The quality of Song Lam Nghe An's foreign players and concerns

The fear of losing in a "6-point" match

After a hard-fought draw against the championship candidate Cong An Ha Noi in round 7, Nghe An fans have placed high hopes on Song Lam Nghe An when the home team returns to Vinh Stadium to welcome Dong A Thanh Hoa. This is a match in which, in theory, SLNA has more advantages. Thanh Hoa is in a period of crisis with internal instability, has not had a single victory since the beginning of the season and is stuck at the bottom of the table. If they win all 3 points, it will not only be a simple victory but also be considered an important "6-point" match in the journey to find a positive position on the rankings.

However, the result disappointed everyone. SLNA unexpectedly lost to their neighboring team in a match where they were not allowed to leave empty-handed. That defeat pushed them down to 12th place on the rankings, only above Da Nang and Hoang Anh Gia Lai (but the mountain town team played 1 less match). Meanwhile, the first victory helped Thanh Hoa surpass SLNA to temporarily rise to 11th place.

Although the season has only gone through 8 rounds, this failure is really a warning bell. If changes are not made soon, SLNA will be caught in the relegation spiral like the scenario that happened last season. What makes Nghe An fans most worried comes from the names expected in the foreign players.

Disillusioned with foreign soldiers

Looking back at the defeat against Thanh Hoa, it can be said that SLNA deserved a draw. They created many clear chances, while the away team only had a few dangerous situations. But football is sometimes harsh in that just a small mistake is enough to make the team pay the price. And in this defeat, it is undeniable that there were individual mistakes in the defense, but more deeply, the problem lies in the quality of personnel, especially the group of foreign players.

Last season, SLNA had to struggle in the relegation race when foreign players did not meet expectations. Fans had hoped that things would be different this season when the team had early preparations in terms of force. However, after 8 rounds, disappointment was still evident in the performances of Enrique and Dale Moore.

Striker Dale Moore, who was expected to be the main striker, showed a very worrying performance. Except for 1 goal since the beginning of the season, the mark that this striker left was mainly slowness, lack of cohesion and indecision. Despite having a good physique, Moore did not know how to take advantage of that advantage in disputes and finishing. He played the ball heavily, superficially, lacked connection with his teammates and almost did not create pressure on the opponent's defense. The rough foul in the match against Hanoi Police that earned him a red card further blurred the image of this foreign player in the eyes of fans.

If Moore has been disappointing up front, Enrique has been no better in midfield. Despite being deployed in central midfield, he has been largely unable to link up or organise play. Enrique can compete but lacks pace, is weak in handling situations and has limited passing ability. He lacks the technical ability to keep the ball under pressure, nor is he able to make accurate long passes that open up opportunities for his teammates.

A typical situation occurred in the first half of the match against Thanh Hoa when SLNA was organizing a counter-attack. Enrique received the ball in the middle, while on the left wing Van Luong was moving freely. If he had sent an open pass to the wing, SLNA could have created a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper. However, due to lack of technique and confidence, Enrique chose to hand the ball to Van Cuong, causing the attack to slow down and lose the opportunity. This was a clear demonstration of the midfielder's limited expertise.

In reality, both Moore and Enrique have not yet achieved the quality required of a V.League foreign player. They are not sharp enough to create breakthroughs, nor are they solid enough to become a support. With what they are showing, these two players do not create a difference but also make SLNA easier to predict. Coach Van Sy Son himself has frankly admitted that the current foreign players have not reached the common level of the tournament.

Without changes, SLNA will find it difficult to improve its position on the rankings. In a team where the majority of domestic players are average players in the V.League, the leadership role of foreign players becomes even more important. When those who are expected to be the mainstay fail to fulfill their duties, the system can easily collapse in a chain reaction.

It can be said that Song Lam Nghe An is really disillusioned with the foreign players they have placed their trust in. The team needs to quickly re-evaluate the effectiveness of these contracts to make timely changes when the mid-season transfer window opens. If they continue to endure, SLNA will most likely fall into a difficult situation at the bottom of the table, fighting in fear of relegation, a scenario that no one wants to see again in one of the most traditional football teams in Vietnam.