The underdog position of the Vietnamese team
In the semi-final first leg against Singapore, the first time the Vietnamese team controlled the ball so little at the AFF Cup 2024. In the first half, coach Kim Sang-sik’s students kept the ball only 30%. This number is slightly higher in the second half: 37%. Previously, the lowest ball control rate of the Vietnamese team in the group stage was 50% (match against the Philippines team).
The artificial turf surface naturally affects the Vietnamese team’s ability to control the ball. However, this is not the biggest problem. The main reason comes from the loss of balance in our midfield. Arranging Quang Hai and Hoang Duc as a central midfield pair seems to be an ineffective plan. Facing a midfield that plays with strength and is not afraid of collision, both Hoang Duc and Quang Hai encountered difficulties and were unable to fully utilize their qualities. The passing accuracy rate of these two left tackles is 76%, relatively low. Therefore, the Vietnamese team did not have many good opportunities in the first 60 minutes.
In the second half, when Quang Hai left the field, Hoang Duc was raised to attack more
The game improved for the “Golden Star Warriors” from the moment Doan Ngoc Tan replaced Quang Hai. The abundant energy of the midfielder on the payroll of Thanh Hoa Club contributes to helping the Vietnamese team have better control in the midfield, “freeing” Hoang Duc. Thanks to that, we created more pressure in the second half of the second half and got 2 goals in extra time.
Is it possible to use both Quang Hai and Hoang Duc?
In AFF Cup 2024, coach Kim Sang-sik often uses 3 central midfielders. In particular, 2 players are responsible for regulating the match, the remaining player is allowed to move freely to support the attack. In the match against Laos, these 3 players were Ngoc Tan, Hoang Duc and Hai Long. In the match against Indonesia, Quang Hai replaced Hoang Duc. In the match against the Philippines, the trio of midfielders were Ngoc Tan, Quang Hai and Ngoc Quang.
In the match against Myanmar, coach Kim Sang-sik for the first time paired Quang Hai with Hoang Duc. But because this is a relatively weak opponent, the Vietnamese team still controlled the match. When facing a difficult opponent like Singapore, our midfield becomes more fragile.
Quang Hai is always very dangerous when he has the ball near the opponent’s penalty area
If he wants to use both Quang Hai and Hoang Duc, coach Kim Sang-sik must sacrifice a wing striker to switch to a 3-5-2 formation. At this time, the most optimal plan is for Ngoc Tan – Hoang Duc to play lower, doing the task of intercepting and regulating the match. Meanwhile, Quang Hai was pushed up high, operating near the opponent’s penalty area to support the striker pair Xuan Son – Tien Linh (or Vi Hao). The midfielder of Hanoi Police Club also plays very well every time he appears near the penalty area, as shown by his two goals against Indonesia and Myanmar in the group stage.
In case coach Kim Sang-sik still wants to use an attacking trio with Xuan Son playing in the slot and 2 young, strong players playing on the flanks, he only has 2 spots left for the midfield. At this time, Ngoc Tan needs to be present to bring balance and the Korean strategist is forced to choose Quang Hai or Hoang Duc.
Asean Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 is shown live and completely on FPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn
