SLNA faces the challenge of escaping the bottom of the table.

The above statistics illustrate how quickly things can change at the bottom of the table after just a few rounds, and whichever team can spectacularly escape relegation will soon avoid being identified as a "points-scoring machine" to be exploited and ganged up on in the upcoming rounds.

Of course, the biggest and most direct risk of relegation is currently focused on the young, underfunded Song Lam Nghe An team. They lack key players who form the backbone of the squad, star players in all positions, skilled foreign players, and overseas Vietnamese players…Lam River, Nghe AnPlaying under immense pressure, the risk of being outplayed and losing points is very real, as Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (round 2) and Thép Xanh Nam Định (round 4) did and succeeded in doing. So, in the long run, what must Sông Lam Nghệ An do and how must they do it to accumulate points, from a winless streak to a must-win situation, especially against the direct rivals currently holding each other back at the bottom of the table?

It's often said, and rightly so, that for weaker teams like Song Lam Nghe An, every V-League match is a "final" of survival. More precisely, every match for Song Lam Nghe An against teams currently ranked from the middle of the table downwards, i.e., from 7th place (Binh Duong and Nam Dinh currently have 7 points, Quang Nam and Ho Chi Minh City currently have 5 points), is a true "relegation battle," and achieving a draw or better is considered a success.

For example, in the upcoming 6th round, Song Lam Nghe An will host Ho Chi Minh City, a team struggling with only 2 goals scored in 5 rounds (thanks to 2 foreign players), while their domestic players have been completely silent. This will be an unmissable opportunity. With home advantage, Olaha finding his scoring touch, Kuku improving, domestic players like Quang Vinh gaining goals, and a number of young players returning from injury… Song Lam Nghe An has every reason to play well and secure 3 points, breaking away from their current suffocating bottom of the table.

In Round 7, Song Lam Nghe An will face their noisy neighbors Thanh Hoa, and it won't be easy for the Vinh-based team to secure three points, as their opponents are playing very well and are a difficult opponent for any team. Meanwhile, in Round 8, despite playing away, Quang Nam could still be a manageable opponent for Coach Pham Anh Tuan's team. It's clear that Song Lam Nghe An often plays very well away from home, and who knows, they might even cause former player Van Sy Son to suffer a defeat?

Taking things one match at a time, strategically deciding whether to deliver the knockout blow or play it safe for a draw to avoid defeat, is, of course, just one of the coaching staff's tactics, depending on the opponent, whether playing at home or away. It will be very difficult to outmaneuver opponents like Hanoi FC, Hanoi Police, Thanh Hoa, or Viettel, even though at the end of last season Song Lam Nghe An beat Viettel to avoid an unwanted play-off. Meanwhile, against opponents like SHB Da Nang, Quy Nhon Binh Dinh, Quang Nam, Hai Phong, etc., the team playing at Vinh Stadium can completely play an attacking game, proactively employing tactics to achieve favorable results. This allows them to proactively arrange a balanced and harmonious squad for must-win matches, 50/50 matches, matches with a higher risk of yellow cards or injuries, and other unpredictable surprises.

Of course, the deeper into the tournament, the more unpredictable the short-term and long-term strategies become, depending on the coaching staff's ability to manage resources and the efforts of each player. Looking at how Nam Dinh Steel deployed their foreign players in the continental cup, how Hong Linh Ha Tinh acquired talented foreign players like Gieovani and overseas Vietnamese players like Adou Minh and Viktor Le, and how Dong A Thanh Hoa secured a formidable defender like Brazine despite already having Rimario and Antonio… one can only feel sorry for Song Lam Nghe An, who only registered a minimum of three foreign players. Zaracho's red card meant losing a foreign player slot in the defense. Then there were Olaha and Kuku, who played tirelessly until they ran out of energy or were injured, and without a replacement, their suspensions were tantamount to giving the opponent a handicap and resulting in defeat. This illustrates the saying "necessity is the mother of invention," showing that it's not easy to always "show off" your cleverness in front of everyone, and it's very possible that you're powerless to do so, just like how Song Lam Nghe An suffered a convincing defeat against Nam Dinh in the recent Round 4.

It's time to properly identify the team's position and opportunities in order to gradually overcome the current difficulties. A young team, if nurtured and given the right conditions, can still "survive" in the V-League, just like how Song Lam Nghe An successfully avoided relegation last season.