

Therefore, Song Lam Nghe An always only plays one style: passive defense and counter-attack, leaving the responsibility of scoring goals to the foreign duo Michael Olaha and Benjamin Kuku to "do it themselves". Naturally, they are often starved of the ball and get lost in the tight encirclement of opposing defenders.

If they can recruit a midfielder like Ho Khac Ngoc, it's very likely that the aforementioned problem will be satisfactorily resolved. Possessing a refined individual technique, sharp tactical vision, and extensive match experience, the player born in 1992 will make Song Lam Nghe An's playing style smoother and more dangerous.

Currently, Ho Khac Ngoc is considered surplus to requirements at Thep Xanh Nam Dinh, as he is not being utilized properly by coach Vu Hong Viet. Hopefully, the midfielder nicknamed "Fabregas of Nghe An" will have the opportunity to return.Vinh StadiumTo rescue their hometown team, which is in a critical situation./.