SLNA and the two sides of beautiful football

Since when has the label "cutting nails, chopping iron" been given to SLNA, the team that produced many tough defenders such as Nguyen Huu Thang, Nguyen Huy Hoang or later Tran Dinh Dong (1 year banned from playing), Que Ngoc Hai (6 months)...

In the history of the club with the longest history and most historical tradition in V.League today, it is the playing style based on that spirit that has created the identity and unique brand of SLNA. SLNA does not lack players who play like real artists, but in the most difficult times, the tough playing style, not afraid of collision of Nghe An players has overcome the strengths of the opponent.

That is why every time they play as guests at Vinh Stadium, the teams are always cowered by the brave, even reckless, and reckless tackles of SLNA defenders. But now, Vietnamese football has changed, not only SLNA can play rough.

SLNA currently possesses many world-class defenders and two thoughtful central midfielders. Photo: Xuan Thuy

If SLNA continues to apply that aggressive football, the Nghe An team will be the ones to suffer losses and receive more severe punishment. V.League players now have enough tricks, cunning and counterattacks that cause injury to the opponent. Even HAGL with its philosophy of playing attractive and beautiful football. In the 2017 season, HAGL, the representative of artistic football, received 4 red cards.

A symbol - Coach Huu Thang left, Huy Hoang retired, SLNA also gradually lost its "specialty" that was once criticized by the entire V.League. Of course, Nghe An audiences are still not used to a more decent football in the post-coach Ngo Quang Truong era.

Nghe An fans prefer to see players jumping and kicking the ball in an eye-catching way than winning. The fiery and fierce style of play brings excitement to the Vinh stadium audience, or more accurately, “playing well makes the people happy, winning makes the people happy”. The good thing is not only beautiful to look at, but also has fighting spirit.

During the time of coach Duc Thang, SLNA had real artists like Phi Son, Khac Ngoc, Van Duc in midfield and still had famous defenders like Que Ngoc Hai, Hoang Van Khanh. However, V.League 2017 witnessed a struggling SLNA with a change in playing style, moving towards a more "decent" football amid harsh criticism in the past.

SLNA chose a more diverse football philosophy, defense, counter-attack and all-out attack depending on each opponent, but certainly no longer the football of destruction. Opponents are no longer afraid or fearful of SLNA defenders like before. Besides other reasons, SLNA only finished 7th in V.League 2017, a National Cup championship, but that was a season in which SLNA did not receive a single red card, with an average number of yellow cards for fouls.

Midfielder Khac Ngoc is the soul of SLNA's playing style. Photo: Duc Anh

Entering the new 2018 season, SLNA competed in 3 arenas (AFC Cup, V.League, National Cup), SLNA was the victim of the ugly football in V.League with nearly 15 different injuries after the first leg. During the first 13 matches, SLNA continuously had to play with a patchwork squad.

Lying on thorns and tasting gall in the midst of extreme hardship, SLNA still gritted their teeth to play attacking football, imposing their style of play on their opponents, but for some reason, 13 shots from Van Duc, Olaha and their teammates hit the crossbar and the goalpost. As a result, SLNA had a series of 8 matches with only draws and losses, 1 win and ranked second to last in the rankings with 8 points after 12 matches.

From the second leg, SLNA welcomed the return of Van Binh to his old home. In a team with too many young players and psychological weaknesses like SLNA, Van Binh combined with Khac Ngoc to create a dream midfield duo. Remember Van Binh when he first played in V.League was also a "fiend on the pitch", but when he had enough experience and completed, SLNA now owns 2 central midfielders who play football with real thinking. One has the ability to choose position, block from afar with 12 years of experience playing in V.League (SLNA, Binh Duong, FLC Thanh Hoa), the other is the most elegant midfielder of V.League 2017 according to statistics.

SLNA is currently ranked 3rd on the V.League rankings after 20 rounds, without a single red card, and the number of yellow cards for direct fouls is also far behind other teams such as Than Quang Ninh, SHB Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, HAGL... To have a series of 8 consecutive wins, SLNA had to receive criticism from fans for deciding to play ineffective attacking football.

Now, when everything has gone into orbit, SLNA has 10 different players who have scored in V.League 2018, people can see the value of the courage from SLNA's coaching staff. In fact, the four defenders Ngoc Hai, Van Khanh, Xuan Manh, Dinh Hoang are no longer green when making a decision to block. If they lack experience, technique or are a beat slower, they are forced to make mistakes.

For SLNA or any team in V.League, playing ugly football is not difficult, but to play football decently, Fair-play and still bring efficiency, not many teams can do it. And Hanoi, Khanh Hoa as well as SLNA - the teams currently at the top of the rankings are proving that./.

In the first leg at Pleiku Stadium, HAGL defeated SLNA 1-0 and the referee did not issue any cards. In the second leg at Vinh Stadium, SLNA defeated their opponents convincingly 3-1. The referee issued two cards to Le Van Son and foreign player Jeremie Lynch. In both the first and second legs, Hoang Van Khanh had to play with a white bandage on his head after collisions in the air.

Pham Xuan Manh scored, SLNA sank HAGL at "Thanh Vinh Fire Pan"

(Baonghean.vn) - Facing each other in round 20 of V.League at Vinh stadium, SLNA with Van Duc, Xuan Manh... and HAGL with stars Cong Phuong, Van Toan, Van Thanh... gave more than 10,000 Nghe An spectators an eye-catching match.