Tan Tai is injured, Vietnam National Team has a replacement plan

Certainly the injuries of the three pillars Tan Tai, Van Phong and Nguyen Sa are huge losses. However, the coaching staff does have other options.

While Tan Tai is the current captain of the Vietnam National Team, the one who is considered to be the core of the team's playing style, Van Phong plays quite versatilely in the defense. The other person is Nguyen Sa, one of the other extremely important links at the "bottom of the V" (according to the tactical scheme of the Vietnam National Team in both dynasties, from coach Phan Thanh Hung to coach Hoang Van Phuc now).

How important are they?

Tan Tai is not considered one of the brightest midfielders in the current Vietnam national team, but in return, the player from Khanh Hoa is always as diligent as a worker bee and always knows how to inspire fighting spirit in his teammates.

“He fought bravely as if he was ready to sacrifice himself right on the field. That is the epitome of a true warrior,” Nguyen Quang Hai, a striker and Tan Tai’s teammate since childhood, once shared.

Van Binh (24) is not a bad choice for coach Van Sy when Tan Tai is absent due to injury. Photo: Quang Thai

It is not by chance that from the time of coach Phan Thanh Hung until now, Hoang Van Phuc, the captain's armband of the Vietnam national team has been given to Tai. "Tan Tai should have been the owner of the 2012 Golden Ball to be worthy", Quang Hai still said.

Tan Tai is very important in the team's playing style, but another name, Nguyen Sa, is not far behind. Compared to Tan Tai (and many other teammates on the national team), Nguyen Sa is younger in both age and career, but is at the same level.

In the V-League 2012 champion and V-League 2013 runner-up jersey, Nguyen Sa is one of the most durable and also the most effective players. In the lowest position of the midfield (4 or 5 people), Nguyen Sa is a complete attacker and a true rhythm master.

Nguyen Sa's youth and fighting spirit helped the defenders feel much more secure. And everyone knows how much the Vietnam team lost when Nguyen Sa could not compete in the AFF Cup 2012 in Thailand.

Opportunity for whom?

Cruel, but reasonable, when one person's injury opens up opportunities for another (or several). In Nguyen Sa's position, Sy Cuong may not be as strong, but he is more skillful and has (possibly) better tactical vision. In the 2013 season, Sy Cuong was unexpectedly pulled back by coach Phan Thanh Hung to play the lowest position in the 5-midfielder system and the Thanh Hoa player had the best season of his career, with his second V-League championship with the representative of the Capital.

With his graceful and skillful feet, Sy Cuong can play small or pass long, precise and extremely delicate. Up front, Thanh Luong, Van Quyet and Ngoc Duy may be the top attacking experts, but compared to Sy Cuong, it is unclear who is better.

And when they work together, in the colors of HN.T&T and the Vietnam National Team, we see both performance and efficiency.

Along with Sy Cuong, for just one link at the bottom of the V-shaped chain, coach Hoang Van Phuc has just called up Van Binh, the latest signing worth no less than 5 billion VND of B.BD. In terms of overall playing style, Van Binh and Sy Cuong are quite similar, but the midfielder from Nghe An is younger in age and seems to have a higher fighting spirit. "Depending on the nature of the match, the coaching staff can use Binh or Cuong for this extremely important position," said coach Hoang Van Phuc.

According to Thethaovanhoa - DT