The U.23 Vietnam team is about to transform thanks to coach Kim's transformational talent: The throne awaits...

Coach Kim Sang-sik has removed 8 players from the Vietnam U23 team, but he still keeps most of the most anticipated attacking players at the moment. That shows that the Korean coach has high expectations for the strikers.

The best strikers of Vietnam U.23

The current list of 28 players in the Vietnam U23 team includes five forwards: Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Quoc Viet, Alex Bui, and Nguyen Ngoc My. Among them, Nguyen Quoc Viet and Nguyen Thanh Nhan previously played in the 2023 SEA Games, Nguyen Dinh Bac is a promising forward highly regarded by former Vietnam national team coach Philippe Troussier, and Alex Bui is a Vietnamese-born forward who has recently garnered significant attention.

Dinh Bac (7) is a striker expected in the Vietnam U.23 team.

Photo: VFF

The player who will appear alongside Dinh Bac in the U.23 team's forward line is Quoc Viet.

Photo: VFF

Compared to other lines of the Vietnam U23 team, the forward line is not as highly rated. However, the aforementioned players are currently the best possible options ahead of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship. Coach Kim Sang-sik will try to build an attacking style of play based on these players.

Coach Kim Sang-sik announces the shortlist for the Vietnam U.23 team: Young overseas Vietnamese included.

Among the current forwards of the Vietnam U23 team, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Ngoc My, and Nguyen Dinh Bac are wing forwards, while Nguyen Quoc Viet usually plays as a withdrawn forward. The central striker role could be given to Alex Bui. The 1.78m tall, physically imposing Vietnamese-born player, having grown up playing in Europe, is well-suited to playing at the top of the attack: a position that often requires aggressive runs and physical contact with opposing defenders. When Alex Bui plays further forward, Dinh Bac, Quoc Viet, or Thanh Nhan and Ngoc My will support him, helping to stretch the opposing defense.

A secondary solution from the midfield

Besides the aforementioned genuine strikers, coach Kim Sang-sik has another option for the attacking line: captain and midfielder Nguyen Van Truong. The player, currently playing for Hanoi FC, usually plays as an attacking midfielder, but he can also play as a striker when needed. At last year's U23 Asian Championship, coach Hoang Anh Tuan used Nguyen Van Truong as a striker, and he performed quite well.

Captain Van Truong is also a viable option for the forward line.

Photo: VFF

Furthermore, with Nguyen Van Truong's impressive physique (1.82 m), this also opens up another option for the U.23 Vietnam team's forward line if we need to strengthen their muscle power and aerial ability in attack.

Assuming the opponent plays a dense defensive game, and the Vietnamese team needs to use long balls to break through these defensive layers, coach Kim Sang-sik could simultaneously deploy three physically strong attacking players, including Van Truong, Dinh Bac (1.80 m), and Alex Bui, in the front line, thereby increasing the chances of success in aerial duels.

The goal of the Vietnam U23 team at this year's Southeast Asian U23 Championship (taking place from July 15-29) is to defend their title. To achieve that goal, coach Kim Sang-sik's team needs goals from their forwards to increase their chances of defeating their opponents. Coach Kim will try to utilize the strikers he has available to create the best possible attacking line for the Vietnam U23 team in the coming days.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hang-cong-u23-viet-nam-sap-lot-xac-nho-tai-bien-hoa-cua-thay-kim-ngoi-vuong-cho-doi-185250707165118374.htm