Coach Kim Sang-sik's extremely difficult problem: How long can Xuan Son be used when playing against Laos?

Striker Xuan Son will play in the match between Vietnam and Laos on November 19. However, how many minutes will the player, who is currently playing for Nam Dinh Club, be used is a question that needs to be answered by coach Kim Sang-sik.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's gamble?

Nguyen Xuan Son is the best striker in Vietnamese football today, demonstrated through what he has done in the V-League last season and at the AFF Cup 2024. Therefore, the fact that Xuan Son can go with the Vietnamese team to Laos to attend the Asian Cup 2027 qualifying match on the evening of November 19 is good news for Vietnamese football.

Coach Kim Sang-sik will have to carefully calculate the amount of time he uses Xuan Son in the match against Laos.

Photo: VFF

However, the question is how is Xuan Son's physical condition at the moment? The Nam Dinh player has just returned to the field after nearly a year of absence due to injury. Xuan Son has not played any professional matches in the domestic tournament before being called back to the national team.

In addition to physical strength, it is also unclear how Xuan Son feels about the ball at this time. A player who has been away from the field for nearly a year, his sense of space, his sense of touch and dribbling will certainly be affected. That could make Xuan Son's scoring sensitivity not the same as it was right before he broke his leg.

Coach Kim Sang-sik will probably study the above issue very carefully. If the Korean coach uses Xuan Son at the wrong time, or uses him beyond his tolerance, his return to the team too soon may be counterproductive.

Xuan Son's expressions are extremely funny on the field, Coach Kim assembles the team to play against Laos team

Spiritual meaning

Firstly, any player who does not play up to his potential can have a negative impact on the overall playing style of the entire Vietnam team. At that time, our attacking system will have problems because the link named Xuan Son does not play well. Secondly, the risk of Xuan Son re-injuring will be very high if this player cannot meet the peak intensity of exercise in an official international match, on the day he returns to the field.

Will Xuan Son be fit enough to play officially?

Photo: Nhat Anh

The most reasonable solution is that coach Kim Sang-sik only uses Xuan Son in the short time at the end of the match, when the Lao players' physical strength has declined, they will find it difficult to play aggressively with Xuan Son at this time. At the same time, maybe by the end of the match, the Vietnamese team has created a safe gap, the result on the field is almost decided, leading to the fact that the Lao players do not necessarily have to play too fiercely anymore.

It is not impossible that Xuan Son's return at present only has spiritual significance for the Vietnamese team and Vietnamese football fans, and the return of the naturalized Brazilian player cannot immediately create a breakthrough in terms of expertise. In addition, Xuan Son's appearance in the Vietnamese team in the match against Laos is most likely just a way to help him "warm up" and get used to the atmosphere of the national team, aiming for the match against Malaysia in March 2026, as well as aiming for the AFF Cup 2026, taking place in the middle of next year.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bai-toan-cuc-kho-cua-hlv-kim-sang-sik-dung-xuan-son-trong-bao-lau-khi-dau-lao-185251117224233954.htm