Song Lam Nghe An and the problem of finding someone to "supply ammunition" to replace Quang Tinh

(Baonghean.vn)- For a long time, no matter who sits in the head coach's chair, SLNA has mostly only used the 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 tactical formation. In recent years, the role of regulating the match has mainly been assigned to captain Quang Tinh. So when Quang Tinh has transferred to play for SXKT. Can Tho, who has coach Quang Truong assigned that important task to?

SLNA's midfield this year has 11 players, not to mention Ngoc Hai who can be promoted to play as a holding midfielder when needed. Names like Tran Phi Son, Ho Khac Ngoc, Vo Ngoc Toan, Ho Sy Sam, Cao Xuan Thang have been tested and will surely be considered pillars of the season.

Phi Son continues to be an indispensable pillar of SLNA in the coming seasons.

Veteran Van Vinh has some pretty unique passes with the instep of his cheek, but his age only allows him to play effectively for about 60 minutes, in the wing position. Names like Thanh Phong, Phan Van Duc, Pham Xuan Manh, Nguyen Phu Nguyen, and Le Manh Dung will be tested in specific situations.

SLNA has long trained quite well the two positions of central defender and midfielder, in the role of intercepting and recovering the ball, but there has been no appearance of a playmaker. After talented midfielder Phan Thanh Tuan and "white-faced scholar" Nhu Thuat, SLNA has not yet introduced a talented, sophisticated conductor of national caliber. Even national midfielder Hoang Thinh (who has transferred to FLC Thanh Hoa) is also a type of player who intercepts and recovers the ball quite well thanks to his ability to read the game and stick to the opponent fiercely, but when he wins the ball, he does not launch a sharp attack.

Therefore, it can be seen that choosing who to supply ammunition for the double-barreled cannon named Odah, Baba is a headache for coach Quang Truong. Currently, there are quite a few teams using foreign central defenders, so the plan to use Odah, Baba to play aggressively is not always effective. Most of the top teams in V-League also try every way to train or spend money to buy a conductor to regulate the match. With SLNA, being proud to be the top training center in Vietnam does not allow Quang Truong to spend money to do that.

In the 2016 season, SLNA will have a pair of quality foreign strikers, Baba (68) and Odah. Supplying these two foreign players is a headache for Quang Truong.

It is not difficult to see that the two wings will be taken on by Phi Son and Xuan Thang, in which Xuan Thang has a playing style like Anthony Martial (number 9, MU) and central defender Van Khanh is considered a new discovery of Quang Truong. Both are midfielders with speed, the ability to penetrate and create walls but also do not have the mindset to control the match. Midfielders Ho Khac Ngoc, Vo Ngoc Toan, Ho Sy Sam all do quite well in defense but their passing the ball up lacks the necessary surprise and creativity. That makes SLNA very difficult when meeting underdog teams, playing multi-layered defense like Dong Thap, Hai Phong...

Obviously SLNA is lacking creative midfield players like Dinh Thanh Trung (XNK. Quang Nam), Van Quyet, Thanh Luong (HN.T&T)...

In fact, as a player who played as a midfielder for SLNA and the national team, Quang Truong experimented with the "everyone builds, everyone builds" style of play, even center back Manh Hung was allowed to play the ball from home. Phi Son and Xuan Thang were allowed to use their speed to stretch the opponent's defense, creating space for the strikers. Many times, to create surprises, Quang Truong instructed his students to set up triangles in the middle of the field with a continuous pass-and-pass style to disrupt the opponent's defense and take advantage of Khac Ngoc's powerful long-range shots. But clearly, that was just a last resort, not many teams did that.

Obviously, with the team lacking a true conductor, Quang Truong has many preparation plans. The most important thing for SLNA right now is not to lose to the opponent. Reality has proven that SLNA is facing many difficulties, if they concede the first goal because of pressuring the opponent, playing slowly, gradually encroaching into the 16.5m area is not the strength of the Nghe team. Knowing yourself, knowing the enemy is still "a hundred battles, a hundred victories", so we still believe in Ngo Quang Truong's military talent.

N@T