Unique and rare U.23 Vietnam: Without a center forward, how will coach Kim handle it?

The Vietnam U.23 team possesses a deep squad for the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Championship. However, coach Kim Sang-sik does not have a real striker.

The Vietnam U.23 team is competitive, but...

Looking at the list of 30 players called up to the Vietnam U.23 team, we can clearly see how good the quality of the young players is. Each position has at least 2 good players competing with each other. For example, Tran Trung Kien (HAGL) and Cao Van Binh (SLNA) are both young goalkeepers with experience in competition, maintaining stable performance. Right above, a series of excellent young central defenders are Le Van Ha (Hanoi Club), Pham Ly Duc (HAGL), Nguyen Nhat Minh (Hai Phong Club), Dang Tuan Phong (The Cong Viettel )... Similarly, the positions of central midfielder, left and right full-back.

Thanh Nhan has a relatively good finishing skill set, but he is not a real striker.

PHOTO: MINH TU

The names on the attack line will also cause coach Kim Sang-sik a "headache" with Nguyen Thanh Nhan (PVF-CAND), Nguyen Le Phat (PVF Center), Nguyen Dang Duong (The Cong Viettel), Le Dinh Long Vu (SLNA), Nguyen Dinh Bac (Cong An Ha Noi ), Nguyen Ngoc My (Thanh Hoa Club), Nguyen Quoc Viet (Ninh Binh Club) and Bui Alex (Bohemians Praha 1905). These are all players with good speed and skillful techniques, but most of them tend to play on the wing or play behind. They are not real center forwards, capable of playing with their backs, making walls and finishing in a variety of ways in the penalty area.

Thanh Nhan is PVF-CAND's main striker, the owner of the title of Top Scorer of the First Division in the 2023 season, but he is at his best when playing on the left in a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 formation. Similarly, Dinh Bac or Long Vu also prefer to play on the wing, preferring to move wide rather than staying in the middle.

The fact that U.23 Vietnam lacks a true "number 9" may limit their approach to the opponent's goal, especially when they need to attack in the middle or break down a crowded defense system.

How will coach Kim Sang-sik handle it?

It is likely that the Korean strategist will have to use one of the familiar options such as "false 9". This player will play deep, flexibly connecting the lines or acting as a wall. These are roles that Van Truong or Viktor Le can take on. With Van Truong, he was assigned this task by coach Hoang Anh Tuan at the 2023 AFC U-20 Championship, while Viktor Le was also tested when playing at the 2025 CFA China Team friendly tournament. Both players have performed well.

Van Truong is also very good at entering the penalty area to score goals.

PHOTO: NGOC DUONG

Especially, in situations where the state changes from defense to attack, Van Truong or Viktor Le can take advantage of their good physique to receive the ball, then pass to the 2 wings so that fast players like Quoc Viet, Dinh Khang, Thanh Nhan... can run up.

If Dinh Xuan Tien is used in this role, Coach Kim will have a player who is good at handling tight spaces. SLNA's attacking midfielder can receive the ball near the penalty area and then make dangerous passes or shoot himself. Don't forget that Xuan Tien is the top scorer of the 2023 Southeast Asian U.23, a tournament in which the Vietnam U.23 team is the champion.

Vietnam U.23 team has more personnel

Photo: Ninh Binh Club

Obviously, this is not an easy problem, but it is not without a solution. The important thing is that coach Kim Sang-sik needs to clearly define the team's playing style, thereby promoting the strengths of versatility and flexible movement of the attacking players. A well-organized system with effective support satellites will help to partly fill the gap of a true striker. Therefore, we can believe that despite lacking a typical "number 9", the current squad of U.23 Vietnam is still capable of competing for the championship.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u23-viet-nam-doc-dao-hiem-thay-khong-co-trung-phong-thay-kim-xu-tri-the-nao-185250624163137961.htm