Throw away your worries and...score goals

(Baonghean) - Up to now, SLNA players, in addition to their natural football talent, are also known for their courage and will to compete on the field. However, in the first matches of the 2014 season, the "Nghe An warriors" suddenly became "gentle" and "shy" in an unusual way. Instead of "fiery" moves, there were awkward, clumsy and impatient situations in attack as well as defense, causing the "championship candidate" to become a "relegation candidate" with consecutive losses!

There are many reasons, but as Head Coach Huu Thang admitted after the lucky win against HV. An Giang recently: SLNA players are having mental problems, many players are being weighed down by psychology, causing them to not be alert, missing out on clear opportunities that should have resulted in goals.

A scene in the match between SLNA and HV. An Giang.

In fact, after the 2013 season, SLNA suffered a "bleeding" of many key players, the Nghe An team was forced to add many young players and even "hastily signed" foreign players, so the instability in the opening matches was also natural. But remember, SLNA's young players are "stars" that other teams are craving. And besides, the Nghe An team has the return of striker Le Cong Vinh as SLNA's captain. With that addition, SLNA will be a formidable opponent, but because of the impatience and desire to show themselves of the young players and even captain Cong Vinh - who is looking for his 100th goal, has created a tense mentality for SLNA players.

For Nghe An football in particular and Vietnam in general, Cong Vinh is a "big star", he also had a successful debut in the land of cherry blossoms during the tour in 2013, but as the captain of SLNA this season, he has not shown the "power" of a leader like Huy Hoang or Duong Hong Son before. Every time he enters the match, people still see Cong Vinh running from the beginning to the end of the match, still having some aggressive moves, but along with that are frustrations and angers that were rarely seen in him before. This was explained by coach Huu Thang after Cong Vinh's lackluster performance against HV.An Giang: "In life, everyone hopes to achieve a mark, a milestone. Cong Vinh is currently under pressure about his 100th goal, I will talk to him so he understands and reduces the tension".

Not only captain Cong Vinh, but also midfielder Phi Son, defender Manh Hung... and all the current foreign players of SLNA, every time they enter the field, because they want to show off, they "still play on their own" with complicated and ineffective moves. That has led to the tragedy that SLNA has suffered humiliating defeats with a lackluster style of play and gradually lost the affection of Nghe An fans.

If SLNA's coaching staff does not know how to encourage the players to "put aside personal worries" to demonstrate teamwork and fight with all their spirit and strength every time they step onto the field, then difficulties will pile up and the "fire pot of Vinh city" will gradually cool down.

Duc Dung