The tactical revolution of Song Lam Nghe An

Before the V-League took a break to make way for the national team's participation in the 2024 ASEAN Cup, coach Phan Như Thuật had only been on the sidelines for two matches.Lam River, Nghe An.

In those two matches, the home team in Vinh did not achieve positive results. The heavy defeat against Viettel, in particular, shows that the coach from Nghe An still has a lot of work to do.

For nearly two months, the limitations and weaknesses of Song Lam Nghe An were analyzed by the coaching staff of Nghe An province to identify the causes and find solutions.

The most prominent weakness lies in the defensive line. Song Lam Nghe An's defense is too fragile, careless, and prone to errors in its operation, coupled with the inexperience of individual players. All of these factors combine to make Song Lam Nghe An easily concede goals at any time. It must be said that without a solid defense, Song Lam Nghe An will struggle to achieve positive results.

Recognizing that rebuilding the defense was crucial, after the V-League break, coach Phan Như Thuật and his colleagues met and agreed to develop a new tactical approach for Song Lam Nghe An. The coaching staff chose a 4-2-3-1 formation. In this system, coach Phan Như Thuật will prioritize a defensive counter-attacking strategy in their approach to matches.

Looking back at the recent friendly match against Hong Linh Ha Tinh, it's clear that with the current squad, Song Lam Nghe An seems to be heading in the right direction. The Song Lam Nghe An defense operated effectively, with players providing better cover for each other. Importantly, the team from Nghe An minimized the number of passes into the gaps between the opposing center-backs and full-backs. Furthermore, their defensive capabilities in subsequent situations have also improved.

In this new formation, Song Lam Nghe An has also effectively transitioned from defense to attack. Specifically, striker Olaha has been moved to play as the furthest forward in Song Lam Nghe An's attack. This has effectively showcased his qualities, such as his ability to play independently and his unpredictable and impactful plays.

In addition, Xuan Tien was also given the opportunity to try his hand at the role of a supporting midfielder. This seems like a suitable position for Xuan Tien to showcase his existing strengths.

Furthermore, the new formation will meet the physical demands on the Song Lam Nghe An players. The midfield will no longer be exhausted and run out of steam towards the end of the match as before.

However, it is still too early to confirm the effectiveness of the tactical revolution that coach Phan Nhu Thuat and his colleagues are bringing to Song Lam Nghe An. And perhaps the match against SHB Da Nang in the 2024/25 National Cup will be a useful warm-up for coach Phan Nhu Thuat's team before the V-League returns.

It can be argued that achieving a high ranking in this year's National Cup is not the goal that Song Lam Nghe An aims for. Given their current predicament at the bottom of the V-League standings, Song Lam Nghe An likely needs this National Cup match as a warm-up before facing the tough challenges of the 2024/25 National Football Championship.