Coach Gong Oh-kyun loves to attack, U23 Vietnam makes a change in the Asian U23 tournament?

Park Hang Seo era at U23 Vietnam ended after the 31st SEA Games. The 63-year-old strategist parted ways with the team, leaving the coaching position to his successor Gong Oh-kyun.

When U23 Vietnam was playing at the SEA Games, Mr. Gong Oh-kyun worked with a group of backup players (ready to replace the main team at SEA Games if a player has COVID-19) to better understand Vietnamese players. South, at the same time testing tactics. Coach Gong Oh-kyun emphasized: Vietnam U23 players will get used to the new way of playing.

Share with VTC News, expert Steve Darby said that helping Vietnam U23 to succeed immediately is the “impossible task” of coach Gong Oh-kyun. However, the team can show off a new look, with changes worth watching.

U23 Vietnam play offensive?

“In the past few days, Coach Gong has given the players a tactical practice with a tendency to attack based on a 4-3-3 formation. Unlike Coach Park Hang Seo, instead of playing counter-attack, he wanted us to play more offensively with small pop songs.“, midfielder Van Cong shared at the training session on the evening of May 26.

Coach Park Hang Seo’s U23 Vietnam has flourished for the past 4 years thanks to the 3 central defenders’ background. In the book “We are Vietnam”, Mr. Park assessed the defense system with 3 central defenders and 2 wingers suitable for the physical condition and qualities of Vietnamese players.

With 3 central defenders (5 defenders when defending), U23 Vietnam has a large number of troops, the players cover each other more easily, have the opportunity to actively raise to catch the opponent’s cards. At SEA Games 30, 31 or U23 Asia In 2018, 2020, coach Park Hang Seo only alternates using two diagrams 3-4-3 (5-4-1 when defending) and 3-5-2 (5-3-2 when defending).

However, coach Gong Oh-kyun was able to create a completely new team by changing the playing formula. If Mr. Park’s U23 Vietnam focuses on defense and transitions from defense to attack, a 4-3-3 formation with two rising full-backs is the key for Coach Gong Oh-kyun to build his way. Play aggressive attack.

Controlling the game and making small bounces from close range could be the new game of Coach Gong Oh-kyun. At the 2022 Asian U23 tournament, U23 Vietnam has the conditions to deploy this kick. With the exception of U23 Korea, which excels in level, both Thailand U23 and Malaysia U23 understand very well the stalking and defensive kicking style of U23 Vietnam when they face many times in the Southeast Asian playground.

To make things happen, U23 Vietnam needs adjustments. In the list for the Asian U23 tournament, coach Gong Oh-kyun has added many new faces. The main U23 Vietnam lineup can also change. With the adjustment of the gameplay, Hoang Anh and his teammates will have a new look, avoiding the opponent to catch the cards.

Challenge

Playing with a 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 diagram, the key of U23 Vietnam is still in the midfield, where the midfield players are the “gateway” to rotate the ball, creating attacks. labour. If Vietnam U23 wants to play short-ball attack, the role of central midfielders is even more important.

However, the midfielder is the weak point of U23 Vietnam. In SEA Games 31, Coach Park Hang Seo used a fixed duo of Hung Dung and Hoang Duc in the midfield, with Cong De and Hoang Anh playing alternately. Prioritize two positions of players who are too old for the midfield position, which means that Coach Park Hang Seo considers this the weakest position in the team.

Hung Dung and Hoang Duc have shown their influence, but this is not a good point for U23 Vietnam, because the playing ground for young players is significantly narrowed. Cong To, Hoang Anh only played moderately, Quang Nho and Hai Long hardly had a chance.

U23 Vietnam depends on the seniors. When there are no Hung Dung and Hoang Duc in the squad, how will the immature midfield of coach Gong Oh-kyun operate?

In the list to attend the Asian U23 tournament, Mr. Gong summoned Hai Long, Cong Den, Van Khang, Quang Nho, Van Cong, Hoang Anh for the position of central midfielder and attacking midfielder. Out of these 6 players, only Hai Long is a creative midfielder, but has to sit on the bench for too long in both the team and the club.

Looking forward to the ability to create mutations in Cong Den, Quang Nho, Van Cong, Hoang Anh or Van Khang are all risky gambles of Coach Gong Oh-kyun. Matching a 3-man midfield in the context of having to rebuild the midfield after the SEA Games is not an easy task.

“U23 Vietnam is lacking a player who can lead the game and can handle creatively behind the striker duo. The old players have played well in the SEA Games, replacing them is extremely difficult. Manh Dung and Van Tung play strikers, but who plays in central midfield? Midfielder will be the weak point of U23 Vietnam“, expert Darby commented.

The midfield will be an obstacle on the journey of creating coach Gong Oh-kyun’s own mark at U23 Vietnam. According to expert Darby, Coach Gong Oh-kyun should inherit the philosophy of Coach Park Hang Seo, which is to ensure defense and tactical discipline, and then build a new team on this foundation.

“Park Hang Seo’s team is well organized, has a tactical style and is disciplined on the football field. Coach Gong Oh-kyun needs to maintain Coach Park’s team building philosophy and build a gameplay on that foundation‘, Mr. Darby assessed.