When will Song Lam Nghe An escape its cycle of 'only draws and losses'?

The match in round 8 of V-League 1 2024-2025 at Hoa Xuan Stadium between Song Lam Nghe An and Quang Nam (1-1) was the first away match of the season for the head coach.Phan Nhu ThuatAlthough they didn't achieve the ideal result they hoped for, a draw was enough to help the home team escape the bottom of the table, temporarily moving them up to 12th place out of 14 teams.

While Nhu Thuat's return to coaching has revealed some fresh aspects under the "making do with what you have" approach, it also hints at the risks ahead if the team's roster is not strengthened or replaced.

First of all, Olaha's opening goal in this match was the result of unexpected and unconventional combinations that caught the opponent off guard… this is the most commendable aspect of the team under Phan Như Thuật. The skillful backheel passes, contrary to the opponent's expectations, from the foreign duo Olaha and Kuku, the excellent run and reverse pass from playmaker Xuân Tiến, and Olaha's neat left-footed finish truly represent a perfect 10 for the excellent coordination of the three most effective attacking players of Sông Lam Nghệ An currently. In the first half, Sông Lam Nghệ An played several short passes quite effectively, transitioning quickly, but unfortunately only succeeded once.

But, as in previous encounters, Quang Nam often relied on their large number of foreign players. In the first half, they wore down Song Lam Nghe An's young players, and in the second half, they brought on more foreign players to finish off their opponent. This time, Quang Nam was trailing and VAR repeatedly denied penalties, but the home team's three foreign players finally found an equalizer in the middle of the second half, even though head coach Van Sy Son received a red card and was forced to leave the technical area and sit in the stands.

Quang Nam's equalizer in round 8 and Quy Nhon Binh Dinh's two equalizers in round 6 both followed a similar "script" and demonstrated that Song Lam Nghe An's defense is currently not strong enough to hold onto their lead. Of course, when talking about the defense here, we're not just referring to the three central defenders, but also the five midfielders who failed to adequately defend from afar. For example, the defenders couldn't contain Phan Thanh Hau, allowing this skillful midfielder to deliver dangerous passes from both wings, including a perfectly placed pass for Samson to control the ball and set up Costa for the valuable goal in the aforementioned match.

It should also be noted that, against equally matched opponents like SHB Da Nang, Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, or Quang Nam, despite changing coaches and showing some improvement, Song Lam Nghe An remained unable to secure a win, even when they had at least two clear-cut opportunities, albeit away from home. Clearly, injuries haven't healed, so Van Cuong and Nam Hai haven't shown their former strength; Nam Hai even made serious defensive errors, while Ba Quyen and Van Dai are still unavailable.

Song Lam Nghe An doesn't buy overseas Vietnamese players, doesn't have naturalized players, and certainly doesn't have any foreign players as backups for their trio of foreign players Olaha, Kuku, and Zaracho, so their overall strength can't compare to other V-League teams. If they struggle against bottom-of-the-table teams like Hanoi FC, The Cong Viettel, or Hanoi Police in the upcoming rounds, how will coach Phan Nhu Thuat manage to even secure a lucky draw, let alone a win, given the unpredictable nature of football?

Let's recall the matches against strong teams like Nam Dinh Green Steel (1-4), Dong A Thanh Hoa (0-1) to see that the young Song Lam players and the foreign players running at full capacity are actually very easy opponents for big-invested, high-ambition teams to play against.

It should also be said that, without adjustments and investment, even if the harsh reality demands it, Song Lam Nghe An's "draw and loss" streak will continue, dragging on under the fatigue and pressure of the coaching staff and players, and the disappointment of experts and fans. The coaching staff and players have tried their best and shown great willingness to improve, but the results remain limited, meaning the "ball" is now in the hands of the current leadership and investors.