Who knows, maybe it will work out!

Vietnam national team experiments with left wing

At the 2024 AFF Cup, coach Kim Sang-sik rotated between Khuất Văn Khang and Nguyễn Văn Vĩ for the left flank of the Vietnamese national team. Văn Vĩ played in 8 matches (4 starts, 4 appearances as a substitute), while Văn Khang played in 4 matches (3 starts, 1 appearance as a substitute).

Both players put in a tremendous effort, with Van Vi having one of the most memorable debuts, scoring in his first game for the national team. As for Van Khang, at the age of 22, playing in an unfamiliar position, his participation in half of the matches for the Vietnamese national team was already commendable.

Trieu Viet Hung (in the orange shirt) previously played for the national team under coach Philippe Troussier in 2023.

Between the two defenders, coach Kim Sang-sik prefers Van Vi because he has 6 years of experience playing in the V-League, having honed his skills at 3 teams (Ha Tinh, Hanoi , Nam Dinh), so he has good adaptability. Van Vi is also one of the rare 4 players in the Vietnamese national team who played all 8 matches at the AFF Cup 2024, even though he didn't initially catch Kim's eye.

Van Vi's speed, technique, ability to hug the wing, and diverse crossing skills are perfectly suited to the direct style of play of the Vietnamese national team. The defender, born in 1996, doesn't play with flair, but focuses on effectiveness. Along with Ngoc Tan, Dinh Trieu, and Vi Hao, Van Vi is a fresh discovery by coach Kim, showing that with the right playing style, any player (even the most ordinary) can become the right piece of the puzzle.

However, coach Kim Sang-sik always wants to experiment constantly to strengthen the team in every position. Van Vi is fine, but coach Kim still needs an even better option. Trieu Viet Hung is the next name to be tested.

Speaking of empathy, perhaps no one in the Vietnamese national team understands Viet Hung better than... Van Khang. Both started as central midfielders, then were moved to the left wing. Previously, Van Khang played as an attacking midfielder for the Vietnam U.19 team under coach Dinh The Nam. But after coach Hoang Anh Tuan took over, Van Khang switched to the wing.

Trieu Viet Hung used to play as a central midfielder before switching to the wing.

Viet Hung is similar. He previously played as a central midfielder at HAGL (2016-2021), but when he moved to Hai Phong in 2022, coach Chu Dinh Nghiem decided to give Viet Hung a try as a winger, and then later as a winger. Viet Hung has good speed, acceleration, and skillful dribbling, but he can also play in the center when needed because he has the mindset of a central midfielder.

Coach Kim Sang-sik doesn't need a pure "workhorse" who only knows how to run and cross, but rather someone with tactical thinking, the ability to read the game, and the ability to choose the right position to effectively control the flanks. In a three-center-back formation, the wing position is key to success. Viet Hung is a strong candidate that Coach Kim will thoroughly test until he finds the right fit.

What about the right wing?

On the right wing, coach Kim Sang-sik also applied a rotation strategy with Vu Van Thanh (5 matches) and Truong Tien Anh (4 matches) at the 2024 AFF Cup.

Each player has a strength. Van Thanh excels in attack, with his ability to run down the wing to support attacks, cut inside for link-ups, and possess good long-range shooting. Conversely, Tien Anh is slightly better defensively thanks to his stamina and diligence, like a "perpetual motion machine," constantly moving up and down the field, ensuring he maintains his position for link-ups.

The choice of whether Tien Anh or Van Thanh starts will depend on the match situation and the opponent, rather than determining who is better. In this training camp, Van Thanh and Tien Anh will continue to compete against each other.

That's the philosophy of coach Kim Sang-sik: always adapting flexibly like a multi-faceted Rubik's Cube so that opponents can't figure them out, while also changing personnel to ensure the players give their all. Coach Kim's flexible coaching principles will make the Vietnamese team unpredictable, not only on the wings, but also in other positions on the field.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giai-phap-hay-cua-thay-kim-o-canh-biet-dau-lai-lam-nen-chuyen-185250308115958787.htm