Under coach Andersen, striker Cong Phuong played 6 matches, playing a total of 290 minutes (4 matches coming off the bench). There were matches where he left his mark with delicious assists but his teammates missed them all.
Although he rarely played, it must be noted that Cong Phuong played aggressively and made efforts every time he was given the opportunity to compete. At least, this striker has gradually gained the trust of coach Andersen, before his coach parted ways with Incheon United.
The departure of coach Andersen will more or less affect Cong Phuong's ability to play in the remainder of K.League 2019, in a positive or negative direction, depending on how Phuong will perform in the upcoming match under interim coach Lim Joong Yong.
As soon as he took over as interim manager, the player who had been with Incheon United for 8 years admitted that Cong Phuong was under a lot of pressure as a striker so he could not show himself. And coach Lim Joong Yong also emphasized that Phuong would have a better role if playing in a lower position in the Incheon United squad.
It is not ruled out that Cong Phuong will have to " hand over" the striker position to play low as a midfielder, an area where Incheon United is weak. Also because of the poor and mobility of the midfield, Incheon United often used long balls, forcing the striker to struggle to compete with the opposing defender, causing the attack to perform poorly in the last 6 matches.
With good technique and tactical vision, if Cong Phuong is pulled back to play as an organizer midfielder, he can create a breakthrough thanks to dribbling to attract the support of the opponent, opening up space for exploitation. It may be risky, but if he tries it, it will at least help Phuong be able to play more, if he is trusted and given the opportunity.
The first challenge for interim coaches Lim Joong-yong and Cong Phuong will be the match against Cheongju in the Korean FA Cup at 5:30 p.m. (Vietnam time) tomorrow (April 17). After 4 days, Incheon United will visit FC Seoul in round 8 of K League 1.
