Don't forget this face.

The gap left by Van Toan

Before suffering an injury in the second half of the match between Vietnam and Myanmar in the final round of Group B of the AFF Cup, Van Toan had been playing very well.

In the match at Viet Tri Stadium on the evening of December 21st, the 28-year-old striker was very active in his attacking midfield role. He disrupted the opponent's right flank, moving flexibly and using his speed to repeatedly outmaneuver the Myanmar defenders. If Van Vi had been more precise with his close-range finish in the middle of the first half, Van Toan would have had his first assist of the tournament, after a situation where he almost did everything for his teammate with a dribble and a perfect cross.

In the second half, Van Toan finished brilliantly after Nguyen Xuan Son's backheel pass, setting up Vi Hao's subsequent goal.

Van Toan will miss the 2024 AFF Cup semi-final due to injury.

Therefore, Van Toan's injury deprives coach Kim Sang-sik of an attacking option that possesses all three essential qualities: class, experience, and understanding of Xuan Son, currently the most promising player in the attack. However, coach Kim Sang-sik's player selection throughout the tournament has sent a message: no player is irreplaceable. With the experimental options in the group stage, the South Korean coach still has many solutions to replace his players.

Highlights Vietnam 5-0 Myanmar: Xuan Son's brilliant performance | ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024

First, let's define Van Toan's position in Coach Kim's 3-4-2-1 formation as a right-sided attacking midfielder. In fact, in the early stages of the 2024 AFF Cup, Van Toan didn't have a starting spot. That position was given to Quang Hai, while Hai Long played as a left-sided attacking midfielder. In the match against Myanmar, Quang Hai was moved to the midfield to "distribute the ball" alongside Hoang Duc, leaving the right-sided attacking midfield space for Van Toan. This move helped the Vietnamese team increase their attacking power, as both Quang Hai and Van Toan have the ability to create good attacking opportunities.

With Van Toan absent, Quang Hai will most likely return to his attacking midfield role to replace his teammate. The void left by Quang Hai in the midfield will be filled by Ngoc Tan. The midfielder, born in 1994, started the first three group stage matches before missing the Myanmar game due to injury. While not as attacking as Quang Hai or Van Toan, Ngoc Tan brings balance to the midfield thanks to his tireless work rate and defensive capabilities.

Quang Hai returns to the position previously occupied by Van Toan.

In the first leg against Singapore, a game that demands tactical planning, the Vietnamese team will need a solid defensive setup. Therefore, a midfield with Ngoc Tan and Hoang Duc remains the optimal choice. Up front, Quang Hai and Vi Hao (or Hai Long) are reliable attacking midfielders.

Change the diagram.

Another solution for coach Kim Sang-sik is to change the formation from 3-4-2-1 (2 attacking midfielders, 1 striker) to 3-5-2 (2 strikers).

The advantage of this option is that Kim can deploy up to three central midfielders to reinforce the midfield, creating a secure game against Singapore. At the same time, the Vietnamese team has two excellent strikers, Xuan Son and Tien Linh, allowing them to build a two-striker formation.

Although they only played together in the second half, Xuan Son and Tien Linh combined very well. Tien Linh provided the perfect pass for Xuan Son to execute a solo run and score, increasing the lead to 4-0. Then, Xuan Son returned the favor with a through pass for his teammate to seal the 5-0 victory with a well-placed shot.

Both Xuan Son and Tien Linh are forwards who are good at making runs and penetrating the penalty area to score goals. In the match against Singapore, Xuan Son might be tightly marked. However, that would create space for other players. With his good ability to find space and his experience playing alongside foreign players at his club, Tien Linh will have a chance to "score".

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ai-thay-van-toan-o-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-dung-quen-guong-mat-nay-185241223100709556.htm