The Vietnamese national team's playing style under coach Philippe Troussier has yet to fully take shape in the first two matches. The novelty that fans can see mainly comes from the names the French coach is experimenting with. Among them, the case of Nguyen Thai Son is perhaps the most obvious new development bearing Troussier's mark.
The Thanh Hoa FC midfielder received much praise after his performance in the victory against Syria at Thien Truong Stadium ( Nam Dinh ) on the evening of June 20th. Thai Son started, played the full 90 minutes, and contributed to Vietnam's goal. The midfielder wearing jersey number 14 intercepted a misplaced pass from an opponent just outside the penalty area and passed to Pham Tuan Hai, who scored with a long-range shot.
Nguyen Thai Son made an impressive debut for the Vietnamese national team.
It could be said that Nguyen Thai Son's debut was the biggest difference made by coach Troussier in his first two matches leading the Vietnamese national team. In fact, this was a surprising personnel decision by the French coach, as Thai Son was only included in the Vietnamese squad two days before the match against Syria.
In this training camp, the Vietnamese national team is without Do Hung Dung due to injury. Nguyen Hoang Duc also suffered an injury after the match against Hong Kong (China). Most fans were probably hoping Nguyen Hai Huy would be used in the midfield. However, Coach Troussier gave the opportunity to Thai Son.
The player born in 2003 repaid Coach Troussier's trust with a mature performance in midfield. Many fans on social media commented that Thai Son was filling the role of his midfield partner, Nguyen Tuan Anh. In other words, Tuan Anh's impressive performance was significantly contributed to by his younger teammate.
Mobility and stamina are the factors that made Thai Son a trusted choice for coach Troussier. In the Vietnam U23 squad at the SEA Games 32, only one player played more minutes than Thai Son (478 minutes) - Phan Tuan Tai (495 minutes).
When coach Troussier started working with the U23 team, Thai Son was among the players who didn't need further testing after the initial short training camp. He didn't participate in the Doha Cup friendly tournament, but he was one of the players with the highest chance of being selected for the SEA Games.
At the 32nd SEA Games, Thai Son caused a sensation with his statistics showing he covered over 10 km during a match. This figure was significantly higher than the average for Vietnamese players and comparable to that of European players.
Specifically, in the match where Vietnam U22 defeated Laos U22, Thai Son covered a distance of 11.4 km on the field. This figure is higher than the average for a player at the World Cup (approximately 10 km per match). Players in the English Premier League cover between 10-14 km per match. Thai Son was also the player who ran the most in the group stage of the men's football tournament at the 32nd SEA Games.
Nguyen Thai Son played a key role in Vietnam's goal.
Of course, running a lot doesn't necessarily equate to effectiveness. Thai Son's performance, which was equivalent to European standards, didn't earn him praise at the time, especially since the U22 Vietnam team hadn't yet satisfied the fans. However, when placed in the context of a national team match, that was what helped Thai Son stand out.
Playing alongside Tuan Anh, it's clear that no one expected Thai Son to take on the role of controlling the tempo and distributing the ball. His task was to move all over the field like a shuttle to support both attacking and defensive areas. In this context, the role of a player who "only knows how to run" is more easily understood.
Nguyen Thai Son made his debut for the national team with a not-so-bad, even impressive, performance. However, just like it's too early to praise or criticize the Vietnamese national team in their first matches under coach Troussier – when everything is still in the initial stages of getting acquainted and adapting – it's difficult to say whether the young midfielder born in 2003 can secure a place in the Vietnamese national team in the near future.
It's important to remember that Coach Troussier has many more experienced and high-class midfielders at his disposal than Thai Son. Even with a similar playing style, the Vietnamese national team still has Do Hung Dung. Nevertheless, the fact that Thai Son is being used alongside Van Tung and Tuan Tai shows that Coach Troussier has made strategic calculations regarding team rotation in preparation for the long term.
Han Phong
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