Song Lam Nghe An and the 'problem' of finding Olaha's killer instinct again

As a striker with strength, technique and the ability to create breakthroughs, Olaha used to be the fear of every V-League defense. Last season, when Song Lam Nghe An only had two foreign players, Olaha shouldered the attack and scored 13 goals. He further proved his worth when he scored a double in the decisive match against The Cong - Viettel, helpingLam River Nghe Anspectacular relegation

Recognizing Olaha's important role, Song Lam Nghe An's board of directors decided to keep the striker born in 1997 as a mainstay in the 2024/25 V-League squad. Along with that, the club also recruited two foreign players, including striker Kuku, to share the burden of scoring goals.

However, after 15 rounds, the coordination between Olaha and Kuku was still ineffective, as both only contributed to 5 goals. As a result, Song Lam Nghe An fell into the bottom group.

This season, Olaha's long streak of "goalless" matches has put him under great mental pressure. Therefore, in addition to physical exercises, psychology is also a factor that needs to be focused on to help Olaha regain his best form.

Technically, Olaha needs specific exercises to improve his finishing ability, sense of space and regain his quick form in the penalty area. One-touch shooting, off-ball movement and handling in tight areas will help Olaha regain his original sharpness. Furthermore, video analysis of previous matches is also an effective way for him to review the weaknesses that need to be overcome.

In addition, Song Lam Nghe An needs to change the way the attack operates. The midfield must support Olaha better with delicate touches from the midfield, reducing the burden of self-defense. Currently, the Nghe An team mainly attacks with sidelines and crosses. This monotonous style of play does not bring out the full potential of Olaha, who is strong in handling the ball in a narrow area and coordinating in the middle. To optimize his strength, Song Lam Nghe An needs to be more flexible in the way they deploy attacks, combining high balls and low balls.

The 4-2-3-1 formation is making the game too predictable, so more flexibility is needed in the way the attack is deployed. Experimenting with a two-striker system, with Kuku up front and Olaha dropping back a bit, could be a solution worth considering. This would give Olaha more space to play with the ball and use support from the midfield.

In addition, Olaha will not be able to shine without the support of his teammates. The Vinh team needs to increase small coordination exercises, helping him connect better with satellites such as Khac Ngoc, Long Vu, Manh Quynh and Kuku. When the surrounding players find a "common voice" with Olaha, he will have more opportunities to score.

In addition, improving the ability to take advantage of set-piece situations is also a noteworthy option. Olaha can take advantage of his physical strength to participate in aerial battles in free kicks or corner kicks. If Song Lam Nghe An knows how to fully exploit these situations, they can find more valuable goals in difficult times.

The V-League break is a valuable time for Song Lam Nghe An to solve Olaha's form problem. If they take the right steps, the Nghe An team can completely help their main striker regain his killer instinct, ready to explode when the tournament returns. Not only helping Olaha regain his form, improving his scoring ability also plays a key role in Song Lam Nghe An's relegation race.

Duc Anh