Hanoi FC vs. SLNA: Who will replace Pham Xuan Manh?

A major setback for the team from Nghe An province.

Having just returned from the ASIAD 18 tournament, Pham Xuan Manh and Phan Van Duc had to put on their boots and take to the field to face FLC Thanh Hoa in the second leg of the 2018 National Cup semi-final.

A 2-3 day break is not enough for Pham Xuan Manh to fully recover his fitness after the intense and fierce matches he played for the Vietnamese Olympic team. Don't forget, before joining the national team, Manh "Kalou" suffered an injury and was unable to play in the first leg of the semi-final against FLC Thanh Hoa (July 25th).

The decision to field the duo of Pham Xuan Manh and Phan Van Duc from the start in the match on September 5th was a risky move by the SLNA coaching staff.

Actually, we should sympathize with coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his colleagues, because the two players from Yen Thanh are among the most important players for the Nghe An team this season. Due to the "do or die" nature of the match, the SLNA coaching staff had no choice but to use Pham Xuan Manh and Phan Van Duc in the starting lineup.

Pham Xuan Manh will be sidelined for about a month due to injury.Photo: Trung Kien

Unfortunately, the calculations of coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his colleagues did not yield the expected results. SLNA lost to FLC Thanh Hoa 0-4 and were eliminated, while Pham Xuan Manh and Phan Van Duc suffered injuries of varying degrees.

According to SLNA's doctors, Pham Xuan Manh will be sidelined for approximately one month. This is a significant loss, negatively impacting the strength of the Nghe An team. Simply put, Pham Xuan Manh's importance to SLNA is considerable.

The question now is, who will replace Mạnh “Kalou” at left back?

Currently, coach Nguyen Duc Thang has Pham Manh Hung, Vo Ngoc Duc, and Ho Sy Sam – players who can play on the left flank of the defense. It's worth noting that all three of these players have not earned the trust of the SLNA coaching staff due to their poor performances in the past.

Why not Hung "the crossbar"?

Objectively speaking, among the three players mentioned, Vo Ngoc Duc is the only one whose forte is playing as a left-back and who made a good impression (at the end of the 2014 season). However, in recent seasons, Vo Ngoc Duc has not been favored by the SLNA coaching staff. It seems that the chances for the player from Quynh Luu to be a "replacement" for Pham Xuan Manh are very slim.

The next player in a similar situation to Vo Ngoc Duc is Ho Sy Sam. Although he was once moved to play as a left-back by the SLNA coaching staff, the player, whose forte is playing as a central midfielder, has not been able to show much. Therefore, the possibility of Ho Sy Sam filling the position left vacant by Pham Xuan Manh is almost non-existent.

If Vo Ngoc Duc faces difficulties and Ho Sy Sam faces difficulties, then opportunities will open up for Pham Manh Hung.

Pham Manh Hung (number 33) is the best choice to replace Pham Xuan Manh. (Photo courtesy)

Since last season, Pham Manh Hung has regularly played at left back whenever Pham Xuan Manh is absent or has left the field.

However, the player born in 1993 often makes extremely costly mistakes. The slip that led to Nguyen Trong Hoang's goal, or the foul that resulted in a red card in the SLNA 0-4 FLC Thanh Hoa match, are clear examples. Hung "the crossbar" not only has inconsistent form, but also lacks mental stability in matches.

However, given the current circumstances, the SLNA coaching staff is still considering using Pham Manh Hung the most. The 25-year-old defender has good physique and stamina, and can also move inwards to play as a third center-back alongside Que Ngoc Hai and Hoang Van Khanh.

In the match against Hanoi FC, Pham Manh Hung will be the optimal choice to help SLNA's defense neutralize Hoang Vu Samson, Oseni, and others of the home team. In short, replacing Pham Xuan Manh with Hung "the crossbar" is a logical choice.