Song Lam Nghe An and the counter-attacking challenge.
With their defensive playing style, counter-attacks are opportunities for Song Lam Nghe An to make a difference. However, the effectiveness of these counter-attacks for the team from Nghe An has not been high.
In the match against Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, coach Pham Anh Tuan's team had no fewer than three excellent counter-attacking opportunities, but unfortunately, the attacking players ofLam River, Nghe AnIt could not be successfully utilized.
In the 73rd minute, Nguyen Trong Tuan had a clear run forward but his indecisive handling of the ball allowed the opportunity to slip away. A few minutes later, there was a 3-on-3 situation involving Michael Olaha, Benjamin Kuku, and Nguyen Trong Tuan. But once again, the young midfielder's pass was too deep, preventing Song Lam Nghe An from scoring another goal to seal the victory for the home team.
The most regrettable moment was the final situation in the recent match. This was also a situation where the Nghệ An team's attack had more players than Quy Nhơn Bình Định. However, the lack of coordination and concentration from the attacking players resulted in Sông Lam Nghệ An only managing to secure one point from their trip to Quy Nhơn.
Not only did Song Lam Nghe An squander counter-attacking opportunities in the match against Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, but they also wasted quite a few chances in the match against Thep Xanh Nam Dinh in round 4 of the V.League. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Michael Olaha, and Benjamin Kuku were all in favorable positions to score the opening goal. However, a lack of decisiveness and coordination in the final stages prevented the Nghe An team from finding the net. As a result, coach Pham Anh Tuan's team suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat.
It can be said that Song Lam Nghe An has not made good use of counter-attacking opportunities to create a difference. This is one of the reasons why the team from Nghe An has not been able to secure a victory after the first 5 rounds of the V.League 2024/2025. Therefore, Song Lam Nghe An must make changes to improve the effectiveness of their counter-attacks.
Firstly, there's the issue of the number of players in the counter-attacking phases of the Nghe An team. It mostly follows a 2+1 formation with two foreign players in attack and one midfielder. This reduces the options for Song Lam Nghe An to coordinate their attacks and makes it easier for opponents to anticipate their moves.
Therefore, increasing the number of players in counter-attacking situations is essential for the Nghe An team. However, this is not an easy task as the Song Lam Nghe An team often plays deep, so quickly pushing forward requires good physical fitness and speed from the players.
The most suitable positions to participate in these counter-attacks are the central midfield duo and the two wingers. This would give Song Lam Nghe An 4-5 players to increase pressure on the opposing defense.
With a full squad, the Nghe An team will need to improve their final passing combinations. In Song Lam Nghe An's counter-attacks, only one situation was promising.Benjamin KukuThe most noteworthy moment was when Nguyen Quang Vinh set up the wall in the match against Thep Xanh Nam Dinh. However, the young midfielder, born in 2005, ran out of breath at the last moment, causing the opportunity to slip away.
In most situations, players were hesitant in deciding whether to act individually or coordinate effectively. This indicates that Song Lam Nghe An lacks fluidity in counter-attacking situations. Therefore, this is the crucial point.Nghe An teamNeeds improvement in counter-attacking situations.
However, we also need to commend coach Pham Anh Tuan's team. The brilliant passes from the midfield and the agility and strength of the foreign duo created many dangerous counter-attacking opportunities.
It is believed that, with just a little improvement in the final stage, the counter-attacks of the Nghe An team will soon be converted into goals. This will create an advantage for Song Lam Nghe An to maintain their defensive counter-attacking style of play.