Coach Mano Polking's difficult problem

CAHN lost 0-2 to Hanoi - Photo: CAHN .

“CAHN entered the match in a state of fatigue in many ways, after 120 minutes of intense competition in the second leg of the Southeast Asian Cup final against Buriram United. Not only was their physical strength worn out, but the players’ spirit was also affected after a match in which we were very disappointed with the result,” said coach Polking after CAHN’s 0-2 loss to Hanoi.

The match against Hanoi took place just a few days after CAHN returned from Thailand. They had just gone through 120 tense minutes against Buriram United and a long journey. However, the defeat at Hang Day was not only due to tired legs but also due to inherent tactical errors.

CAHN had an extra man from the 63rd minute when Xuan Manh of Hanoi received a second yellow card and was sent off. But it was during this time that they conceded their second goal from a perfect counter-attack by their opponents. That was when the CAHN defenders pushed forward, leaving a huge gap in front of the goal.

If you look back at CAHN’s past matches, this is not the first time. In the second leg of the final against Buriram, the Public Security team also let the opponent exploit the space in a similar way and scored 3 consecutive goals in the official match time. CAHN’s defense system tends to push up but lacks synchronization and the ability to cover between the lines. This makes the team easily divided, especially against teams that know how to counterattack quickly.

The second problem that CAHN is facing is that they often lose points against weaker teams in the V.League. It must be admitted that Coach Polking and his team play a very modern and sharp style of play in the Southeast Asian Cup. They convincingly defeated top opponents in the region to advance to the final and only lost to Buriram United in a nerve-wracking match. But in the V.League, when facing weaker teams, Coach Polking's team often struggles. They were held to a draw by Quang Nam , SLNA or Ho Chi Minh City, and even lost to the young squad of HAGL.

CAHN often makes "mistakes" in defense - Photo: CAHN.

The main reason comes from the way the opponents in V.League approach the match with CAHN. Facing a team with strong investment, possessing a top quality squad, the teams choose to play pragmatically, defending in large numbers, not needing to control the ball, just looking for a way to score points. The image of the "double-decker bus" is no longer a metaphor but has become a reality. Teams are willing to play negatively just to keep a draw or wait for a chance to counterattack unexpectedly.

This is a problem that coach Polking still has no solution to. CAHN depends on individuals like Leo Artur, Alan or Quang Hai, making the gameplay easy to predict when the space is suffocated.

In addition, the depth of the CAHN squad, although good compared to the general level, cannot make a difference when it needs to rotate continuously. Reserve players such as Xuan Thinh, Hoang Van Toan, Pham Van Luan, etc. cannot shoulder the burden well when playing in place of the pillars. In a fierce tournament like V.League, only a high-quality and stable squad throughout the season can aim for the championship fairly.

With two rounds left in the season, Nam Dinh is holding a big advantage and CAHN is almost eliminated from the championship race. They do not lack good players, but lack a stable playing style and the courage to handle difficult matches. For coach Polking, that will be a difficult problem. To be successful in V.League, not only do you need to defeat strong teams, but you also need to know how to overcome negative teams, something that CAHN is still struggling to find a solution to.

Source: https://znews.vn/bai-toan-kho-cua-hlv-mano-polking-post1556128.html