What can we see from the list of Vietnam team at ASEAN Cup 2024?

Accordingly, not to mention the players of the Nam Dinh Steel Club with candidates Van Toan, Hong Duy, Van Vy, Tuan Anh, Van Vu... the current list has 30 players, most of whom have been called up to the national team and are achieving high performance in the V-League or tournaments of teams participating in continental and regional cup tournaments.

There were no names of newly naturalized players, long rumored such as Nguyen Xuan Son or Cason Quang Vinh. There were also no pillars, who used to wear the captain's armband of the national team such as Que Ngoc Hai or Do Hung Dung. There was also no presence of the name that is currently making waves in V-League 2, striker Cong Phuong.

But this list has the return of once famous names such as Dinh Trieu, Duy Manh, Bui Tien Dung, Hai Long, Van Duc and Tuan Hai. Besides, there are 2 new names including Bao Toan and Ngoc Tan. Although they have just experienced 2 consecutive losses and are relegated in the V-League, Hanoi Police still have 7 players called up, including Nguyen Filip, Van Thanh, Viet Anh, Quang Hai, Thanh Long, Van Duc, Dinh Bac. Meanwhile, the team temporarily ranked at the top of the V-League, Dong A Thanh Hoa, only has 2 players called up, Thai Son and Ngoc Tan, and it is worth mentioning that Hoang Anh Gia Lai has 3 players including Trung Kien, Ngoc Quang and Bao Toan. There are 3 players currently playing in V-League 2 but are familiar with the team, including Van Lam, Van Khang and Quoc Viet. Unfortunately, this time, goalkeeper Van Viet ofLam River Nghe An not called. The current Vietnam team only has the "old guys" of Song Lam, Xuan Manh and Van Duc.

After the news that tough opponents like Thailand and Indonesia only sent their second team to the 2024 ASEAN Cup and recently Thailand drew 1-1 with Laos in a friendly, people were quick to get excited about the story of winning the championship for Mr. Kim Hang-sik and his team. In fact, things will not be simple when the ball starts rolling and the actual developments will answer everything. Even with the second team, the Vietnamese team recently lost to the young Thai team right at My Dinh Stadium. And the Indonesians, who have been dreaming and sublimating recently, will not easily let Quang Hai and his teammates do whatever they want in the regional playground.

The problem now for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team is to choose the optimal squad, both in high form and ready to play with real dedication. It is no coincidence that the Korean coach did not choose names that are both burdened with age and full of achievements like Ngoc Hai or Hung Dung. Of course, after 9 rounds of V-League, Mr. Kim chose to evaluate the above old and new names based on certain evaluation and perception, but that does not mean that everyone meets all the requirements.

From goalkeeper to defender at this time, it is difficult to say who is most certain of a place, because they play good and bad matches, lacking the necessary stability. For example, Nguyen Filip played well in the match between Hanoi Police and Hai Phong, but the same cannot be said in the recent match against Ho Chi Minh City. Van Lam is said to be performing well in Ninh Binh Phu Dong, but is the quality of V-League 2 enough to verify and evaluate at the national team level?

With a win/loss difference of +1, the best in the V-League after 8 rounds, The Cong Viettel deserves to be "carried" to the national team with the entire defensive trio including Thanh Binh, Tien Dung, Tien Anh, but it is uncertain whether they will be able to play in the upcoming matches, while Duy Manh, who has just returned, will be able to keep up with the requirements. Viet Anh has just suffered a long-term injury, Xuan Manh is also not in really good form... enough to say that we cannot be assured with the entire defensive line consisting of the above names, if they do not have progressive changes in the near future.

The midfield this time is likely to have new names like Van Vy and Ngoc Tan to supplement the wings and the center, which have not met the requirements in the recent tests. The most anticipated thing is the necessary recovery of Quang Hai or Hoang Duc so that the team has someone to control the rhythm and pass the ball well. Hai Long is playing quite well in the V-League and who knows, he will shine when assigned the task.

On the offensive line, if we have to wait for Tien Linh or Vy Hao to shine while Dinh Bac or Tuan Hai only flash and then disappear, it is difficult to hope for everything to go smoothly. To see, whether the training trip to Korea from November 23 to December 3 of the National Team will have enough time, material, and verification on the field with real opponents is not easy to predict.

Fans across the country are waiting and hoping for the outstanding efforts of each player, the "cool hand" of the coaching team, and even waiting for every chance in each upcoming match, so that the team can achieve the best possible results.

After all, this list is just the initial choice and must be a wise choice, with foresight throughout the monitoring and arrangement process to be able to bring fighting strength and victory to the team. Vietnam team in the difficult journey at ASEAN Cup 2024./.