Correct shortcomings
“If we consider the goals set before this match, we have clearly succeeded,” coach Philippe Troussier shared with the press on the evening of October 10, after the Vietnamese team’s 0-2 loss to the Chinese team in the match. FIFA Days friendly match.
The biggest goal of the Vietnamese team is to test people and control play, this Mr. Troussier emphasized before leaving. The French strategist also shared that he hopes his students will reveal their mistakes so they can gradually adjust.
Not focusing on the results of friendly matches, but the coaching staff wants to look at the player’s shortcomings to improve.
In the friendly match in Dalian, the Vietnamese team took the field with a very young squad. In defense, Tuan Tai plays next to two seniors, Duy Manh and Ngoc Hai. On the two sides, Tien Anh (24 years old) and Viet Hung (26 years old) although not young, have not had much seniority in playing the team. On the offensive line, Thai Son and Dinh Bac (then Van Cuong and Van Khang) respectively had the opportunity to show off, with a clear message from the coaching staff: help the new recruits have a feeling of playing football and accumulate experience. test against top competitors.
The loss on the evening of October 10 showed that these were all tests that did not have complete results. Viet Hung and Tien Anh cannot compare with Van Hau and Tan Tai in their ability to climb the border to coordinate attacks and penetrate the penalty area. In 61 minutes of play, Tien Anh did not have any crosses, while crossing the ball is the strength of Viettel club players. Similarly, Viet Hung only put the ball into the penalty area from the edge once and incorrectly.
Because the two wings were blocked and caught, the Vietnamese team, despite holding the ball 63% of the time, could not stretch China’s massive defense.
Young stars playing in the midfield such as Thai Son, Dinh Bac, and Van Khang all handled it ineffectively, played sporadically, and lacked connection. However, it is difficult to blame the young player because against a team that plays fast and fiercely like China, the requirements for speed and accuracy in handling are very high.
Veteran players like Hung Dung (lost the ball 10 times) or Hoang Duc (lost the ball 14 times) are also “overwhelmed” by the need to control the ball against a large, disciplined and tight defense. Chinese team.
Faced with the home team’s counter-attacking defensive style, the Vietnamese team needs youth and boldness to break through. That’s why Coach Troussier used many new players in the second half. However, in the context of the new players being inexperienced and the veterans not yet operating a smooth playing style, Mr. Troussier’s students were out of rhythm. play, ideas and articulation.
Persist
Before the match, coach Mai Duc Chung of the Vietnamese women’s team affirmed: “We should not worry about the results. Football, like sports in general, must sometimes win and sometimes lose. Be comfortable, don’t worry. Expect too much, this is just a practice session. When coach Henrique Calisto coached the Vietnamese team, there was a period when the players did not win more than ten matches in a row, but when they reached the AFF Cup, they won the championship. Don’t expect the score. win or lose in these matches.
The current context of the Vietnamese team is different from coach Calisto’s time. After 5 years of sublimation, the standards and expectations placed on the team coached by Mr. Troussier are very different. However, in the period of restructuring both the force and the playing philosophy, it is difficult for the Vietnamese team to avoid stumbles.
And when they stumble in friendly matches, the Vietnamese team clearly gains more than they lose.
The loss in terms of results is only very small, equivalent to a few points on the rankings. While the benefit lies in the revealed mistakes, it will help the coaching staff realistically evaluate the student’s ability and adjust accordingly.
The Vietnamese team is still in the formation stage. After 4 friendly matches (won 3, lost 1), the idea of controlling the ball has been demonstrated, although it is not unique because the players have not had enough time to absorb the philosophy, and at the same time are at a “slow” level in terms of ball feeling. , physical condition when V-League has not yet taken place.
In addition, allowing many young players to play shows Mr. Troussier’s willingness to risk failure. With a large number of players on the team, the “White Witch” wants to make the most of the matches to evaluate his students.
It is important that the Vietnamese team will adjust accordingly in the upcoming matches, because the 2026 World Cup qualifiers are very close.