Vietnam U22 and the appearance of their attacking style of play.

It must be affirmed that the new path, the new steps, still have many obstacles and difficulties, but they are on the right track, gradually improving, and require patience and trust to achieve satisfactory results at the final finish line.

Vietnam U22 team in the bronze medal match at the 32nd SEA Games. Photo: Hai Hoang

After the aforementioned match, Coach Troussier made a very important statement regarding the outstanding performance of 20-year-old defender Ho Van Cuong from Song Lam Nghe An, who scored two goals against the opponent. The coach said, “In this match, Ho Van Cuong, a defender, scored two goals. That is the look of the attacking style I want to showcase,” and “I want the goals to come from well-planned plays.”

That "appearance of attacking football" was clearly demonstrated in all three of Vietnam U22's goals in the aforementioned match. Almost every pass was made from the goalkeeper to the central defenders, through the central midfielders, then to the left or right, or even directly from the central defenders to an attacking full-back (most notably to Minh Trong) who would then set up Van Tung, Van Khang, or Van Cuong to score, as we've seen before. Van Tung's scoring prowess (5 goals in 4 matches) is a prime example. But when Van Tung was absent due to injury, meaning the U22 team lacked a truly skilled target striker, Van Cuong, an attacking full-back who has long been a playmaker, became a true "penalty box killer."

Also in this match, we saw Van Truong and Van Do have scoring opportunities but failed to convert them, while Van Cuong had two chances and both were converted into memorable goals. This performance is not unfamiliar to Song Lam Nghe An fans, as Van Cuong previously displayed this style while playing for the U17 national championship-winning team in 2020, especially with his two goals in the final against U17 Nuti Food Academy.

It's no coincidence that Van Cuong and Xuan Tien were promoted to the Song Lam Nghe An first team early on and are now regular starters in the V-League. Van Cuong's generation wasn't trained in the same way as Troussier's earlier generation, so it's understandable why he was reprimanded by the coach during training in Vung Tau. But the coach's keen eye correctly assessed this young player and the position he would fill. As a result, Van Cuong started in most matches at the SEA Games and increasingly impressed fans and the coaching staff, becoming a prime example of the "attacking style of play" that is gradually taking shape.

Except for the matches against the two strongest and most ambitious teams in the SEA Games, U22 Indonesia and U22 Thailand, where our team conceded early goals, the attacking style of play was clearly evident in all of U22 Vietnam's matches. Van Tung opened the scoring early against U22 Laos in the 2nd minute, later against U22 Singapore but leading from the 36th minute, against U22 Malaysia from the 28th minute, and Van Cuong scored against U22 Myanmar in the 8th minute. The first half of the matches was when U22 Vietnam's attack was most effective and impactful, scoring the earliest goals… also proving the attacking style that Coach Troussier demanded his players to implement, demonstrating and gradually perfecting it with each match.

Of course, after the recent matches, the Vietnam U22 team also revealed many problems throughout the training process and the end of the tournament. The ability to defend against aerial balls, second balls, and neutralize set pieces is a weakness of the Vietnam U22 defense and defensive system. Neither Van Chuan nor Huy Hoang have the advantage or experience in this difficult area. Duy Cuong, Quang Thinh, Tien Long, Tuan Tai, and Ngoc Thang lack the jumping ability and the ability to relentlessly track opponents. Thai Son and Duc Phu have abundant stamina but are not yet the type of defensive or attacking midfielder that the Vietnam U22 team hopes for. Van Truong in the attack is not yet the best or most anticipated version after the U20 Asian Championship…

The "face of attacking football" of the Vietnam U22 team is gradually taking shape with prominent names like Tuan Tai, Van Cuong, Minh Trong, Van Tung, Van Khang, and those who have quietly contributed significantly, such as Thai Son, Duc Phu, and Van Do... After this tournament, what everyone hopes for is that the Vietnam U22 players will be used more in V-League 1 and 2, and that they will strive harder to maintain and upgrade this new playing style in actual training and matches. It's possible that some players will be called up to the senior Vietnam national team to continue this journey. Philippe Troussier's rebuilding and renewal efforts, which began at the SEA Games 32, have had both successes and failures, but are proving to be on the right track. There is hope, but patience is needed, and results from various tournaments will provide the answer in the future.