Who are the "main players" in the attack?

(Baonghean) - After a full week of training, Coach Miura has yet to reveal the starting strikers for the Vietnam U23 team in the upcoming U23 Asian Championship qualifiers. However, based on the lineups he has arranged in training matches, it is almost certain that Cong Phuong will occupy a spot, and the Japanese coach is experimenting with the remaining five strikers to find the best partner for this number 10…

In addition to Cong Phuong, the current U23 national team squad includes five other forwards: Nguyen Van Toan (HAGL), Ho Tuan Tai, Ho Phuc Tinh (SLNA), Pham Van Thanh (HN.T&T), and Le Thanh Binh (Thanh Hoa).

Observing the recent practice matches between the two teams of the Vietnam U23 team, it's clear that the HAGL striker duo of Cong Phuong and Van Toan have made a significant impression on the Japanese coach. In particular, Cong Phuong has consistently played in his preferred position as a withdrawn striker, while the other five players have been rotated to partner with him, even being tested in various other positions. This demonstrates Coach Miura's strong belief in the abilities of the star from Nghe An currently playing for HAGL. The remaining question is, who will be Cong Phuong's main partner in attack?

Van Toan (left) is likely to partner with Cong Phuong in the Vietnam U23 attack. Photo: Internet

It seems that Van Toan has the most advantages, because the striker from Hai Duong has lived, trained, and played alongside Cong Phuong at HAGL for almost 8 years, so the two understand each other very well. Van Toan's strengths are his skillful technique, quick and intelligent movement, but his weaknesses are his slender physique, lack of sharpness and finesse in finishing situations. Specifically, in 8 consecutive matches playing for HAGL in the V.League, this striker has yet to score a goal and has missed many opportunities. The player most likely to partner with Cong Phuong among the five names mentioned above is Ho Tuan Tai. The young striker from the SLNA academy possesses many superior qualities of a center forward: speed, excellent physical fitness, goal-scoring instincts, and powerful long-range shots.

At the end of 2013, Tuan Tai was called up by coach Graechen to the U19 national team to participate in the Southeast Asian U19 Championship in Brunei. He quickly secured a starting position and consistently scored goals, leading many to compare the striker duo of Cong Phuong and Tuan Tai to the perfect complement to their predecessors Sy Hung and Huynh Duc.

Tuan Tai's weakness lies in his ball control and passing ability, but that's not too important for a center forward. Unfortunately, Tuan Tai is currently suffering from a knee injury. According to the latest medical check-up, he will need about two months of treatment to fully recover. This means Tuan Tai may miss the upcoming U23 Asian Championship qualifiers.

The third striker that coach Miura could choose to partner with Cong Phuong is Ho Phuc Tinh, but this player also suffered an injury just two days after joining the U23 team training camp, so he hasn't had time to make an impact. Phuc Tinh's playing style is quite similar to Tuan Tai's, which is speed and good finishing ability, but this striker lacks international experience. Therefore, to earn a regular spot in the U23 team in the future, he must work extremely hard.

The other two candidates are relatively unfamiliar names to fans: Pham Van Thanh of HN.T&T and Le Thanh Binh of Thanh Hoa, who haven't played regularly in the 8 rounds of the 2015 V.League, have nevertheless made a somewhat positive impression on experts. Coach Miura is skilled at discovering talent and doesn't rely on past performance as a yardstick for his selections, but mainly bases them on current form. Therefore, it wouldn't be surprising if the Japanese coach helps these completely new names shine in the near future.

After a week of training and testing each position, the core of the Vietnam U23 team is gradually taking shape. However, for this core to stabilize, it will need many "test matches" and further adjustments will be necessary. This afternoon (March 5th), the Vietnam U23 team will have its first "test match" against Hanoi T&T Club. Let's wait and see which strikers will be the main attacking duo for the Vietnam U23 team in this friendly match and whether Cong Phuong will shine to affirm his role as the number one striker?

Hoang Hao