Should SLNA be focusing on training their players and improving their tactics?
(Baonghean.vn) - The fact that SLNA has gone 5 matches without scoring but also kept 7 clean sheets after 9 rounds is something to be happy or sad about, something to worry about or celebrate, depending on each person's perspective. But in football, no team has ever won without scoring, and a win is equivalent to three draws – that's a fact.
There have been quite a few articles discussing the solidity of SLNA's defense, so we won't elaborate further. Perhaps, Coach Duc Thang will gradually introduce young and reserve players to get them used to the V.League atmosphere. The main issue we will discuss is why the Nghe An team has a "solid defense but a weak attack"?
Lack of innovation and creativity.
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| Coach Duc Thang needs to continue experimenting with both tactics and personnel. Photo: AT |
First, let's list the 5 defenses that SLNA "stuck in place" against: Than Quang Ninh, Hanoi, Nam Dinh, Viettel, and Hai Phong. Of these, only 1 match was at home, and 4 were away. In particular, facing and scoring against the home teams Than Quang Ninh, Hanoi, and Hai Phong has never been easy. Perhaps it was the SLNA players' premature "giving up" mentality that led to their collapse at Hang Day Stadium.
It can be said that SLNA, besides facing difficulties against stronger teams like Than Quang Ninh and Hanoi, or teams that play a tough, defensive style with many players and rely on physical strength like Nam Dinh, Viettel, and Hai Phong, has a common point: these teams all have specialists in "countering foreign players" such as Duong Thanh Hao (Than Quang Ninh), Dinh Trong (Hanoi), Van Phu (Nam Dinh), Ngoc Hai (Viettel), and Van Loi (Hai Phong).
With their superior physical fitness, opposing defenders could easily neutralize Olaha's bursts of speed. The remaining SLNA attacking players were rather slow, lacking creativity and support from teammates, thus failing to trouble the opposition. Among the five teams, Coach Van Sy was even more skillful in having Ha Long closely mark Khac Ngoc, neutralizing the home team's supply of ammunition. Despite not having a strong squad, Nam Dinh easily neutralized SLNA's attacks whenever they visited Vinh Stadium.
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| SLNA shared points with Hai Phong at Lach Tray Stadium. (Photo: Anh Tuan) |
SHB.Da Nang's style of play was almost harmless against SLNA because Do Merlo wasn't as fast and strong as the Serbian center-back Damir Memović, who is 1.91m tall. Minh Tam's long-range shots posed little difficulty for goalkeeper Nguyen Manh because Van Binh and Khac Ngoc didn't give the opponent much time to control the ball. The goal was thanks to Olaha's excellent performance; otherwise, SLNA would have still earned a point.
Change the style of play.
Of the four matches with goals, the victory against B.Binh Duong at Vinh Stadium was a prime example of an attacking strategy that coach Duc Thang and the SLNA players need to study. It wasn't just Olaha and Cao Xuan Thang, the goal scorers, who performed well; Alves Dos Santos, Van Binh, Khac Ngoc… all played creatively and effectively, delivering unexpected passes.
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| It's time for SLNA to play with more passion to win over the hearts of fans in Nghe An province. Photo: Xuan Thuy |
This was a typical SLNA game with a diverse attacking style, combining both long balls and backheel passes, allowing Khắc Ngọc and Alves to penetrate directly into the 16-meter box. When the ball was close to the opponent's goal, the quick passing and one-two combinations created more scoring opportunities for SLNA, something that was lacking in later matches.
Without Van Duc, coach Duc Thang lacked a player capable of scoring from quick through passes. The Cuong, Phuc Tinh, and Quang Tinh had all been tested but failed to capitalize on the opportunities created by their teammates. Ngoc Toan is a player with good acceleration but still needs time to coordinate with teammates for passing.
Dare to experiment
To break the goal drought, coach Duc Thang boldly rested Van Binh and Dinh Dong, experimented with Olaha as a central striker, and pushed Xuan Manh up to play as a forward. This is something that coaches should do, and need to do, when their team is facing a deadlock, and coach Duc Thang needs to continue experimenting.
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| Olaha's performance in the early part of the season has been remarkable, making a significant contribution to SLNA's victories. (Photo: Xuan Thuy) |
