Defensive record of Vietnam team
In the last 3 AFF Cups, the Vietnamese team finished second (2022), third (2020) and champion (2018). Although the results of each tournament are different, the common point of the teams coached by Mr. Park Hang-seo is that they all defend very well in the Southeast Asian playground.
At the AFF Cup 2018, the Vietnamese team kept a clean sheet in 5 out of 8 matches throughout the tournament, conceding only 4 goals (an average of 0.5 goals/match).
At the AFF Cup 2020, the number of clean sheets continued to be 5 (out of 6 matches played), conceding 2 goals (average 0.33 goals/match). At the AFF Cup 2022, the solidity of the defense continued to be strengthened, when Mr. Park's team kept 6 clean sheets out of 8 matches. With 3 goals conceded throughout the tournament, the conceding rate of the Vietnamese team was only 0.37 goals/match.
Will Thanh Chung play in the center of defense for the Vietnam national team?
At the AFF Cup, the Vietnamese team holds two records: being the first team in history to keep a clean sheet in the group stage in three consecutive AFF Cups (2018, 2020, 2022), and also the first team to reach the final without conceding a single goal (2022). Whether they win the championship or not, Park Hang-seo's students are always the best defensive team in Southeast Asia. The solid shield in front of goal, Dang Van Lam, has become a symbol of the stability during the peak period of the Vietnamese team.
When the defense is solid, the Vietnamese team can enter the match with the mindset that they are not sure of winning, but certainly not losing. Up until now, attack has never been Vietnam's strong point. A coach in the V-League revealed that because the teams in the V-League mainly play defensive counter-attacks, defense is still an advantage that the Vietnamese team can develop.
When coach Philippe Troussier took charge, the transition from defensive counter-attacking to proactive possession-based attacking left the players bewildered. As a result, while the offense had yet to make an impact, the defense collapsed, conceding 25 goals in Troussier’s final 11 games in charge.
For the Vietnamese team to reach the final, coach Kim Sang-sik needs to restructure the defense before thinking about attacking. When the imposing attacking style is still a distant future, the safety and science that have made the brand will be the salvation for Mr. Kim and his team.
Duy Manh returns
Safe choice
Coach Kim Sang-sik called up many rookies and young players in many positions. But for the defense, he chose a safe solution.
Central defenders such as Do Duy Manh, Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Nguyen Thanh Binh all made their names under coach Park Hang-seo. Together with Que Ngoc Hai (not called up), these are the best defenders, creating a defense that has set many Southeast Asian records.
Duy Manh, Viet Anh, Thanh Chung have just returned from injuries, Tien Dung has declined. Except for Thanh Binh, no defender is in good shape. However, Mr. Kim's selection of players shows that experience is the core factor.
The Korean coach needs guards who are used to pressure, know how to read Southeast Asian opponents, and have a stable mentality at important moments.
Obviously, the Vietnamese team will not "copy" the style of play under Mr. Park. Coach Kim Sang-sik has a different tactical perspective, such as deploying the ball from the back, defending and actively pressing with a high formation but still maintaining a tight distance, attacking flexibly and freely based on passing and stretching, exploiting space.
However, no matter what philosophy is followed, the stability of the defense is still the number one priority. The Vietnamese team needs a wall created by courage and experience, before thinking about further goals.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hang-thu-thoi-ong-park-tro-thanh-phao-cuu-sinh-cua-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-185241123094130316.htm
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