Once again, Thai fans had to leave in disappointment. At the Kanchanaburi Stadium, once expected to become a football mecca, the "War Elephants" only left behind a disjointed performance and bowed their heads to their Iraqi opponents.

Coach Masatada Ishii entered the final with an unusual formula: three strikers lined up side-by-side, while the midfield was left with only one player to defend.

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Thailand had a poor performance in every aspect of the game. Photo: Changsuek

Unfortunately, this wasn't a tactical innovation, but rather a reckless game. The Iraqi team didn't need to exert much effort to stifle the midfield, while the Thai attack was running around aimlessly as if lost.

The chronic problem of dealing with aerial balls has been exposed again. A simple cross is enough to throw the defense off balance. For years, this issue has remained unresolved.

Coach changed, players changed, but Thailand's goal remained wide open whenever the opponent launched a high ball. It's hard to believe this is the team that wanted to compete on the continental stage and once set a goal of reaching the 2026 World Cup.

The players who were expected to perform also played as if they were half-asleep. Poramet Arjvirai was as faint as a ghost, failing to live up to the image of a striker who had just joined Japanese football (Jubilo Iwata).

Supachai Chaided – who was expected to follow in Teerasil Dangda's footsteps – missed a golden opportunity in injury time with a shot that was nothing more than a clearance. When the main striker is nervous in front of goal, how can we even talk about the dream of winning the championship?

Conversely, it was only when Chanathip and Jaroensak Wonggorn came on in the second half that the audience saw a Thailand team with ideas and some creative plays.

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Chanathip came on and made an impression, but it wasn't enough to make a difference. Photo: Changsuek

But the decision to keep these two on the bench from the start of the match left everyone wondering: why wait until everything fell apart to bring out the best player? Coach Ishii once again lost credibility.

Referees may be incompetent, causing numerous controversies, even to the point where the match nearly falls apart, but that cannot be used as an excuse for defeat.

Thailand lost because of their own mistakes, due to fundamentally flawed gameplay, the weakness of players who lacked responsibility, and the increasingly evident tactical limitations of coach Ishii.

The King's Cup was originally intended as a stage for Thailand and coach Ishii to overcome the pressure after a prolonged crisis, from the ASEAN Cup 2024 to the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

However, the tournament has now become a mirror reflecting the truth: this team still lacks character, ideas, and the faith of its fans.

The evening in Kanchanaburi ended, not with triumph, but with bitterness: Thailand remained only a "king" in dreams, while in reality, the cup slipped into someone else's hands once again.

(According to Siam Sport)

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tuyen-thai-lan-thua-iraq-o-king-s-cup-bi-bao-chi-danh-toi-ta-2440457.html