Mr. Nguyen Thanh Vinh: 'Vietnam should not defend itself comprehensively against Iran'

Xuan Truong (left) and his teammates confirmed that they have put aside their sadness after losing to Iraq and are fully focused on the match with Iran today. Photo:Mr. Khoa.

- Vietnam played fair with Iraq inng for about 60 minutes in the first match against Iraq but lost strength and conceded a goal at the end of the match. In your opinion, will coach Park Hang-seo continue to play like that against Iran or choose a different approach?

- Choosing which approach depends on many factors, from the person, the opponent to the coach's intention. Vietnam is in a weak position with Iran, and it is very difficult to have a perfect choice. Each match has a different situation, but the common point is that the teams now study Vietnam's playing style very carefully. Iran will also have a certain amount of caution with us, clearly shown through the statement of coach Carlos Queiroz and the players. Surely they have watched the video of Vietnam's match against Iraq very carefully to find loopholes in Mr. Park's playing style.

-Do you mean Vietnam will play defensively from the start, like the match against Korea at the 2018 Asiad, then wait for the opportunity in the second half?

- Asian football is getting closer together. In my observation, Vietnam's level of organization and implementation of the game is not much lower than that of the top football teams in the continent. Iran is a strong team, among the top teams in the continent, but that does not mean Vietnam is afraid. In the 2019 Asian Cup, we scored twice against Iraq, the team that beat Iran in the 2015 Asian Cup. That shows that Vietnam always has a chance if it hits the opponent's weak point.

As I said, every playstyle has its own strengths and weaknesses. ButAll-out defense, right from the start of the game like the one against South Korea at the Asiad, is something we should avoid.Iran, like other West Asian teams, is very strong in physical strength. This advantage will be further developed as the match moves towards the final minutes. Vietnam will play cautiously and slowly but need to boldly attack whenever there is an opportunity. It is not impossible that the same style of play as the match against Iraq will be repeated. Repeating the tactics of the previous match is also a way to surprise, especially when teams always think that Mr. Park Hang-seo always changes tactics and personnel in each match.

Park Hang-seo’s assistants prepare training equipment to prevent set-pieces. Since the 2018 AFF Cup, Vietnam has lost many times from dead ball situations. Photo: Anh Khoa

- Vietnam can keep the same approach, but what about human resources?

- The 3-4-3 formation that Mr. Park applied requires a lot from the central midfield position. Vietnam currently does not have any comprehensive player in this position. In the second half of the match against Iraq, the opponent chose to attack from the middle by bringing Humam Tariq onto the field, and many times made Vietnam confused. Both players in the midfield, Xuan Truong and Hung Dung, knew how to coordinate and launch attacks, but did not cover the penalty area well. I think, Mr. Park will replace one of these two positions, maybe both, in the match against Iran because this opponent is rated higher than Iraq.

- The strength of West Asian teams is cross-wing headers and set pieces. What should Vietnam do to limit the danger?

- Iran can be considered the strongest team in West Asia at present, but their playing style still has many characteristics of football in this region in general, which is based on strength. Vietnam has a lot of experience in confronting this style of play, from the U23 Asian Cup to the 2018 Asian Games, and recently the match against Iraq. Each player has learned a lot of experience for themselves, how to avoid falling into a losing situation every time they compete one-on-one. Another thing is that they need to avoid personal mistakes.

Looking back at the goals conceded from set pieces, it is clear that the Vietnamese players must blame themselves first. They lacked observation and wisdom at sensitive moments. The fouls, most of them, were not deserved, not because the opponent often forced us to do so.The only thing to do, I think, is to remind the players to stay focused and alert.As for playing style, zonal defense or other tactical points, the players probably have memorized them after a year working with Mr. Park.

Coach Park Hang-seo sees the match against Iran as an opportunity for Vietnamese players to challenge themselves. Photo: Anh Khoa.

-How do you rate Vietnam's hopes of getting points?

- Based on the first two rounds of Group B and C, the possibility of the third-placed team in these two groups having no more than three points after the group stage is very high. If Vietnam wins four points in the remaining two matches, we can rest assured to enter the round of 16. Thus, the most practical and easiest goal to achieve is to hold Iran to a draw.

Through the press, I know that the Iranian team is having some problems. Their spirit is not perfect when meeting Vietnam. Our task is to prevent them from playing the way they want, thereby making the opponent lose their excitement. Football always exists surprises. In a lucky afternoon, Coach Park Hang-seo and his team can complete the goal of getting points. But it is certainly not an easy task.