A golden opportunity for Song Lam Nghe An to secure their first victory.

Issues that need to be addressed

Following the draw in the match between SHB Da Nang and Hai Phong,Lam River, Nghe AnThey've returned to their familiar position at the bottom of the league table. If they don't secure three points soon, coach Pham Anh Tuan's team will be in a precarious situation. Even more worrying is that Song Lam Nghe An still has shortcomings that are not easy to overcome.

Besides showing promising signs in their attacking capabilities, the weakness in their defense is an issue that Song Lam Nghe An needs to quickly improve if they don't want to remain stuck at the bottom of the league table.

However, this is not an easy problem to solve. It's clear that Song Lam Nghe An is going through a "nightmare" period, having lost many key players due to injuries. After round 5, the defense of the Vinh-based team is further devastated as center-back Ho Khac Luong has just been added to the list of players sidelined for at least a month.

Previously, names like Tran Nam Hai, Tran Dinh Hoang, Phan Ba ​​Quyen, Nguyen Mai Hoang... were also among the ranks of "injured soldiers".

Fortunately for coach Pham Anh Tuan, center-back Le Nguyen Hoang has recovered in time to be able to play.

However, in the three-center-back formation that Song Lam Nghe An is currently employing, who would be the most capable player to be chosen for that role? It's undeniable that coach Pham Anh Tuan currently doesn't have many options to partner with Nguyen Hoang and Zaracho. Center-backs like Le Van Thanh and Phan Van Thanh, while technically skilled, lack the experience and composure necessary for a center-back playing in a fierce competition like the V-League.

On the wing, with bad luck still plaguing Ho Van Cuong, Song Lam Nghe An has yet to find a suitable replacement. Furthermore, the defensive midfield position is perhaps the biggest concern for coach Pham Anh Tuan. Frankly speaking, with Phan Ba ​​Quyen injured, Quang Tu and Xuan Binh are not yet able to meet the requirements for the defensive midfield role.

Besides the squad crisis, the way Song Lam Nghe An's defensive system operates still raises many concerns and issues worth discussing. If the coaching staff of Nghe An does not have a plan to "cover both flanks" between the full-backs and center-backs, then Song Lam Nghe An's goal will continue to face constant threats.

Furthermore, Song Lam Nghe An's ability to defend against second-team situations is also showing many shortcomings. The goals conceded against Nam Dinh and Binh Dinh are evidence of this. The coaching staff of Nghe An needs to develop a plan for players to mark opponents and position themselves correctly when not in possession of the ball.

If these shortcomings can be addressed, then securing 3 points for Song Lam Nghe An in round 6 is not an impossible task.

A golden opportunity to win.

Song Lam Nghe An's opponent in round 6, Ho Chi Minh City FC, is also in a less than favorable situation. Two consecutive defeats, along with a draw in a near-defeat situation, in the V-League have ended Ho Chi Minh City FC's short honeymoon period. Previously, coach Phung Thanh Phuong's team had a fairly bright start, drawing with Viettel in the opening match and winning against Binh Dinh in the second round.

However, similar to the limitations faced by Song Lam Nghe An, Ho Chi Minh City Club also showed weaknesses in their defense.

Last year, the team from the South finished 4th thanks to one of the best defenses in the league. However, this season, the "red battleship" has conceded 5 goals in just 5 rounds. This has resulted in the departure of several talented defenders such as Van Kien, Ngoc Duc, Tung Quoc, and Minh Tung… It's clear that Ho Chi Minh City FC's defense is currently quite fragile, even though they still have the talented goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang in goal.

Therefore, this will be an opportunity for the duo of Olaha and Kuku, along with the surrounding players of Song Lam Nghe An, to break through. This is even more likely considering that in the last three rounds, Kuku has shown quite high form and played very well with his compatriot Olaha.

Furthermore, the history of their encounters also provides a psychological boost for coach Pham Anh Tuan's team as they confidently welcome the "red battleship". Specifically, in the last 6 meetings, Song Lam Nghe An has won 3 times and lost only once.

Based on the above observations, it can be affirmed that facing Ho Chi Minh City FC is a golden opportunity for Song Lam Nghe An to secure their first victory of the new season.

The match between Song Lam Nghe An and Ho Chi Minh City Club will take place at Vinh Stadium at 6:00 PM on November 2nd.