Midfielder Le The Cuong joins SLNA: A stroke of luck.

(Baonghean.vn) - After leaving XSKT Can Tho following a period of dedication, Le The Cuong has been warmly welcomed back by the Nghe An team. This "reunion" is a wise move by SLNA as well as by the player born in 1990 himself.

Since Ngo Quang Truong retired, the Vinh stadium has lacked a player who has truly achieved success and consistency in the left wing position. In the past decade or so, a number of names such as Ho Thanh Thuong, Nguyen Quang Tinh, Nguyen Hong Viet, Nguyen Dinh Hiep... have been expected by the coaching staff and fans to fill the void left by Truong "the buffalo".

Season after season, one talent follows another, but no one has yet filled the "role" that was Ngo Quang Truong's. It's not that those players are lacking in skill, nor is it that they aren't regularly given opportunities.

However, the likelihood of success remains a huge question mark.

Over the past few seasons, the SLNA coaching staff has always struggled with the left wing position.

In the 2016 V. League season, the SLNA coaching staff surprisingly deployed veteran player Nguyen Van Vinh in the right midfield position. In the first few matches, the player born in 1984 performed quite well, scoring two goals against QNK Quang Nam (round 3) and FLC Thanh Hoa (round 9).

Unfortunately, Nguyen Van Vinh could no longer maintain his best physical condition due to recurring injuries and the burden of age. In the second half of the season, his familiar position was on the substitutes' bench.

Young midfielders Pham Xuan Manh and Nguyen Phu Nguyen were given opportunities, but both proved disappointing. As a last resort, the SLNA coaching staff had to move Baba further back, sharing the workload with the central midfield pair and also covering the space on the left flank alongside Ho Tuan Tai. However, as everyone could see, for the remainder of the 2016 V. League season, SLNA played defensively on the left wing, only occasionally attacking there when Tran Phi Son moved into position, or when Baba exploited gaps left untouched by opposing teams.

Therefore, the first task for the SLNA coaching staff at the start of the new season is to find a quality right winger. Pham Xuan Manh, Cao Xuan Thang, and Nguyen Phu Nguyen are all very promising, but they will need another 1-2 seasons before they can shoulder the responsibility entrusted to them.

For now, the gap on the right wing needs to be filled by a talented and experienced midfielder. The player chosen by the SLNA coaching staff is none other than Le The Cuong.

Le The Cuong returned to play for SLNA in the 2017 season. Photo: Internet.

Le The Cuong is not an unfamiliar name, as this player grew up playing for SLNA. Notably, the midfielder, born in 1990, also played for the Vinh-based team in the V. League in 2014 and 2015.

Having a natural talent for playing as a left winger, the former XSKT Can Tho player didn't need time to adapt to the "new yet familiar" environment of the Nghe An team. At 27 years old, in the prime of his career, and with experience gained in professional football (playing for SLNA and XSKT Can Tho), Le The Cuong will have favorable conditions to succeed with SLNA.

Possessing excellent individual technique and superb dribbling skills in tight spaces, Le The Cuong is a valuable asset for SLNA in approaching the opponent's goal more easily, alongside other attacking players. This would significantly alleviate the burden on Tran Phi Son, Ho Khac Ngoc, and others.

It's no exaggeration to say that Le The Cuong is one of the rare players at Vinh Stadium who excels at heading, both literally and figuratively.

Despite not having an ideal physique (1.66m tall), Lê Thế Cường compensates with his intelligent playing style. His ability to weave through defenders and choose his position is rare compared to his current teammates at SLNA.

In addition, aerial ability is an unexpected strength of this player, who is not even 1.70m tall, that everyone can recognize. On numerous occasions, this diminutive player has surprised opposing defenses and spectators with headers that seem to appear out of nowhere.

If anyone still has doubts, remember this player's goal that sealed the 2-0 victory for SLNA U21 against Ninh Thuan U21 in the final of the 2012 Thanh Nien Newspaper U21 tournament. Or, like his goal for SLNA against Than Quang Ninh in the 2015 V. League, which also came from an aerial duel.

In SLNA's recent friendly matches, Le The Cuong contributed one goal and two assists. This demonstrates his talent and his ability to adapt quickly to the SLNA team after a year away. Hopefully, Le The Cuong's presence will alleviate concerns about the right wing position for the coaching staff and fans of SLNA in the upcoming season.

Thanh Hung