Huu Thang and the lessons learned from the 2016 AFF Cup.

(Baonghean.vn) - Our national team's failure at the 2016 AFF Cup was closely linked to the injuries of midfielders Ngo Hoang Thinh and Tuan Anh. While the coaching staff had Xuan Truong as a replacement for playmaker Tuan Anh, the loss of Ngo Hoang Thinh left a disastrous void in the defense.

It can be said that in 2016, midfielder Ngo Hoang Thinh was Coach Huu Thang's trump card in the 4-1-4-1 tactical formation in the defense. With good physique and stamina, and a powerful long-range shot, Hoang Thinh was a ball-winning machine, tasked with recovering the ball so that the duo of Xuan Truong and Tuan Anh could focus on attacking.

In reality, playing the defensive midfielder position is quite difficult. Besides good physical fitness and a tall stature to compete in one-on-one duels and aerial duels with opposing strikers, one must also possess excellent tactical awareness. Even in English football, it took a long time for an outstanding central midfielder like N'Golo Kanté to emerge, let alone in Vietnamese football.

Lessons from the 2016 AFF Cup

Being a forward-thinking coach, Huu Thang had intended to find a backup player for Ngo Hoang Thinh, but ultimately, for various reasons, he placed all his trust in his pupil. Therefore, when Hoang Thinh suffered an injury, Coach Huu Thang was quite at a loss as he lacked a suitable replacement. The coaching staff had to move Trong Hoang to the midfield, and at times used Le Van Thang, but neither had the specialized skills to support the defensive aspect.

Ultimately, Huu Thang's AFF Cup 2016 ended in failure due to Hoang Thinh's injury. It's worth noting that players in this position are very prone to injury because they constantly face opposing attackers.

Duy Mạnh is a talented young player of Hanoi FC. Photo: Internet

Currently, in preparation for the 29th SEA Games, Coach Huu Thang has Duy Manh at his disposal, a good defensive midfielder for the Vietnam U22 team. His aggressive and intelligent playing style earned him the title of Best Young Player in the V-League 2015; despite his young age, he already has considerable experience.

It can be said that Duy Mạnh and center-back Tiến Dũng are currently the leaders of the U.22 Vietnam defense, as goalkeeper Tiến Dũng and Phí Minh Long are both experiencing inconsistent form. Finding a partner for Tiến Dũng in the center-back position is a headache for coach Hữu Thắng because Văn Khánh hasn't inspired confidence, and Tấn Sinh and Đình Trọng still have some limitations.

The strength of the player from Dong Anh (Hanoi) is that he can play both center back and central midfielder. The loss against South Korea showed that the defensive capabilities of the Tuan Anh - Xuan Truong pairing were not good, and Duy Manh was still needed. When Duy Manh moved up to replace the injured Tuan Anh at the beginning of the second half, the U22 Vietnam team's midfield finally gained control of the ball.

In a 4-1-4-1 formation, Duy Mạnh is the obvious choice for the defensive midfield position because of his proven ability to intercept passes. Even in a 4-4-2 formation, if facing a strong opponent, the coaching staff wouldn't dare risk using the attacking midfield pairing of Tuấn Anh and Xuân Trường.

In other words, Huu Thang can only use one of the two players above to partner with Duy Manh, meaning Duy Manh always has a starting spot in any formation, not to mention when he needs to drop back to play center back.

With a position that requires a lot of mobility and physical exertion in each match, Duy Mạnh is unlikely to start all five group stage matches at the SEA Games 29, not to mention the possibility of yellow cards or injuries. Furthermore, Duy Mạnh has a history of serious injuries (a torn talus cartilage in the ankle) in the V-League 2017, which kept him out of action for four weeks.

Looking for a defensive midfielder

Certainly, having only Duy Mạnh as an option for the defensive midfield position would raise concerns, similar to what happened with Hoàng Thịnh.

Midfielder Duy Mạnh has a playing style similar to his senior teammate Hoàng Thịnh. Photo: Internet

The U22 Vietnam coaching staff has three more training matches to find backup players for the versatile Duy Mạnh. Usually, coaches will choose from a list of 10 midfielders or try out center-backs Tấn Sinh or Đình Trọng in this position.

Some football experts even suggested that Van Hau, a young player from Hanoi FC, had played in this position when he was in the youth team. Even Lam Ti Phong (Sanna.KH) was deployed as a central midfielder by coach Dinh Tan thanks to his tall stature and aggressive ball-winning ability.

It's unclear what coach Huu Thang will plan to do with all the issues that need resolving before flying to Malaysia.

AT