From a 3-1 victory over the Philippines in stage 1 to a 1-3 defeat also against this opponent in Chiang Mai (Thailand), the Vietnamese women's volleyball team has experienced a surprising reversal.
Notably, the defeat did not come from the fact that the Philippines was completely superior, but originated from Vietnam's own limitations. The attack was unstable, faltering steps, and key positions could not maintain high form at a decisive time.
Previously, coach Ngoc Hoa's team also lost to Indonesia 2-3 even though they had led in the first two sets.
Thanh Thuy cannot carry the attack forever
Captain Tran Thi Thanh Thuy is the most expected name in the Vietnamese squad. However, against the Philippines, this main attacker could not create enough pressure to pull the whole team through the difficult time.
She still has important scoring situations, but the effectiveness of attack and the ability to put pressure from serves do not reach the highest level. When the main spearhead is limited, Vietnam's attacking system immediately encounters problems. In fact, this is not a new story.
For many years, Thanh Thuy has been the most important attacking option of the team. When she plays well, Vietnam can make a difference. But when the opponent finds a way to limit this main attacker, the team often has difficulty finding another scoring point that is stable enough.
The match with the Philippines once again shows that dependence. The problem is not how many points Thanh Thuy must score, but that Vietnam does not have a plan to reduce pressure on her.
Other attackers have not spoken up
Bich Thuy is one of the players with the ability to make a difference in the middle block position. Quick midfield attacks once helped Vietnam stretch the opponent's block, creating space for the main attackers. But against the Philippines, these options have not been as effective as expected.
When the middle blocker does not create enough pressure, the opponent's block has the opportunity to focus more on the wingtips. This makes Thanh Thuy and the outside strikers face a thicker block system.
Kim Thanh has also not yet been able to become a support in the opposite hitter position. In a deep team, when the number 1 main attacker encounters difficulties, the remaining positions must immediately share the responsibility of scoring points.
The Vietnamese team currently does not do that regularly. This makes the performance of key players a problem for the whole system, rather than a personal story of each individual.
Step one is not okay, the attack is even more difficult to operate
One of the reasons why Vietnamese hitters cannot promote their strength is the quality of the first step. Against the Philippines, Vietnam's ability to hold the first step was unstable at times.
When the first ball is not good, the setter loses many options and is forced to put the ball on the wing in predictable situations. At that time, the Philippines' block has more time to organize.
Modern volleyball requires very close connections between positions. A bad play in the back line can lead to passivity in the upper line.
Therefore, it is not possible to just look at scoring efficiency to conclude whether a main attacker or a middle attacker is declining. When the first step is not guaranteed, the entire attacking system is affected.
What is noteworthy after the two defeats is that the Vietnamese women's volleyball team still had good times. Against Indonesia, the team once led 2-0 but let the opponent reverse the score.
Against the Philippines, Vietnam won the first set and at many times still closely followed the opponent. However, when the match entered the decisive stage, the team lacked stability. Set 4 is the clearest example.
Vietnam once brought the score to 22-22 but then let the Philippines score 3 points in a row to close the match. These situations not only reflect technical issues but also relate to bravery, ability to handle pressure and concentration.
Is the pillar really going downhill?
Be cautious when using the concept of "declining" for Vietnamese players. Two matches are not enough to conclude that an athlete has declined in ability, but they show that many key players are not in the best condition at the same time. That is what is worth paying attention to.
When Thanh Thuy does not have the highest efficiency, the remaining spearheads are not stable enough. When the first step encounters problems, the attack loses diversity. When being led, the team still has periods of lack of options to break the game.
In other words, the problem is not simply that the pillars are playing worse than before, but that the current system is not strong enough to cover up their unstable form. This is a problem that the coaching staff needs to solve as soon as possible.
SEA V.Cup leg 2 is no longer just a story of achievements. The two defeats against Indonesia and the Philippines are a warning that the gap between Vietnam and regional opponents is no longer large enough for the team to rely on a few individuals.
To go further, Vietnam needs more than one Thanh Thuy in the best condition, needs a supporting striker strong enough to create pressure, a opposite hitter who can share points, a solid rear line and most importantly, the ability to maintain stability in decisive moments.
