To defeat U.23 Yemen, Coach Troussier needs to sharpen the U.23 Vietnam attack line.

To defeat U.23 Yemen in the match on September 9th, U.23 Vietnam needs to play a more incisive and effective attacking game than they did in the match against U.23 Guam.

Vietnam U.23 is not yet complete.

The 6-0 victory against Guam U23 gave Vietnam U23 a good start in the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers. Facing a team making its first appearance in the Asian qualifiers like Guam U23, Vietnam U23 easily dominated possession throughout the match. The game at Viet Tri Stadium ( Phu Tho ) on September 6th was a good opportunity for Thai Son and his teammates to practice the attacking drills they had honed in training beforehand.

However, the Vietnam U23 team still didn't perform as expected. Coach Philippe Troussier commented: "I understand there will be criticism because the players should have scored more goals. I agree because the Vietnam U23 team had many opportunities and should have scored 3 or 4 more goals against the opponent."

Vietnam U23 dominated possession, controlling both flanks and the midfield, pushing Guam U23 deep into their own half. However, the quality of their finishing was unsatisfactory, especially in the first half.

Vietnam U23 still has many things to improve.

MINH TU

With three forwards – Van Do, Thanh Nhan, and Van Tung – constantly positioned in the penalty area, alongside wingers Minh Trong and Duc Phu who always push forward, the Vietnam U23 team has no fewer than five players for each attack. This is also the criterion that Coach Troussier set for his players: to concentrate at least 3 to 4 players in the penalty area to create an attacking force equal to or greater than the number of opposing defenders. However, the problem for the Vietnam U23 team is not the number of players, but the quality of their passing and finishing, which are both lacking.

There were many instances in this match where the forwards lacked coordination, made misplaced passes, or hesitated when choosing between passing or shooting. This is also a weakness that Coach Troussier mentioned, as the players are unable to make accurate decisions.

Football is a complex web of decisions, and a split-second misjudgment can cause the entire attack to fall apart. The Vietnam U23 team made several mistakes against Guam U23, but because their opponents responded weakly, Troussier's team was able to correct their errors by continuing to press, apply pressure, and score.

The Yemen U23 team, with their good physical condition, technique, and attacking prowess, will be a formidable opponent, requiring the Vietnam U23 team to be more alert if they don't want to pay the price. Yemen U23 also plays a defensive style, but unlike Guam U23, they play more tightly, are more tenacious, and have midfielders and forwards who are good at retaining possession to support their counter-attacking style.

Yemen U.23 (in white shirts) are strong in counter-attacks.

MINH TU

The impressive transitional moves that U23 Yemen executed against U23 Singapore are something Coach Troussier and his team need to study carefully. Overall, the 3-4-3 formation with three players always present in their own half provides U23 Vietnam with a secure goal to trap U23 Yemen's counter-attacks.

We need to be alert and decisive.

The area where the Vietnam U23 team needs improvement is the quality of their attack. In the previous match, Coach Troussier used the same core group of players who played in the SEA Games 32, showing that the French coach has great confidence in his "favorite" players whom he has coached for many years. These are also players who understand the tactics, the requirements of the playing style, and how to implement the control-oriented philosophy.

However, the experience of this group of players remains questionable. Among the attacking players, Van Cuong and Thai Son are among the few who regularly start in the V-League. Van Do and Van Tung are substitutes, while Minh Trong and Thanh Nhan play in the First Division. These players only truly gained experience and exposure while representing the youth national teams, and since the beginning of the year, the Vietnam U23 team has only competed in one official tournament.

Will Vietnam U23 perform better in the match against Yemen U23?

MINH TU

Coach Troussier always demands that his players be confident when handling the ball, especially in the opponent's penalty area. But this is a quality that cannot be honed solely in training; it must also be tested in specific matches, where the pressure of expectations and the pressure from opponents will help the coaching staff identify which players are truly good.

To play more incisive attacking football, the issue now completely depends on the players. The Vietnam U23 team needs more tactical approaches such as central attacking combinations, passing the ball back from the second line for shots... instead of relying too much on the wings. Regardless of the attacking style, the Vietnam U23 team needs players with a "cool head," good basic technique, and the necessary decisiveness.

The match against Yemen U23, taking place at 7 PM on September 9th, hopefully will be a more promising and exciting performance from Vietnam U23.

Thanhnien.vn