Vietnam - Jordan: '2 in 1' calculation

(Baonghean.vn) - Gangwon FC's agreement to arrange for midfielder Luong Xuan Truong to join the U22 Vietnam team to participate in the 29th SEA Games held in Malaysia next August makes coach Huu Thang even more determined to use the 4-1-4-1 formation.

There is not much time left until the 29th SEA Games, so Coach Huu Thang decided to use the match against Jordan in the second round of Group C of the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers to assemble the squad.

For a year now, Tuan Anh and Xuan Truong have not played together, so Huu Thang had to put aside his favorite 4-1-4-1 formation. In fact, Huu Thang has chosen many players to pair with Xuan Truong, but none of them have made the coaching staff feel secure. The key point is that this pair of central midfielders must play well together, move well without the ball to control the midfield area, and control the tempo of the match.

Forming the vertical axis

With Huy Hung playing as a holding midfielder, the midfield of the Vietnam national team and U22 Vietnam is mentioned for its balance of defense and attack. Although not as physically strong as Hoang Thinh, Huy Hung plays quite wisely because of his good positioning ability. The triangle of Huy Hung, Tuan Anh and Xuan Truong will be tested when facing the tall midfield of the West Asian team.

Above Cong Phuong is the default choice for the attacking midfielder position, although the HAGL player has not played consistently. Captain Van Quyet will play highest, a position that should be a test for U20 player Ha Duc Chinh, the piece left by Ho Tuan Tai.

Coach Huu Thang has reserved a position for his favorite student Ngoc Hai in the central defender position, while young players like Dinh Trong, Tien Dung, Tan Sinh, and Van Khanh will compete for the remaining position. If Dinh Trong has shown his ability in the V-League, Van Khanh has the advantage of playing on the same team as Ngoc Hai. The pair of Tien Dung and Tan Sinh showed their progress in Korea in the U20 World Cup.

In addition to the striker position, coach Huu Thang certainly wants to give opportunities to midfielder Quang Hai and left-back Van Hau. Quang Hai will most likely be put on the field when Van Toan is injured, while U20 player Van Hau will be a reliable choice if Huu Thang wants to push Van Thanh up high.

“2 in 1” calculation

Xuan Truong and Tuan Anh are considered the trump cards of U22 Vietnam and the national team. Photo: Dung Nguyen

It seems that Coach Huu Thang is using the Group C matches of the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers to look forward to the matches in Malaysia next August. Group C has 4 teams: Jordan, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Cambodia, with the right to choose 2 to advance to the next round, so there is a lot of room for the coaching staff of the Vietnamese team to plan.

Hopefully, from the vertical axis that has been formed for years, the U22 Vietnam coaching staff will have the next suitable pieces. In the immediate future, the match with Jordan is a real challenge!

AT