Expect Cong Phuong to shine from the bench?
(Baonghean.vn) - In 2019, every time the national team gathered, Cong Phuong was one of the most mentioned names. The team's goal-scoring is a problem that Mr. Park Hang-seo is worried about, because he cannot let the back line always score goals for the strikers.
The defense has been relatively stable after 3 matches, only conceding 1 goal against Indonesia. The trio of central defenders led by Que Ngoc Hai are playing well, so he does not need to add new personnel. Even central defender Le Van Dai will likely be on the waiting list, 3/5 of the players who were just eliminated will be in the defense.
Headache in attack
The fact that he has added three strikers Tien Linh, Trong Hung and Hoang Duc from U22 Vietnam to the national team shows that Mr. Park is not really assured. The biggest headache is still the use of Cong Phuong - who has been left out of the team for 10 consecutive matches. Cong Phuong only started in one match in the World Cup qualifier against Malaysia but was replaced in the 63rd minute.
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| For 10 consecutive matches, Cong Phuong has not been registered by Sint-Truidense. Photo: Sint-Truidense. |
For the attacking midfielder position, Mr. Park will choose 2 out of 5 names, respectively Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Van Toan, Nguyen Cong Phuong, Nguyen Trong Hung and Nguyen Hoang Duc. It seems that Cong Phuong has to accept giving up his position to Quang Hai and Van Toan.
The default left wing position is reserved for the current Vietnamese Golden Ball, the current best player in Southeast Asia. On the right wing, there is no reason for Mr. Park to eliminate Van Toan, a player who has started 5 consecutive matches for the national team, playing consistently for HAGL with 9 goals in V.League 2019.
But with playing in the attack, Cong Phuong has not scored in the past 10 months (his last goal was on January 20 against Jordan at the Asian Cup), making him compete with Nguyen Trong Hung and Nguyen Hoang Duc.
As of the Cercle Brugge match in the early morning of November 10, Cong Phuong has not been registered for Sint-Truidense for the 10th consecutive match. Every time the Vietnamese team competes, Cong Phuong only returns home 2-3 days before the match and the lack of ball feeling is the most serious problem for Cong Phuong at the moment.
The advantage of "destiny" to score goals
Cong Phuong’s only advantage is his “luck” to score against West Asian teams. Up to now, this Nghe An boy has scored 5 goals against West Asian teams thanks to his dribbling style that breaks the flanks of tall players. In the 16.5m area, Cong Phuong’s dribbling style always makes the opponent uncomfortable.
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| This Nghe An boy has scored 5 goals against West Asian teams by dribbling to break the flanks of tall players. Photo: VPF |
At the 2019 ASIAN Cup, Cong Phuong scored 2 goals. Interestingly, both goals were scored against West Asian teams Iraq and Jordan. This made the team's coaching staff believe that in the current team, Cong Phuong is a nightmare for West Asian teams.
Take small chances
Since the King's Cup, Cong Phuong has only been the second option, he has started 4/5 matches. So in the upcoming match against UAE, Cong Phuong will hardly have a chance to start and whether he can come on from the bench or not depends a lot on the situation on the field.
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| Missed quite a few chances and not having the best ball sense, but Cong Phuong's presence caused many difficulties for the Malaysian defense. Photo courtesy of Xuan Thuy |
If simple, fast and defensive play is needed, Trong Hung and Hoang Duc will have an advantage over Cong Phuong. Mr. Park needs a new choice for the attacking midfielder position. The pressure on Cong Phuong is getting bigger and bigger as the Vietnam team is about to welcome the return of Phan Van Duc. The current Vietnam Bronze Ball is recovering every day and the level of this SLNA player is beyond question.
