U22 Vietnam: Van Thanh plays striker?

(Baonghean.vn) - Few people expected that in V-League 2017, left-back Van Thanh had 6 goals, far surpassing the current strikers of U22 Vietnam. Many football experts have said that coach Huu Thang should create opportunities for this player to test the striker position in the national team..

Of the 4 strikers in the hands of coach Huu Thang, at the club level, Cong Phuong and Ha Duc Chinh each scored 4 goals, Tuan Tai scored 1 goal, Thanh Binh did not even score a single goal, but defender Van Thanh already scored 6 goals.

In HAGL's shirt, Van Thanh is often arranged by coach Quoc Tuan as a left winger in a 3-4-3 formation. Van Thanh's strengths are his short acceleration, constant direction changes, and accurate crosses to the goal along with a long-range cannon shot. Van Thanh is one of the few Vietnamese defenders who can play with both feet, running and kicking the ball like Tu "horse", Minh Tuan (Than Quang Ninh).

Left back Van Thanh. Photo: Internet

In round 17, HAGL suffered a humiliating defeat against FLC Thanh Hoa away from home, but Van Thanh left an impression on the home team's coach Petrovic with two classy goals. When accepting to play an open game with FLC Thanh Hoa, HAGL's coaching staff had to consider the possibility that the attack would score 1 more goal than the home team. Van Thanh is the player that the coaching staff trusts to explode and score.

What is quite special is that Van Thanh scored on the right wing, when he was arranged by coach Quoc Tuan to replace A Hoang who was injured and had to sit out the match. Although he is a small player, this defender chose a good position, so he has a good dribbling ability, and his personal technical movements are not inferior to Van Toan.

In the first goal, defender Van Thanh took a free kick outside the 16.5m box with a level higher than Cong Phuong's, and in the second goal, he went close to the sideline and shot very hard into a tight angle, reminding people of Van Toan.

In the context that coach Huu Thang has 19-year-old player Van Hau (Hanoi FC) playing quite well in the left-back position, the U22 Vietnam attack is quite lackluster, coach Petrovic's comments are worth the attention of the U22 Vietnam coaching board. It would not be a bad idea to push Van Thanh to play left midfielder or winger.

Dong Hung