Which shirt fits HAGL?

HAGL shows signs of decline

HAGL has reached the quarter-finals of the National Cup after defeating visiting team Binh Phuoc on penalties. However, besides the joy of winning a ticket to the next round, the match at Pleiku Stadium helped fans realize more clearly the strength of HAGL at this time.

Without 3 foreign players on the field, HAGL could not overwhelm Binh Phuoc. That means the quality of domestic players in the hands of coach Le Quang Trai and technical director Vu Tien Thanh is not much better than a first-class team.

This is a reality that not only HAGL, but many V-League representatives have to face. That is, the domestic force is only at the "adequate" level. Success or failure depends on the training method, playing philosophy, or most importantly, the level of foreign players.

HAGL lost 3 of the last 4 matches

HAGL had a perfect start in V-League 2024 - 2025 with 5 unbeaten matches, conceding only 2 goals. Throughout this period, Chau Ngoc Quang and his teammates dominated the top 3. HAGL's unexpected rise came from many factors: tight and reasonable counter-attacking defense, good foreign players (both Marciel da Silva and Jairo Rodrigues have integrated well) and making the most of the "high" advantage when playing at home in Pleiku (HAGL has not lost a match at home this season).

However, HAGL gradually weakened when they no longer had the advantage. Their playing style was studied and exploited by opponents, foreign players were figured out, while HAGL's away form (1 point in the last 4 matches) was too low, making the points earned at home not enough to compensate.

With 3 losses in the last 4 matches, it is not difficult to say that HAGL is declining. However, it is necessary to look at the problem: the team from the mountain town is not actually regressing, but just returning to its original position. A team that wants to climb steadily in the V-League needs a solid foundation of playing style and quality domestic players. HAGL lacks both of these conditions, so the series of matches at the beginning of the season is simply a period of time when coach Vu Tien Thanh and his team have surpassed their limits and played better than their abilities.

When the surprise passed, order simply returned. The duo Vu Tien Thanh and Le Quang Trai had too little time (just over a year) to train to create a total revolution.

HAGL (orange shirt) needs to carefully calculate the target

HAGL needs to find the momentum to break through once again. But where to find the momentum in such a mediocre team is a difficult problem to solve.

Calculate the goal

HAGL is currently ranked 7th, in the middle of the rankings. This is a position that often makes teams confused about their goals, when the way up is not far, but the way down is also... very close.

Technical Director Vu Tien Thanh and his team are only 3 points behind the top 3, equal to one win. However, HAGL is only 7 points above the danger zone. Although the number is large, it can be filled after just a few rounds if HAGL cannot escape the losing streak. Setting a suitable goal for V-League 2024 - 2025 is the target of the Pleiku team that needs to be carefully calculated.

With the coaching philosophy that he has shown in the teams of Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City, Technical Director Vu Tien Thanh will probably plan to help HAGL secure their place in the league first. Accumulate enough points to stay in the V-League, and seek a higher position.

HAGL is probably not strong enough to set a "hard" target of top 3 or top 5, when the positions in the top group are hard to escape from the hands of the championship candidates. Therefore, calculating "picking up" points each match is still more suitable for HAGL at this time. With a suitable target shirt, both teachers and students will be in a comfortable mood. And the past has proven that HAGL must be mentally comfortable to... play well.

In the next 5 rounds, HAGL will face Ho Chi Minh City FC, Hanoi FC (2 matches), The Cong Viettel and Binh Dinh. The match schedule is very difficult, which will help Ngoc Quang and his teammates re-evaluate their abilities to prepare for the return leg.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/v-league-tam-ao-nao-vua-van-voi-hagl-185250115140649966.htm