Has Song Lam Nghe An begun to "overcome obstacles"?

(Baonghean.vn) - Leaving aside the points earned, the playing style and tactics in the first three-quarters of the season leave people wondering what strategy coach Quang Truong is employing for SLNA. With a month-long break for the national team, has SLNA finished its warm-up phase and is ready to begin its "overcoming obstacles" phase?

Give him his name back.

The SLNA squad for the 2016 V-League includes two foreign players: striker Odat Onoriode Marshal, number 11, born in 1992, 1.82m tall and weighing 77kg; and Ouattara Baba S. Affoloh, number 68, born in 1990. In 2011 (at the age of 19), striker Odat Onoriode Marshal was called up to the Nigerian U23 national team. After being largely ineffective in the first two matches, he scored in the game against QNK Quang Ninh and has since scored 3 goals, ranking third in the 2016 V-League top scorers list. However, strangely, he has repeatedly clarified that his name is Odah Onoriode Marshal, not Odat Onoriode Marshal as the press often reports. Ironically, Odat Onoriode Marshal's name appears on the SLNA player list on the league organizer's website and in the starting lineups provided to the press by stadium organizers. Clearly, even if it was a "typographical error," it's time to restore the player's correct name, as it relates to FIFA statistics and the players' rights.

SLNA striker Odat's real name isOdah Onoriode Marshal - Photo: Duc Chuyen

Where should Que Ngoc Hai play?

Having started playing as a central midfielder in the match against B.Binh Duong, national team player Que Ngoc Hai performed quite impressively. Returning to the national team, Que Ngoc Hai played his familiar central defender role and performed solidly. He was also the catalyst for an attack that led to Van Toan's goal from a pass over 50 meters in the match against Taiwan. When moved to central midfield in the latter half of the second half against Iraq, Ngoc Hai still performed well, relieving pressure on the national team's defense. In the past, Ngoc Hai has also been able to play as a full-back, seamlessly transitioning between attack and defense. Therefore, deciding where to position Ngoc Hai in the central midfield or central defender position is a difficult decision for coach Quang Truong.

Initially, Quang Trường intended to use the central defensive pairing of Mạnh Hùng and Văn Khánh, but that plan quickly fell through. The Minh Đức-Mạnh Hùng pairing also failed to reassure the coaching staff. Currently, the SLNA coaching staff is assembling a Minh Đức-Văn Khánh pairing, one veteran and one young. Generally, while Minh Đức continues to demonstrate the enthusiasm of a high-class center-back, the young Văn Khánh's ability to choose his position and control unnecessary tackles needs improvement. Clearly, in the current context, experts still lean towards the SLNA coaching staff deploying Ngọc Hải as a central midfielder to strengthen the defense from afar and provide an additional attacking option, which is a weakness of the current SLNA midfield.

Doing ideological work for Baba

Excluding one own goal by Truong Khang (3 Dong Thap), SLNA has scored 64 goals. Three SLNA players scored: Odah Onoriode Marshal (3 goals), Phi Son, and Van Vinh (1 goal each). Ouattara Baba S. Affoloh's desire to score his first goal of the season is understandable and entirely commendable. However, due to requirements, the coaching staff instructed Baba to play deeper and defend, a fairly reasonable decision. In fact, Baba provided an assist for Odah's goal and participated in defense quite well. However, it was observed that Baba seemed impatient under the pressure to score. More than ever, starting from the match against Hanoi, the SLNA coaching staff needs to address this issue for Baba, prioritizing the team's overall victory over individual achievements.

The young SLNA players have gradually regained their form - Photo: Duc Chuyen

Frankly, despite a crucial victory against reigning champions B.Binh Duong at Go Dau Stadium, fans in Nghe An are still not entirely convinced that SLNA has overcome the "warm-up phase." Therefore, only if SLNA plays well and earns three points at Vinh Stadium this weekend against Hanoi FC can we truly say that SLNA is moving on to the "overcoming obstacles" phase.

AT