Is SLNA's coaching staff's faith in Olaha blind?

(Baonghean.vn) - Yet another match where striker Olaha failed to score despite having numerous good opportunities. Many experts and fans in Nghe An have voiced their desire for the SLNA coaching staff to take decisive action and bench the 1997-born player. Would that be fair to the Nigerian striker?

"Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners."

Witnessing SLNA's official starting lineup for the match against SHB Da Nang, many were surprised to see Olaha, a player who has been a major disappointment, still in the starting XI. The somewhat conservative decision by the SLNA coaching staff is truly puzzling, especially considering the team's need for a necessary change to overcome their morale and form issues. Could it be that the Nigerian striker is receiving too much preferential treatment at the club?

Clearly, in terms of his role as a striker, Olaha has not performed well. After 7 matches, the Nigerian forward remains ineffective in front of the opponent's goal. Compared to his teammate Henry – who has scored 6 goals for SLNA – Olaha's performance is truly shameful. In the match against SHB Da Nang alone, the 1997-born striker had no fewer than 4 clear-cut chances created by his teammates, but all were wasted in a regrettable and regrettable manner.

While his teammate Henry (15) kept scoring... Photo courtesy

However, a closer look at his actual position on the field reveals that Olaha wasn't primarily responsible for scoring goals for the team. Compared to his teammate Henry, the Nigerian striker played deeper, closer to the central midfielders. Olaha's role wasn't just to support the attack and find the back of the net; the 1997-born midfielder also took on a defensive role. Throughout the match, Olaha diligently tackled and intercepted the ball whenever the opponent launched an attack.

With his good physique and long stride, Olaha adds a lot of muscle to SLNA's midfield. Thanks to Olaha, the midfield of the Nghe An team is noticeably stronger. Except for the loss to FLC Thanh Hoa on the opening day of the V.League, in recent matches, SLNA's midfield has somewhat demonstrated its strength by dominating in one-on-one challenges. This is a positive sign compared to previous seasons, when the Nghe An players often had to resort to rough play, sometimes excessively so, to defend against and overwhelm their opponents.

Furthermore, Olaha possesses quite skillful individual technique. His ball control, one-two passes, and group combinations with his teammates are like keys unlocking the door to the opponent's goal. With Olaha on the field, the opposing team's defense is forced to concentrate maximum effort to stop him, creating many gaps for Phi Son, Khac Ngoc, The Cuong, Henry, etc., to exploit. The clearest evidence of this was in the recent match against SHB Da Nang.

Olaha's deep-lying position, along with Khac Ngoc and Van Vinh, formed a midfield triangle. The mobility and enthusiasm of this trio completely overwhelmed SHB Da Nang's midfield, cutting off their attack from the forwards. Although SLNA fell behind in the first half and only managed a successful comeback in the last 10 minutes, it's fair to say that the Nghe An team dominated the game with numerous scoring opportunities. The 2-1 victory was a well-deserved reward for the tireless efforts of Olaha and his teammates.

Olaha frequently misses golden opportunities created by his teammates. (Photo: Archival image)

Just look at how Khac Ngoc and Phi Son are playing better than in previous seasons, and you'll see the significant contribution of striker Olaha. Goals are a basis for evaluating a striker's ability, but it's not the only factor. In Olaha's case, goals alone cannot be used to underestimate the contributions of the 1997-born striker to SLNA's overall play. And let's not forget another equally important number: assists. Up to this point, after 7 matches in the V. League 2017, Olaha has provided 3 assists for Henry to score.

Referring to the Nigerian striker's form, right-back Nguyen Sy Nam shared: "Olaha has excellent skills and a very good training attitude. Although he hasn't scored any goals yet, his contributions to the team's overall play are undeniable. The coaching staff and teammates always have faith in Olaha." Indeed, for a young striker who is just starting out in the V. League like Olaha, encouragement, trust, and support from those around him are essential for him to shine.

The SLNA coaching staff's patience with Olaha is completely understandable. Hopefully, in the upcoming matches, everyone will witness goals from the 1997-born striker for the Nghe An team.

Thanh Hung