The versatility of Nguyen Xuan Son
“Strong, agile, good at holding the ball, smart at handling the ball, reliable at heading, knows when to shoot…”, the Thai newspaper praised Nguyen Xuan Son - who is leading the scoring list at the ASEAN Cup 2024 with 5 goals.
According to Siam Sport, the Thai team, from defenders to midfielders, need to focus on Nguyen Xuan Son. If this striker has more space and participates more in the match, the chance of victory for the Vietnamese team will be higher.
The agility of Nguyen Quang Hai and Bui Vi Hao
The Vietnamese team has scored 16 goals after 6 matches, of which 9 goals belong to the striker pair Nguyen Xuan Son - Nguyen Tien Linh. In addition to these strikers, the Thai media highly appreciates Nguyen Quang Hai and Bui Vi Hao.
Siam Sport assessed that Quang Hai is still a bright star of Vietnamese football, with proven qualities. At the Southeast Asian level, this midfielder can make a difference at any time.
Meanwhile, Vi Hao is considered a “rough diamond” of the Vietnamese team, needing more time to be polished. The Binh Duong player has a technical and durable playing style and plays an important role in the attacking style of the Vietnamese team. If the Thai team cannot stop the attacks from this duo, they will face many difficulties against the Vietnamese team.
Fiery spirit
The current Vietnamese team has a different playing style compared to the Park Hang-seo era, but according to Siam Sport, the passion in the playing style is still there. Since the beginning of the tournament, the Vietnamese team has only received 7 yellow cards, the number of fouls is even less than the Singapore and Philippines teams, but when meeting the Thai team, the match promises to be very tense.
Previous meetings between the two teams have had heated arguments, even when the Vietnamese team no longer had central defender Que Ngoc Hai.
Solid defense
In addition to their sharp attack, Vietnam's defense is playing solidly, having only conceded 3 goals, the least in the tournament. Goalkeepers Filip Nguyen and Dinh Trieu have kept 3 clean sheets.
Besides, the players in the defense line such as Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Do Duy Manh all have a lot of experience, support and cover each other very well.
In midfield, Doan Ngoc Tan is a tireless defensive machine. He combines well with Nguyen Hoang Duc - the player who regulates the play, helping the Vietnamese team's midfield become very balanced.
Kim Sang-sik's Flexible Tactics
According to Siam Sport, the longer he stays with the Vietnamese team, the more he shines. At the ASEAN Cup 2024, the Vietnamese team has not lost a single match, winning 5/6 matches, a better record than Thailand.
Kim Sang-sik's playing style is not much different from Park Hang-seo's, emphasizing discipline and focusing on physical strength. This can be seen through the relentless pressing throughout the 90 minutes on the field.
But compared to Mr. Park, Mr. Kim Sang-sik is more flexible in tactics, with many variations in playing style. As a new generation coach, Mr. Kim is very good at adjusting the game depending on the situation.
